Get back on the rails
Whilst both the government and the market plays ever closer attention to the dismal performance of Railtrack it is worth asking why a separate track authority was needed in the first place. Given that the financial case is so compelling, how might Railtrack now be renationalised so as to achieve autonomy with real accountability?
How to manage blame
Managers are unavoidably charged to balance the benefit of innovation with the risks of new processes, and to do this well. But the disastrous effects of asbestos manufacture and BSE indicate that markets and regulation are not helping.
A New Public Sector
Since the early days of privatisation, there has been an evident need for a framework which gave operational autonomy and managerial responsibility in public services but which was not the framework of the plc. But there is merit in pluralism here too.
Be less cynical, stupid
It is the state of economy that decides elections: Or so the theory goes. The evidence, however, suggests that voters do pay far greater attention to the issues and politicians really do mean what they say.
An object lesson in prevarication: Oxford University
Oxford University is still one the world's greatest academic institutions. To rise to fresh challenges in the twenty first century it must begin to address the ineffectiveness of its proceedings.
How Measurement in Organisations has Changed (Cambridge)
John Kay speaks about the need for seamless integration between the three roles of measurement, which he identifies as external reporting, internal control and internal analysis. His major theme is that the requirements for external reporting should be derived from the measures used for internal control which in turn should be based upon the measures used to complete internal analysis. Hence the seamless link between these three roles of measurement.
Young surfers catch a wave
The Parable of Dot, Com and Uncle Sam. Where exactly is Uncle Sam’s money going?
Regulation by Rules or Regulation by Values
There are three ways of regulating behaviour - and of the three, regulation by values is much under-rated.
Blurring of responsibility
You can be responsible to people to whom you are not accountable; and you can deal with interlocking and conflicting responsibilities. Why do so many thoughtful people fail to realise this?
The key to the banks
Great size is a warning of trouble ahead in the banking industry; and the trouble may be for the taxpayer as much as the shareholder.