A balance between care and discipline
Balancing the needs of public sector companies with the needs of society is a delicate matter. It is however, possible to achieve.
God save the CEO
Queen Elizabeth II inherited her job as the "CEO" of Britain's most famous family firm. History shows us that those born into power can be just as effective as those who are chosen.
Twenty Years of Privatisation
Twenty years after it all began, the meaning of privatisation is now clearer. Privatised businesses have fared better than nationalised ones but most have not thrived in the private sector. And the plc model does not work for monopoly services.
Rivalry keeps an industry vibrant
The proposed merger between Go and Easyjet has provoked minimal controversy. This belies the important questions it poses for the future of competition policy.
Taming the public sector hybrid
There is too much inconsistency in the way the UK's privatised industries are managed and financed. A new and comprehensive plan is needed.
Stakeholding misconceived
Encouraging employee share ownership doesn't create a "stakeholder society". Instead, it can lead to disasters like Enron, where workers have too much riding on the success of one firm.
A vital item is missing
John Mayo's account of his troubled tenure at Marconi should serve as a warning to managers. Success in business is achieved by supplying goods and services effectively; not by seeking to boost share prices.
Perpetually unsettled
The seeds of Argentina’s economic downfall were sewn early in the nation’s history. The distribution of land rights caused political and economic problems that would eventually cripple the country
Meeting of closed minds
It sat for 340 days, heard evidence from 195 witnesses and received over 4000 letters of objection. The public inquiry into Sizewell B was the second biggest ever - but it came to the wrong conclusion.
The risks of Railtrack
Lessons can be learnt from Railtrack’s failure. The government should re-appraise how projects should be financed and managed in the future.