Bedpans should be heard no more in Whitehall
A discussion regarding foundation hospitals, in a pluralist versus centralist context, reveals some difficult choices.
The real economy: May 2003
The last fifteen years has been one of the most remarkable periods in economic history. But the American model on which most economic thinking and policy making has been based is not only unattractive, it is inaccurate - both about human motivation and how socially embedded markets actually operate
The real culprits in Europe’s pensions crisis
The problem of the European pension gap cannot be tackled by the kind of financial engineering proposed by the European Financial Services Round Table. This is not the moment in history to argue that private pension funding is necessarily superior to state provision.
Take the politics out of fiscal policy
Even though there is a case for leaving the responsibility of fiscal policy to the government, there is an even greater need for achieving the discipline and the same kind of objective assessment that has worked so well for monetary policy
The visible hand of the Treasury
The effort to define the 'third way' for the centre left after socialism continues with Gordon Brown's extended essay on economic philosophy to the Social Market Foundation. His analysis has many attractions - and many unresolved problems.
Desperate dons must take risks for bigger rewards
Tony Blair has shown decisive leadership qualities in putting forward necessary but unpopular proposals to restore universities' freedom to set fees. It needs to be matched by similar qualities of leadership in the universities themselves.
Incentive plans that corrode integrity
If profit related pay works for CEO's, then why not have growth related pay for the Chancellor? History tells us why this is a bad idea
Merger lectures are best ignored
The biggest universities in the world are clearly not the best. So why do some British universities think that mergers will make them world class?
Mario Monti’s parallel universe
The European Commission was severely rebuked by the Court for its refusal to allow Airtours to acquire First Choice. But the verdict of the marketplace, in which Airtours is in desperate straits while First Choice has gone from strength to strength, confirms the wisdom of the Commission's decision: rarely has an anti-trust agency been so comprehensively vindicated by subsequent events.
Business can be a Nobel pursuit
The gap between American universities and the rest of the world is widening. The week in which the Nobel Prizes are awarded is an opportune time to ask why.