A survey of almost 1000 UK companies published today by the Confederation of British Industry and KPMG Consulting shows that British business is set to fully embrace the Internet revolution over the next two to three years. According to the report, ‘The Quiet Revolution’, 58% of companies expect to derive at least 10% of their revenue directly from e-business within the next two to three years. This demonstrates that the e-government targets for service delivery are broadly in line with the private sector intentions.The Quiet Revolution dispels the notion that the Internet revolution has ground to a halt. The rise and fall of the dotcoms may have dominated the first wave but the second is now being led by traditional organisations across the UK of all sizes in every sector, with all companies expected to step up their e-business activity over the next two to three years.

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The Government has unveiled its vision for a modernised criminal justice system. The strategy addresses the issues of improving detection, reducing the gap between the number of crimes and the number of convictions, deterring re-offending and supporting victims and witnesses. Every part of the existing criminal justice system will be subject to reform. The strategy, which includes initiatives in progress as well as new measures, also embraces other departments and agencies including the Social Exclusion Unit.Proposals to improve police performance include enhancing detective capability, possibly drawing on outside experience from the public or private sector. There are also plans for a more structured career management process, including the development of a new Leadership Development Board. It is thought that this could end the long tradition of all new entrants serving as constables, before moving to accelerated promotion. Ending this tradition and introducing private sector expertise is likely to prove extremely controversial.

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Hodgkinson MThe Learning Organization, (UK), 2000 Vol 7 No 3

Start page: 156. No of pages: 11

Explores how middle managers understand the concept of the learning organization, particularly the ‘five disciplines’ defined by Senge, and to understand the barriers they perceive to the adoption of the concept. Reports the views of a group of middle managers, belonging to a large international firm, who were registered on a Diploma of Management Studies programme in the UK. Outlines how the managers perceived each of the five disciplines and indicates the barriers they identified. Sets out the results of a meeting three months later, which asked the same group of managers to identify if any processes were in place in their organization which would enable them to practice Senge’s five disciplines and to discuss their role (if any) within the process. Quotes the managers’ views that the introduction of the learning organization concept was not happening in their organization and sets out why they thought this was the case. Links this back to the literature review at the start of the article which identified similar barriers to the introduction of the concept. Draws out the implications for the development of learning organizations.

Read more on MANAGERIAL PERCEPTIONS OF BARRIERS TO BECOMING A LEARNING ORGANIZATION…