Whether as citizens, politicians or public servants, we all have our own experiences of using public services. But modern public mangement must go beyond anecdotal evidence to provide soundly-based, objective information on what people want from public services.This report, commissioned by the Better Government Team in the Cabinet Office and written by a team from the Policy Studies Institute, the Office for Public Management and Acumen, identifies such objective evidence. 

In the first annual report on the state of Britain’s public services, the Public Management Foundation and MORI conducted a joint survey of over 1,000 people across the UK. The findings demonstrate a popular consensus about the value of public services. 94% of the population believe that public services are essential in a modern society and 97% believe they should be there for everyone. 

Gill RinglandScenario planning is a strategic management tool that helps organisations create their own futures. In this book readers learn about the power of the process to dramatically magnify a manager’s ability to zero in on the most important emerging trends and develop sets of likely future scenarios from them. They also learn how to fashion dynamic strategies to take advantage of whichever future emerges.
ISBN 0-471-97790-X 1998 422pp Clot

Edited by: Jane HenryIntended for managers and others who wish to increase their capacity to respond creatively to the challenges of the 1990s, this book is written in typical Open University style. The focus of the book is the impact of thought upon action, in particular changing thought creatively so as to bring about creative action. It shows how thinking patterns can limit perceived options and offers a variety of creative approaches to circumventing barriers in the mind. 

Gill Ringland
A strategic management tool that helps organisations create their own future. In this book, readers learn all about powerful scenario planning tools that drastically magnify a manager’s ability to zero in on the most important emerging trends and develop sets of likely future scenarios from them. They also learn how to fashion dynamic strategies for taking advantage of whatever future emerges.
ISBN 0-471-97790-X 422

J Pendlebury, F Meston and B Grouard
This book describes the dynamics of change, its causes, what’s at stake, and the criteria for success. Then it puts forward a practical method for driving change, whether it be a simple evolution or a major transformation. The authors show how efficient organisations use change to reinforce their position, control their activity and their future and how a large part of the process involves the motivation and development of people.
ISBN 0-471-97930 250pp

Arthur Sheldon - Institute of Economic Affairs
Over-government is now a serious problem in many countries, says Arthur Sheldon in a new IEA Hobart paper. Instead of accounting for about 40 per cent of GDP,government spending should decrease to nearer 20 per cent. Then citizens would be less inclined to try to escape from government control, as they are now doing in big numbers, because government activity far exceeds what they would freely have chosen. 

David E Hussey
Using a top management approach, this book provides a strategic view of
innovation and demonstrates that it is more than just encouraging creativity. Chapters present current findings and new ideas from practitioners and academics in the field in the many aspects of the strategic management of innovation. 

Mackenzie Kyle
A godsent for every harrowed manager who needs to learn the ins and outs of project management….yesterday. Written in a compelling narrative form, Making it Happen follows the trials and tribulations of a middle manager who has had a career threatening project thrust upon him, as he learns the ropes of project management the hard way.
ISBN 0-471-64234-7 1998 256pp

Richard Kerley, Director, Scottish Local Authorities Management Centre, Strathclude Business School, University of Strathclyde
Managing in Local Government provides a comprehensive guide to the tasks of the local government manager. Starting with a concise introduction to recent developments and trends in public management and local government institutions and services, the core of the book focuses on the key managerial functions and relationships in a local authority context.