Policy Networks, Governance and Accountability.
RAW Rhodes Professor of Politics, University of Newcastle.

This book provides a challenging reinterpretation of changes in central, local and European Union government and is an helpful aid to the understanding of government and governance. It emphasises the inability of the ‘Westminster model’, with it accent on parliamentary sovereignty and strong executive leadership, to account for persistent policy failure; the ‘hollowing out’ of British government from above (the European Union), below (special purpose bodies) and sideways (to agencies). It contains sections on Reinventing Whitehall and The Changing Face of Local Government.

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From Deloitte & Touche

Business on the Internet is set to undergo a period of major growth. Within two years, many businesses will be conducting more than half their transactions over the Internet, as e-commerce grows by 30% the study says. So far the benefits are largely unrealised, but this is about to change. Banking, retailing and energy are already aggressively embracing the new medium, along with the public sector.

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The Action Plan sets out the Government’s response to the Fourth Nolan Report. It gives guidance to central departments, non departmental public bodies, NHS bodies and training and enterprise councils. Topics covered include: defining the tasks and qualities for public appointments, advertising appointments, criteria for selection and conflict of interest.
The Report is available at www.coi.gov.uk/coi/depts/GCO/GCO.html
Hard copies can be obtained from the Cabinet Office 0171 270 1892.

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The Audit commission have reviewed over 400 audits of local authorities which looked at people pay and performance. They found that although Councils face increasing demand for services and resources remain tight, between 1993 and 1995 the total non-manual paybill has continued to rise.On the demand side there are increasing numbers of elderly people and a rising school population putting particular demands on services. There is more competition and local government reorganisation poses additional management challenges.

Read more on The Melody Lingers On… A Review of the Audits of People, Pay and Performance…

by Blanchard, Kenneth H.; Johnson, Spencer
Starting from the assumption that people are every organisation’s most important resource, this book sets out three simple steps to getting the best from them and making every company run more efficiently.
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Price:£5.99 Format:Paperback No. of Pages:112Size (in mm):198 x 129 Publisher:FontanaDate Published: May 1984 Category:Management and Business AdministrationDewey No.:658.4

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by Robert Smith, former Director of Studies at The Civil Service College.Published by Longman (ISBN 0-582-23892-7)

The public sector is changing rapidly and its requirement for excellent management skills has never been greater The book has been written for managers at all levels in the public sector and responds to this need. It has much to say for the general manager as well as for staff in specialist planning departments.

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The Audit Commission has turned its attention to New Zealand in the continual search for better value for money. It found that in terms of specific VFM tools and techniques, there is little that the UK can learn from New Zealand, but some initiatives merit UK consideration.New Zealand local government underwent both structural and organisational change in 1989 and 653 existing authorities were restructured into 86 new authorities . The chief executive became the sole employee of the council and all other employees work for the chief executive. Reforms to improve the accountability, visibility and value for money of New Zealand councils include:

Read more on Kiwi Experience – VFM messages from New Zealand…