Are we about to enter a new era of public management? There are good reasons to think that this may be the case.
Public Value – the next ‘Big Thing’ in public management?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Hard Times for Public Services
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Whoever is in power at Westminster, public services are facing hard times over the next few years.
Sir Fred Goodwin’s Pension: Pay for Performance?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
One thing that the current financial crisis ought to do is raise a serious debate amongst public policy makers about pay for performance – in the private and public sectors.
Caring for Carers?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
New NAO study reveals extent of carers contribution and DWPs failure to seek out those not claiming
Recruiting civil servants efficiently?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
One the NAO’s latest reports points to a small but significant area of inefficiency in Whitehall – recruitment:
‘Made to Stick’ – how to make your key messages memorable
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
This book looks at what makes ideas “stick” – why some ideas spread easily whilst others don’t. Being able to communicate effectively has become increasingly important for public managers in democratic states. “A medium-sized ‘butter’ popcorn at a typical neighborhood movie theatre contains more artery-clogging fat than a bacon-and-eggs breakfast, a Big Mac and fries […]
So What Would You Do?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
In December I appeared as a witness before two Select Committees in the Westminster parliament: the Treasury Committee (TSC) which was responding to the government’s Pre-Budget Report; and the Public Administration Committee (PASC) which was investigating what standards of ‘good government’ might look like.
NUDGE – influential book points to new policy directions?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
The influential new book “Nudge” (Thaler and Sunstein 2008) comes from the emerging field of behavioral economics, which investigates the non-rational ways in which people make decisions.
The Art of Performance
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
The major first report by the UK’s latest ‘think tank’, the Institute for Government led by well-known and outspoken former Permanent Secretary Sir Michael Bichard, bodes well for the future of the new body. It is a serious, measured and balanced account of many of the achievements and problems experienced in the UK.
Capable in a Crisis?
By Colin Talbot Filed Under: Whitehall Watch Posted:
Sir Gus O’Donnell, head of the UK civil service, in a recent speech outlined why he thought the British civil service would perform well in the current financial and economic crisis. In an article – “Mandarin-tinted glasses” – published in Public Finance magazine, I ask questions just how well Whitehall is really doing – based on […]