Category Archives: International

Top Twenty Whitehall Watch blog posts

Posted on January 9, 2013 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Here’s the top twenty Whitehall Watch blog posts (so far) and the number of views. This doesn’t include numbers for posts that have been republished by Public Finance, Public Servant, LSE Policy and Politics and the Huffington Post.

Posted in Accountability, Communities, Development, Education, International, Local government, NHS, Parliament, Performance, Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Riots, Spending, Whitehall | Leave a comment

Romney tells Secret Service detail to “go and get a real job” – well, not really but that’s what he implied…

Posted on August 31, 2012 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

[President Obama] “took office without the basic qualification that most Americans have, and one that was essential to the task at hand.  He had almost no experience working in a business.  Jobs to him are about government.” Mitt Romney in … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration | 3 Comments

Co-Evolution of the Development of Public Administration, Democracy and Capitalism

Posted on July 27, 2012 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Philipp Krause has raised some very interesting issues about the development of public finance institutions in emerging economies (which are equally applicable to wider public administration capacity development in emerging countries).

Posted in Accountability, Development, International, Political Economy, Public Administration, Public Management | 1 Comment

G4S and rethinking public services: going beyond ‘one size fits all’

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

guest post by John Alford and Janine O’Flynn  The G4S fiasco surrounding security for the London Olympics has sparked debate about the problems of contracting out. In a new book, John Alford and Janine O’Flynn argue for a broader approach … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, International, Political Economy, Public Administration, Public Management | 2 Comments

policy@manchester launches

Posted on July 12, 2012 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Public policy community comes together 12 Jul 2012 The University of Manchester has established Policy@Manchester as a network bringing together a range of academics working in a variety of public policy areas.

Posted in Accountability, International, NHS, Parliament, Performance, Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Spending, Whitehall | Leave a comment

Surpluses, Budgets, Parliament, and Accountability Down Under (Australia): some random thoughts

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

I am in Australia as “Accenture-Crawford School Distinguished Visiting Professor” at Australian National University in Canberra. Many thanks to both Accenture and the excellent Crawford School of Public Policy. I’ve been doing a fascinating series of meetings, seminars and lectures … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Public Administration, Public Management, Spending, Whitehall | 1 Comment

My Top Ten (most read) WhitehallWatch posts of 2011 (so far)

Posted on December 22, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot
Posted in International, Performance, Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Spending, Whitehall | Leave a comment

Greek Deficit and Tax Evasion

Posted on November 10, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

One issue that keeps coming up around the Greek crisis is the degree of tax evasion. In the slide below I report the average Greek budget deficit per year on a decade by decade basis since the 1960s (figures on … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Politics, Public Administration, Spending | 4 Comments

My Big Fat Greek Government?

Posted on November 7, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

The Greek crisis has given neo-liberals a a great opportunity to criticize ‘big government’ Hellenic style – they see the problem as a Big Fat Greek Government (apologies to the film of nearly that name). But as usual the truth … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Politics, Public Administration, Public Management, Spending | 2 Comments

There’s No Such Thing as a Free Lunch, or a Free Market

Posted on October 31, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

My recent post suggesting three simple reforms to financial markets provoked a bit of a squall on Twitter. The Free Market Fundamentalist Tendency especially seemed incensed that any restrictions on markets was a good idea. Most of the criticisms were … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy | 4 Comments

Three ‘Simples’ Principles for Controlling Run-Away Finance?

Posted on October 30, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

I have been thinking about what sort of moral principles ought to apply to finance, including banking. The sort of thing I’ve been thinking about are some fairly simple things that would appear obvious to most of us, but apparently … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Politics | 2 Comments

The ‘Managerial Revolution’ is Over: They Won?

Posted on October 28, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

“Income Data Services, which totted up pay, bonuses and various share awards, says the average FTSE 100 executive director pocketed a 49 per cent rise in the last financial year to bring their remuneration to £2.7m a year. Chief executives … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Political Economy, Public Administration, Public Management | 3 Comments

Rebuilding Libya: Transitions in Public Management

Posted on August 24, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Gaddafi is gone, and Libya faces a new future. Of course, the fighting is not completely over and he and his scions are still at large, but few doubt the regime is no more.

Posted in International, Politics, Public Management | 2 Comments

Why Greece is a Basket Case?

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

An excellent analysis over @ flipchartfairlytales which shows that the root of the Greek crisis is the failure of tax collection and the size of the shadow economy. My comment was:

Posted in International, Public Management, Spending, Whitehall | 1 Comment

Malawi – academic freedom under attack

Posted on April 6, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

[This post is being updated as more information arrives, so please check back]. A friend and colleague at the University of Malawi (Chancellor College) has just sent this somewhat hair-raising account of a developing attack on academic freedom there:

Posted in International, Politics | 2 Comments

Going Nuclear: the BBC (and rest of the media) and Japan

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

I don’t usually do media commentary, but the coverage of the aftermath of the quake and tsunami in Japan forces me to make one point: the coverage of the nuclear problems at Fukushima are out of all proportion to the … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Politics | 5 Comments

Western Universities Helped Ferment the Arab Revolt

Posted on March 4, 2011 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Over the past couple of decades, tens of thousands of students from (usually autocratic) Arab states have attended universities in Britain, America and other western countries. On a smaller scale, many western universities have also run all sorts of training … Continue reading →

Posted in International, Politics | 1 Comment

Big in Beijing?

Posted on July 10, 2010 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Well, not really. I’m here (Beijing) to speak at a conference on Public Service reform.

Posted in International | 1 Comment

Noble and Ignoble Prizes for Economics

Posted on January 12, 2010 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Just in case you have missed this: The Real-World Economics Review Blog is holding polls to determine the awarding of two prizes: The Ignoble Prize for Economics , to be awarded to the three economists who contributed most to enabling … Continue reading →

Posted in International | Leave a comment

The End is Nye: Religion and Soft Power

Posted on September 21, 2009 by Prof. Colin R Talbot

Professor Joseph S. Nye (Harvard) spoke this morning at the Maxwell School (Syracuse), where I am currently a guest. Nye is famous for coining the phrases ‘soft power’ and ‘smart power’ – both of which have slipped into the political … Continue reading →

Posted in International | 1 Comment