This study offers a distinctive new account of British economic life since the Second World War, focussing upon the ways in which successive governments, in seeking to manage the economy, have sought simultaneously to 'manage the people': to try and manage popular understanding of economic issues. In doing so, governments have sought not only to shape expectations for electoral purposes but to construct broader narratives about how 'the economy' should be understood. The starting point of this work is to ask why these goals have been focussed upon (and differentially over time), how they have been constructed to appeal to the population, and, insofar as this can be assessed, how far the population has accepted these narratives. The first half of the book analyses the development of the major narratives from the 1940s onwards, addressing the notion of 'austerity' and its particular meaning in the 1940s; the rise of a narrative of 'economic decline from the late 1950s, and the subsequent attempts to 'modernize' the economy; the attempts to 'roll back the state' from the 1970s; the impact of ideas of 'globalization' in the 1900s; and, finally, the way the crisis of 2008/9 onwards was constructed as a problem of 'debts and deficits'. The second part of the book focuses on four key issues in attempts to 'manage the people': productivity, the balance of payments, inflation, and unemployment. It shows how, in each case, governments sought to get the populace to understand these issues in a particular light, and shaped strategies to that end.

This study offers a distinctive new account of British economic life since the Second World War, focussing upon the ways in which successive governments, in seeking to manage the economy, have sought simultaneously to "manage the people": to try and manage popular understanding of economic issues. In doing so, governments have sought not only to shape expectations for electoral purposes but to construct broader narratives about how "the economy" should be understood. The starting point of this work is to ask why these goals have been focussed upon (and differentially over time), how they have been constructed to appeal to the population, and, insofar as this can be assessed, how far the population has accepted these narratives. The first half of the book analyses the development of the major narratives from the 1940s onwards, addressing the notion of "austerity" and its particular meaning in the 1940s; the rise of a narrative of 'economic decline from the late 1950s, and the subsequent attempts to "modernize" the economy; the attempts to "roll back the state" from the 1970s; the impact of ideas of "globalization" in the 1900s; and, finally, the way the crisis of 2008/9 onward was constructed as a problem of "debts and deficits". The second part of the book focuses on four key issues in attempts to "manage the people: productivity, the balance of payments, inflation, and unemployment. It shows how, in each case, governments sought to get the populace to understand these issues in a particular light, and shaped strategies to that end.

A clash between the ideology of growth and the growth of ideas, between control and creativity, between measurement and the immeasurable, between predictability and the fickle muses of inspiration in engulfing our boardrooms. In this scathing swipe at the institutionalised idiocy that is stifling creativity just at the time the world needs it most Gordon Torr draws from the leading lights of creativity research to demolish the myths that surround the generation of ideas in the modern organisation. The curse of the brainstorm, the commoditisation of creative talent, the deskilling of the imagination, the startling inadequacies of management theory – these and the many other horrors of idea-assassination that run rampant in creative sector companies are dissected and disembowelled in this hilarious expose of the drama that unfolds every time a new idea slides across the boardroom table. This book sets out to address the black hole that surrounds the management of creative people, debunking many myths of creativity, and outlining a revolutionary approach to the pressing issue of creative productivity in the contemporary creative sector company. A handbook of tools, techniques, methods and practical ideas whose USP is a framework for thinking about efficient creative management – how to extract value from creative time. Gordon Torr presents a logical argument that puts in place the building blocks of the author’s knowledge and experience towards the final architecture. “We need them as never before. And we know that they’re somehow different. Yet the productive management of creative people is an almost totally neglected science. I doubt if there’s a single industry that wouldn’t gain immediate advantage from Gordon Torr’s scrupulous and enlightening detective work.” - Jeremy Bullmore

This volume synthesizes thinking on knowledge management and intellectual capital from a broad range of sources and identifies how human resource management can make a value-added contribution.

In a world increasingly organised as networks of cities, this book offers the first full-length treatment of the subject of managing the city economy. It explores key challenges and strategies, particularly in developing countries, where developmental deficits are greatest and almost all urban growth up to 2050 will take place. Adopting a practitioner’s perspective, theoretically grounded and international in scope, this book is unique in its focus and endeavours to connect theory with practice. Through an interdisciplinary and strategic approach, this book explores the challenges and options in managing the contemporary city economy. It aims to illustrate the extent to which appropriate policy interventions in the city economy could offer effective solutions to some of the most difficult social and environmental challenges facing cities. The book comprises five main parts. Part I sets the scene and examines contemporary processes that affect cities and explains the challenges they pose for city managers. Part II presents a selection of conceptual frameworks commonly used in urban economic analysis. Part III examines the management of sectoral growth, covering manufacturing, exports of services, transport and logistics, and real estate. Part IV addresses urban poverty, low-carbon transition and the informal economy. Part V focuses on laying the foundation for long-term city development, exploring the roles of city development strategies, municipal finance, investment in people and appropriate infrastructure. This book is designed for graduate courses in urban economic development, urban planning, urban policy and public administration, and for professionals who are involved in the management of city economies or/and conducting research, consultancy or policy advocacy for cities. Through critical review of relevant debates and a dozen case studies this book will equip city managers with the knowledge required to strengthen the performance of their city economy while delivering authentic and sustainable development.

Karl Polanyi’s The Great Transformation is generally acclaimed as being among the most influential works of economic history in the twentieth century, and remains as vital in the current historical conjuncture as it was in his own. In its critique of nineteenth-century ‘market fundamentalism’ it reads as a warning to our own neoliberal age, and is widely touted as a prophetic guidebook for those who aspire to understand the causes and dynamics of global economic turbulence at the end of the 2000s. Karl Polanyi: The Limits of the Market is the first comprehensive introduction to Polanyi’s ideas and legacy. It assesses not only the texts for which he is famous – prepared during his spells in American academia – but also his journalistic articles written in his first exile in Vienna, and lectures and pamphlets from his second exile, in Britain. It provides a detailed critical analysis of The Great Transformation, but also surveys Polanyi’s seminal writings in economic anthropology, the economic history of ancient and archaic societies, and political and economic theory. Its primary source base includes interviews with Polanyi’s daughter, Kari Polanyi-Levitt, as well as the entire compass of his own published and unpublished writings in English and German. This engaging and accessible introduction to Polanyi’s thinking will appeal to students and scholars across the social sciences, providing a refreshing perspective on the roots of our current economic crisis.

Provides an agenda for future work on activities to improve understanding of innovation strategies in the medium and short term.

This book highlights the essence of information technology in the modern digital world in relation to improvements and threats to organisations and e-business in the era of the digital economy. Rapid IT development has created modern business proposals such as digital and virtual currencies, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, mobile banking, online investing and new payment systems. This allows organisations and firms to increase competitiveness by using financial products and services, thus increasing their value. Information technology users receive significant timesaving and a choice of investment options. At the same time, there is a new challenge for regulators who must monitor how this or that technology affects the financial sector. The authors have collected and systematised information on the models of using information technology in e-business as well as issues of applying information technology in smart organisations and public institutions. The book addresses the issues of risk management in organizations and the problems of personal and social risks resulting from the use of information technology. In addition, the book presents a review of e-commerce sectors and models as well as e-commerce tools, international payment systems and modern money systems. Risks, threats and security rules for using banking services, e-commerce and payment systems are reviewed and systematised.

"Will help those committed to learning how to embed knowledge through HR systems and it will help those committed to HR to recognize and deliver knowledge as the outcome of their work." - cover.

This unique volume offers a definitive new history of European economies at war from 1914 to 1918. It studies how European economies mobilised for war, how existing economic institutions stood up under the strain, how economic development influenced outcomes and how wartime experience influenced post-war economic growth. Leading international experts provide the first systematic comparison of economies at war between 1914 and 1918 based on the best available data for Britain, Germany, France, Russia, the USA, Italy, Turkey, Austria-Hungary and the Netherlands. The editors' overview draws some stark lessons about the role of economic development, the importance of markets and the damage done by nationalism and protectionism. A companion volume to the acclaimed The Economics of World War II, this is a major contribution to our understanding of total war.