Lean and mean in the civil service: the case of processing in HMRC

The public sector has been importing private sector methods and practices aimed at generating efficiencies and cost savings. However, the consequences of these changes on the working lives of civil servants are under-researched. This article uses detailed fieldwork to investigate the impact of Lean on labour processes in HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). We argue that Lean has a detrimental effect on employees, their working lives, and the service that is provided to the public. The consequences of Lean on public sector work are highly problematic, which is of serious concern given its progressive impact on other civil service departments in the UK.     

巨额投资计划效果显现需等到2010年

【法国里昂证券11月10日】虽然对中国最新公布的巨额经济刺激计划的效果存在争议,但无可争议的是,4万亿元资金总额相当于中国今年GDP总量的14％。无论实施效果如何,Manop Sangiambut认为,遭受重创的中国股市无疑将会受到提振,尽管其对中国上市企业财务状况的影响要直到2010年才能显现,而建筑、工程机械和水泥等行业将成为直接受益者。     

中国通胀治理依然任重道远

【美国彭博新闻社6月12日】本周,中国主要股指在出现单日暴跌8．1％的行情。这表明投资者们正在将他们的目光从趋稳的食品价格转向潜藏在表面之下的其他通胀之源。在中国股市创下16个月来最大单日跌幅的当天,媒体所披露的信息显示,中国政府将于今日公布的5月份消费者物价指数增速的降幅超过了我们所调查的19位经济学家中16位经济学家的预测水平。     

In search of heterotopia? Motivations of visitors to an English cathedral

This paper explores visitor motivations at an English cathedral, and the role that heterotopia plays in their motives. More than a third of visitors to Chichester Cathedral appear to be motivated by a subconscious search for a spiritual experience, hidden by rational motives such as interest in history. It concludes by examining the management implications that arise from a potential lack of understanding about visitors' motivations. Cathedral managers should acknowledge their visitors' intrinsic sense of spirituality and recognise their spiritual motivations through interpretation, which should encourage them to explore their personal narratives around the emotional dimension of visiting a cathedral. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.