The genesis of the electricity supply industry in Britain: A case study of NESCo from 1889 to 1914

A study of the Newcastle upon Tyne Electric Supply Company (NESCo) provides a micro-history of the emergence of the electricity supply industry in Britain up to the First World War. This research examines the role of social capital in the establishment and growth of NESCo, the only financially successful British electric power company. Temporal bracketing was adopted to evaluate two distinct time periods: emergence from 1889 to 1899; and growth from 1900 to 1914. Family, business and social networks together with geographical and political factors secured the company’s dominant position. The structural relationship with Merz & McLellan contributed to growth through acquisitions, joint ventures, and access to new markets.     

The Distribution of Public Expenditure across the UK Regions

The distribution of UK revenue to the regional and territorial governments, administrations and authorities that spend the money is based on a hotchpotch of badly designed formulae. This is widely recognised. The Barnett formula, which allocates money to the devolved territories, has been attacked from all sides, its consequences described as ‘terribly unfair’ by its progenitor, Lord Barnett. The mechanism by which resources are distributed to local authorities within the English regions has been abandoned by the government, although its replacement has not yet been determined. This paper argues that a common basis for government spending across the regions and territories of the UK will be more equitable and efficient, and may even depoliticise the financial framework of the UK.     

The importance of model structure

This paper presents a single thesis relating to the potential uses of structural modelling. In the first section it is argued that the development of conventional dynamic modelling techniques has shifted attention from the important task of producing a model structure which adequately represents a complex system. The paper then discusses various methods of system representation which are suitable for the analysis and improvement of model structure. Finally, a brief survey is presented of some automatic procedures which the authors have developed to provide what they believe to be an essential balance in the methodology of modelling.     

Three US electronic mail studies

In reports published recently by three individual groups charged with the task of studying its future prospects, the US Postal Service is warned that it faces increasing financial deficits and decreasing market acceptance of its services, particularly First Class Mail, unless it takes immediate steps to provide electronic services. The studies, conducted by the National Research Council, the Department of Commerce and the Commission on Postal Service, add more credibility to the viewpoint expressed in previous studies commissioned by the Postal Service that physical transfer of hard copy mail will soon give way to electronic information transfer or, as it is commonly known, ‘electronic mail’.