It's snow joke for the Shinkansen

Getting trains to operate in the snow can be a major problem. So one can imagine how this problem would intensify if you were wanting to operate high speed trains which are expected to arrive on time, all the time. This is the case with the shinkansen. So how is it done? This was one of the things I tried to discover during a trip to Japan in January 2004

What could work for future workplaces, beyond working?

Workplace is changing. It is no longer just about working; it is about living. Bold initiatives by visionary business leaders have shown us the power of transformation that the workplace has over otherwise staid businesses drifting along with the status quo. At the same time, their competitors act to overtake them. The fact that over 40% of the Fortune 100 companies from fifteen years ago no longer exist is testament to this adapt or die reality. In this paper, we analyse the changing dynamics and identify drivers, needs, challenges and indicate approaches towards solutions. Our collective goal is to kickstart fresh thinking within organizations as to how their workplace programs can offer high value to the businesses they serve. We raise a call for a new generation of thought leaders: one who are able to identify new roads to success through integration of a creative mix of new and expanded disciplines, far beyond the current scope normally associated with physical workplace solutions. To do this successfully businesses need a laser-like focus on their challenges to be solved, and new leaders need to break traditional barriers to reach the most valuable solutions. In a sense the nature of change to which we aspire moves this work well beyond a Workplace context…… but to ignore the obvious catalytic qualities of the workplace to engender creativity, create a common sense of purpose and develop specific deliverables through a project-derived momentum would be to miss a great opportunity. We are therefore enthusiastic about continuing our search for a new generation of business improvement hosted under a workplace banner

History shows Osborne’s proposed spending cuts after 2015 would be unusual but not unprecedented in terms of duration and depth

At the beginning of the year, George Osborne announced his intention to push on with spending cuts should the Conservatives be re-elected in 2015. Christopher Hood and Rozana Himaz look at previous episodes of UK expenditure cutbacks and find that the current proposals are no more extreme. However, they argue the Scottish referendum could mean the stakes in spending-cap politics prove to be higher this time round

The evidence paradox – or when is a series not a series?

In their recent briefing paper on breaks and discontinuities in official data series in the UK, Ruth Dixon and Christopher Hood highlighted the tension between the demand for quantitative evidence to drive performance improvement and the tendency to systematically destroy the very evidence by which performance can be evaluated. This paper was discussed, and further examples of data breaks across the public sector were explored, at a seminar at LSE in April 2015 attended by senior civil servants and academics. An ensuing discussion embodied the same tensions, with some participants emphasising the need for indicator continuity, and others stressing that indicators must change as methodologies, purposes, and audiences evolve. Can this tension be resolved? In this article, Ruth Dixon, Tony Travers and Christopher Hood suggest that recommendations arising from the seminar might point to a way to reconcile these demand

Building sales people: Recommendations for the Development of a Professional Sales Mentorship Program

Companies will constantly need people to sell something for them. As Grant Cardone, author of Sell or Be Sold: How to Get Your Way in Business and in Life, puts it, Great salespeople are literally the engine of every economy in the world. This is evident as the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that over 13.6 million Americans are in sales and related occupations. Looking at specific industries; the real estate sector is projected to grow faster than any other sales sector over the next decade, according to the Department of Labor. With a 14 percent growth rate expected, this field is expected to hire around 75,000 agents and brokers over the next 10 years. The insurance sector is expected to see a 12 percent increase in jobs over the next decade. Due to its size, the retail sector is expected to gain about 375,000 jobs over the next 10 years —more than any other occupation. In the next decade, the sales engineering sector is expected to grow about nine percent, on average with the rest of the economy. With the technology sector growing quickly, companies such as software publishers and computer systems design firms will have the greatest demand for sales engineers with expertise in the field. The wholesale and manufacturing sectors are expected to add about 150,000 jobs over the next 10 years, a seven percent growth. Because the sector handles a variety of goods across the economy, the constant expansion of those goods will help drive the job growth of sales representatives. The pervasiveness of sales is clear as more than 25 percent of all college graduates across different majors will begin their careers in a sales-related job. Professional sales is the most common entry level position for marketing majors, with some institutions reporting rates as high as 70%. Colleges and Universities are responding to the phenomenal growth of the sales sector. Currently, a sales education curriculum is offered at a total of 101 United States universities and colleges. At the undergraduate level, 32 offer a major, minor or concentration, while the remaining 69 provide some level of sales curriculum in their offerings, but not a degree. At the graduate level, 6 offer graduate degrees with a sales concentration (and 9 provide some level of sales curriculum in their offerings). Further, 22 institutions nationwide currently house sales focused centers or institutes and the University Sales Center Alliance (USCA), an organization whose mission is to advocate for the continuing advancement of the sales profession through teaching, research and outreach; currently has 21 member institutions

Parents' and clinicians' views of an interactive booklet about respiratory tract infections in children: a qualitative process evaluation of the EQUIP randomised controlled trial

Background: ‘When should I worry?’ is an interactive booklet for parents of children presenting with respiratory tract infections (RTIs) in primary care and associated training for clinicians. A randomised controlled trial (the EQUIP study) demonstrated that this intervention reduced antibiotic prescribing and future consulting intentions. The aims of this qualitative process evaluation were to understand how acceptable the intervention was to clinicians and parents, how it was implemented, the mechanisms for any observed effects, and contextual factors that could have influenced its effects.<p></p> Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 parents and 13 clinicians who participated in the trial. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using a framework approach, which involved five stages; familiarisation, development of a thematic framework, indexing, charting, and interpretation.<p></p> Results: Most parents and clinicians reported that the ‘When should I worry’ interactive booklet (and online training for clinicians) was easy to use and valuable. Information on recognising signs of serious illness and the usual duration of illness were most valued. The interactive use of the booklet during consultations was considered to be important, but this did not always happen. Clinicians reported lack of time, lack of familiarity with using the booklet, and difficulty in modifying their treatment plan/style of consultation as barriers to use. Increased knowledge and confidence amongst clinicians and patients were seen as key components that contributed to the reductions in antibiotic prescribing and intention to consult seen in the trial. This was particularly pertinent in a context where decisions about the safe and appropriate management of childhood RTIs were viewed as complex and parents reported frequently receiving inconsistent messages. Conclusions: The ‘When should I worry’ booklet, which is effective in reducing antibiotic prescribing, has high acceptability for clinicians and parents, helps address gaps in knowledge, increases confidence, and provides a consistent message. However, it is not always implemented as intended. Plans for wider implementation of the intervention in health care settings would need to address clinician-related barriers to implementation