Politishop British Democracy Forum in association with Amazon UK
 Location:  Home» Politics » Countries & Regions » Systems Thinking in the Public Sector: The Failure of the Reform Regime.... and a Manifesto for a Better Way  
Latest forum topics
Result: Glasgow East - SNP beat Labour
Fri, 25 Jul 2008 02:06:30 GMT
EU Referendum: Trouble at t'grid
Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:50:26 GMT
Whose side is the hostage-in-chief on?
Fri, 25 Jul 2008 00:20:59 GMT
Lowestoft Airshow
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:48:07 GMT
Where is Tara?
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 19:07:20 GMT
EU Referendum: Today's sob-story
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:30:04 GMT
everyone
Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:24:41 GMT

Systems Thinking in the Public Sector: The Failure of the Reform Regime.... and a Manifesto for a Better Way

Systems Thinking in the Public Sector: The Failure of the Reform Regime.... and a Manifesto for a Better Way

enlarge enlarge 
Author: John Seddon
Publisher: Triarchy Press
Category: Book

List Price: £20.00
Buy New: £19.00
You Save: £1.00 (5%)



Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars 2 reviews
Sales Rank: 3299

Media: Paperback
Pages: 228
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 1.1
Dimensions (in): 9.5 x 6.7 x 0.6

ISBN: 0955008182
Dewey Decimal Number: 320
EAN: 9780955008184
ASIN: 0955008182

Publication Date: April 11, 2008
Shipping: Eligible for Super Saver Shipping
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours

Similar Items:

  • Freedom from Command and Control: A Better Way to Make the Work Work
  • Squandered
  • I Want You to Cheat!: The Unreasonable Guide to Service and Quality in Organisations
  • Instruction to Deliver: Fighting to Transform Britain's Public Services
  • Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Turn the ship around   May 19, 2008
M. Baker (Essex, UK)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful

Currently, the UK Government is wasting Billions on public services with no improvements discernable to the population. John Seddon says this is caused by the Government (he uses the term "regime") managment method of target setting and process auditing. By putting targets aside and and designing the system to meet the demand made of it by the customers - us, improvements made in customer satisfaction and efficincy are enormous. Real examples in housing, police, benefits show reductions in service times of 90%. Britain needs to read ths book - and act on it.


5 out of 5 stars Why we pay so much in taxes and its got nothing to do with fat cats....   June 3, 2008
S. Hopkirk (The U.K.)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This book is a follow up to Freedom From Command and Control which was about how a management style called "Systems Thinking" could make the service sector much better. That book itself was excellent but I feel that John has eclisped it with the latest book, particularly if you have an interest in the way the public sector operates (and lets face it, we all should have as thats where our taxes go). The book paints a clear picture of just why the current government (regime) has failed to make a significant improvment in public sector services (health, education, police, local govt etc)despite drastically increasing spending (our taxes).
John is claiming (and I recognise much of what he is saying as true from experience)that the way government actually run the public sector through standards, targets and meauring the sector to death is the reason why it is failing, and NOT, as the media often wrongly claim, is it down to poor employees or managers.
Sadly this is a point that is only rarely picked up by the media (possibly because its easier to blame people than a system) but is the fundamental truth behind why we pay so much in taxes and seem to get little in return. For anybody who has used any area of the public sector and received less than good service, this book has the answer.
Readers will in future recognise why they are receiving poor service and ask "what is the target behind this poor service".
John eloquently describes several case studies and scenarios which illustrate his claims and thinking. The style is easy to read and understand and in addition to the content there is also a host of useful information that any manager can pick up and use as an added benefit.
You should buy this book if you are a manager in the public sector and want to make a difference, or a tax payer and you want to know where your money is besing wasted. If you are a committed Command and Control management style thinker, then you will find your current beliefs challenged and undermined by this book.


Powered by good will.