Analysis archive

'Key role' of frameworks in public sector procurement
Paul Smith discusses the 'for and against' arguments in light of the launch of the first national framework for the provision of insurance to the public sector

Adapting to ageing society demands radical rethink
As we all live longer it is time to put down yesterday's tools, reconsider our assumptions about what it means to be old, and innovate to create new models of living in order to adapt to an ageing society, writes Halima Khan

Europe 'shares blame' for Italy deadlock
Italian voters rejected austerity and embraced Beppe Grillo, while the resurrection of Silvio Berlusconi caused jitters on bond markets: now Europe must accept its responsibility for Italy's political stalemate and show greater solidarity, writes Guy Verhofstadt

UK a 'long way off' net migration target
Statistics show net migration to the UK falling but the government may be further from reaching its target than it appears, thanks partly to the impact of including international students in the figures, writes Brhmie Balaram

The tunnel effect: a parable for our economic times
The 'tunnel effect' was first articulated decades ago by Albert Hirschman, one of the world's most original economic thinkers – and both his research and determination seem worth remembering in our current plight, writes Abhinay Muthoo

Young people in the west will have to retire at 75 - says CEBR
Simple maths and current life expectancy trends show that the only real solution is for people to work longer or face a future with no pension, warns Douglas McWilliams

Increasing tax on beer is beyond the pale
Pubs are closing at an alarming rate and people are switching to dangerous but cheap illegal alcohol as a consequence of rising beer taxes, warns John O'Connell

How sound recording can limit workplace disputes
Making sound recordings of confidential meetings with employees, like performance reviews, and disciplinary or grievance interviews, can help managers avoid the common pitfalls that often lead to employment tribunals, writes Maxine Park

Child domestic workers: 'time to protect us'
Children make up nearly 30 per cent of the world's 50 to 100 million domestic workers, working long hours for little or no pay and at risk of exploitation – but now governments have a chance to do something about it, writes Jo Becker

'Fundamental reform' needed after horsemeat scandal
The horsemeat scandal has highlighted the vulnerability of the food supply system in Europe – and fundamental reform is needed in order to fix it, writes Bart Staes

Bulgaria attack reveals dangerous new Hezbollah
The recent attack in Bulgaria revealed that Hezbollah has decided to rehabilitate international terrorism, by incorporating the tactics it honed in the domestic sphere and almost perfecting plausible deniability, writes Hassan Mneimneh

Housing associations face 'storm clouds' in UK
Benefit reform and the so-called 'bedroom tax' has created uncertainty for housing associations in the UK, leading them to be more risk-averse and less entrepreneurial, writes Graham Manville

Are British prime ministers becoming presidential?
The media concentrates upon prime ministers more than once they did and PMs might think of themselves as more important than once they did – 'more presidential' – writes Professor Keith Dowding

Bankers' bonuses post-crisis: all in it together?
With wages rising faster in the UK's financial sector than for anyone else, and no decline in the share of total income going to bankers, what should be done about bonus culture in the wake of the crisis, ask Brian Bell and John Van Reenen

An EU-US trade deal: prospects, benefits and pitfalls
In negotiating a transatlantic trade deal, the EU and US should not allow the best to be the enemy of the good: better to focus on credible objectives and deliver than to be too ambitious and fail, writes Philip Whyte