Consultants don't come cheap

Are consultants milking the UK government for billions for very little result? Brian Appleyard has a provocative piece in the Sunday Times Magazine which argues that they are: Blair's barmy army. While he exaggerates the failures of consultancy and largely ignores the succeses, there are some telling blows. He summarises the problem thus:

Everybody agrees, the MCA included, that consultants can be useful if – and only if – their task is tightly defined and controlled. But, overwhelmingly, government contracts have been vague and subject to constant change. Like your local builder, consultants quietly add on huge costs every time anybody makes a remark about what must be done. Furthermore, they have so far done so with an almost complete lack of accountability.

...The whole thing has simply been the result of a collective delusion: that there are quasi-scientific, objective ways of managing human affairs that transcend all considerations of culture, ethos and environment. Consultants sold this lie, government bought it, and we’re paying for it.

And the solution?

What we need, say some, is our equivalent of America’s Clinger-Cohen Act. This was introduced by two Republican senators in 1996 after a series of cases in which consultancies ripped off the federal government. The act forced all departments to monitor and control every project, effectively imposing a proper management structure where none had existed before. There is no prospect of that happening here and, seemingly, little political will to shake off the burden of the deals already done.

...But there are hopeful signs. Richard Granger is now imposing more stringent controls on contracts for the NHS computer. The failure of the NHS to show anything like the signs of improvement to be expected from Brown’s billions is starting to sink in. Mark Serwotka’s union is threatening a strike ballot in January. There can be no doubt that a project like the NHS computer would be a fantastic idea if it can be made to work, which, sadly, it can’t.

Comments

[Lafayette]

"Everybody agrees, the MCA included, that consultants can be useful if – and only if – their task is tightly defined and controlled. But ... government contracts have been vague and subject to constant change. Like your local builder, consultants quietly add on huge costs every time anybody makes a remark about what must be done. Furthermore, they have so far done so with an almost complete lack of accountability."

Having been a consultant, I cannot agree more. Garbage in, garbage out. If the consultancy terms-of-reference are not specific with clear and achievable tasks, then the client will pay for useless brainwork.

So, why not hire someone with a consultancy experience to manage the contracting process? Duhhhhhh.

Because, it obviously suits someone not to do so. Consultancy work has been known for decades as a means for administrations (read "politicians") to fund individuals (read "friends") for reasons altogether different from those contracted (read "boondoggle").

[Chanel handbags online]

xyy
I love braids. But I can never make good braids of my hair Chanel handbags online, at which I

feel sad and upset Chanel handbag online. Every time when I failed in making a good braid,

href="http://www.youknowbags.com/chanel-handbags-c-14.html">Chanel handbags sale I will fall into bad spirits, but my favor to braids never weak a little.

href="http://www.youknowbags.com">designer handbags sale. So when I saw this Bottega Veneta Box Clutch in beautiful and smooth braid,

href="http://www.youknowbags.com">handbag sale, though somebody said it is a little simple and plain, I found it is really wonderful. It provides

comfortable feelings to me and cast a spell on me at the first sight.As we know, the collection of Bottega Veneta Box Clutches has many beautiful choices for us

href="http://www.youknowbags.com">authentic handbags. All these clutches combine simplicity, beauty, and usability all at once. The knot on the top is their

icon. Some of them are made from very luxurious materials, such as crocodile leather,designer handbags,thus they have

hefty prices, while other are made from more competitive materials, just like satin, then they have more affordable prices. Though this Bottega Veneta Satin Knot Clutch is made

from satin, it is the same luxurious as croc clutches.replica handbags. As we can see, the sleek lilac satin material

is woven into perfection and is very elegant and stunning.

[nike air max 2009]

xyy

These two colorways of the nike air max 2009 are inspired by

two of the biggest idols LeBron James had as a child. The red pair is inspired by Deion Sanders, while the other pair honors Penny Hardaway. The pair that is inspired after

Penny Hardaway borrows nike air max LTD

href="http://shop.brandsuper.com/nike-air-max-shoes-c-54.html"> the colors from the Orlando Magic. Sorry to give you the bad news, but these will not release.

The Air Max 90 has owned some great colorways in the past. Of all

the great colorways we have examined on the nike air max shoes, my favorite has to be

the Nike Air Max LeBron VII “All Star”. However, here we have two brand new colorways that could be some of the best we have seen. Nike is bringing back some of the true

running classics this year. One of those legendary runners is the Air Max

360, which will release in the OG colorway. Nothing is better than a original. These surfaced last year, and the first look made Air Max heads go crazy of a

possible release.

[travesti sex]

istanbul hotel conrad
This article is very beautiful, I really get very beyendım text files manually to your health as you travesti very beautiful and I wish you continued success with all respect ..

Thanks for helpful information travesti siteleri you catch up us with your sagol instructional çok explanation.
en iyi travestiler en guzel travesti

travesti
istanbul travestileri
ankara travestileri
izmir travestileri
travestiler
trv
travesti siteleri
travesti video
travesti sex
travesti porno
travesti
travesti
travestiler
travesti
travestiler
sohbet
chat
organik
güncel blog