Brian C. Smith – författare

First published in 1969, Advising Ministers is a general account of the arrangements for ‘advising Ministers’, based on a case-study, enabling the reader to judge the effectiveness of an advisory body in a particular case, which itself gained much publicity and in which hopes were high that results would be achieved. Mr. Smith’s conclusions are based on published material and informed, shrewd deduction to provide a valuable addition to the all too meagre case-study material on British administration. This book will be of interest to students of history, sociology, economics and political science.

First published in 1969, Advising Ministers is a general account of the arrangements for ‘advising Ministers’, based on a case-study, enabling the reader to judge the effectiveness of an advisory body in a particular case, which itself gained much publicity and in which hopes were high that results would be achieved. Mr. Smith’s conclusions are based on published material and informed, shrewd deduction to provide a valuable addition to the all too meagre case-study material on British administration. This book will be of interest to students of history, sociology, economics and political science.

First published in 1985, Decentralization provides an analytical framework for the comparative study of decentralization in contemporary systems of government. It discusses the structures and processes of all forms of decentralized government and administration, drawing on a wide range of states, developed and developing, capitalist and socialist. The book provides a comparative and theoretical treatment of a subject that for too long has been dealt with in a fragmented and ethnocentric fashion. Decentralization is examined from a theoretical perspective and the political demand for it is analysed. Four key universal themes are then explored: areas, intergovernmental relations, finance and institutions. Decentralization to small-scale communities is discussed and the special claims made for decentralization in developing countries are assessed. Examples are drawn from a wide range of countries throughout the world. The book is intended for courses in public administration, comparative government, urban studies and public policy. It will help both the student and the non-specialist understand an important and topical aspect of government everywhere.

First published in 1985, Decentralization provides an analytical framework for the comparative study of decentralization in contemporary systems of government. It discusses the structures and processes of all forms of decentralized government and administration, drawing on a wide range of states, developed and developing, capitalist and socialist. The book provides a comparative and theoretical treatment of a subject that for too long has been dealt with in a fragmented and ethnocentric fashion. Decentralization is examined from a theoretical perspective and the political demand for it is analysed. Four key universal themes are then explored: areas, intergovernmental relations, finance and institutions. Decentralization to small-scale communities is discussed and the special claims made for decentralization in developing countries are assessed. Examples are drawn from a wide range of countries throughout the world. The book is intended for courses in public administration, comparative government, urban studies and public policy. It will help both the student and the non-specialist understand an important and topical aspect of government everywhere.

First published in 1967, Field Administration provides a useful introduction to a much-neglected aspect of administration. Every government finds it necessary to decentralise its administration. But in Britain much more attention has been paid to devolution, i.e., to local government, than to deconcentration, i.e., to local and regional administrative organisation, or what Mr. Smith calls field administration. Neither aspect of decentralisation can be fully understood in isolation and one great merit of this volume is it study of interrelationships between the two. To illustrate the general principles involved, case studies are provided of three kinds of field administration: the functional (the Ministry of Agriculture in the U.K.), the integrated prefectoral system (Burma) and the unintegrated prefectoral system (Northern Nigeria). This book will be of interest to students of political science, government and administration.

First published in 1967, Field Administration provides a useful introduction to a much-neglected aspect of administration. Every government finds it necessary to decentralise its administration. But in Britain much more attention has been paid to devolution, i.e., to local government, than to deconcentration, i.e., to local and regional administrative organisation, or what Mr. Smith calls field administration. Neither aspect of decentralisation can be fully understood in isolation and one great merit of this volume is it study of interrelationships between the two. To illustrate the general principles involved, case studies are provided of three kinds of field administration: the functional (the Ministry of Agriculture in the U.K.), the integrated prefectoral system (Burma) and the unintegrated prefectoral system (Northern Nigeria). This book will be of interest to students of political science, government and administration.

This author''s second volume introduces basic principles of interpreting infrared spectral data, teaching its readers to make sense of the data coming from an infrared spectrometer. Contents include spectra and diagnostic bands for the more common functional groups as well as chapters on polyester spectra and interpretation aids.

Discussions include:

Each chapter presents an introduction to the nomenclature and structure of a specific functional group and proceeds with the important diagnostic bands for each group. Infrared Spectral Interpretation serves both novices and experienced practitioners in this field.

The author maintains a website and blog with supplemental material. His training course schedule is also available online.

This author''s second volume introduces basic principles of interpreting infrared spectral data, teaching its readers to make sense of the data coming from an infrared spectrometer. Contents include spectra and diagnostic bands for the more common functional groups as well as chapters on polyester spectra and interpretation aids.

Discussions include:

Each chapter presents an introduction to the nomenclature and structure of a specific functional group and proceeds with the important diagnostic bands for each group. Infrared Spectral Interpretation serves both novices and experienced practitioners in this field.

The author maintains a website and blog with supplemental material. His training course schedule is also available online.