Douglas Hague – författare

Universities in the UK have traditionally operated under a common system which institutionalises important restrictive practices. They have operated in a cartel whose output had been regulated by government. The individual firms (ie universities) are allocated quotas of students by government, and fees and salaries are set in ways that are typical of a classic cartel. The university cartel is underpinned by a further monopoly, granted as of right to each university. In the UK nobody can award degrees unless empowered to do so by royal charter. Professor Douglas Hague takes this argument a stage further by stating that current stage of economic development is strongly based on the acquisition, analysis and transmission of information and on its application. Universities will therefore be forced to share, or even give up, part of their role as repositories of information and as power bases for ideas transmitted through teaching and writing.In this richly original Hobart Paper, Professor Hague identifies the challenges which universities will have to meet and argues that, if these can be overcome, universities should be able to survive both as competitors and complements of the knowledge industries over the coming decades. First published in 1991, with a second impression in 1996, this book has stood the test of time and is remarkably prescient given technical change over the last ten years.

The Management of Science contains essays from nine internationally-known experts in the rapidly-developing field of science studies. These contributions deal both with the broader issues such as government intervention and with detailed problems such as advances in biotechnology. They will be of interest to politicians, civil servants, academics, research-planners and other members of the community who want to see administered science the obedient but enterprising servant of a democratic society.

The Industrial Reorganisation Corporation was created by a Labour Government in 1966 and dissolved by the incoming Conservative Government in 1971. It might have faded into oblivion had it not been for the controversy generated by its highly unusual constitution which gave control of public spending to private sector industrialists and bankers. The IRC used both its influence and its cash to direct or even to thwart market forces in the ‘national interest’. It was involved in the key industrial issues of the time, such as the mergers of GEC-AEI-English Electric and the formation of British Leyland. It defeated Rank in its bid to take over Cambridge Instruments, and stopped the Swedish SKF from buying the UK’s leading ball-bearing manufacturer. It also moved towards a development bank role, and its small executive team went on to play further leading roles in UK business. This book, first published in 1983, provides the first comprehensive analysis of the IRC.

The Industrial Reorganisation Corporation was created by a Labour Government in 1966 and dissolved by the incoming Conservative Government in 1971. It might have faded into oblivion had it not been for the controversy generated by its highly unusual constitution which gave control of public spending to private sector industrialists and bankers. The IRC used both its influence and its cash to direct or even to thwart market forces in the ‘national interest’. It was involved in the key industrial issues of the time, such as the mergers of GEC-AEI-English Electric and the formation of British Leyland. It defeated Rank in its bid to take over Cambridge Instruments, and stopped the Swedish SKF from buying the UK’s leading ball-bearing manufacturer. It also moved towards a development bank role, and its small executive team went on to play further leading roles in UK business. This book, first published in 1983, provides the first comprehensive analysis of the IRC.

This book, first published in 1971, reports on the first detailed study of pricing decisions ever made in the UK. Based on case studies, it shows precisely how thirteen pricing decisions were taken. In doing so, it reveals the objectives pursued by these firms and how conflicts between these objectives were resolved. The assessments of the pricing decisions show the strengths and weaknesses of the procedures used by the firms, and the relative importance of economic and organizational elements in such decisions.

This book, first published in 1971, reports on the first detailed study of pricing decisions ever made in the UK. Based on case studies, it shows precisely how thirteen pricing decisions were taken. In doing so, it reveals the objectives pursued by these firms and how conflicts between these objectives were resolved. The assessments of the pricing decisions show the strengths and weaknesses of the procedures used by the firms, and the relative importance of economic and organizational elements in such decisions.

First published in 1974, Devaluation and Pricing Decisions is based on case studies of the export pricing decisions made by nineteen major British companies after the 1967 devaluation.The aim was to look in detail at the decisions that major British firms took after devaluation and to see how they had responded to this major change in government policy. This book shows how far the firms had anticipated the devaluation; what company objectives were at that time and what changes in these objectives, or in pricing and marketing policies, were made to take advantage of new opportunities for exporting and for import substitution. The researchers also examined the actual process of decision making to find what information was available to the decision makers and how they used it.The book is directed to businessmen taking decisions on export prices and marketing in the world of today where foreign exchange rates change frequently. It is also directed towards those responsible for shaping national economic policy. For students of economics, it represents a study showing, in considerable detail, how a number of businesses responded to the 1967 devaluation.

First published in 1974, Devaluation and Pricing Decisions is based on case studies of the export pricing decisions made by nineteen major British companies after the 1967 devaluation.The aim was to look in detail at the decisions that major British firms took after devaluation and to see how they had responded to this major change in government policy. This book shows how far the firms had anticipated the devaluation; what company objectives were at that time and what changes in these objectives, or in pricing and marketing policies, were made to take advantage of new opportunities for exporting and for import substitution. The researchers also examined the actual process of decision making to find what information was available to the decision makers and how they used it.The book is directed to businessmen taking decisions on export prices and marketing in the world of today where foreign exchange rates change frequently. It is also directed towards those responsible for shaping national economic policy. For students of economics, it represents a study showing, in considerable detail, how a number of businesses responded to the 1967 devaluation.