Mark Thomas – författare

'Good fences make good neighbours, but what about bad ones?'The Israeli separation barrier is probably the most iconic divider of land since the Berlin Wall. It has been declared illegal under international law and its impact on life in the West Bank has been enormous.Mark Thomas - as only he could - decided the only way to really get to grips with this huge divide was to use the barrier as a route map, to 'walk the wall', covering the entire distance with little more in his armoury than Kendal Mint Cake and a box of blister plasters.In the course of his ramble he was tear-gassed, stoned, sunburned, rained on and hailed on and even lost the wall a couple of times. But thankfully he was also welcomed and looked after by Israelis and Palestinians - from farmers and soldiers to smugglers and zookeepers - and finally earned a unique insight of the real Middle East in all its entrenched and yet life-affirming glory. And all without hardly ever getting arrested!

In this volume, leading modern economic historians show how analysis of past experiences contributes to a better understanding of present-day economic conditions; they offer important insights into major challenges that will occupy the attention of policy makers in the coming decades. The seventeen essays are organised around three major themes, the first of which is the changing constellation of forces sustaining long-run economic growth in market economies. The second major theme concerns the contemporary challenges posed by transitions in economic and political regimes, and by ideologies that represent legacies from past economic conditions that still affect policy responses to new 'crises'. The third theme is modern economic growth's diverse implications for human economic welfare - in terms of economic security, nutritional and health status, and old age support - and the institutional mechanisms communities have developed to cope with the risks that individuals are exposed to by the concomitants of rising prosperity.

In this volume, leading modern economic historians show how analysis of past experiences contributes to a better understanding of present-day economic conditions; they offer important insights into major challenges that will occupy the attention of policy makers in the coming decades. The seventeen essays are organised around three major themes, the first of which is the changing constellation of forces sustaining long-run economic growth in market economies. The second major theme concerns the contemporary challenges posed by transitions in economic and political regimes, and by ideologies that represent legacies from past economic conditions that still affect policy responses to new 'crises'. The third theme is modern economic growth's diverse implications for human economic welfare - in terms of economic security, nutritional and health status, and old age support - and the institutional mechanisms communities have developed to cope with the risks that individuals are exposed to by the concomitants of rising prosperity.

English Legal System Concentrate is written and designed to help you succeed. Written by experts and covering all key topics, Concentrate guides help focus your revision and maximise your exam performance. Each guide includes revision tips, advice on how to achieve extra marks, and a thorough and focused breakdown of the key topics and cases. Revision guides you can rely on: trusted by lecturers, loved by students... "I have always used OUP revision and Q&A books and genuinely believe they have helped me get better grades" - Anthony Poole, law student, Swansea University"The detail in this revision textbook is phenomenal and is just what is needed to push your exam preparation to the next level" - Stephanie Lomas, law student, University of Central Lancashire"It is a little more in-depth than other revision guides, and also has clear diagrams and teaches ways to obtain extra marks. These features make it unique" - Godwin Tan, law student, University College London"The concentrate revision guides stand out against other revision guides" - Renae Haynes Williams, law student, Bangor University"The exam style questions are brilliant and the series is very detailed, prepares you well" - Frances Easton, law student, University of Birmingham"The accompanying website for Concentrate is the most impressive I've come across" - Alice Munnelly, law student, Kings College LondonOnline ResourcesPacked with essential information, key cases, revision tips, exam Q&As, and more, English Legal System Concentrate is also supported by extensive online resources to take your learning further (www.oup.com/lawrevision/): - Pinpoint which areas you need to concentrate on with the diagnostic test- Test your knowledge with the multiple-choice questions and receive feedback on your answers- Improve your essay skills using the outline answers for guidance on what to include and how to structure your answer- Revise the facts and principles of key cases using the interactive flashcards- Learn the important terms and definitions using the interactive glossary- Check that you have covered the main points of a topic using the key facts checklists- Achieve better marks following the advice on revision and exam technique by experienced examiner Nigel Foster

Making History Count introduces the main quantitative methods used in historical research. The emphasis is on intuitive understanding and application of the concepts, rather than formal statistics; no knowledge of mathematics beyond simple arithmetic is required. The techniques are illustrated by applications in social, political, demographic and economic history. Students will learn to read and evaluate the application of the quantitative methods used in many books and articles, and to assess the historical conclusions drawn from them. They will also see how quantitative techniques can open up new aspects of an enquiry, and supplement and strengthen other methods of research. This textbook will encourage students to recognize the benefits of using quantitative methods in their own research projects. The text is clearly illustrated with tables, graphs and diagrams, leading the student through key topics. Additional support includes five specific historical data-sets, available from the Cambridge website.

In this 1991 volume a distinguished team of international contributors consider some of the central long-term issues raised by the problem of income distribution. The Kuznets curve - i.e. the notion that income distribution became increasingly unequal during the period of industrialisation, and progressively less unequal during the drive to maturity - lies at the centre of much of the analysis, and its relevance is discussed in a wide-ranging series of articles covering the British, Belgian, German, Australian, Austrian and American experiences. This volume was the first for many years to take such a broad, comparative approach to income distribution, and makes an important and authoritative contribution to an area of perennial debate.

Project Skills describes the best of the accepted project management techniques, taking the guesswork out of deciding which ones to apply at which stage.The subject of project management has developed over the ages into a fairly precise set of techniques, definitions and practices that are applicable to running projects. More and more projects are being handled by non-specialist project managers. Elbeik and Thomas present a practical and accessible guide to managing projects of all sizes, not just large scale ones.It also presents essential 'people' skills that are vital to making a project succeed. These include leadership skills, motivating others to deliver, communicating, holding meetings and how to manage change.The New Skills Portfolio is a groundbreaking new series, published in association with the Industrial Society, which re-defines the core management skills managers and team leaders need to be competitive. Each title is action-focused blending 20th century management initiatives/trends with a new flexible skills portfolio for managers constantly experiencing and managing organizational and marketplace change.The Industrial Society is one of the largest public training providers in the UK. It has over 10,000 corporate members.

Covid-19 has brought so much uncertainty, but one certainty is that the vaccine race will generate winners and losers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. This will have a major impact on merger and acquisition activity. While the plethora of merger and acquisition deals are abundantly reported by the news media, there is a clear lack of in-depth analysis on the multiple rationales and various challenges in the life sciences industry. By offering contributions from a variety of experts in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as experts on mergers and acquisitions, this edited collection will draw upon the knowledge of a variety of different actors within the fields of pharma and biotech. This book offers a timely exploration of the complexities of mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries while seeking to bridge the gap between theory and practice. It presents a critical analysis of the rationale for acquisitions and studies the challenges of ensuring a successful deal. In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, it will also explore the impact this may have on the industry, which may further stimulate merger and acquisition activity. It will be of interest to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students in the fields of strategy, management, governance, and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Covid-19 has brought so much uncertainty, but one certainty is that the vaccine race will generate winners and losers in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. This will have a major impact on merger and acquisition activity. While the plethora of merger and acquisition deals are abundantly reported by the news media, there is a clear lack of in-depth analysis on the multiple rationales and various challenges in the life sciences industry. By offering contributions from a variety of experts in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries, as well as experts on mergers and acquisitions, this edited collection will draw upon the knowledge of a variety of different actors within the fields of pharma and biotech. This book offers a timely exploration of the complexities of mergers and acquisitions in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries while seeking to bridge the gap between theory and practice. It presents a critical analysis of the rationale for acquisitions and studies the challenges of ensuring a successful deal. In the light of the Covid-19 pandemic, it will also explore the impact this may have on the industry, which may further stimulate merger and acquisition activity. It will be of interest to researchers, academics, policymakers, and students in the fields of strategy, management, governance, and the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.

Evidence: Law and Context explains the key concepts of evidence law in England and Wales clearly and concisely, set against the backdrop of the broader political and theoretical contexts. The book focuses on the essential topics commonly found on Evidence courses, covering both criminal evidence and civil evidence. Taking a contextual approach, the authors show how wider policy debates and societal trends have impacted upon the recent evolution of the law, helping to explain how and why the law has developed.The sixth edition has been revised to include: the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), and updates on previous statistics on the increase in the use of ‘show pleas,’ false confessions, and miscarriages of justice, alongside a comparative perspective on how the American criminal practice has evolved along a parallel line. Learning points summarise the major principles and rules covered and practical examples are used throughout the text to give better understanding as to how the technical rules are applied in practice. Self-test questions are included in the book, helping students to test their understanding and prepare for assessment.Well written, clear, and with a logical structure throughout, it contains all the information necessary for any undergraduate evidence law module.

Evidence: Law and Context explains the key concepts of evidence law in England and Wales clearly and concisely, set against the backdrop of the broader political and theoretical contexts. The book focuses on the essential topics commonly found on Evidence courses, covering both criminal evidence and civil evidence. Taking a contextual approach, the authors show how wider policy debates and societal trends have impacted upon the recent evolution of the law, helping to explain how and why the law has developed.The sixth edition has been revised to include: the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the introduction of the Solicitors Qualifying Examination (SQE), and updates on previous statistics on the increase in the use of ‘show pleas,’ false confessions, and miscarriages of justice, alongside a comparative perspective on how the American criminal practice has evolved along a parallel line. Learning points summarise the major principles and rules covered and practical examples are used throughout the text to give better understanding as to how the technical rules are applied in practice. Self-test questions are included in the book, helping students to test their understanding and prepare for assessment.Well written, clear, and with a logical structure throughout, it contains all the information necessary for any undergraduate evidence law module.

In an era marked by unprecedented geopolitical uncertainty, Mergers, Acquisitions, and Geopolitical Challenges in the Global Market explores the intricate ways global events shape the landscape of mergers and acquisitions (M&As).From the COVID-19 pandemic to ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East, this book offers a timely analysis of how these disruptions affect corporate strategies and economic stability and is essential for understanding the interplay between geopolitics and business operations. This comprehensive guide goes beyond traditional M&A considerations, incorporating geopolitical risks, regulatory changes, and technological advancements into the strategic equation. Readers will gain insights into why companies sometimes increase investments in unstable regions, how to capitalize on unique market opportunities amidst turmoil, and the complexities of divestment in high-risk environments. The book also provides actionable advice for firms to navigate these challenges effectively and highlights new research avenues for scholars.This edited collection is an indispensable resource for academic researchers and will also be of interest to corporate executives, M&A professionals, and policymakers. It offers valuable perspectives for those involved in strategic decision-making and provides advanced students with a nuanced understanding of the evolving M&A landscape in a volatile geopolitical context.

Written for the WJEC/Eduqas A/AS Level Computer Science specifications for first teaching from 2015, this print student book helps students build their knowledge and master underlying computing principles and concepts. The student book develops computational thinking, programming and problem-solving skills. Suitable for all abilities, it puts computing into context and gives students a real-life view on professional applications of computing skills. Answers to end-of-chapter questions are located in the free online teacher's resource. A Cambridge Elevate enhanced edition is also available.

Written for the WJEC/Eduqas A/AS Level Computer Science specifications for first teaching from 2015, this print student book and Digital Student Book help students build their knowledge and master underlying computing principles and concepts. The resource develops computational thinking, programming and problem-solving skills. Suitable for all abilities, it puts computing into context and gives students a real-life view on professional applications of computing skills. Digital Student Books contain rich digital content such as animated tutorials. Answers to end-of-chapter questions are located in the free online teacher's resource.

Project Skills describes the best of the accepted project management techniques, taking the guesswork out of deciding which ones to apply at which stage.The subject of project management has developed over the ages into a fairly precise set of techniques, definitions and practices that are applicable to running projects. More and more projects are being handled by non-specialist project managers. Elbeik and Thomas present a practical and accessible guide to managing projects of all sizes, not just large scale ones.It also presents essential 'people' skills that are vital to making a project succeed. These include leadership skills, motivating others to deliver, communicating, holding meetings and how to manage change.The New Skills Portfolio is a groundbreaking new series, published in association with the Industrial Society, which re-defines the core management skills managers and team leaders need to be competitive. Each title is action-focused blending 20th century management initiatives/trends with a new flexible skills portfolio for managers constantly experiencing and managing organizational and marketplace change.The Industrial Society is one of the largest public training providers in the UK. It has over 10,000 corporate members.

This collection of original essays investigates the social, political, and economic transformations associated with the emergence of the so-called new economy, and their impact on the organization of work within Canada. Essays in the book discuss the ways in which new management strategies, new communication technologies, and efforts to revitalize the labour movement have transformed the Canadian workplace. Focusing on changes in work organization, individuals' expectations regarding work, and the institutional support provided for workers and their families, the text constructs a critical analysis of the "new economy" in order to identify both the potential for quality work experiences and the ways in which the organization of work remains a profound social problem.

This unique and innovative text provides undergraduate students with tools to think sociologically through the lens of everyday life. Normative social organization and taken for granted beliefs and actions are exposed as key mechanisms of power and social inequality in western societies today. By "unpacking the centre" students are encouraged to turn their social worlds inside out and explore alternatives to the dominant social order.The text is divided into three parts. In Part One students learn how to use theory and methodology, which are blended seamlessly throughout the text. It shows how to position Michel Foucault as a companion to theorists such as Karl Marx and Stuart Hall, while signaling the importance of non-western and Indigenous knowledges, experiences, and rights. In Part Two, students explore – and challenge – normativity; the normal body, heterosexuality, whiteness, the two-gender system, aging, and the under-side of citizenship. In Part Three, shorter chapters critique everyday practices such as thinking scientifically, practicing self-help, going shopping, managing money, buying coffee, being a tourist, and marginalizing Indigeneity. Each chapter includes intriguing exercises, study questions, and key terms that link to the volume’s comprehensive glossary. Instructors are provided PowerPoint slides, test banks, and multimodal supplementary resources that make the book adaptable to blended and online learning environments. Essay-style lectures are also available to accompany the textbook.

This unique and innovative text provides undergraduate students with tools to think sociologically through the lens of everyday life. Normative social organization and taken for granted beliefs and actions are exposed as key mechanisms of power and social inequality in western societies today. By "unpacking the centre" students are encouraged to turn their social worlds inside out and explore alternatives to the dominant social order.The text is divided into three parts. In Part One students learn how to use theory and methodology, which are blended seamlessly throughout the text. It shows how to position Michel Foucault as a companion to theorists such as Karl Marx and Stuart Hall, while signaling the importance of non-western and Indigenous knowledges, experiences, and rights. In Part Two, students explore – and challenge – normativity; the normal body, heterosexuality, whiteness, the two-gender system, aging, and the under-side of citizenship. In Part Three, shorter chapters critique everyday practices such as thinking scientifically, practicing self-help, going shopping, managing money, buying coffee, being a tourist, and marginalizing Indigeneity. Each chapter includes intriguing exercises, study questions, and key terms that link to the volume’s comprehensive glossary. Instructors are provided PowerPoint slides, test banks, and multimodal supplementary resources that make the book adaptable to blended and online learning environments. Essay-style lectures are also available to accompany the textbook.

Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the founding of the NHS, award-winning comedian and activist Mark Thomas takes a look at our NHS, what state it’s in, where it’s going, and what we need to do to keep it.To create this show Mark Thomas conducted a series of public interviews with academics and practitioners, he spent a month in residency at the Imperial Healthcare Trust,  and he spoke to a retired doctor about what could go wrong with his own health over the coming years. The result is this funny, raw and angry show about a service created, in its founder's words "in place of fear", which is now threatened by lack of funding. Through the interviews and hospital scenes recreated in the show, we see a service held together by dedicated staff, crippled by government policy which has created an internal market and indebted by PFI contracts from which private companies have made millions. This informative show toured venues throughout the UK in 2018, and is a strong wake-up call for those who want to see the NHS survive.

Advocacy skills, which are learnt in the moot court, as a precursor to the effective communication of persuasive legal argument, are essential for those seeking a career in law. The skills associated with successful mooting, cover the entire range of the domains of human activity: intellectual, physical and emotional. This informative book examines the theories relevant to the development of skills necessary for effective participation in competition moots.By consideration of underlying theories, Mark Thomas and Lucy Cradduck develop unique models of the skills of the cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains and effective team dynamics, emphasising the importance of written submissions. The authors use this analysis to develop a unique integrated model that informs the process of coaching moot teams according to reliable principles.The Art of Mooting distils the theories and principles that support successful moot performances, grounding these in practical examples of how a mooter's skills may be developed and improved. It is an essential guide for moot coaches, law and advocacy students and academics seeking to improve their skills, and new and existing practitioners.

A Financial Times Book of the Year. A clear, readable analysis of the inescapable fact that Generation Y (and subsequent generations) will be poorer than their parents, and how we should pursue other economic paths. If you are part of the 99% – and there is a 99% chance that you are – then you are one of the first generation in living memory who can expect to be poorer than your parents, even as the economy continues to grow. And you could be quite a lot poorer. If we continue as we are going, the civilisation we enjoy today will not last until 2050. Buying their own house is a distant dream for most young people; their wages are failing to keep pace with inflation; and more and more people are having to rely on food banks. Our age is one of chronic anxiety. If the economy is doing so well, how can most people not be doing well? If the pie is growing, why aren't we all getting bigger slices? This book shows what we, the 99%, can do to end mass impoverishment and build a society worth living in: an age of abundance, in which everyone benefits.

Create a more robust service management system using the best of ITIL®, ISO 20000-1, COBIT® and CMMI®-SVC.Although ITIL’s popularity as a framework for IT service management (ITSM) continues to increase, a number of organisations have realised that its approach is sometimes not quite enough on its own. Many are already working towards compliance with ISO 20000-1 — the international standard for ITSM — but, with the likes of COBIT 5 and CMMI-SVC to consider as well, it can be difficult to determine the best route to take.Until now, there has been little guidance on how to merge these frameworks in order to produce a robust enterprise philosophy for service delivery. Pragmatic Application of Service Management – The Five Anchor Approach provides that guidance.Product overviewCompletely updated by service management gurus Suzanne D. Van Hove and Mark Thomas, the second edition of Pragmatic Application of Service Management – The Five Anchor Approach provides comprehensive guidance on creating an integrated system based on COBIT 5, ISO 20000, ITIL and CMMI-SVC. This practical book enables service managers to immediately adapt and deploy the guidance, and quickly improve their ITSM function.It now features a short chapter on applying the ‘five anchors’ approach to integrating service management frameworks in very small enterprises (VSEs), and contains four new ‘caselets’ (short case studies).Packed with instructive illustrations, helpful tables and the authors’ very own five anchor approach, this book is ideal for anyone considering adopting, adapting or merging COBIT5, ISO/IEC 20000, ITIL and CMMI-SVC.Better ITSM through integrated best practiceWritten by service management gurus Suzanne D. Van Hove and Mark Thomas, Pragmatic Application of Service Management – The Five Anchors Approach presents a holistic view of service management, and provides a unique mapping to assist service management practitioners in their information gathering.Contents1. Why This Book 2. COBIT, ISO/IEC 20000, ITIL and CMMI-SVC 3. Addressing VSEs4. The Five Anchors5. Caselet #1 – Governance6. Caselet #2 – Resource Optimization7. Caselet #3 – Risk Management8. Caselet #4 – Achieve Business Outcomes9. Caselet #5 – Compliance & Improvement10. Caselet #6 - Strategic Alignment11. Caselet #7 – Security, Compliance & Risk12. Caselet #8 - Value-based Portfolio13. Caselet #9 – Strategy Choice & Market Conditions14. Caselet #10 – Plan & Use ResourcesAppendix A– The Map About the authorsDr Suzanne D. Van Hove owns and manages SED-IT, a small service management consulting and training company. She has worked in multiple professional verticals leading or coaching service management initiatives. She has also written and delivered accredited courseware for ITIL® and ISO/IEC 20000, as well as multiple workshops and seminars, both nationally and internationally. She is the current chair for INCITS GIT1 – the US national mirror of JTC1/SC40, the Special Committee for Service Management. She also leads the US mirror for JTC1/SC7/WG24. Dr Van Hove is an adjunct professor at Indiana University, Kelley School of Business and has served on the board of directors of itSMF USA as the knowledge management director. In recognition of her contributions to the service management community, Dr Van Hove was the 2013 recipient of the itSMF USA Lifetime Achievement Award. An opera aficionado and avid rosebush gardener, Dr Van Hove resides in Louisville, KY, USA.Mark Thomas is the founder and president of Escoute Consulting, an IT governance consultancy focusing on helping enterprises realise benefits through risk and resource optimisation. As a nationally known ITIL and COBIT expert with more than 20 years of professional experience, Mark’s background spans leadership roles from data centre chief information officer (CIO) to management and IT consulting. Mark has led large teams in outsourced IT arrangements, conducted project management office (PMO), service management and governance activities for major project teams, and managed enterprise applications implementations across multiple industries.Mark has an array of industry experience in the healthcare, finance, manufacturing, services, high technology and government verticals. When he’s not travelling, Mark lives with his family in the Kansas City, MO, area and claims to be a ‘certified’ barbeque judge in his spare time.ITIL® is a registered trade mark of the PeopleCert group. Used under licence from PeopleCert. All rights reserved.

These two volumes provide a range of perspectives on the collapse of the world economy in the interwar period, a time when problems of crisis and confrontation drastically affected world economic performance. During this period, national and international politics intruded upon global economic relations with more intensity than before. Trade and finance became instruments of government policy with the emergence of macroeconomic analyses of domestic economic performance. While the volumes concentrate on the major trends in the global economy as a whole, attention is also paid to developments in particular economies.The editor’s introduction provides a thematic overview of the main questions raised by this complex period. The Disintegration of the World Economy Between the World Wars, with its focus upon the period’s newly developing concepts for understanding trade and the macroeconomy, will be essential reading for understanding the growth and development of the world economy.