Government information systems are big business (costing over 1 per cent of GDP a year). They are critical to all aspects of public policy and governmental operations. Governments spend billions on them - for instance, the UK alone commits £14 billion a year to public sector IT operations. Yet governments do not generally develop or run their own systems, instead relying on private sector computer services providers to run large, long-run contracts to provide IT. Some of the biggest compan...

The impact agenda is set to shape the way in which social scientists prioritise the work they choose to pursue, the research methods they use and how they publish their findings over the coming decade, but how much is currently known about how social science research has made a mark on society?Based on a three year research project studying the impact of 360 UK-based academics on business, government and civil society sectors, this groundbreaking new book undertakes the most thorou...

Six feature films, the wildly successful television spin-off Star Trek: The Next Generation, endless reruns, videotapes, conventions, a line of best-selling novels, and William Shatner's New York Times best-seller Star Trek Memories have kept the Star Trek spirit alive and well, even 25 years after its cancellation. Now this must-have book for all Trekkers -- which covers every episode of the original series, the pilot, and all six movies -- reveals all ...

The renowned cultural theorist and media designer Anne Balsamo maintains that technology and culture are inseparable; those who engage in technological innovation are designing the cultures of the future. Designing Culture is a call for taking culture seriously in the design and development of innovative technologies. Balsamo contends that the wellspring of technological innovation is the technological imagination, a quality of mind that enables people to think with technology, to...

Qualitative Research Design: An Interactive Approach provides researchers and students with a user-friendly, step-by-step guide to planning qualitative research. It shows how the components of design interact with each other, and provides a strategy for creating coherent and workable relationships among these design components, highlighting key design issues. Written in an informal, jargon-free style, the new Third Edition incorporates examples and hands-o...

A book for project sponsors: -Have you been asked to “sponsor” a lean six sigma or continuous improvement project? -Are you being sent to “sponsor training”, and asked to bring ideas for potential projects in your area? -Do you have an idea for a project, and need to decide if it’s a good lean six sigma project? A book for project leaders: -Have you been asked to lead a lean six sigma or continuous improvement project? -Are you going to “black belt” or “green belt” ...

The Big Book of APA Citations and References is the definitive guide to getting every reference right.  In response to dozens of websites and online APA reference generators that often lead students down the wrong path, each reference has been meticulously checked against the Sixth Edition of the APA Manual for Publication for accuracy.  Included in this book are references for: Books Journals Magazines Newspa...

Computing isn't only (or even mostly) about hardware and software; it's also about the ideas behind the technology. In Computing for Ordinary Mortals, computer scientist Robert St. Amant explains this "really interesting part" of computing, introducing basic computing concepts and strategies in a way that readers without a technical background can understand and appreciate. Each of the chapters illustrates ideas from a different area of computing, and together they provid...

This is the annotated edition including the rare biographical essay by Edwin E. Slosson called "H. G. Wells - A Major Prophet Of His Time". This book consists of 26 of Wells' essays and journalistic works. Included are: 1. — The Coming Of Blériot 2. — My First Flight 3. — Off The Chain 4. — Of The New Reign 5. — Will The Empire Live? 6. — The Labour Unrest 7. — The Great State 8. — The Common Sense Of Warfare 9. — The Contemporary Novel 10. — The Philosopher's Public Library 11. — About Ch...

Advances in the social sciences have emerged through a variety of research methods: field-based research, laboratory and field experiments, and agent-based models. However, which research method or approach is best suited to a particular inquiry is frequently debated and discussed. Working Together examines how different methods have promoted various theoretical developments related to collective action and the commons, and demonstrates the importance of cross-fertilization involv...

Rosaline Barbour draws on her extensive teaching experience to provide a clear, user-friendly introduction to the craft of doing qualitative research. Each chapter includes examples of real-life qualitative data and a range of exercises to help students get a feel for the process of generating and analysing qualitative data.The second edition includes:New examples from a range of social science disciplines, making this the perfect book no matter what course you’re stu...

Quality in the Public Sector is one of a series of books entitled “Essential Skills for the Public Sector”. It sets out ways in which those providing public sector services can clarify what is meant by quality and how quality can be achieved. It considers issues such as setting standards, measuring and monitoring quality and the cost versus the benefit of introducing quality systems. It is increasingly important that quality services are maintained whilst striving towards achieving value f...