Improving Public Services
by David Greenwood (June 2007)
Many organisations faced with the challenge of improving service delivery (and sustaining that improvement) seem to rely on just doing what they've always done but trying to do it better.

Paying the Rate for the Job in Today’s Market by John Harvey (April 2007)
The boom in building and infrastructure projects has put a premium on property professionals. John Harvey looks at who is driving the market and how it is possible for public sector and housing associations to compete in the market place.

Civil Service Efficiency: Has it really declined in the last 10 years? by John Harvey (February 2007)
In this article John Harvey of IRIS Consulting reviews the evidence for claims that the civil service has become more inefficient during the last decade and seeks alternative explanations for why Government Departments are seen as having so badly under-performed.

Senior Women at Work — Surviving in the Snake Pit
(December 2006)
A recent survey carried out by IRIS Consulting highlights the problems women face in being treated seriously at work. At this time, when girls continue to outperform boys at nearly every stage of the education process, IRIS Consulting's survey is taken from middle and senior managers, from public and private sector environments.

The Evaluation of Administration and Management of the Right to Manage Grants System (July 2006)
The Housing Corporation have commissioned IRIS Consulting to carry out an evaluation of the administrative arrangements for making grants under the Right To Manage element of its Tenant Empowerment Programme (TEP)

The Imperative for Positive Working Environments – Spin or Necessity?  by Marilyn Tyzack (May 2006)
This synopsis of a recent study, conducted for the Leadership Foundation for Higher Education by Marilyn Tyzack, looks at 7 higher education institutions identified by a range of stakeholders as exhibiting elements of good practice in the areas of equality and diversity.

What is driving merger mania amongst housing associations?  by John Harvey
In this article John Harvey (Managing Director of IRIS Consulting) draws attention to the dangers for housing associations in losing touch with their roots and local communities. This article appears in Housing Associations Financial Yearbook 2006.

The challenge of creating positive working environments  
by Marilyn Tyzack (March 2006)
Marilyn Tyzack (Director of IRIS Consulting) describes IRIS Consulting's unconventional approach to the management problems of a department in a large private sector company and the surprisingly rapid improvements recorded within a year. This article appears in Public Service Review: Health 7.

2004-2005

The “Efficiency” Agenda in the Public Sector  by John Harvey
In this brief overview John Harvey, Managing Director of IRIS Consulting, highlights some issues facing managers in today’s public service environment.

The Change Management Challenges facing the
Public Sector  by John Harvey (December 2005)
In this brief overview John Harvey (Managing Director of IRIS Consulting) outlines issues facing leaders in today's public service environment.

The Challenge of Creating Positive Working Environments  by Marilyn Tyzack (December 2005)
In this article Marilyn Tyzack (Director of IRIS Consulting) describes an approach that can assist organisations in creating positive working environments. This approach has been used successfully with departments who are experiencing problems with bullying, stress related absences and issues around effective leadership. The intervention has also been implemented within organisations who are anxious to ensure that their working culture supports their business objectives. Using extensive case study evidence, the report shows that even the most challenging working cultures can be changed within a year.

Good Practice Briefing Note Number 2  Managing Change Results
A good practice Guidance Paper has been produced based on research carried out by IRIS Consulting relating to encouraging good change management practices with housing transfer and ALMOs.

Beyond Performance Measures? by John Harvey and Andy Wong
In this article John Harvey (Managing Director of IRIS Consulting) and Andy Wong (former Director of IRIS Consulting) consider the tools that public sector managers will be using to deliver their services in the future, now that a general disillusionment with performance measures has set in.

Change management challenges by John Harvey
In this article John Harvey, Managing Director of IRIS Consulting, outlines issues facing managers in today's public service environment.

House Prices and the Government’s Sustainable Communities Policy: What are the drivers?
by John Harvey
In this article John Harvey reviews the shape and direction of the Government’s Communities Plan policies and assesses their potential impact on local housing markets. An accompanying map shows English Districts: Ratio of Average Earnings to 95% of average mortgage costs (Q2 2002).

How housing transfers are changing the housing map of England by John Harvey
An accompanying map illustrates the spread of housing transfers amongst councils across England.

Congestion charges for London motorists: will it help or hinder? by William Poster
IRIS Consulting's transport consultant discusses whether the London mayor's proposals for introducing congestion charges for private motorists entering the central area of London will produce any benefits which outweigh the costs.

Lies, lies and damned performance measures by Bob Palmer
Robert Palmer comments on how parts of the public sector have become addicted to performance measures for their own sake and lost sight of using them to improve actual performance.

Housing and Regeneration in Multi-ethnic Areas by Rodney Waldeck and Gurbux Singh
A complex set of factors contributes to the residential and life separation of different ethnic communities. Following the recent publication of the reports on the racial disturbances in 2001, the authors look at the housing and regeneration implications.
(Reproduced from axis, December-January 2002, with kind permission).

What is diversity? by John Harvey
This article defines 'diversity' and considers a number of different approaches to diversity policies.

Wembley's Twin Towers: Asset or Liability by Anatole Kaminsky

The new housing inspection and arms-length regime
IRIS Consulting's Comments on "Framework for assessing excellence in housing management"
(an Audit Commission Best Value Housing Inspectorate Consultation Paper.)

Review: Best Value in Housing Framework
John Harvey reviews this 1999 publication from the former DETR.

UPDATE Towards a Single Social Housing Sector
In this article, first published in 1999, John Harvey, Managing Director of IRIS Consulting, critiques the Government’s current approach to applying PIs to both local housing authorities and RSLs.