Explore our research
Explore our recent output of research and opinion.
The Crossroads of Geopolitics: The Intersection of Security and Economic Interests – Policymaking in a More Complex and Uncertain World
This report sets out the conclusions of the Heywood Fellowship’s inquiry: how policymaking at the intersection of economic and security interests needs to change to keep ahead geopolitical and wider global trends.
Beyond the Silos: Analytical Capabilities at the Intersection of Economics and Security in 20th Century Britain
The UK grapples with complex policy issues at the intersection of economics and national security. This paper, part of a series, explores historical challenges and emphasises the need for government reform to enhance analytical capabilities, calling for senior officials' support to effectively address modern policy challenges.
When missions fail: lessons in 'high technology' from post-war Britain
What can post-war Britain tell us about how the state should approach technology today? Post WW2, technological frontiers were seen as crucial for both prosperity and security – but big bets on Concorde and nuclear power generation failed. This cautionary tale of 'techno-nationalism' may have more lessons for industrial strategy today than the post-war example of the US moonshot.
Command and can’t control: an evaluation of centralized accountability in the public sector
High-frequency granular data can enable senior government officials to hold poorly performing members of the service delivery chain to account, however, centralised management must translate large volumes of data into appropriate management actions to be effective.
The effect of inter-municipal cooperation on social assistance programs
Decentralised administration of social assistance programs requires significant organisational capacity. In some circumstances, inter-municipal cooperation can enhance local policy implementation but impact evaluations have focused on public services that are capital-intensive, and on the effect of cooperation on service costs rather than quality.
Efficiency and resilience: How can we adjust the dial?
Following a roundtable to explore finding a better balance between efficiency and resilience, this report summarises the discussions and presents ideas to contribute to the policy discussion on shifting towards prevention and resilience.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it: When (and why) independent service delivery is preferable to collaborative public management
Drawing on a notable case of collaborative failure in England we show that misdiagnosing public service problems as being of a type likely to be cured by joint working also generates poor results, and belongs conceptually prior to many “go-to” explanations of failure.
Developing a UK atrocity prevention strategy
The recent selection of a new leader of government in the United Kingdom has created both the opportunity and a responsibility for Her Majesty’s Government (HMG) to improve and restructure its approach to atrocity prevention, particularly in light of the ongoing atrocities in Ukraine, as well as in Syria, Yemen, Myanmar and countless other situations.
Questioning hierarchies: Senior leaders’ views on how global civil services changed during the pandemic
A newly published PeopleGov report finds the pandemic imposed a dual imperative on civil services: the need for greater speed, flexibility, and decentralisation of decision-making on the one hand, and for greater coordination and collaboration on the other.
Addressing challenges to remote and hybrid working in public organisations
The People in Government Lab’s policy report Addressing challenges to remote and hybrid working in public organisations presents the results of a survey conducted in several public organisations in three countries – Brazil, Chile and the United Kingdom. It provides insights into improving remote and hybrid working inside governments.
The Lemann Foundation Programme is a comparative research programme with an emphasis on Brazil, which generates and disseminates knowledge to improve the public sector and its associated institutions.
See how the School is responding to the climate emergency through our research and insight.
The Library of Global Public Goods was set up to share free learning resources that will enrich conversations among educational leaders in Global South countries.
Our research underpins our mission to inspire and support better government and public policy around the world.