Author Archives: Mark Taylor

Where would you choose to spend £20 billion?

How would you describe an organisation that is losing £164 billion every year on £585 billion revenue, and with a net position already £1.2 trillion in debt**? Of course if this was a private company, and putting it as politely … Continue reading

Posted in Economics | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

How can the state simultaneously cut budgets, provide better services, and promote growth? “By adopting an Open Government mindset”.

All truth passes through three stages, said the philosopher Schopenhauer. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. Just over a week ago the Financial Times paraphrased the formula I have been … Continue reading

Posted in Public Services | Tagged , , , | 12 Comments

The Government can save millions, but only if it is open to having open IT procurement processes

This Tuesday (15th March) the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) held its second evidence session as part of it’s Inquiry into the Government’s use of IT. It is beginning to seem like open season on ‘the Government’s use of IT’, … Continue reading

Posted in Big Society | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments

Let’s make ‘Open Source Government’ happen

Monday 21st February 2011 saw the first ‘Open Source System Integrators Forum’ held by the Cabinet Office and I’d like to share a few modest bits of news with you all. The event is perhaps the first bloomings of the … Continue reading

Posted in Public Services | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Open source government needs open-minded procurement

Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude declares the era of “Major IT Projects” over. Few will disagree with his observation that the Government has provided “easy margins” for the incumbent IT giants, in fact most will go further and … Continue reading

Posted in General | Tagged , , , , , | 24 Comments