Wendy Thomson is a professor of social work at McGill University. She was previously the Prime Minister’s advisor on public service reform and a local authority chief executive.

One issue that absorbs attention internationally as well as in the UK is shared services.    Shared services eliminate duplication and release capacity for priority services. By collaborating behind the scenes organisations get to focus on customers at the front of house. Given the extent of the global economic downturn and the predictable and severe tightening of public finances in the near future it will gain even greater importance.  This pamphlet will bring an international focus to the economic challenge and the public and private sector forces driving and sometimes constraining progress.

This pamphlet will also be supported by a seminar event with high profile figures from local government. Sponsorship opportunities are available for both the pamphlet and the event.

Katherine Kerswell is the chief executive of Northamptonshire and Senior Vice President of SOLACE.

This is our conference edition of SFI. Published to coincide with and support the SOLACE Annual Conference 21-23 October in Brighton. The theme combines the zeitgeist issues of “behaviour change” – how authorities work with the public to influence the demand and shape of public services by changing individual’s lifestyle behaviour – and the public spending Armageddon envisaged by some.

December 2009, Wikinomics, mass collaboration and public services, supported by the IDeA

President Obama was the first world leader to understand the importance of mass collaboration in political campaigning. Global businesses are now familiar with the term wikinomics and how internet technology is opening up new frontiers for access to ideas, enthusiasm and expertise. Local government and public services have yet to understand what impact these movements will have for them. his pamphlet will set the agenda in thought leadership.