Claire Smith

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Haggling: Is It Worth It?

Haggling: Is It Worth It?

Claire Smith
An activity formerly confined to markets and bazaars has gained respectability. UK consumers are encouraged to apply the skills if the bazaar to a mobile phone contract, washing machine supplier, or, if there is one left in your city, a department store. Is that your best price? Can’t you offer me a better deal than…
Negotiating like a POTUS

Negotiating like a POTUS

Claire Smith
At a recent event on negotiation in projects and major programmes, I was asked what the rest of us could learn from President Trump’s negotiating style. One immediate drawback is the President of United States has options not available to the rest of us, most obviously enormous power. Even allowing for the personal style of…
Dismantling the Fatberg: A Metaphor for Modern Management?

Dismantling the Fatberg: A Metaphor for Modern Management?

Claire Smith
Of all the unlikely topics for a riveting documentary, or an article in a relatively serious newspaper, fatbergs rank near the top. For those new to the topic, fatbergs are huge accumulations of fat and waste clogging up UK sewers. Dismantling safely these monstrous lumps of everything humans are not supposed to throw into waste…
Sabotage: All in the Mind?

Sabotage: All in the Mind?

Claire Smith
Disruption and delay at Gatwick Airport in December, followed by a Heathrow reprise in January, apparently caused by drones generated plenty of comment about those staples of detective thrillers, motive and opportunity.  With no publicised claims of responsibility for the Gatwick episode and some confusion about what actually happened, there is plenty of opportunity for…
Crossrail

Crossrail: What Were You Expecting?

Claire Smith
Since summer 2017 when it became clear that passengers would not be using the Elizabeth Line in 2019 as planned, London’s Crossrail project has moved remarkably rapidly from favourite child to problem child. The UK Public Accounts Committee’s previous praise, describing Crossrail as “a textbook example of how to get things right” has apparently changed…

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