Value for money in Government library/information services

Abstract

There is a section entitled ‘Too much vs Too Little’ in Robert Townsend's book Up the Organisation (London: Michael Joseph, 1970) which has a direct bearing on the subject of this paper: ‘A tight budget brings out the best creative instincts in man. Give him unlimited funds and he won't come up with the best way to a result. Man is a complicating animal. He only simplifies under pressure. Put him under some financial pressure … then he'll come up with a plan which, to his own private amazement, is not only less expensive, but also faster and better than his original proposal which you sent back’!

Citation

Overton, C.D. (1972), "Value for money in Government library/information services", Aslib Proceedings, Vol. 24 No. 6, pp. 325-336. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb050345