Government, Markets and Vocational Qualifications: An Anatomy of Policy

A sustained examination of the politics and decision-making surrounding the origins, development and maintenance of Britain's main policy addressing international competitiveness. The Vocational Education and Training (VET) policy has not transformed Britain's economic competitiveness, as intended. This examination of VET sheds much needed light on factors of policy development and implementation which will benefit ministers, officials and the business community in developing future policies, balancing the demands of short term imperatives and long-term objectives, and catering for internal workings and accountabilities amongst quangos and executive agencies. A textbook for postgraduate studies in education, as well as educational policymakers.

Peter Raggatt is Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at the Open University. Steve Williams is Lecturer in Industrial Relations at the University of Portsmouth He was previously a Research Fellow in the Open University's Centre for Education Policy and Management.