John Kay (economist)
Encyclopedia
John Kay is a leading British business economist
Economist
An economist is a professional in the social science discipline of economics. The individual may also study, develop, and apply theories and concepts from economics and write about economic policy...

 of centrist persuasion.

Kay was educated at the Royal High School
Royal High School (Edinburgh)
The Royal High School of Edinburgh is a co-educational state school administered by the City of Edinburgh Council. The school was founded in 1128 and is one of the oldest schools in Scotland, and has, throughout its history, been high achieving, consistently attaining well above average exam results...

, Edinburgh University, and Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College, Oxford
Nuffield College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It is an all-graduate college and primarily a research establishment, specialising in the social sciences, particularly economics, politics and sociology. It is a research centre in the social sciences...

. He has been a fellow of St John's College, Oxford
St John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...

 since 1970, and lectured economics
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...

 at Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...

 from 1971 to 1978.

In 1979, Kay became Research Director and the Director of the independent think tank
Think tank
A think tank is an organization that conducts research and engages in advocacy in areas such as social policy, political strategy, economics, military, and technology issues. Most think tanks are non-profit organizations, which some countries such as the United States and Canada provide with tax...

, the Institute for Fiscal Studies
Institute for Fiscal Studies
The Institute for Fiscal Studies is an economic research institute based in London, United Kingdom which specialises in UK taxation and public policy...

. In 1986 he became a professor at the London Business School
London Business School
London Business School is an international business school and a constituent college of the federal University of London, located in central London, beside Regent's Park...

 and founded London Economics, a consultancy firm. He was the first director of Oxford's Said Business School
Saïd Business School
Saïd Business School is the business school of the University of Oxford in England, located on the north side of Frideswide Square on the former site of Oxford Rewley Road railway station. It is the University's centre of learning for graduate and undergraduate students in business, management...

 from 1997 to 1999, and has written at some length as to why he chose to resign after only two years. He has served as a director of Halifax plc and of several investment companies.

Kay (2003), addressed to non-economists, attempts to answer what Robert Lucas
Robert Lucas
Robert Lucas may refer to:* Rob Lucas , Liberal member of the South Australian Legislative Council* Robert Lucas, 3rd Baron Lucas* Robert Lucas, Jr. , economist...

 has called the most exciting economic question: across the globe, why are so few rich and so many poor?

Books by Kay

Some of Kay's many columns
Column (newspaper)
A column is a recurring piece or article in a newspaper, magazine or other publication. Columns are written by columnists.What differentiates a column from other forms of journalism is that it meets each of the following criteria:...

 on economics and business topics, published in the Financial Times
Financial Times
The Financial Times is an international business newspaper. It is a morning daily newspaper published in London and printed in 24 cities around the world. Its primary rival is the Wall Street Journal, published in New York City....

, are reprinted in his:
  • 1996. The Business of Economics
  • 2004. Everlasting Light Bulbs
  • 2006. The Hare & the Tortoise.


Other books include:
  • 1979 (and four subsequent editions). The British Tax System
  • 1993. Foundations of Corporate Success
  • 1995. Why Firms Succeed. A slightly revised, shortened, and "Americanized" version of Foundations of Corporate Success
  • 2003. The Truth about Markets. Published in the USA
    United States
    The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

    in 2004 as Culture and Prosperity: Why some nations are rich but most remain poor. HarperCollins.
  • 2009. The long and short of it: finance and investment for normally intelligent people who are not in the industry
  • 2010. Obliquity – how our goals are best pursued indirectly

External links

  • http://www.johnkay.com
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