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Lucy Kellaway's History of Office Life

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Factual: History

Writer and satirist Lucy Kellaway traces the origins of today's corporate culture

Lucy Kellaway's History of Office Life: Getting a Job: Nepotism or Meritocracy?

Getting a Job: Nepotism or Meritocracy?

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Lucy Kellaway's History of Office Life, Getting a Job: Nepotism or Meritocracy?

Lucy reveals how hiring the 'best man for the job' wasn't always the way it was done.

Hiring the 'best man for the job' wasn't always the way it was done. Lucy Kellaway's origins of corporate culture. From July 2013.

Writer and satirist Lucy Kellaway traces the origins of today's corporate culture.

In this episode, Lucy reveals how hiring the 'best man for the job' wasn't always the way it was done.

In the 19th century, office jobs were often obtained by patronage rather than qualifications. In the Northcote-Trevelyan report of 1853, Sir Charles Trevelyan campaigned to introduce meritocratic recruitment to the civil service. But his ideas were met with hostility in many quarters. Lucy visits the Houses of Parliament and speaks to John Greenaway of East Anglia University


Readings by Richard Katz, Sasha Pick, Adam Rojko and Kerry Shale
Historical Consultant: Michael Heller

Producer: Russell Finch
A Somethin' Else production for BBC Radio 4.

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Getting a Job: Nepotism or Meritocracy?

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