Professor David King

Emeritus Professor

Economics University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA

Professor David King

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About me

About me

Qualifications I have an MA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from the University of Oxford, a D Phil in Economics from the University of York, and a Postgraduate Certificate of Education from the University of Oxford.

Employment Economic adviser to the Royal Commission on the Constitution, 1971-72; Economics master, Winchester College, 1972-78 (head of department from 1975); Lecturer in economics, University of Stirling, 1978-87; Economic adviser to the Department of the Environment in London, 1987-88; Senior lecturer in economics, University of Stirling, 1987-2002; Personal chair in Public Economics, University of Stirling, 2002-09; Emeritus Professor of Economics, University of Stirling, since 2009.

Other roles
Visiting Fellow at the Australian National University in Canberra, 1982 and 1992; Consultant to the OECD; Consultant to the World Bank; Consultant to the Council of Europe.

Teaching I taught on many core undergraduate modules in economics, including first year microeconomics and macroeconomics, second year macroeconomics, and third year microeconomics. I also taught money and banking, public sector economics, international trade theory and economic policy. I taught on a number of postgraduate programmes and was Director of the MSc in Banking and Finance from 2001-09. I also taught a half-module on the Scottish architect Robert Adam.

Knowledge transfer In 2018 I was invited to meetings at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government in London, advising about local government finance reform in England. On behalf of the OECD, I have advised governments and officials in Albania, Bulgaria, the former Czechoslovakia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Portugal, the former Soviet Union, and the former Yugoslavia, and I have written numerous reports and contributed to several training programmes. On behalf of the World Bank, I have advised governments and officials in Romania and the People’s Republic of China, and I was part of a team recommending the terms of a large loan to Kazakhstan. On behalf of the Council of Europe, I have given advice to members of the Russian parliament, and I have written a report. I have also been consulted by politicians and officials of the governments of Australia, Italy, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales, and the UK. On behalf of the OECD, I participated in short training programmes for officials from countries in transition. These courses were provided in Budapest (Hungary), Copenhagen (Denmark), Ankara (Turkey), Kiev (Ukraine) and Vienna (Austria). There was a feature article about my work, headed 'A man for all seasons', in the Times Higher Education Supplement 23 September 2005.  

Other University activities I conducted the Stirling University Choir from 1990 to 2009. We had around 80 members and performed one concert each semester in Dunblane Cathedral with professional soloists and instrumentalists. Also, I have written two books on the 18th century Scottish architects Robert and James Adam, initially at the request of the then Stirling University Press and published in association with the University.

Research

Projects

2011-13. I was initially consultant and, subsequently, principal investigator in a research project into the feasibility of the replacement of the Barnett Formula by needs assessment. This project was chiefly funded by a £220,000 grant from the ESRC.

  1. I undertook a study on local income taxes for the Liberal Democrat Party, chiefly to estimate the income tax rates which each local authority would then have set if the Party’s proposed local income tax rate had been in operation. The project was financed by a grant from Edward Davey MP, then shadow deputy prime minister for the Liberal Democrats, with funds from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation.

1998-2000. Together with the late Prof Rob Ball, Management and Organisation, I received a grant of £53,300 from the Leverhulme Trust to look at the Private Sector Initiative. Presentations

I have presented many papers in the UK, and also abroad, including the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, China (for the Ministry of Finance in Kunming), Eire, France (for the OECD, Paris), Greece (at the Ministry of Finance, Athens), Italy, Kazakhstan (at the World Bank Resident Mission, Almaty), Spain, Ukraine and the United States (at the White House, Washington, D.C.).

Outputs (133)

Outputs

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Book Chapter

King D (2019) The Ingenious Mr Adam. In: Thom C (ed.) Robert Adam and his Brothers: New light on Britain's leading architectural family. 1st ed. Swindon: Historic England, pp. 183-201. https://retail.historicenglandservices.org.uk/robert-adam-and-his-brothers.html#additionalinfo


Authored Book

King D (2016) Fiscal Tiers: The Economics of Multi-level Government. Routledge Revivals. London: Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Fiscal-Tiers-Routledge-Revivals-The-Economics-of-Multi-Level-Government/King/p/book/9781138648135


Authored Book

King DN (2012) Economics. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://ukcatalogue.oup.com/product/9780199543021.do


Book Chapter

King DN (2006) Local Government Organisation and Finance: United Kingdom. In: Shah A (ed.) Local governance in industrial countries. First ed. Public sector, governance and accountability series. Washington DC, USA: World Bank, pp. 265-312. https://publications.worldbank.org/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=0&products_id=22284


Research Report

King D & Blöchliger H (2006) Fiscal Autonomy of Sub-Central Governments. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing.


Research Report

King D (2005) Subcentral Taxation. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing.


Book Chapter

Ball R, Heafey M & King D (2004) Risk Management and the Private Finance Initiative. In: Ghobadian A, Gallear D, O’Regan N & Viney H (eds.) Public-Private Partnerships. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 179-188.


Article

King DN, Pashley M & Ball R (2004) An English Assessment of Scotland's Education Spending Needs. Fiscal Studies, 25 (4), pp. 439-466. http://www-scopus-com.ezproxy.stir.ac.uk/record/display.url?eid=2-s2.0-11444255787&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&st1=10.1111%2fj.1475-5890.2004.tb00546.x&sid=F378058BA5BB4D379217DCE03CA09A48.y7ESLndDIsN8cE7qwvy6w%3a60&sot=b&sdt=b&sl=39&s=DOI%2810.111; https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1475-5890.2004.tb00546.x


Article

King DN, Heafey M & Ball R (2003) Risk transfer and value for money in pfi projects. Public Management Review, 5 (2), pp. 279-290. https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85012488567&doi=10.1080%2f1461667032000066444&partnerID=40&md5=04b0b2db3c6d7a59615153bea7ff88aa; https://doi.org/10.1080/1461667032000066444


Book Chapter

King D (2003) Decentralisation in EU applicant states. In: Franco P (ed.) The Economics of EU enlargement. Milan: Franco Angeli, pp. 208-232.


Book Chapter

King DN (2003) Devolution and its Future Financing. In: Jamieson B (ed.) What Future for Scotland? Policy Options for Devolution. Edinburgh: Policy Institute, pp. 87-96.


Book Chapter

King D (2001) Non Federalismo Della Gran Bretagna. In: Fossati A & Levaggi R (eds.) Dal Decentramento Alla Devolution. Milan: Franco Angeli, pp. 306-331.


Article

King DN & Ma Y (2001) Fiscal decentralization, central bank independence, and inflation. Economics Letters, 72 (1), pp. 95-98. http://www-scopus-com.ezproxy.stir.ac.uk/record/display.url?eid=2-s2.0-0035630849&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&st1=Fiscal+decentralization%2c+central+bank+independence%2c+and+inflation&sid=F378058BA5BB4D379217DCE03CA09A48.y7ESLndDIsN8cE7qwvy6w%3a120; https://doi.org/10.1016/S0165-1765%2801%2900405-0


Article

King DN & Ma Y (2000) Local Authority Size in Theory and Practice. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 18 (3), pp. 255-270. http://www-scopus-com.ezproxy.stir.ac.uk/record/display.url?eid=2-s2.0-0034126579&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&st1=Local+Authority+Size+in+Theory+and+Practice&sid=F378058BA5BB4D379217DCE03CA09A48.y7ESLndDIsN8cE7qwvy6w%3a220&sot=b&sdt=b&sl=50&s=TITLE; https://doi.org/10.1068/c9856


Article

King DN & Ma Y (2000) Local authority provision versus club provision. Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy, 18 (2), pp. 207-223. http://www-scopus-com.ezproxy.stir.ac.uk/record/display.url?eid=2-s2.0-0034013097&origin=resultslist&sort=plf-f&src=s&st1=Local+authority+provision+versus+club+provision&sid=F378058BA5BB4D379217DCE03CA09A48.y7ESLndDIsN8cE7qwvy6w%3a320&sot=b&sdt=b&sl=54&s=T; https://doi.org/10.1068/c9855


Article

King DN & Ma Y (2000) Decentralization and macroeconomic performance. Applied Economics Letters, 7 (1), pp. 11-14. http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?partnerID=yv4JPVwI&eid=2-s2.0-0040354379&md5=083a8e1859be37c1f5f5e4e186e09d32; https://doi.org/10.1080/135048500352013


Book Chapter

King D (1999) Local Governments in Great Britain. In: Fossati A & Panella G (eds.) Fiscal Federalism in the European Union. London: Taylor & Francis, pp. 177-200.


Book Chapter

King DN (1997) Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations: Concepts and Models. In: Fisher R (ed.) Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations. First ed. Recent Economic Thought, Vol. 56. Boston, USA: Kluwer Academic Publications, pp. 19-59. http://www.springer.com/economics/public+finance/book/978-0-7923-9918-6


Book Chapter

King DN & Jequier R (1997) Report by the Steering Committee on Local and Regional Authorities (CDLR) on local finance in Europe. In: Council of Europe (ed.) Local finance in Europe [also published in 1997 in French as Les Finances Locales en Europe]. First ed. Local and Regional Authorities in Europe, 61. Strasbourg, France: Council of Europe Publishing, pp. 9-65. https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?id=1388051&Site=COE


Working Paper

King D & Ma Y (1997) Local Authority Size in Theory and Practice. Stirling Economics Discussion Paper, 1997-11. University of Stirling Economics Discussion Paper.


Consultancy Report

King D (1997) Kazakhstan: Transition of the State. The World Bank. Washington D.C. http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/360181468752094203/Kazakstan-Transition-of-the-state


Article

Bell D, Dow S, King D & Massie N (1996) Financing Devolution. Hume Studies, 4 (2), pp. 1-74.


Newspaper Article

King DN (1995) Cutting Income Tax. Updates in Economics. 1995.


Authored Book

Parkin M & King DN (1995) Economics. Second revised ed. Wokingham, UK: Addison Wesley.


Book Chapter

King DN (1995) A Model of Optimum Local Authority Size. In: Pola G, France G & Levaggi R (eds.) Developments in Local Authority Government Finance. First ed. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, pp. 55-76.


Authored Book

King DN & Parkin M (1995) Microeconomics. Wokingham: Addison-Wesley.


Working Paper

King D (1994) A Model of Optimum Local Authority Size. Stirling Economics Discussion Paper, 1994-1. University of Stirling Economics Discussion Paper.


Research Report

King D, Scrafton J & Verbrugge H (1994) Portugal: Local Finance Law Reform. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Paris: OECD Publishing.


Conference Proceeding

King DN (1993) Australian Reform Options: A European View. In: Collins D (ed.) Vertical fiscal imbalance and the allocation of taxing powers: papers from a conference organised by the Australian Tax Research Foundation. Conference series (Australian Tax Research Foundation), 13. Vertical fiscal imbalance and the allocation of taxing powers, 04.11.1993-05.11.1993. Sydney: Australian Tax Foundation, pp. 265-299.


Book Chapter

King DN (1993) Local Taxation: Some Lessons from Europe. In: Murphy K & Mulreany M (eds.) Taxation: Ireland and the New Europe. Dublin: Eire: Institute of Public Administration, pp. 101-128.


Book Chapter

King DN (1993) Local Taxation - Lessons from Britain. In: Sandford C (ed.) Key Issues in Tax Reform. Bath: Fiscal Publications, pp. 108-126.


Article

King D (1993) In search of Adam. Architectural Heritage, 4, pp. 93-100.


Authored Book

Parkin M & King DN (1992) Economics. Wokingham, UK: Addison Wesley.


Book Chapter

King D (1992) Issues in Multi-Level Government. In: Jackson P (ed.) Current Issues in Public Sector Economics. London: Palgrae MacMillan, pp. 156-182.


Book Chapter

King DN (1992) Conversando com Aníbal Cavaco Silva. In: Silva A & das Neves J (eds.) Finanças Públicas e Política Macroeconómica. Lisbon: Universidade Nova de Lisboa (Faculdade de Economia), pp. 293-299.


Book Chapter

King DN (1992) Myths. In: McKean C (ed.) The Architecture of Robert Adam: Life, Death and Survival. Edinburgh: The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, pp. 44-46.


Book Chapter

King DN (1992) Airthrey. In: McKean C (ed.) The Architecture of Robert Adam: Life, Death and Survival. Edinburgh: The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, pp. 14-16.


Research Report

King D (1992) In Search of Adam. National Trust for Scotland. Ayrshire.


Book Chapter

King DN (1991) Grants as a Source of Local Government Finance. In: Owens J & Padella G (eds.) Local Government: An International Perspective. Amsterdam: North-Holland, pp. 173-188.


Book Chapter

King D (1989) Grants and Financial Redistribution. In: A Problemática da Tributação Local. Coimbra: Ministério do Planeamento e da Administração do Território, pp. 477-491.


Book Chapter

King D (1989) Govern Regional I Local al Regne Unit. In: Sole Vilanova J (ed.) Govern Central i Governs Locals a la Gran Bretanya. Barcelona: Generalitat de Catalunya (Institut d’Estudis Autonomics), pp. 45-76.


Book Chapter

King D (1989) Accountability and equity in British local finance. In: Bennett R (ed.) Decentralisation: New Intergovernmental Agendas. Oxford: Oxford University Press (OUP), pp. 143-154.


See all 133 outputs