Speaking truth to power demands diplomatic skills. This book looks at the way advice, which is needed by all executives, is provided to the summit of government in twelve advanced industrialized countries (Australia, Belgium, Britain, China, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, and the US). It examines the increasing pressures for centralization as core executives confront the differentiation and pluralization of government and the interplay of constitutional, political, and institutional factors.