Les Worrall, Chris Collinge and Tony Bill
Explains the process of strategic management based on the existing literature and fits these concepts within the domain of local government. Develops a tentative model of the…
Abstract
Explains the process of strategic management based on the existing literature and fits these concepts within the domain of local government. Develops a tentative model of the development of a strategic process for local government and reviews aspects of current practice. The desire to be more strategic increases as resources get tighter and politicians insist that priorities are met.
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This article considers the arguments used in support of private‐sector educational establishments in post‐Communist Europe and compares them with the observations and experiences…
Abstract
This article considers the arguments used in support of private‐sector educational establishments in post‐Communist Europe and compares them with the observations and experiences of an academic librarian working in the field. The article uses as its case study a private‐sector university in Slovakia and addresses the issues of quality and standards in evidence today. Reasons for the rapid growth of private‐sector establishments across the region are initially studied before the frequent arguments used in support of private‐sector enterprises are considered. The article goes on to examine the wider implications of the growth of the private sector for the societies of post‐Communist Europe.
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In bringing this session into the Online Conference we are approaching a new era perhaps for some of us who are professional online database users. Some of the people on the…
Abstract
In bringing this session into the Online Conference we are approaching a new era perhaps for some of us who are professional online database users. Some of the people on the platform have very clear ideas what they want to do with online technology and may have even relatively little experience of the things that you and I have modestly been doing for a number of years. The idea is to see where the subject matter, the content and the delivery mechanisms are converging, and I hope that by the end of the session you will have a clear idea of what these new consumer services are likely to offer to the wider public, and whether they have an application for us professional online information users. The best way to get started is to have a series of presentations by the panel members in as much detail as they think necessary to describe their products. Not exactly product reviews — I hope that they will share with us some of their fears as well as some of their boasts of what their services can do, what their technical problems have been, and what advantages they see in moving into this market. The first speaker that I have to introduce is Pascal Cusset, who joined Apple Computer France in 1987 and Apple Computer Europe in 1992. In his current position he is managing and developing eWorld in Europe. Before coming to Apple France he worked with Oric International in Paris as a product manager for a line of workstations aimed at creating and running videotex services, using the famous French service based on the Minitel.
There is an old saying to the effect that every one is destined to eat a peck of dirt before he dies. So much is probably inevitable, but by taking pains in the selection of our…
Abstract
There is an old saying to the effect that every one is destined to eat a peck of dirt before he dies. So much is probably inevitable, but by taking pains in the selection of our milkmen, butchers, bakers, and other purveyors, by refusing to buy jams, preserves, potted meats, and pickles manufactured by other than reputable firms, and above all by giving support to the various movements which have for their object the improvement of the law relating to adulteration of food, we can at least see that we are called upon to swallow no more than the maximum provided by the adage.
Gerasimos A. Gianakis and XiaoHu Wang
Local governments are often forced to purchase expertise for non-recurring analyses, such as rate setting for water and sewer services, because it is not cost-effective for these…
Abstract
Local governments are often forced to purchase expertise for non-recurring analyses, such as rate setting for water and sewer services, because it is not cost-effective for these governments to maintain such expertise in-house or because independent analyses are preferred by watch-dog agencies or mandated by state statutes. However, like many ostensibly value-neutral analytical studies, these studies inevitably entail policy choices of which elected policy makers may not be aware. External analysts may not be aware of idiosyncratic factors, and they apply boilerplate perspectives that may not be responsive to local preferences. These perspectives limit policy options, although they may appear to be value-neutral. Policy makers must take an active role in these analytical studies in order to ensure that local preferences and specific factors are considered. Citizen committees comprised of residents with the necessary expertise, or experts from local colleges and universities may be able to provide the necessary oversight.
This paper develops an instrument for measuring authentic strategy and evaluates the adoption of its dimensions by the local government agencies of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper develops an instrument for measuring authentic strategy and evaluates the adoption of its dimensions by the local government agencies of the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah (RAK) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Design/methodology/approach
The dimensions of authentic strategy are identified using factor analysis. Cronbach alpha coefficient and multiple linear regression are used to examine the reliability and predictive validity of the instrument. One-sided and one-way ANOVA are used to assess the adoption levels of the dimensions of authentic strategy.
Findings
This paper has identified three valid dimensions of authentic strategy: (a) strategy uniqueness, (b) leadership commitment and stakeholders’ management, and (c) implementation. The results show that RAK local government agencies have adopted all three dimensions. There were no significant differences between the levels of adoption of the three dimensions of authentic strategy.
Originality/value
The instrument can serve as an effective self-assessment tool for organizations aiming at developing genuine strategies and improving outcomes. This paper adds to the limited literature on strategy within the Arab public sector by analyzing strategy practices in the UAE.
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Bernadine Van Gramberg and Julian Teicher
There has been a global phenomenon in public sector management which advocates a paradigm shift from administrative to managerial values. Governments have been able to put an…
Abstract
There has been a global phenomenon in public sector management which advocates a paradigm shift from administrative to managerial values. Governments have been able to put an ideological gloss on managerial strategies to suit local political agendas. The spread of this policy, where public servants have their roles transformed to managers and the public to customers, serves to strengthen demonstration of the diminishing role of government and the increasing reliance on the market. Through our research on managerialism in local government in Victoria, we show that there has been a repackaging of the senior council manager into an idealised private sector version. However, we identify a paradox between the rhetoric of the empowered, entrepreneurial “new public manager” and the reality of intensified government control and scrutiny over municipal activities and conclude that “new public management” in Victorian local government is illusory or, at best, incomplete.
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The purpose of this paper is to argue that the fundamental difference between private and public procurement, that of politicians, has been largely overlooked in public…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to argue that the fundamental difference between private and public procurement, that of politicians, has been largely overlooked in public procurement strategy and management research. It then aims to argue that existing public procurement research could be improved if greater attention were given to in research design to validity and the interface with politicians.
Design/methodology/approach
The research is based on a critical literature review of public procurement strategy and management literature, examining the methodologies used and roles of politicians.
Findings
The findings suggest there is an in‐built bias through over reliance on procurement managers as the key respondents, tendency to focus on private sector procurement research attributes and questions, and a tendency to focus on operational as opposed to strategic public procurement decision making.
Research limitations/implications
The research suggests a need for greater understanding of politicians' engagement in public procurement strategy and management and the need for greater triangulation in public procurement research.
Originality/value
The paper highlights how public procurement strategy and management research can be improved to increase its validity. It explores the neglected area of the role of politicians in public procurement.
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The purpose of this paper is to establish what foresight is, to review past usages and definitions of foresight and to synthesize them into one generic definition, in order to…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to establish what foresight is, to review past usages and definitions of foresight and to synthesize them into one generic definition, in order to make the concept measurable.
Design/methodology/approach
A discussion on how to classify variables in the social sciences serves as the starting‐point. Next, a review of past definitions and usages of the concept foresight is followed by further analysis and then synthesizing of the generic definition. The generic definition is finally compared and contrasted with the related concepts of forecasting, strategic analysis, and intuition.
Findings
Foresight is defined as behavior along three dimensions: degree of analyzing present contingencies and degree of moving the analysis of present contingencies across time; degree of analyzing a desired future state or states a degree ahead in time with regard to contingencies under control; and degree of analyzing courses of action a degree ahead in time to arrive at the desired future state.
Research limitations/implications
The article makes foresight quantitatively measurable, which in turn makes it possible to empirically measure the existence of foresight among managers and to test the relationship between foresight and organizational performance.
Practical implications
Practical foresight tools and programs, etc. can now be assessed and compared by both practitioners and researchers.
Originality/value
In identifying three fundamental behavioral dimensions of foresight, the article conceives and advances foresight as a distinct concept that can be related to several research areas, both on individual (e.g. managerial) and organizational levels.
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The UK Government construction strategy has a clear objective to maximise potential and value for construction and infrastructure projects. The purpose of this paper was to…
Abstract
Purpose
The UK Government construction strategy has a clear objective to maximise potential and value for construction and infrastructure projects. The purpose of this paper was to develop a performance outcome framework for the public-sector university client to identify the criteria for value against which construction consultants’ performance will be appraised for selection and monitoring purposes in outsourcing.
Design/methodology/approach
Multiple-case study method was used to examine the performance requirements of construction consultants, using three state universities having similar contexts in terms of organisation objectives and requirements on projects funded by the government.
Findings
Within the public-sector university environment, five performance outcomes are identified: time, cost, quality, innovations and working relationship with the client. These areas form a conceptual framework for measuring the performance of construction consultants.
Research limitations/implications
The performance outcome framework developed should be regarded as “conceptual”. University clients may have different organisation objectives and hence requirements for performance outcomes, which may further vary according to specific project situations. The framework should be adapted accordingly.
Practical implications
University clients and their professional advisors should specify the performance requirements under those five areas in tender documents for selection purposes and subsequently use them as key performance indicators to monitoring the consultant performance. Construction consultants should address these requirements in the tender proposals to add value to the project.
Originality value
There is a need to investigate what performance outcomes are required by the public-sector construction client. Based on the results of this research, frameworks and guidelines can be further developed for use by other public sectors, thus benefitting the wider public sector as a whole.