This thesis considers the problems associated with the Australian Public Sector moving sometimes erratically towards strategic public management following substantial and wide ranging reforms over the last 20 years. In particular, this study examines public organizational planning and evaluates the extent to which private sector planning philosophies and methodologies have already and could be applied more relevantly to the public sector. The major proposition is that commercial planning methods and techniques can be used selectively to enhance agency planning and management effectiveness and efficiency. A specific application at Centrelink is considered for public service providers delivering high quality government services as part of a purchaser/provider relationship. Strategic planning and management theory and models are reviewed and a progressivestages model is developed for the APS. A range of private sector planning techniques and tools is evaluated and brief but classified case studies on major APS organizations are also presented. The thesis concludes that a dynamics capabilities approach would enable public organizations to maximize strategic management and operational effectiveness.

Partnering is a tool used in the construction industry to reduce claims and litigations and also to deliver a quality product in a cost efficient and timely manner. This research analyzes the impact of the partnering process on the outcome of construction projects in Texas’ public universities. For this study project specific data were obtained from 218 buildings built between 1996 and 2006. Parametric and non-parametric statistical tests were used to measure and explain the project performances of partnered and nonpartnered projects on four different building types in terms of cost overrun, schedule change, change orders and claims. One of the variables that had a significant effect on the outcome of the project performance parameters was the initial cost of the project. It was found that projects that utilized partnering were less likely to have claims that non-partnered projects. Partnered projects also had fewer change orders than non-partnered projects for two of the four building types that were analyzed. The results of this study can be used in the successful planning and execution of construction projects by organizations involved in the construction procurement processes for Texas’ public universities.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Dept. of Economics, August 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.B.A.)--Naval Postgraduate School, December 2003. / Thesis advisor(s): Marshall Engelbeck, Raymond E. Franck. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

Measuring performance is a necessary management practice if action is to result in desired outcomes. An important objective of the New Zealand public sector reforms that started in the late 1980s, was to focus the attention of public servants on clear specified results rather than bureaucratic procedures. Based on an implicit assumption that all public sector organisations are of a production nature, the reforms promised greater efficiency within the public sector by holding managers accountable for results while providing them with greater freedom to allocate resources. Consequently, outputs became key performance measures to enhance the accountability structure and to improve efficiency of the public organizations. The development of performance measurements to date appears inadequate in that the most important component of results outcomes is overlooked from the measurement. Currently government departments in New Zealand are implementing the early stage of the Management for Outcomes initiative, with an aim of ensuring all public service departments adopt a more strategic and outcome-focused approach to management and reporting. This thesis studied the latest developments in using outputs as performance measures in two public organisations. The findings demonstrates that outputs do not indicate performance for a procedural or a coping organisation as output information may not be relevant, meaningful or useful. However the most significant risk is that just as in the past, reliance on outputs will continue to lead to the fragmentation of public services and the ineffective delivery of services that the Management for Outcomes initiative aims to overcome.

Background Achieving an environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable development is today a key aspect in many businesses. Accordingly, cross-sector collaborations between businesses and NPOs have on an increasing scale been considered a powerful and unavoidable tool for creating environmental, social, and economical value simultaneously.   Problem Relatively little is known about how the underlying dynamics of cross-sector collaborations relate to enhanced value creation. Furthermore, the terminology in previous documentation of cross-sector collaborations has been spread out and inconsistent.   Purpose The purpose of this thesis is to investigate how business-NPO collaborations increase the potential for enhanced value creation.   Method The study has been conducted through a comparative case study of three Swedish cross-sector collaborations. Qualitative data has mainly been obtained through interviews.   Conclusions The analysis showed that the potential for enhanced value creation increases as collaboration moves from sole-creation of value toward co-creation of value. The study found that achieving co-creation of value is facilitated by (1) an issue-salient approach to stakeholder engagement, (2) achieving mutual dependency, and (3) having sustainability itself as a central aspect of a business’ purpose, strategy, and operations.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

This thesis considers the problems associated with the Australian Public Sector moving sometimes erratically towards strategic public management following substantial and wide ranging reforms over the last 20 years. In particular, this study examines public organizational planning and evaluates the extent to which private sector planning philosophies and methodologies have already and could be applied more relevantly to the public sector. The major proposition is that commercial planning methods and techniques can be used selectively to enhance agency planning and management effectiveness and efficiency. A specific application at Centrelink is considered for public service providers delivering high quality government services as part of a purchaser/provider relationship. Strategic planning and management theory and models are reviewed and a progressivestages model is developed for the APS. A range of private sector planning techniques and tools is evaluated and brief but classified case studies on major APS organizations are also presented. The thesis concludes that a dynamics capabilities approach would enable public organizations to maximize strategic management and operational effectiveness.