For the past decade the Australian Customs Service (ACS) has been regarded as an
organisation in decline. Customs' history has been sporadically influenced by
numerous reports that identify many instances of 'maladministration'. More recently,
instances, such as the 'Midford Paramount Affair', have brought media and public
notoriety to Customs followed by the establishment of the Review of the ACS in May
1993 (The Conroy Report). This, the latest and most comprehensive report
undertaken on the ACS, documented administrative malfunctions of a major kind.
Each report, using its own rationale has recommended more advanced levels of
information technology (IT) application.
To study these protracted administrative issues, the author has used, as the basis of
analysis, a dynamic contingent decision-paths schema as well as furthering the
theoretical constructs of organisational 'reliability' theory. The dynamic contingent
decision-paths schema is designed to provide a conceptual framework regarding
public (and private) sector situations of agency decline, evaluation, strategic response
and finally 'turnaround' policy and implementation. The ACS is now implementing a
comprehensive turnaround strategy, which includes new and novel information
technologies.
Organisational 'reliability' theory relates to organisations that are required to be
highly reliable in their daily work-related activities otherwise crises of some major
magnitude may occur. These organisations need to practice near perfect
organisational and decision-making performance, and tend to be highly technical,
relying increasingly in turn on information technology in managing their respective
systems or operations. Customs was an early innovator in using Electronic Data
Interchange and is now pursuing e-commerce, which in part is being outsourced, to
EDS, a multinational company.
The study initially reviews the recent history of the ACS - 'mapping' the nature of the
organisation's decline, raising relevant factors which the author argues may be seen
as successive 'crisis points', and lastly, addresses the strategic 'turnaround' policies of
the organisation.
The author believes the nadir for Customs has been reached and there are now
positive signs that the ACS has commenced its organisational 'turnaround'.
Organisational design matters including structural and cultural issues have been
addressed which has allowed Customs to forge new relationships with its clients, as
well as fostering 'new' management philosophies. These new philosophies and
relationships, together with participation with an industry lead advisory team and a
new internal management team, have provided the catalyst for change and recovery.
Political and industry pressure and their formal involvement in a recovery strategy
provide a high level of confidence for Customs' future and the strategic and
operational changes being implemented.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:ADTP/218742 |
| Date | January 1999 |
| Creators | Agnew, Richard Quentin, n/a |
| Publisher | University of Canberra. Administrative Studies |
| Source Sets | Australiasian Digital Theses Program |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Rights | ), Copyright Richard Quentin Agnew |
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