Government Clients Research Articles

Research Centers and Consultancies

The AERC provides a focal point within Australia, on issues of indigenous housing and architecture for academic, government and community sectors. It fulfils three functions as: an undergraduate and postgraduate teaching centre, a research practice, and an archive incorporating an extensive collection of literature and images. The allied consultancy practice delivers services ranging from architectural design and settlement planning, to anthropological research, and has worked with numerous indigenous agencies, as well as government and private sector clients. Contact: Assoc. Prof. Paul Memmott, Director

The Impact of Compulsory Competitive Tendering on Planning in Leisure Departments

In the UK compulsory competitive tendering (CCT) for the management of local authority leisure services was implemented in 1992. The rationale underlying the introduction of CCT was that the creation of a market for the provision of services would result in economies as a consequence of competition. The impact of compulsory competitive tendering on planning in leisure services is analysed through interviews with 12 local government client officers. This qualitative research complements quantitative survey results already available. It shows why the first round of CCT was characterized by poor planning, why social objectives of leisure provision were inadequately incorporated into contracts and why it will be difficult to solve this problem in the future. It illustrates how the political context of local authorities limits the applicability of planning models from the private sector and shows how improved information systems as a consequence of CCT could improve planning in the second round of contracting.

A human resource approach to information systems development — the ISU (information systems use) design model

The ISU design model is an 'architecture' designed to support a human resource approach to information systems development. The model emerged in a live project for a large local government client, and its particular shape derives from four major areas of concern: (1) quality, and the strategic management of resources; (2) client-led management ofinformation systems development; (3) IT-related labour market issues and equalization of employment opportunities; and (4) human-centred approaches to the design of technology systems. This article develops a working definition of human-centred design practice, indicates key practices in implementing the architecture, and identifies key concepts in interpreting the 'feel' of the approach. As a human-centred model, it is essentially about learning, and the article refers to three concepts of organizational learning which informed the design work.

A Human Resource Approach to Information Systems Development – the ISU (Information Systems Use) Design Model

The ISU design model is an ‘architecture’ designed to support a human resource approach to information systems development. The model emerged in a live project for a large local government client, and its particular shape derives from four major areas of concern: (1) quality, and the strategic management of resources; (2) client-led management of information systems development; (3) IT-related labour market issues and equalization of employment opportunities; and (4) human-centred approaches to the design of technology systems. This article develops a working definition of human-centred design practice, indicates key practices in implementing the architecture, and identifies key concepts in interpreting the ‘feel’ of the approach. As a human-centred model, it is essentially about learning, and the article refers to three concepts of organizational learning which informed the design work.

Corporate Community Responsibility: A Vision Of Partnership

Abstract The author presents a case for closer corporate-community involvement in terms of oil and gas development in the 1990s. He states that people will demand more and better project information; more participation in selected decisions such as sting, access, emergency planning, pollution control, local benefits; more information on environmental/social impacts and the mitigation of negative ones; more documentation about the need for a project; a wider discussion of compensation issues; and more of a role in monitoring project operations and in planning for their termination. The author presents a model of corporate community partnership to address these trends. Introduction This paper grows out of the work of the author's recent experiences in working with oil and gas companies, government departments and a variety of smaller to medium-sized communities. Specifically, this work has involved sour gas, heavy oil and tar sands exploration and development in Alberta; oil and gas exploration and northern benefits in the Mackenzie District of the Northwest Territories. The author's role centred on designing and carrying out community relations activities to bring government, companies, communities, and individuals into a better understanding of each other and into a better working relationship around projects. Since 1980 the author's work has taken place in the Alberta communities of Pincher Creek, Hinton, Mulhurst and a number of Pigeon Lake summer villages, Bearberry, Sundre, the Elizabeth Metis Settlement, Hythe, Fort McMurray, Fort McKay, Fort Chipewyan, Red Earth, and Grande CentreCold Lake; and the Northwest Territories communities of Inuvik, Tuktoyaktuk, Fort Norman, Norman Wells, Fort Simpson and Yellowknife. Corporate clients have included Canadian Superior Oil Ltd. (now Mobil Oil Canada Ltd.), Shell Canada Limited, Esso Resources Canada Limited, Diamond Shamrock (now Maxus Energy Canada Ltd.), Norcen Energy Resources Limited, Forest Oil Corporation, Amoco Canada Petroleum Company Ltd. Gulf Canada Resources Limited, and Canstar (Petro-Canada/Nova). Government clients have included The Northern Alberta Development Council, The Energy Resources Conservation Board, Alberta Environment, and Energy, Mines and Resources Secretariat, Northwest Territories. Community Relations Basic Assumptions The author's approach is based on several assumptions about the rights and obligations of the various participants in any oil and gas development. These assumptions include:people affected by a project need to know about and understand it;people need to have timely, quality information in a form usable to them;people need to have a way of expressing their questions and concerns relative to a project;people need to have a way to share their knowledge and experience with each other and the project developer;people need to be consulted and involved in same of the details involved in project decision-making;people need to have manageable recourse for damages or for ocher disputes;people need to be prOlectcd from any negative effects of project and to understand and participate in thm protection;people need their environment protected and sensitlvely urilized;people need to accept the responsibili[y for becoming informed and in responding to project-related issues and questions; andopportunities to participate need to be provided by all panies.

Award Fee Contracting as a J-Model Alternative to Revitalize Federal Program Management

An important feature of the American political economy is the extent to which it relies on private parties to accomplish public purposes. Contracting out governmental functions to private organizations has the ironic effect of blurring boundaries between public and private institutions. In the process, it raises crucial questions about what the government's responsibility is in mixedsector enterprises. Should government be other than merely sponsor and monitor of private performance of public functions? The position here is that, if government work to be done by contract is simple and well-specified, traditional methods may be used. Contracting and its management in such cases are straightforward. They can be done mechanically, at arms-length, and the government's part in actually doing the work can be negligible. But major complications occur when the work is complex and not well-specified, as it is in research and development or large-scale system acquisitions. One complication is uncertainty. Work statements are inevitably vague, and circumstances change in unpredictable ways. Managing under uncertainty calls for flexibility and judgment-problem solving-not routine performance of fixed procedures. Real managers, not mechanical systems must be at the heart of complex operations because only human beings can recognize and solve the problems those operations inevitably generate. Contracting must accommodate to this reality. The second complication is interdependence, a problem that is exacerbated by uncertainty. All contracting is inherently an exercise in interdependence. Under uncertainty, however, relations are active and intense because transactions must be continuously and collectively managed. Ambiguous work statements must be clarified on the basis of shared experience and redefined as circumstances or perceptions change and the public's interest must be protected in the process. Agents of the government, most particularly its program managers, must therefore participate directly and influentially in these dynamic undertakings. Contracting must accommodate to this requirement, too. Award fee contracting is a joint government/contractor approach to facilitate such participation. Lessons learned in recent Department of Defense and * To implement mixed-sector governmental programs effectively, they must often be conducted as joint undertakings by a government client and a private contractor. In practice, this means that provisions are needed to facilitate active involvement of government managers in the operations of these programs. A broadly applicable way to implement this J-model prescription-award fee contracting-is described and justified in this paper.

Validation responsibility for Fiscal Impact Budgeting Simulation models

Fiscal Impact Budgeting Simulations (FIBS) are large-scale computer models which purport to forecast the service, revenue, and expenditure implications of governmental zoning, housing, population, transportation and taxing decisions. Validation of simulation models should be conducted relative to the precise experimental frame. The issues associated with extending public sector simulation validations beyond the reasonableness and completeness stage are explored. Four levels of validation (general overall model, historical, predictive, and structural) and the degree of responsibility (commercial model vendor or local government client) are detailed in an effort to clarify issues related to FIBS validation.

Toward a Relevant Science: Fisheries and Aquatic Scientific Resource Needs in Canada

Recent shifts in science policy express an increased demand for scientific activities that are relevant — that will enhance the policy and management decision process for the benefit of Canadians. The implications of the increased focus on relevance to the fisheries and aquatic scientific community are discussed and measures to strengthen science in this new operating context are described.It is concluded that an effective scientific effort will increasingly depend on the effectiveness of resource and environmental policy and planning. Arising from this conclusion is the need to develop a more orderly system of transferring scientific knowledge into the decision process. The application of applied systems analysis techniques is discussed as one solution.It is also argued that more effective use of the knowledge of the human and social sciences is imperative to an effective synthesis of natural science knowledge. The synthesis of knowledge leading to policy or management decision alternatives can be subjected to rigorous testing against present scientific understanding or can be systematized within the constraints of existing institutional arrangements. The former describes interdisciplinary research; the latter, planning. Current perceptions of resource and environmental problems point to a need for developing interdisciplinary research programs, for strengthening the planning activity, and for establishing strong links between them. The role of the university community in interdisciplinary research is emphasized and prescriptions for strengthening this role and linkages with government and other client groups are outlined. An increased focus on interdisciplinary research in universities has significant implications in meeting educational needs for the future.

Building A Culture of Character: An UncommonSense Experience

Chip Weiant serves as a principal of CompassUSA, an organizational re-engineering consultancy serving Ohio business CEOs and elected government clients. He also founded and serves as president of The American Center for Civic Character, a non-profit character ethics education initiative. In this article, Weiant shares his leadership ethics guide, called UncommonSense, which has been adopted by the Ohio Secretary of State as a leadership character ethics model for Ohio business and government leaders.