Managers In Public Sector Organizations Research Articles

Managing projects in fast track – A case of public sector organization in India

Completing projects faster than the normal duration is always a challenge to the management of any project, as it often demands many paradigm shifts. Opportunities of globalization, competition from private sectors and multinationals force the management of public sector organizations in the Indian petroleum sector to take various aggressive strategies to maintain their profitability. Constructing infrastructure for handling petroleum products is one of them. Moreover, these projects are required to be completed in faster duration compared to normal schedules to remain competitive, to get faster return on investment, and to give longer project life. However, using conventional tools and techniques of project management, it is impossible to handle the problem of reducing the project duration from a normal period. This study proposes the use of concurrent engineering in managing projects for radically reducing project duration. The phases of the project are accomplished concurrently/simultaneously instead of in a series. The complexities that arise in managing projects are tackled through restructuring project organization, improving management commitment, strengthening project‐planning activities, ensuring project quality, managing project risk objectively and integrating project activities through management information systems. These would not only ensure completion of projects in fast track, but also improve project effectiveness in terms of quality, cost effectiveness, team building, etc. and in turn overall productivity of the project organization would improve.

Gain and Pain: The Effects of Australian Public Sector Restructuring

Downsizing and delayering have been central aspects of organizational restructuring in recent years. However, most of the data are North American or European, leaving it unclear as to the extent of applicability of these practices in other areas. The article reports the results of a major survey of downsizing and delayering in the Australian public sector. Data are provided on their reported causes, objectives, and outcomes. The results suggest significant implications for the management of public sector organizations.

MANAGING FINANCIAL STRINGENCY IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

This article contributes to the debate about the most effective ways to manage the effects of financial stringency in the public sector. It tentatively draws ideas for further research from three action research studies conducted longitudinally over several years in different contexts and sectors and at different organization levels within the public sector. Our contribution focuses on the management of the early stages of stringency. We conclude that in stringent times, particularly in the short‐term, intra‐organizational conflict is likely to increase; organizational climates to become more cautious and reactive; and management to become more centralized, controlling and to take what is termed the efficiency rather than the effectiveness option. To these factors is added the resistance to change inherent in professional bureaucracies. Managers in public sector organizations experiencing harsher environments need to be helped to plan strategically for implementation in the particular context in which they find themselves.