David Barrows

Managing public policy issues

Abstract The role of the public sector has expanded significantly in the last 40 years. The ability to anticipate public policy changes has become a critical component of an organizations environmental scanning activities. Today, every segment of society is affected by the development of government policies and programmes. Organizations that correctly anticipate government actions can achieve significant benefits and minimize loss potentials. Given the size and role of government, a significant literature has emerged which attempts to analyse and assess likely public policy developments. The objective of this article is to develop a simplified format, based on this literature, which will allow organizations to develop a check list against which potential public policy actions may be assessed.

The role of office industries in development planning

Industrial Development has tended to be oriented to the attraction of manufacturing facilities. This paper discusses the trend towards service industries in the North American Economy, and the potential impact of developing office industries on a local economy. The literature on office location theory is reviewed and the results of the literature review are related to decentralization of offices to a planned new town near Metropolitan Toronto. The results of a survey of Toronto offices is presented and the results compared to that of the literature. Policy recommendations are proposed for the new town to attract office developments.

Fundamentals of economics for business

Fundamentals of Economics for Business is an innovative text designed specifically for students in business education programs. It provides a comprehensive yet accessible introduction to the key economic issues relevant to present or future business decision-makers. Reflecting the requirements of globalization, the content is international in scope and is applicable worldwide. The material is easily adaptable to courses of different lengths and educational objectives, including a one-semester MBA course, economics courses in an undergraduate commerce or business degree, or an executive MBA program. This second edition adds significant new material on production costs, managerial economics, growth and competitiveness, and includes new case studies with applications to international business. Supplementary Materials are available upon request for all instructors who adopt this book as a course text. Please send your request to sales@wspc.com. Co-published with Captus Press Inc. Ltd., Canada and distributed worldwide except for Canada. Distributed in Canada by Captus Press.

Planning in the ministry of industry and tourism

Abstract This paper describes the results of the first year of strategic planning in a Provincial Government Ministry. A bottom-up planning process was undertaken, which provided a learning experience for staff, but was time consuming. Results suggest that top-down, goal-orientated, planning is likely to be more cost effective in the future.

An Examination of the Major Challenges Impacting University Delivered Executive Education

The study attempts to evaluate similarities and differences between two types of business schools (elite level vs. well-regarded) in order to better understand how they provide executive education. A qualitative approach was used for the research. Three separate lists were created; the first contained elite level business schools, the second was filled with well-regarded schools, and the third contained top Canadian purchasers. The executive directors that were interviewed all believed strongly in offering superlative courses however differences emerged when they were asked to elaborate. The elite business schools were less likely to take on training initiatives if they believed they did not conform to their research and academic objectives. Conversely, the well-regarded business schools were more likely to work closely with a client in order to forge a deeper relationship and offer them a greater level of service.