Evan M. Berman

Workplace Relations: Friendship Patterns and Consequences (According to Managers)

This article examines orientations toward workplace friendship. Based on a survey of senior managers in cities with populations over 50,000, it addresses the following questions: Do senior managers promote, condone, or discourage workplace friendship? What risks and benefits of workplace friendships do these managers perceive? What policies and strategies that affect workplace friendship are found in organizations? How do these organizational efforts affect perceptions of employee performance? This article finds that, despite the risks, orientations in favor of workplace friendships are widespread, and many jurisdictions engage in efforts to promote them.

The economic impact of industry-funded university R&D

Abstract In recent years, industry has increased its direct funding of university R&D. This article examines whether such “collaborative” R&D leads to increases in technological innovation in industry. Data are analyzed for the years 1953 through 1986. It is found that direct industry funding of university research is associated with subsequent increases in industry R&D expenditures. These expenditures include funding from both federal and industry sources. This increase in R&D expenditures occurs with a median lag of five years. Rival hypotheses are examined, such as the effect of general university research expenditures. However, these hypotheses are rejected. This article concludes by raising significant implications for policy.

The Impact of Revitalized Management Practices on the Adoption of Information Technology: A National Survey of Local Governments

T he emergence of new information technologies such as electronic government, virtual workplaces, and electronic democracy has been widely discussed in recent years (Bonnett, 1999; Kamarck & Nye, 1999; Peirce, 1999). This study examines the impact of revitalized management practices on the use and effectiveness of these information technologies, as well as other factors that shape information technology in local government, such as stakeholder pressures and demands, and policies and procedures. In addition, this study examines the effect of information technology on the use of revitalized management practices. Revitalized management practices are defined in this study as those that promote increased openness, mutual support, and risk taking by employees and managers (e.g., Berman & West, 1998; Garson, 2000). This study is based on a national survey of city managers, in cities with a population of more than 50,000, conducted during the spring and summer of 2000. In addition to the above, it also provides information about the uses of new and established information technologies in local government. This article contributes to the literature by exploring, in a systematic fashion, the role of management practices that revitalize public organizations. Previous systematic studies have analyzed the adoption of information technology from other perspectives, such as the role of leadership and managerial champions, strategic planning, concern for productivity and improved service delivery, and the external environment, including user involvement and fiscal scarcity (e.g., Bajjaly, 1999; Borins, 1998; Bozeman & Bretschneider, 1986; Ewusi-Mensah & Przasnyski, 1991; Garson, 1992; Standish Group, 1995; Stevens, Cahill, Overman, & Frost-Kumpf, 1994; Swain, White, & Hubbert, 1995; Tapscott & Caston, 1993; Thompson, 1992; Weikart & Carlson, 1998). Researchers have also addressed the reasons behind information technology failures

Ethics Management in Municipal Governments and Large Firms: Exploring Similarities and Differences

This study compares the ethics management strategies of large cities and firms with the purpose of examining whether public-private sector differences that have been hypothesized in the literature are reflected in ethics management practices. The findings suggest that differences between the public and private sectors are minimal; however, cities use more regulatory-based strategies, and large firms use code-based strategies. Moral leadership by senior managers is the most important strategy for improving ethics in both sectors. Concerns about litigation, public complaints, and promoting good public relations are important reasons driving concern with ethics in both cities and firms.

The future of technology management

General Motors spent

How Useful Is Performance Measurement

90 billion during the 1980s on technology in the form of plant, equipment, and acquisitions while losing more than ten points of market share. With this massive acquisition and deployment of technology, GM’s “leadership” has created a highcost automobile producer, which is 40 percent less productive than Ford and lost, on average,

Public Sector Performance: Management, Motivation, and Measurement

1500 on each of its 3.5 million automobiles produced in 1991.

Professionalism among Public and Nonprofit Managers A Comparison

(2002). How Useful Is Performance Measurement. Public Performance & Management Review: Vol. 25, No. 4, pp. 348-351.

Audit Committees and Accountability in Local Government: A National Survey

Performance Foundations * Productivity and the Process of Organizational Improvement: Why We Cannot Talk to Each Other Robert E. Quinn * A Capacity-Building Framework: A Search for Concept and Purpose Beth W. Honadle * The Deadly Sins in Public Administration Peter F. Drucker * Humanizing Public Administration C. Spencer Platt * Initiating Change that Perseveres Chris Agyris * Turnaround at the Alabama Rehabilitation Agency James E. Stephens * Common Barriers to Productivity Improvement in Local Government David N. Ammons * Recognizing Management Technique Dysfunctions: How Management Tools Often Create More Problems Than They Solve Gerald T. Gabris Performance Strategies * Municipal Management Tools from 1976 to 1993: An Overview and Update Theodore H. Poister and Gregory Streib * Putting a Powerful Tool to Practical Use: The Application of Strategic Planning in the Public Sector Douglas C. Eadie * Reorganizations and Reforms: Promises, Promises Vera Vogelsang-Coombs and Marvin Cummins * MBO in State Government George S. Odiorne * Motivational Programs and Productivity Improvement in Times of Limited Resources John M. Greiner * A Technique for Controlling Quality William R. Divine and Harvey Sherman * Adapting Total Quality Management (TQM) to Government James E. Swiss * Computer Technology and Productivity Improvement John A. Worthley * Organizational Decline and Cutback Management Charles H. Levine * An Empirical Study of Competition in Municipal Service Delivery E.S. Savas Performance Measurement * Excellence in Public ServiceHow Do You Really Know? David T. Stanley * The Self-Evaluating Organization Aaron Wildavsky * Program Evaluation as Program Management Harry S. Havens * Performance Measurement Principles and Techniques: An Overview for Local Government Harry P. Hatry * Measuring State and Local Government Performance: Issues to Resolve before Implementing a Performance Measurement System Gloria A. Grizzle * Developing Performance Indicators for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Theodore H. Poister

CREATIVITY MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC ORGANIZATIONS: Jump-Starting Innovation

In recent years, considerable attention has focused on professional orientations of managers in public and nonprofit organizations, especially with regard to ethics. This article reports on a comparative survey among top managers in local government, social service organizations, and museums. Knowledge of comparative, professional orientations is also relevant to many public administration programs that increasingly offer nonprofit management “tracks” or electives to students. This study finds that whereas levels of professionalism among public and nonprofit managers are similar, public and nonprofit organizations experience different conditions that affect it. This article also reports on the use of management of change strategies in public and nonprofit organizations. On balance, many similarities are found between public and nonprofit organizations.