Robert P. McGowan

Decision support systems in state government: promises and pitfalls

The purpose of this paper is to survey the use of decision support systems in state government. A series of questions was used to guide the research. Has the pace of technology outstripped our ability to effectively manage it? What boundaries or hurdles must be passed if decision support systems are to become key tools in influencing policy decisions? What are the appropriate applications for decision support systems? A systematic guide for introducing such systems in the public sector is provided.

Stage 3: Adventures in Team Teaching

This article examines the trials and tribulations of team teaching in the integrated MBA format. Beginning with a discussion of various forms and issues associated with team interdependence, it then addresses several key aspects of team teaching: differing teaching styles, sharing the workload, team grading, and team decision making. The article concludes with general observations about the team teaching process.

Local Government Management: Reactive or Adaptive?

Given events of recent years (the proposal for a New Federalism, the move to consolidate block and categorical grants, and a reduction in available revenue from many sources), the management and delivery of local services are taking on added significance. Urban managers are in the difficult and less-than-rewarding position of having to translate a number of federal and state policy directives into actual program reductions or consolidations. Unfortunately, their avenues for recourse are becoming increasingly narrowed and constrained (witness such tax referenda as Propositions 13 in California and 2Y2 in Massachusetts). While a few jurisdictions have resorted to appeals for short-term relief or accounting gimmickry, a majority of the jurisdictions (particularly those of small and medium size) have neither the expertise nor political clout to forestall such developments (Martin, 1982). By examining patterns in reactions by such urban officials, the present study will seek to develop some insights or clues to the likelihood of how they may be expected to react to future developments. Indeed, are there particular issues of concern which overshadow all others? Or is this a temporary phenomenon which may lessen over time? Hopefully, the results will add to our general understanding of urban issues and future policy development.

The Greening of Organizations

This article draws some parallels between administrative trends of the past 15 years and principles drawn from the ecology movement. This task is facilitated by the fact that ecologists have been interested in areas that go beyond questions of air, water, and soil. Both administrative practices and the ecology movement have been recommending a departure from primitive mechanics, because both advocate diversity flexibility, and human scale and recommend institutional arrangements that are based on dedifferentiation, fusion, and a less segmented view of reality A bewildring array of terms has been used to describe emerging trends in organizational life (post-Weberian, ecological postmodern, and others), but it may be reassuring to know that organization theory has always had 4 in its midst notions that help us understand these new realities.

Personnel-Related Management Tools in Municipal Administration

For public organizations, municipalities in particular, the issue of personnel costs has taken on more significance as administrators are faced with diminishing sources of revenue and an overall loss in purchasing power. Public managers must therefore face the challenge of this new era of government and develop appropriate strategies for effectively utilizing their human resources. One such set of strategies is the use of formal management tools.

Coping with change: Urban issues and management strategies

As the U.S. economy begins to show some signs of revitalization, there are many who question whether local government is able to keep pace with such change. The present study attempts to address this issue by examining patterns in reactions by local officials to events facing their jurisdictions. Findings indicate that managers attitudes and strategies for coping with change have changed accordingly - from a reactive “wait-and-see” posture to proactive modes of revenue-generation and lobbying. As government service delivery becomes more information-intensive, local officials should use available tools and techniques to forecast and plan for longer-term adjustments.