The Politics of Quality in the Public Sector


Book Description

In recent years there has been a growth of quality-orientated management projects within public sector organizations. This volume examines the reasons behind their development, the changes which have been brought about, and the tensions and contradictions which have arisen as a result.




The Quality of Government


Book Description

The relationship between government, virtue, and wealth has held a special fascination since Aristotle, and the importance of each frames policy debates today in both developed and developing countries. While it’s clear that low-quality government institutions have tremendous negative effects on the health and wealth of societies, the criteria for good governance remain far from clear. In this pathbreaking book, leading political scientist Bo Rothstein provides a theoretical foundation for empirical analysis on the connection between the quality of government and important economic, political, and social outcomes. Focusing on the effects of government policies, he argues that unpredictable actions constitute a severe impediment to economic growth and development—and that a basic characteristic of quality government is impartiality in the exercise of power. This is borne out by cross-sectional analyses, experimental studies, and in-depth historical investigations. Timely and topical, The Quality of Government tackles such issues as political legitimacy, social capital, and corruption.




Providing Quality in the Public Sector


Book Description

This book argues that if public services are to be 'reformed' or 'improved', achieving the best possible quality of service is essential. It starts from the premise that citizens and users are the key 'stakeholders'. They need to be consulted and involved at every stage. Within inevitable resource constraints, it is their needs, balanced with those of society, which must be met. Service providers need to change their culture and behaviour to make this happen. This book presents a straightforward and comprehensive model for understanding quality and putting it into practice. Existing quality philosophies and approaches are examined. Overviews of recent policy on quality in central and local government, in the health service, and in public service partnerships are included. Finally, five practitioners present practical 'vignettes' of citizen involvement, local partnerships, and quality improvement in health, housing and local government. Providing Quality in the Public Sector is essential reading for students and practitioners in the fields of public policy, local government, health, housing and the voluntary sector.




Total Quality Management in the Public Sector


Book Description

For public-sector managers, explains how to apply the concepts and tools of total quality management to providing government, health, and education. Outlines the fundamentals and demonstrates how they can be customized for the public sector and non-profit organizations by citing case studies from North America and Europe. Distributed by Taylor and Francis. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR




The Rush to Policy


Book Description

Rush to Policy explores the appropriate role of technical analysis in policy formulation. The authors ask when and how the use of sophisticated analytic techniques in decision-making benefits the nation. They argues that these techniques are too often used in situations where they may not be needed or understood by the decision maker, where they may not be to answer the questions raised but are nonetheless required by law. House and Shull provide an excellent empirical base for describing the impact of politics on policies, policy analysis, and policy analysts. They examine cost-benefit analysis, risk analysis, and decision analysis and assess their ability to substitute for the current decision-making process in the public sector. They examine the political basis of public sector decision-making, how individuals and organizations make decisions, and the ways decisions are made in the federal sector. Also, they discuss the mandate to use these methods in the policy formulation process. The book is written by two practicing federal policy analysts who, in a decade of service as policy researchers, developed sophisticated quantitative analytic and decision-making techniques. They then spent several years trying to use them in the real world. Success and failures are described in illuminating detail, providing insight not commonly found in such critiques. The authors delineate the interaction of politics and technical issues. Their book describes policy analysis as it is, not how it ought to be. Peter W. House is the director of policy research and analysis at the National Science Foundation. He is the author of ten books on multidisciplinary science and technology policy research and analyses in government, private, and university sectors, including The Art of Public Policy Analysis and with Roger D. Shull, Regulatory Reform: Politics and the Environment and Regulations and Science: Management of Research on Demand. Roger D. Shull is a senior analyst at the Division of Policy Research and Analysis, National Science Foundation.




Total Quality Management in Government


Book Description

By adopting Total Quality Management (TQM) strategies, business organizations are working smarter and gaining the competitive edge. The authors cite examples of successes of TQM in specific government agencies, including the Treasury Department, to reveal how the principles of TQM can be applied at all levels of government. The book provides numerous charts and diagrams that show concretely how to apply the concepts and techniques of TQM within any governmental organization. The authors offer case examples that detail what organizational changes are to be implemented when TQM is introduced.




Going Public


Book Description

Going Public examines the forces affecting labor and management and the prospects for adopting service-oriented cooperative relationships as a key strategy for meeting the expanded demands on the public sector.




Quality Management in the Public Sector


Book Description

In today's environment of governmental funding reductions and diminishing resources, Human Service/Public Sector organizations are chided for not operating more like private for-profit businesses. Public sector organizations are searching for ways to convert and sustain the principles of Total Quality Management, using the tools of Juran, Deming, Drucker and Peters, which focus more on customer's needs and the use of data and proven practices to drive decision-making and service goals. The public sector organizations are asking the question: Is Quality Management a viable management system tool to be used in public and governmental sectors, given the inherent history of slow-to-change bureaucracies and ever interfering political changes in direction by elected officials? Total Quality Management and the system changes required to address a move to a client focused, customer driven and community responsive system cannot happen within the organizational structure and the political context in which today's public service organization must survive. The cost of Total Quality Management tools and the limited human resources, along with the political and public policy will, limit public service organizations' ability to set their organization on the journey of becoming an efficient and effective quality public agency. Dr. Poe explores and sheds light on some of the most common misconceptions on why quality management change is so difficult, if not impossible, in the public sector. Poe discusses the conflicting role of political leadership and community involvement in the public sector's organization, which leads to the inability to implement a Total Quality Management System.




The Oxford Handbook of Public Management


Book Description

The public sector continues to play a strategic role across the world and in the last thirty years there have been major shifts in approaches to its management. This text identifies the trends in public management and the effects these have had, as well as providing a broad overview to each topic.




Quality in the Public Sector


Book Description

This book is one of a series of books entitled Essential Skills for the Public Sector. It sets out ways in which those providing public sector services can clarify what is meant by quality and how quality can be achieved. It considers issues such as setting standards, measuring and monitoring quality and the cost versus the benefit of introducing quality systems. It is increasingly important that quality services are maintained whilst striving towards achieving value for money from public funds. There are worked examples and practical exercises which allow the theory to be put into practice, encouraging self development and continuous improvement. The style is simple, easy to read, and accessible to staff at all levels within an organisation. It is an essential addition to a managers toolkit of skills and knowledge.