Suchergebnisse

"Prologue Organizations form programs to achieve strategic objectives that help them grow and perform more effectively and efficiently. The importance of these initiatives is such that an oversight function is required from executive management, whose role is to monitor the program ensuring that all parts are on track, support the program when required, and control different aspects of the program if things seem to go in the wrong direction. These dimensions of unification form the core of program governance. The need for program governance comes from the fact that there are certain aspects of the program that are not under the direct control of the program manager, and he or she requires support from the program governors to ascertain successful delivery of the program objectives. In addition, the program governors have to ensure that the program activities are being carried out as planned, and that any major deviations are accounted for and approved. In the following chapters, for the sake of clarity, all governance entities or roles (such as steering committees, program boards, program sponsors, etc.,) will be grouped together and referred to as program governors. A few years ago, I was working with a team of software professionals to develop the first trading platform in the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) region. The team, I still remember, could be called a star team. We were a start-up; we needed a team like that one. It was similar to a "band of brothers" working together to build their dream rather than a pool of professionals working toward an objective. We succeeded! We created our dream"--

This book looks at experience in government restructuring and devolution from a variety of national and international perspectives, both within the European Union and elsewhere, focusing on lessons learned and ways forward.Since the 1980s, there has been a global trend to give more power to local governments. Even in Korea and the United Kingdom, the most centralised countries in the OECD, local government powers have increased, with substantial economic benefits. Within the European Union, the principle of subsidiarity has enshrined the idea of devolution. New member states, particularly in c

"Organizations form programs to achieve strategic objectives that help them grow and perform more effectively and efficiently. The importance of these initiatives is such that an oversight function is required from executive management, whose role is to monitor the program ensuring that all parts are on track, support the program when required, and control different aspects of the program if things seem to go in the wrong direction. These dimensions of unification form the core of program governance. The need for program governance comes from the fact that there are certain aspects of the program that are not under the direct control of the program manager, and he or she requires support from the program governors to ascertain successful delivery of the program objectives. In addition, the program governors have to ensure that the program activities are being carried out as planned, and that any major deviations are accounted for and approved. In the following chapters, for the sake of clarity, all governance entities or roles (such as steering committees, program boards, program sponsors, etc.,) will be grouped together and referred to as program governors. A few years ago, I was working with a team of software professionals to develop the first trading platform in the Gulf Cooperation Countries (GCC) region. The team, I still remember, could be called a star team. We were a start-up; we needed a team like that one. It was similar to a "band of brothers" working together to build their dream rather than a pool of professionals working toward an objective. We succeeded! We created our dream"--

Since the 1980s, there has been a global trend to give more power to local governments. Even in Korea and the United Kingdom, the most centralised countries in the OECD, local government powers have increased, with substantial economic benefits. Within the European Union, the principle of subsidiarity has enshrined the idea of devolution. New member states, particularly in central and eastern Europe, have significantly created new and self-sufficient local and regional governments. However, this process has been complicated. Devolution is not a panacea in its own right, and need not lead to economic growth. While it can encourage savings through collaboration, it can also lead to confused lines of authority and can complicate policy formation and implantation. Devolution can strain local budgets, forcing local governments to rely on their own sources of finance, rather than central government transfers. Suburbanisation, rural depopulation, the growth of some regions, and the decline of others have raised new problems, particularly related to inter-governmental cooperation among local governments and different levels of government. In many cases, an increased number of governments has increased administrative costs. This book looks at experience in government restructuring and devolution from a variety of national and international perspectives, both within the European Union and elsewhere, focusing on lessons learned and ways forward.

Should school governance be shifted from local school boards to the additional and direct control of elected political leaders? -- Do teachers' and other employees' unions reduce the ability of principals and superintendents to run and reform schools? -- Has the increased role of the federal government in the governance of schools through various initiatives, such as No Child Left Behind, improved public education? -- Should the role of the judicial branch of government be reduced in the governance of public education? -- Should school leaders have the primary responsibility for lowering the achievement gap for minority students? -- Are school administrators being prepared to adequately address gender issues? -- Are school boards necessary in today's public schools? -- Do charter schools improve governance within the public education system? -- Will giving school administrators more control over the structure and policies that govern high schools lead to improvements in the education offered to students? -- Have allowing and encouraging private corporations to participate in public education positively affected school governance? -- Has the increased emphasis on parent involvement hindered the ability of administrators to lead public schools and districts? --