World Resources 1992-93: A Guide to the Global Environment

Book Description

Widely recognized as a unique, authoritative assessment of the world's natural resource base, World Resources offers a comprehensive guide to the global environment. The new 1992-93 edition--sure to be the crucial background document for understanding the issues of the United Nations
Conference on Environment and Development, which will rely on the World Resources Institute to set its agenda--provides a focus on human development and growth worldwide. It examines opportunities for improved technologies and better policies that could assist in achieving more sustainable economic
growth, sets priorities for solving the twin problems of poverty and natural resource degradation, and examines recent trends in human development and environmental progress. The new edition includes a special focus on children's health, covering major causes of mortality, new initiatives to
improve child survival, and issues in financing child health care. Other chapters cover environmental decline in Eastern Europe, sustainable agriculture in the developed world, forests and rangelands, energy and wastes, freshwater, oceans and coasts, and atmosphere and climate conditions and
trends. With a complete set of data tables and maps, World Resources 1992-93 remains an essential resource for all concerned with the future of the environment.

Teacher's Guide to World Resources 1992-93

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Teacher's Guide to World Resources 1992-93
World Resources Institute
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Loose Leaf

General | Popular Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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World Resources 1992-93 : A Guide to the Global Environment

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World Resources 1992-93 : A Guide to the Global Environment
World Resources Institute
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK8DY6

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World Resources, 1992-93 : A Guide to the Global Environment
World Resources Institute Staff
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OK8E6I

World Resources: 5-Volume Cumulative Index, Volumes 1986 Through 1992-93 (World Resources Cumulative Index)

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World Resources: 5-Volume Cumulative Index, Volumes 1986 Through 1992-93 (World Resources Cumulative Index)

Manufacturer: World Resources Inst
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Environmental Science | Earth Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Natural Resources | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0915825872

Book Description

A compilation of information from 20 professors affiliated with prestigious MBA programs, this rigorous, practical, and comprehensive book for students and executives covers the principal concepts, methods, and skills taught in MBA programs. The various functions of a business, including marketing, finance, accounting, human resources, quality control, and operations, are explored and explained.

Book Description

The Case for Bureaucracy persuasively argues that American public servants and administrative institutions are among the best in the world. Contrary to popular stereotypes, they are neither sources of great waste nor a threat to liberty, but social assets of critical value to a functioning democracy. In presenting his case, Goodsell touches on core aspects of public administration while drawing on important, recent events to bring case material and empirical evidence fully up to date.

This new edition incorporates the events of 9/11 to explore their impact on future bureaucratic performance, speaking specifically to the massive reorganization under the new Department of Homeland Security. As well, Goodsell offers a complete assessment of the reinventing government movement and related reforms to show how far bureaucracies have come, while pointing to the challenges they continue to face.

Updating worth highlighting:

New data on public perceptions of bureaucracy.
New section on the delegation of policy implementation to contractors and nonprofits.
New statistics regarding quality-of-life improvements in American society since the 1980s.
New profiles of real bureaucrats--and citizen interaction with them--giving bureaucracy a human face.
New material on bureaucratic contributions to the political system that go beyond implementing policy.
New coverage of the administrative consolidation following 9/11 and competitive outsourcing by the Bush Administration.
New analysis of current reform proposals focused on market competition and business management practices.
New proposals for ways to improve bureaucracy.

Customer Reviews:

ýI Hate Bureaucracy, I Love Bureaucratsý Syndrome.......2001-12-20

So far, much has been written about the evils of bureaucracy, but less has been written about the accomplishments of bureaucracy. Generally, the message given by popular literature regarding government bureaucracy was one-sided and too far from completeness. In this book, the author tries to draw a complete picture of government bureaucracy. In contrast to popular bureaucracy-bashing writing, Goodsell reaches surprisingly interesting conclusions that contradict long-held beliefs toward public bureaucracy.

The overall characterization of government bureaucracy within popular culture reflects that government bureaucracy is overstaffed, inflexible, unresponsive and power hungry. In forming such an image, media and academia have played a crucial role, according to the author. The economists are hostile to government bureaucracy on the basis that competitive markets and profit incentives are feasible means to obtain efficiency; sociologists are concerned with pathologies of bureaucracy; and so on. However, generally, criticism of bureaucracy is not well supported by empirical data. As being different from those who attack bureaucracy based on unfounded assumptions most of the time, Goodsell supports his arguments with empirical data that have been obtained from citizen surveys. In my opinion, the reason for the case is very well presented and worthy of careful reading.

One of the arguments of the author is that critiques of government bureaucracy fall prey to the mistake of seeing bureaucracy as a whole (a form of abstraction), and ignoring the differences between different public agencies. Goodsell aptly illustrates how public agencies greatly differ from each other in terms of performance, conduct and so on. Also, citizen surveys support the fact that ordinary citizens are glad from their relationships with government bureaucracy in their local neighborhoods. However, as a general concept, bureaucracy is an oxymoron (this paradox, in literature, is called "the paradox of distance", that is, ordinary citizens are happy with their business with bureaucracy and bureaucrats, but they have negative attitudes toward `bureaucracy'-the more distant the bureaucracy the more the negative attitude is).

Not only Goodsell examines accomplishments of government bureaucracy, but also he convincingly demonstrates the facts that impede the expected success of the government bureaucracy, including vague goals given to bureaucracy, the problems of coordination created by excessive outsourcing (administration by proxy), the complexity of social problems that government bureaucracy deals with, efficiency and equity conflict, and the like. In handling the subject, this book is very comprehensive, and the author files an excellent and convincing case. Not easy to summarize all the points, however all popular myths regarding government bureaucracy I (probably you) have heard are answered in the book with tremendous clearness.

Overall, I highly recommend this classic to anybody who is interested in government bureaucracy. I also recommend "The Spirit of Public Administration" by George Frederickson, and "Bureaucracy" by James Wilson. The case for bureaucracy is a case for bureaucracy, and you are the members of the Jury. The final decision is up to you.

Critique of The Case for Bureaucracy.......2000-05-14

I never thought that I would find myself reading a book that was in favor of bureaucracy. Being a skeptic, I thought that every second spent reading this book would be a waste of time. However, I was surprised at how Charles T. Goodsell makes you want to jump on the bureaucracy bandwagon. Charles Goodsell has done a fair job on his book "A Case for Bureaucracy: A Public Administration Polemic." Goodsell looks at several of the preconceived notions that are held by the general population about the size, structure, hierarchy, and organization of the bureaucracy regardless whether it is in federal, state, or local governments. Goodsell begins each chapter with a great deal of enthusiasm but runs out of steam when it comes to making a solid argument for bureaucracy in some of the areas discussed. The author obviously has an affinity for statistics, which he uses throughout ninety percent of his book. Goodsell tries to rely on data that was collected some twenty to thirty years ago. The public sector has undergone numerous changes since some of these surveys were conducted. Some of the studies that he uses such as comparisons between Detroit and Delhi, I found somewhat irrelevant. Charles T. Goodsell makes a strong case for the bureaucracy in the United States. His unique approach will convince many that the bureaucracy is open, flexible, and even willing to change. However, I feel that because of his outdated and irrelevant surveys and studies, which he uses throughout his book, which these detract from rather than make the case in favor of bureaucracy. The book is a noble attempt to win citizens over to the idea that the bureaucracy is a polite, customer service oriented, friendly, and helpful group of 20 million individuals that are there to serve them. I am not sure that even the most well written defense of the bureaucracy will alleviate the notions that are held by most citizens.

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Change in Public Bureaucracies
Marshall W. Meyer
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Negotiating | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0521226708

Book Description

This book examines in detail the process of change in 240 city, county, and state public bureaucracies responsible for local finance administration. Using the longitudinal method of analysis, the data show organizational structures to be much less stable than conventional stereotypes have suggested. Variables such as organizational leadership, claims to domain, and survival (as opposed to replacement or reorganization) were found to mediate environmental effects on bureaucracies. The book also discusses traditional theories of bureaucracy, theories emphasizing the importance of environment for organizational theory is possible. The concluding chapter draws extensive theoretical implications from the empirical findings of the study.

Changing Bureaucracies: Understanding the Organization Before Selecting the Approach (Public Administration and Public Policy)

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Changing Bureaucracies: Understanding the Organization Before Selecting the Approach (Public Administration and Public Policy)
William Medina
Manufacturer: Marcel Dekker
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Public Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Public | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0824716728

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The Civil Service in an Era of Change

Manufacturer: Dartmouth Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Public Affairs & Administration | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Public Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Federal Government | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Central Governments | Administrative Law | Law | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1855218054

Executive Governance: Presidential Administration and Policy Change in the Federal Bureaucracy (Bureaucracies, Public Administration, and Public Policy)

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Executive Governance: Presidential Administration and Policy Change in the Federal Bureaucracy (Bureaucracies, Public Administration, and Public Policy)
Cornell G. Hooton
Manufacturer: M.E. Sharpe
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

State & Local Government | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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The Federal Civil Service System and the Problem of Bureaucracy: The Economics and Politics of Institutional Change (National Bureau of Economic Research Series on Long-Term Factors in Economic Dev)

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A Libertarian Intellectual Plea for Returning to Political Patronage

The Federal Civil Service System and the Problem of Bureaucracy: The Economics and Politics of Institutional Change (National Bureau of Economic Research Series on Long-Term Factors in Economic Dev)
Ronald N. Johnson , and Gary D. Libecap
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Economic History | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Americas | History | Subjects | Books

Public Policy | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Federal Government | Government | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0226401715

Book Description

The call to "reinvent government"—to reform the government bureaucracy of the United States—resonates as loudly from elected officials as from the public. Examining the political and economic forces that have shaped the American civil service system from its beginnings in 1883 through today, the authors of this volume explain why, despite attempts at an overhaul, significant change in the bureaucracy remains a formidable challenge.

Customer Reviews:

A Libertarian Intellectual Plea for Returning to Political Patronage.......2005-12-30

Based on a surprisingly thorough review of the available literature, Johnson and Libecap make a plea for a return to political patronage as the primary means of insuring the "loyalty" of federal civil servants to elected officials. They observe however, that patronage maybe effective only for managing small governmental units. "...the problems of managing a large patronage labor force are too great, relative to any political benefits that might be obtained from abandoning a merit system." So, they don't say it, but the only way to implement their goal would be to break up the U.S. into small feudal fiefdoms where personal government could again be practiced.

However, this large order has proved no obstacle to the current (2005) Administration, which is busy corrupting the professional civil service in any way possible. Read the Washington Post daily, and the newsletters of PEER, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (www.peer.org).

From Bureaucracy to Hyperarchy in Netcentric and Quick Learning Organizations (PB) (Research in Public Management) (Reseach in Public Management)

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From Bureaucracy to Hyperarchy in Netcentric and Quick Learning Organizations (PB) (Research in Public Management) (Reseach in Public Management)
Lawrence, R Jones , and Fred, Thompson
Manufacturer: Information Age Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Human Resources & Personnel Management | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Teams | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Organizational Learning | Organizational Behavior | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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Professional Development | Education | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1593116055

Product Description

This book focuses on the inherent contradiction between bureaucracy, hierarchy, and the vision inspired by the architecture of modern information technology of a more egalitarian culture in public organizations. We agree with Evans and Wurster and others who have argued that, in the future, knowledge-based productive relationships will be designed around fluid, teambased collaborative communities, either within organizations (i.e., deconstructed value chains), or in collaborative alliances such as those with "amorphous and permeable corporate boundaries characteristic of companies in the Silicon Valley" that is, deconstructed supply chains. In such relationships everyone can communicate richly with everyone else on the basis of shared standards and, like the Internet itself, these relationships will eliminate the need to channel information, thereby eliminating the trade-off between information bandwidth and connectivity. "The possibility (or the threat) of random access and information symmetry," they conclude, "will destroy all hierarchies, whether of logic or power."

Book Description

Process Discipline examines in detail all key process discipline components and shows you how to achieve near-perfect consistency of product through a rigorous, uncompromised focus on process knowledge, standardization, and control of change. From deploying "empowerment" in a control environment to handling the management issues of implementation, Edelson and Bennett provide the guidelines you need to create a successful process discipline system. A case study illustrates the concepts, rationale, and implementing guidelines for process discipline approach to process control.

Contents

Preface
CHAPTER 1: The Goal of Near-Perfect Consistency
CHAPTER 2: Process Discipline Fundamentals: Overview and Documentation
CHAPTER 3: Process Discipline Fundamentals: Training Systems Orientation
CHAPTER 4: Process Discipline Fundamentals: Audits
CHAPTER 5: Process Discipline Fundamentals: Control of Change
CHAPTER 6: Process Discipine Fundamentals: Experimenting on the Manufacturing Process
CHAPTER 7: The Role of Computers and Information Technology
CHAPTER 8: Management Issues
CHAPTER 9: Associated Technology Systems
CHAPTER 10: Cultural Issues
CHAPTER 11: Successful Implementation
GLOSSARY
INDEX

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