Managing Public Services in Challenging Times: Imperatives & StrategiesA Non-Award Professional Development Course

The public sector around the world is going through a challenging and at times difficult period. Driven by a host of ideological, socio-economic and technological factors the public sector context has changed and is changing constantly. A key feature of the current context is that the leaders and mangers of the public sector are under considerable pressure to improve performance and/or to produce ‘results’.

Citizens are far more informed and assertive than ever before; they demand higher levels and quality of services from relevant state institutions. Their expectation of the quality and range of services that the government should deliver and how is shaped by what is currently available in other contexts. This aside, the growing number of complex social, economic and environmental problems confronting governments across the globe require the public sector to be dynamic and creative in tackling these challenges and meeting demands. This is more so as the public sector is already faced with strict financial constraints further complicated by the current political climate that is generally hostile to taxation where the citizens are opposed to paying higher taxes to fund public services. In short, the public sector finds itself under increasing pressure to do ‘more with less’. There are further pressures due to rising expectations that public institutions would be efficient, offer value for money and demonstrate higher levels of accountability and responsiveness in their operations, policies and performance.

While some of the contemporary reforms introduced under the New Public Management and other models were broadly aimed at achieving such goals, paradoxically these reforms have given rise to a new set of challenges. They have redefined the role of government/ the public sector requiring public managers to work across boundaries and forge new relationships with private agencies and NGOs. The transformation of the public sector from a ‘provider’ to a ‘purchaser and regulator’ of services delivered by a mix of agencies means that public managers need to possess new skills and competencies to be effective in their new roles. While the current capacity in the public service is mostly inadequate to meet the demands of the changed situation, it is being compounded further by the fact that the public service finds it difficult to attract and retain the best - often due to poor image and the absence of meritocracy, among others. It is in this context that there is an urgent need to enhance the current capacity and skills in public management through appropriate and continuous training.

About the CourseManaging Public Services in Challenging Times is a short professional development program designed to provide a broad overview of the current trends in public sector management and to help the participants learn the key concepts, principles and skills needed. In particular, it seeks to familiarise the participants with some of the contemporary developments in the field and key competencies required by practicing managers to be effective in their respective roles. Participants would learn and improve their technical, managerial and leadership skills through a series of workshops and interactive sessions drawing on cases and best practices from Australia and other contexts. The workshops would be facilitated by scholars and professionals with substantial experience in teaching, research and management in the public sector.

Who Should AttendThe course is suitable for mid-and senior level officers in the public and non-profit organisations. It would be particularly useful to all those who are in leadership and management roles at various levels and those who wish to strengthen their technical, managerial and leadership skills in areas of contemporary public sector management.

Course Details Venue: Flinders University Adelaide, AustraliaCourse Fees: TBA

Duration: 2 weeks

Class Size Minimum 15, maximum 25 participants

Dr Cassandra StarSenior Lecturer in Public Policy School of Social and Policy Studies Flinders University

Presenters

Associate Professor Gerry Redmond Director, Flinders Institute of Public Policy and ManagementFlinders University

Associate Professor Janet McIntyre School of Social and Policy StudiesFlinders University

Associate Professor Lionel Orchard School of Social and Policy StudiesFlinders University

Dr Noore Alam SiddiqueeSenior Lecturer & HeadDiscipline of Politics & Public Policy School of Social and Policy Studies Flinders University

Professor Adam GraycarStrategic Professor in Public PolicySchool of Social and Policy StudiesFlinders University

Associate Professor Jo BaulderstoneSchool of Social and Policy StudiesFlinders University

Mr Tim O’LoughlinSchool of Social and Policy StudiesFlinders University

Dr Michael Bell Senior LecturerSchool of EducationFlinders University

Managing Public Services in Challenging Times: Imperatives & StrategiesA Non-Award Professional Development Course

Contact Us Mrs Sharon Huckel, School Manager, School of Social and Policy Studies sharon.huckel@flinders.edu.au, +61 (8) 82015835

Dates TBA

Contact Us Mrs Sharon Huckel, School Manager School of Social and Policy Studies sharon.huckel@flinders.edu.au

Professor Fiona VeritySchool of Social and Policy StudiesFlinders University

Schedule

Our Profile Flinders University has a long history and strong reputation in teaching, research and professional training in public sector management. The Flinders Institute of Public Policy & Management (FIPPM) located within the School of Social & Policy Studies has extensive experience in designing and delivering such training to suit the demands of client institutions. Besides running the Public Sector Management Program (PSMP) – the Australian Public Service Commission’s leadership training program for the past five years, FIPPM has conducted training courses of different durations for various client organisations locally and internationally. FIPPM is also the trainer of choice for the Institute of Public Administration, Australia (IPAA) - SA branch.

The schedule of the course – as outlined below - is indicative and flexible. Modules may be selected individually or may be selected in relation to need, i.e., it is possible to make adjustments to the content and select specific modules for depth and coverage in accordance with specific requirements of the clients.

The Public Service Context: Continuity & Change • Overview of public management & its context• Forces driving the change in the public sector• The New Public Management• The Public Value & Whole of Government approaches• Privatisation and outsourcing of service delivery• Public–private partnerships• E-government and service delivery• Management implications

Leading and Managing Change • Understanding change• Strategic planning – what and why• Strategic planning and change management• Building blocks of strategy, strategic planning• Executing strategy, when and why strategies fail• Changing organisational culture• Leadership & change management• Leaders, managers and administrators

Managing People: The Human Resource Management • The legal and regulatory framework• Getting the right people- recruitment , selection, induction• Getting the work done- reward and recognition, coaching and mentoring• Building career paths• Dealing with poor performance• Managing diversity and conflicts

Managing Performance in the Public Sector • Significance of performance management• Performance appraisal vs performance management• Efficiency, effectiveness, output and outcome dimensions• Problems with performance measurement• KPIs & Performance measurement• Performance-related pay

Managing Quality & Innovations • Concerns about quality• Contemporary developments: Charters, Best Value, Value for Money• Other developments: TQM, Benchmarking and ISO• The systems approach to quality• Quality vs. Innovations• Creating the culture of quality and innovation

Managing Accountability, Ethics & Good Governance• Centrality of accountability in the public sector• Upward, downward and outward accountability• Current accountability challenges and ethical dilemmas• Market reforms and accountability• Accountability for process vs accountability for performance• Strengthening internal oversight, whistle blowing• Lessons from Australia

Managing Risks and Uncertainties• Conceptualising Risk• Assessing the impact of risks• Basic risk management process• Organisational risk management framework• Monitoring risks• Risk management as a strategic tool• Risk management vs. crisis management

Contemporary Public Policy Issues• The public policy cycle• Constraints on public policy• Tools for public policy• Innovations in public policy• Approaches to policy evaluation

Monitoring & Evaluation Methods• Theories and approaches to evaluation• Qualitative evaluation- case studies, analytical frameworks• Quantitative evaluation• Cost-benefit analysis• Rainbow framework of evaluation• Managing evaluation in the public sector

Field VisitsTentative visits would include-

• Guided Tour to Victor Harbour• Department of Premier & Cabinet• Department of Further Education, Employment, Science and Technology• City of Marion (Local government)

The Course will include• Airport welcome and transfer to accommodation• Airport and hotel pick-ups• Formal welcome lunch• City orientation tour• Professional learning program• Any transfers between campuses• Social and cultural tours• Access to internet on campus• Translation support in workshops if required• Transport for academic program, field visits and cultural activities• Course completion dinner