RECOMMENDED READING - Archive

• "THE GLOBAL CITY INDICATORS PROGRAM:  A MORE CREDIBLE VOICE FOR CITIES,”“Directions in Urban Development,” Perinaz Bhada and Dan Hoornweg, Urban Development Unit, the World Bank, June 2009.
  The Global Cities Indicator Program (GCIP) is a decentralized city-led initiative that enables cities to measure, report on and improve their performance and quality of life, facilitate capacity building and share best practices using a web portal. The GCIP assists in providing support to making informed policy decisions and enhances government accountability to the public.  This paper addresses the need for standardized indicators, the characteristics of good indicators and explains how the GCIP operates. (For more information, please visit www.cityindicators.org or cityindicator@daniels.utoronto.ca).
       
• “New York City Street Design Manual,” New York City Department of Transportation, May 2009, provides policies and design guidelines for the improvement of street and sidewalks throughout the five boroughs.  The Manual builds on the experience of innovation in street design, materials and lighting that has developed around the world, emphasizing a balanced approach that that gives equal weight to transportation, community and environmental goals. (For more information, please visit www.nyc.gov).
      
• “From Measuring to Managing Performance:  Recent Trends in the Development of Municipal Public Sector Accountability,” Thomas Plant, Carol Agocs, Emmanuel Brunet-Jailly, Janine Douglas, New Directions (IPAC) No. 16, 2005  
  “Abstract: This research project examines and evaluates the implementation of North American municipal government performance management systems. It explores an empowerment-learning model of performance management for local government, that assesses and improves performance.  It also examines the roles of elected officials, employees and citizens in performance measurement, reporting and implementation.  A process that grounds decision making in concrete measures, allows local public administrators to move from measuring to managing performance.  Eleven case studies provide a comparative evaluation of how best such a system can be instituted and operated.”         
       
• “FALTERING ECONOMY:   TIME TO THOUGHTFULLY CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO,”
  Scott Collins, Brendan Hanlon and Ed Scholtz, PM, ICMA Public Management Magazine, June 2009, Volume 91, Number 5 (www.icma.org/pm/9105/cover.cfm?).
  This article examines the processes of program prioritization and continuous improvement as tools for local governments to review the delivery of community services and realigning resources with corporate goals.  These processes help achieve fiscal stability in the short term, realize alignment of resources with priorities of citizens in the near term and enable a determination of a reasonable level of taxation.  The article demonstrates how prioritization can also lead to establishing and defining results, establishing a definite value for programs and linking results and strategic planning to resource allocation decisions. The authors have a very useful approach for examining organizational costs and suggest tactics for driving down overhead costs.
        
• GOVERNING A WORLD CITY” – A Collection of articles focused on the City of London, edited by Merrick Cockell, The Solace Foundation Imprint, February, 2009 
  These articles are accounts of London based challenges and experiences in managing environmental, economic, diversity, housing and crime issues and some useful insights are provided. The SOLACE Foundation Imprint (SFI) [www.sfi.uk.com) is based in the UK and is a local government publication addressing the most pressing and challenging issues of public policy and public management.   SFI commissions concise contributions on the major themes which are central to the concerns of senior executives, policy makers and politicians. The publication recognises and addresses the importance of political leadership and debate in developing public services.   (To view this publication, please visit http://www.sfi.uk.com/pdf/SFI%20-%20Governing%20a%20World%20City.pdf).
              
• “NAVIGATING THE FISCAL CRISIS:  TESTED STRATEGIES FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERS,” Alliance for Innovation, January, 2009 (http://icma.org/documents/Navigating_Fiscal_Crisis_(FINAL_Proofed)_2-23-09.pdf and
  http://www.transformgov.org/files/whitepaper/fiscalcrisiselectedofficials.pdf (Fiscal Crisis White Paper for Elected Officials).
  This Report analyzes previous recessions and highlights the actions local governments have taken to alleviate such crises in the past. Commissioned by the ICMA, the organization that advances professional local government management worldwide and developed by researchers at the Alliance for Innovation (a partnership of ICMA, the Innovation Groups, and Arizona State University), the report explains how many jurisdictions achieve excellence in the face of adversity and identifies strategies local leaders can use to navigate the current challenge and turn crisis into opportunity.
             
• “CITY REGIONS: EMERGING LESSONS FROM ENGLAND,” Kieran Larkin and Adam Marshall (Centre for Cities [UK]), Directions in Urban Development, October 2008, the World Bank 
  The City- Region approach developed in the UK encompasses decentralization, intergovernmental fiscal arrangements, governance and new administrative arrangements based on cross boundary collaboration spanning large urban areas. These include both cities and their hinterlands.  A key consideration is the appropriate spatial scale for economic development functions.  This Report outlines the emergence of city-regions in England, the current policy framework, a case study of Greater Manchester, city-region contracts as a policy tool and some transferable lessons. (For more information please visit www.wburbanstrategy.org/urbanstrategy/?=node/26) 
            
• “MIND THE GAP,” Paul Harrietha and Denise Foster, Eckler Consultants, March 30, 2009
  This article captures in a succinct yet informative way, some key considerations in engaging a new generation of employees.  The authors assess existing workplace cohorts as a context for the challenges of integrating Millennials into the workplace and provide prescriptive actions for organizations based on a better understanding what makes Millennials tick and the need to adapt current systems.  If municipalities are to be successful employers, there will have to be a recognition of the need to reinvent communications practices given this generation’s perspectives on leadership, rewards and information sharing.  (To view this article visit www.eckler.ca and click on Knowledge Centre and then on Analysis).
   
• “REGIONAL COOPERATION:  A PATHWAY TO ECONOMIC RECOVERY,” Christiana McFarland and James Brooks, National Cities Weekly, Article Item NCW52509
  This article addresses the benefits of regional cooperation in reducing costs and increasing competitiveness and the importance of joint approaches and collaboration on economic development, environmental, workforce development, infrastructure and energy projects across community boundaries, especially in times of economic 
   

• “BUST IN THE BOONIES” The Economist, April 8, 2009 (Directions:  At Economist.com, Search by Title or find under Britain, Local Government Financing)
  This article addresses the effects of the recession on local councils. Public borrowing for stimulus measures has put pressure on the size of Central Government grants to local councils (which account for about 75% of their revenue), the effects of the Bank of England interest rates on municipal investments, the effects of unemployment on local tax revenue and increasing expenditures on state schools and social housing.   The upsides are that “belt- tightening” has led to better procurement practices, lower inflation to easier contract negotiations and higher quality job applicants as bright people leave the private sector.   There is also more realistic thinking about actual pension funds pensions which are currently not large enough to meet obligations.

• “LESS IS MORE” The Economist, April 8, 2009 (Directions:  At Economist.com, Search by Title or find under Britain, Council Budgets)
  This article assesses the value of outsourcing facilities management and service provision to the private sector and non-profit organizations to combat recession effects and the experience of Wirral (west of Liverpool) in this regard.  Local residents protested Wirral’s outsourcing efforts but the article concludes that careful contract planning and monitoring leads to better value for money.

• “CRIME IN THE U.S.” The Economist, November 20, 2008 (See this Article at www.economist.com/science/displaystory.cfm?story_id=12630201)
  Do graffiti spraying and other forms delinquency promote further bad behavior? A group of researchers in the Netherlands (University of Groningen), concluded that one instance of graffiti or littering can encourage others and could even double the number of people who litter or steal.  The lesson for policy makers and police officers is that cleaning up graffiti and litter can help fight the spread of crime.