1 THE WORK AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF MANAGERS WHAT DO MANAGERS DO? CHANGING PATTERNS OF WORK AND CHANGING PRIORITIES Slides for a seminar session © Denis Osborne, 2007

Ethics and Good Governance 2 MANAGERS AND GOVERNMENT Historical overview of ‘public management’  Communityconsensus about ‘customs’  Tyrannyrule by law ) focus on  Bureaucracyrule of law ) rules  ‘Targets’focus on results  Trustfocus on people, relationships

Ethics and Good Governance 3 MANAGERS AND BUSINESS ‘Snapshots’ of management in two situations Let’s imagine the differences between  a 19 th or 20 th century factory –for example a steel mill, or a sugar factory and  a 21 st century consultancy –for example dealing with computers or other information technology Imagine, Describe…

Ethics and Good Governance 4 DIFFERENT RISKS, OUTPUTS, NEEDS Manufactured products  When used, physical resources and energy get ‘used up’, lost  We want more –more supplies, fuel –more food  The need is quantity  Bigger is cheaper Information systems  When used, information is multiplied but may be distorted  People get too much –information overload –give what they want?  Need is quality  Smaller is faster

Ethics and Good Governance 5 CONCERNS OF MANAGERS C19/20 Physical Products  High volume sales  Secure supplies  Focus on inputs, suppliers  Big plants near resources  Cheap in-house labour  Pyramid, manager at top workers less educated C21 Information Processes  High value added  Sales, design, marketing  Focus on outputs, customers  Small plants near markets  Clever team, contractors  Network, all well educated

Ethics and Good Governance 6 RESPONSIBILITIES  TOP DOWN – ‘political will’  But only sustained by  BOTTOM UP – ‘people pressure’, and media  And ‘MID-LEVEL’, MANAGERS –Managers are responsible for ‘products’, services  for ‘VFM’, to maintain or re-build trust  therefore  MANAGERS SHOULD –

Ethics and Good Governance 7 OBEY THE RULES  Set an example, obey the rules ourselves –Keep them even when we don’t believe necessary? –Get them modified or waived if necessary!  Encourage and motivate staff –Discuss, try to make sure rules are sensible –Punctuality? Change if within our powers  Keep a check on bosses – but how? –Advise, warn. Tell? Who do we tell? –‘Independent channels’? Recommend?

Ethics and Good Governance 8 GET RESULTS  Public service reform changed focus from inputs and rules to outputs and results  Audits concerned not only with ‘probity’ – rules obeyed – but also ‘VALUE FOR MONEY’, VFM  Requiring –Economy, cut costs –Efficiency, get better ratio of output/input –Effectiveness, do what is needed  Often, targets set, but beware… –target outputs or outcomes? Cheating?

Ethics and Good Governance 9 SAFEGUARD INTEGRITY Managers are responsible for getting results Therefore they need to ensure the integrity  of their staff  of clients  of suppliers and if possible  of their colleagues  of their bosses

Ethics and Good Governance 10 REDUCE RISKS OF CORRUPTION ? HOW? MORE LATER!

Ethics and Good Governance 11 BUILD TRUST What will this require?  Competence  And Commitment  Commitment to do the job well, not just to obey the rules or meet targets If trust has been lost how regained?  Act with integrity, deliver the goods  And be seen to do so … be ‘transparent’

Ethics and Good Governance 12 IN SUMMARY  Managers are expected to: ↓ Control, guide and motivate staff ↑ Advise ‘bosses’, warn of dangers (aim to get that included in our job description!) ↔ Ensure department not cheated + by suppliers, customers or colleagues ↔ Ensure department wins trust of all  How can we best do that?  How can we help others to do that?