Place management as a core role in government

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to deal with place management, not as an additional function to traditional silo organisations, but as a core part of a government that has been restructured to achieve complex outcomes, such as place management. The work is based on the author's experience over the last couple of decades, both as a departmental head and a change management consultant.

Design/methodology/approach

Instead of government consisting essentially of functional departments, each one consisting of a different group of professionals pursuing specialist inputs and outputs, an outcomes focused government is structured around the three core aspects of governance – effectiveness (outcomes), efficiency (services) and transparency (standards). The three parts have different ways of operating and different types of performance measure.

Findings

Place management along with systems management are the essential responsibilities of the outcomes organisation.

Research limitations/implications

Rather than advocate traditional inputs and outputs, outcome managers are free to pursue a wide range of solutions from a number of different providers. Being highly visible to the community place managers especially provide a clear point of contact for all those with an interest in the place, whilst buck passing opportunities are limited. Budgeting can be shifted to the funding of outcomes rather than inputs or outputs, with increased power for elected officials to review a wider range of expenditure. Outcomes management provides opportunities for bottom‐up solutions, rather than reliance on top‐down coordinating committees of silo organisations.

Originality/value

The paper should provide those struggling with the limitations of place management in traditional structures with a model for the more effective governance of places.

Citation

Mant, J. (2008), "Place management as a core role in government", Journal of Place Management and Development, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 100-108. https://doi.org/10.1108/17538330810865363