Les comités de direction des ministères: rele,organisation et fonctionnement

Sommaire: Cet article trace le portrait des comités de direction des ministères de l'administration québécoise et analyse divers aspects de leur rôle (raisons d'être, fonctions, attributions, fins, productions), de leur organisation (dénomination, moyen de création, composition) et de leur fonctionnement (préparation et déroulement des réunions, style de travail). Abstract: This article profiles the executive committees of the Quebec government departments as regards various aspects of their role (purpose, functions, responsibilities, goals, products), of their organisation (designation, originating body, composition) and of their operation (preparation and procedure for meetings, working style).     

Fairness and competence in democratic decisions

The price system is generally thought to be the epitome of efficiency. In some cases, however, lotteries are preferred to the market as a social decision-making system for reasons of fairness. As recent research has shown, neither procedure is always well accepted among the general population. We analyze the social acceptability of both mechanisms and apply our framework to the allocation of social burdens, namely the siting of nuclear waste facilities. Lotteries are only acceptable if they are applied to a set of efficient options. The market is accepted if the production of fairness precedes the use of prices.     

L'intérQt pour le pouvoir et les styles de gestion: élaboration d'une typologie et application aux cadres de la fonction publique du Québec

Sommaire: Les typologies des styles de gestion, dont la conception repose sur les deux composantes traditionnelles (I'intérêt pour la réalisation du travail et celui envers le bien-être du personnel), présentent une définition incomplète des comportements adoptés par les cadres dans leurs relations avec le personnel. Ces typologies, qui renseignent davantage sur les fonctions économique et sociale des styles que sur leur fonction politi-que, réussissent mal à rendre compte du processus d'influence qui régit les rapports entre les supérieurs et leurs employés. Elles négligent les comportements des cadres qui reflètent leur conception du rapport de pouvoir avec leur personnel. Elles donnent ainsi une image imprécise des différentes sources de pouvoir utilisées par les cadres pour influencer les attitudes et les comportements de leurs subordonnés. Elles tracent aussi un portrait partiel de la tolérance et de la réceptivité des cadres envers les tentatives d'influence de leurs employés. Pour décrire de façon adéquate les différents styles de gestion, il semble préférable d'utiliser un modèle qui intègre ces trois fonctions et définit une gamme de neuf styles. En appliquant cette nouvelle typologie aux cadres supérieurs de la fonction publique du Québec, tout en se basant sur les perceptions de leurs employés professionnels et non sur les leurs, on remarque, malgré cette restriction, que I'intérêt pour le pouvoir est un facteur de différenciation plus important que l'un des deux paramètres utilisés habituellement pour définir les styles de gestion: la recherche du pouvoir caractérise mieux les styles des cadres que le souci de la réalisation du travail, bien que leurs styles se définissent surtout par la force de I'orientation vers le bien-être de leur personnel. Abstract: The typologies of management styles with their concept based on the two traditional components (concern for the accomplishment of the work and concern for employee well-being) provide an incomplete definition of the behaviours adopted by management in its staff relations. These typologies, which tell us more about the economic and the social function of the styles of management than about their political function, fall short when taking account of the process of influence which governs the relations between superiors and their employees. They neglect those management behaviours which reflect the concept of employee relations based on power, and in this way, they paint an inaccurate picture of the different sources of power used by management to influence the attitudes and behaviours of their subordinates. They also paint a partial picture of management's tolerancr for, and receptiveness to, employees' attempts at gaining influence. In order to atlequately describe the different management styles, it seems preferable to use a model which integrates these three functions and defines a range of nine styles.     

C. Reviews and notes of recent bibliographies

i. Social Research on Arabs in Israel 1948–1977: Trends and an Annotated Bibliography. Compiled by Sammy Smooha and Ora Cibulski. Ramat Gan, Israel, Turtledove Publishing, 1978. pp.148. $11.00.

ii. University of Utah: Aziz S.Atiya Library for Middle East Studies, Supplement Two to Volume One (University of Utah Middle East Library Catalogue Series). Salt Lake City, University of Utah Libraries, 1979. pp.892.

iii. Bibliografiya stran Afriki i Arabskogo vostoka: ukazatel’ literatury na russkom yazyke, opublikovannoi v SSSR v 1917–67 gg. Vol.I: Afrika. Vol.II: Arabskie stranny. Moskva, Nauka, 1979. 2 vols. 15r.

iv. Arab‐World Newspapers in the Library of Congress: A List (Near East Series). Prepared by George Dimitri Selim. Washington D.C., Library of Congress, 1980. pp.v, 85.

v. Libyan Studies Bulletins: Current Awareness Service (Publications of the Libyan Studies Centre: Bibliographic Series, 3). Tripoli, The Library of the Libyan Studies Centre, 1980‐. 1 – . pp.vii, 75 (European‐language titles), 125 (Arabic‐language titles).     

Nursing the dying: implications of Kübler-Ross' staging theory

Society's failure to value the work of nurses, the professionals most frequently involved in the care of the dying, is attributed to a cultural definition of nursing as a second-class occupation and the public's need to deny the realities of the suffering and indignities often associated with the process of dying. Efforts within the field of nursing to improve the care of the dying, by shifting emphasis from a narrow physical focus to a more holistic patient and family focus, preceded the past decade's contributions of Elisabeth Kübler-Ross. Although her staging theory has been cited as having limitations in development and in interpretation, Kübler-Ross' influence towards increasing awareness of the needs of the dying and others experiencing major losses has been substantial as evidenced by many references to staging theory in nursing literature, by a marked increase in attention to holistic care of the dying in the basic and continuing education programs of nursing, and by specialty role development in nursing care of the dying. This decade has also witnessed the major growth of professionalism in nursing, including strides towards professional autonomy. Conflict with the traditional pattern of medical dominance and bureacratic constraints in institutions is inevitable, especially when the medical goal of cure is not attainable. Change to an interdisciplinary model of care is viewed as essential for optimal care of the dying and their families.     

The gender gap in pro-environmental political participation among older adults

Citizens are increasingly concerned with environmental issues and some of them take contentious political actions or adapt their lifestyles to reduce their environmental footprint. Research finds that there is an eco-gender gap in everyday environmental behaviours, with women more active than men. However, studies of the eco-gender gap have infrequently looked at other forms of pro-environmental political behaviours and focused mostly on young people. We contribute to the literature by examining to what extent older women and men differ in a range of pro-environmental political behaviours, using a unique dataset based on a survey of individuals 64 years and older. We find strong evidence of a gender gap in everyday behaviours and political consumerism, but not in relation to contentious forms of political participation. This gender gap in relation to everyday behaviours and political consumerism diminishes with age.     

Anti‐suit Injunctions and the Doctrine of Comity

Hin‐Pro International Logistics Limited v CSAV is an important case in the areas of anti‐suit injunctions, contractual interpretation and private international law. Despite the ambiguities surrounding the jurisdiction clause contained in the bills of lading, the Court of Appeal construed the jurisdiction clause as ‘exclusive’ in the context of a ‘contractual background’, and affirmed the continuation of the anti‐suit injunction granted by the Commercial Court. It is argued that the approach of applying the common law principles of contractual interpretation to a bill of lading is questionable. The approach used to apply English private international law is problematic in a number of ways. There are legitimate reasons for concern that the doctrine of comity in English private international law may become undermined as a result.     

Ineffective fiscal rules? The effect of public sector accounting standards on budgets,efficiency, and accountability

Public Choice - International organizations have encouraged national governments to switch from traditional cash-based to business-like accrual accounting, on the presumption that long-run benefits...     

Obstacles and Opportunities for Sustaining Performance Management Systems

Measuring performance in public organizations has been a growing trend for several decades. Designing, adopting, and implementing this style of management system have been the topic of much practitioner and academic deliberation. One struggle those determined to adopt performance measurement and management systems have faced, though, is the ability to sustain them over time and actually engrain them into their decision-making frameworks. Countless barriers to long-term success exist for public organizations and this article seeks to identify and categorize them. Using a mixed-method survey design, this research shows which factors are the most important to organizations hoping to build a performance system that can stand the test of time. Capacity, knowledge, and buy-in limitations pose serious threats to these reforms and it takes a concerted effort to cultivate not only support from employees and management to pursue performance management but the technical and conceptual capacity to design the right system for the organization.