Strategic drift in international non‐governmental development organizations—putting strategy in the background of organizational change

Although the use of strategic planning has become widespread in INGDOs they have often been accused of strategic drift—continuous change in their strategic directions with plans only loosely coupled to their activities. However, the way that they prioritize their activities, and the reasons why strategic drift occurs has generally escaped in‐depth research. This article draws on detailed, qualitative research of strategic planning meetings at the executive levels in a major INGDO, carried out between July 2006 and December 2007 to identify the reasons why strategic drift occurs and the role of strategic planning. It was found that by deliberately crafting multiple, ambiguous, and ambitious strategies, managers were able to effect organizational change, not by literal strategy implementation, but by using these strategies as metaphors to harness consensus and legitimacy in key stakeholder groups. Senior managers utilize the symbols, language and deliberative arenas of formal strategic planning to effect organizational change; however, strategy, in rational terms, needs to be located in the background for its role to be properly understood. The research unpacks complex decision‐making processes in an INGDO and, contrary to normative literature, recommends that, in order to avoid inflationary planning, managers should not take their strategy literally. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

THE SPATIAL LEGACY OF INFORMAL EMPIRE: OIL,THE SOVIET UNION,AND THE CONTOURS OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN CHINA'S FAR WEST

Abstract

Beginning in the 1930s, Soviet geologists, engineers, and economic planners began laying the infrastructure of informal empire in China's westernmost province of Xinjiang. Seeking to gain access to its rich petroleum wealth in particular, these Soviet state agents helped create a blueprint for state investment and development in Xinjiang that continues to resonate today. Confronting the substantial Soviet investment in the province and driven by a border policy intent on minimizing capital expenditures for distant peripheries, economic planners in the Republic of China and the People's Republic alike relied heavily on Soviet reports, technology, and infrastructure in their own economic development plans. In the end, the efforts of Chinese and Soviet planners, often working in collaboration, helped create an enduring pattern of state investment in Xinjiang. Focusing on oil extraction, processing, and transport operations in Xinjiang, this work reveals the long-term resonances of informal empire in Chinese border regions.     

Adversary Group Decision-Making Regarding Choice of Attack Methods: Expecting the Unexpected

Anticipating whether an adversary group will continue to use their usual (“conventional”), expected attack methods is important for military and counterterrorism practitioners tasked with protecting the security of others. Conventional attack methods are by their nature easier to plan and prepare for whilst “innovative” methods may take those responsible for security and counterterrorism by surprise and, as such, may have more impact and more serious consequences. The present study aimed to develop understanding of how, when, and why adversary groups might decide to use conventional attack methods or opt to do something innovative instead. A literature review was conducted and findings were applied to develop a thorough understanding of the decision-making process that underlies an adversary group's choice of attack method. Identified are three stages preceding the execution of an attack: a) “strategic direction”; b) “incubation”; and c) “planning and preparation,” plus “overarching” and “contextual” factors that can influence the process at each stage. It is suggested that it is these factors and how they influence decision-making that result in innovative methods being used to execute an attack, or convention prevailing. Findings can aid practitioners and policy-makers in counterterrorism, security, and law enforcement, to support their understanding, evaluation, and countering of current and future threats.     

Power,Policy and Co-ordination in Law Reform: a Civil Servant and Town Planning Law, 1929–1930

The process of turning policy into legislation has been the subject of intense debates with some emphasising 'pressure groups', some pointing to Members of Parliament and others stressing the importance of civil servants with their own strong beliefs. This article argues that a particular type of civil service role has not been explored: we need to look at the civil servant who co-ordinates the process of reform. He or she starts with no particular commitment but seeks to provide a framework for legislation which can respond to contrasting and, on some occasions, even mutually inconsistent ideas. Co-ordination is in itself a form of power, and its significance can be seen in the compromises and gaps which are often found in government legislation and which are frequently the product of the co-ordinating role with its search for some minimal level of agreement and 'workable' drafts. The case-study for this analysis of law-making is the strained attempt to reform planning law in the years 1929–1932 in such a way as to make the law an instrument for preserving the countryside and improving housing and city conditions. It was a major attempt at social engineering and highly contentious for contemporaries. It is the essence of this type of law-reform that it simultaneously changes past law and, because it is an administratively co-ordinated compromise, it also produces problems which demand further reform within a few years.     

西安市城市环形扩的隐忧

西安市三环路工程是建国以来西安市最大的城市基础设施项目,总投资62.5亿元,计划工期为2004—2007年。西安市三环路是一条重要的城市快速环路,它除了具有快速路系统枢纽的功能外,在西安市形态、发展战略、城市建设各方面都有特殊的作用,但是三环路的建设很可能会给西安市的发展带来严重问题:交通拥堵、环境污染、房价高涨。     

公共部门规划:目标—发展重点矩阵构建及应用

公共部门相对其他部门具有特殊性,因此,该领域规划设计要求有与之特点相适应的分析工具。本文梳理了公共部门规划发展的脉络,并对常用的规划分析工具进行了综述,指出了现有工具在公共部门规划应用的有效性和局限性。笔者根据规划实践提出了目标-发展重点矩阵(Objectives-Keys Perspective Matrix),在对该矩阵进行论证、推导和构建之后,以北京市十二五卫生发展改革规划课题为例,演示了该矩阵的实际运用情况,指出了构建矩阵需要考量的问题,并对该矩阵的推广使用进行了讨论。     

关于我国村庄规划法治化建设问题的思考

在城乡一体化发展的背景下,村庄规划无论是在观念上还是实践中都面临着诸多需要解决的问题,其中最为关键的,是要尽快妥善处理并应对村庄规划发展的法治建设问题。然而,这一问题至今并未引起足够重视。为促进我国村庄规划法治化建设,当前至少要着力推进如下工作:正确认识村庄规划的法律约束力;充分吸纳相关法律法规的规定性内容并形成合力;正确处理村庄规划与其他规划、制度的关系;严格遵循村庄规划编制、实施与修改的法定程序;进一步完善并加强村庄规划的法律督导体系和司法保障工作。     

海峡两岸职业自由权制度比较研究

目前大陆地区《宪法》和台湾地区＂宪法＂均未对职业自由权作出明文规定,而是通过劳动立法或宪法解释的方式对职业自由权提供保护。职业自由权包括职业选择的自由和职业执行的自由。保障职业自由必须反对强迫劳动。基于公共利益保护的需要,海峡两岸均通过法律对职业自由权的主体及其该权利的行使进行一定的限制,同时明确了职业自由权受侵害时的救济途径和强迫劳动的法律责任。     

论反垄断法执法主体的设置——从执法权分配角度分析

市场经济的核心在于维护一个公平有效的竞争机制。而反垄断法因其在保护、促进竞争和维护市场秩序方面起着基础和统领作用．被誉为“经济宪法”。徒法不足以自行，光有一部精良先进的法律条文是不够的，还得通过法的实施．方能实现法的效果。在法律实施机构之间划分执法权．是法律实施体制中其他制度运行的前提，对于法律的有效实施有着重要的意义。本文主要从执法权划分角度探讨反垄断法实施体制中执法主体的设置，以及执法机构与行业监管机构在反垄断监管领域内的关系，通过比较国外的法律规定及实践，并对我国实施不久的《反垄断法》进行评述．综合分析中国现有反垄断执法主体执法权分配中存在的问题，进而提出完善我国现有反垄断执法主体体制的建议一     

大学生村官的工作现状与困境对其职业生涯规划的影响

调查表明,大部分大学生村官在基层工作过程中能摆正心态,努力转变观念融入基层,并通过提高自身能力、积极制定职业规划,寻求适合自身发展的道路以适应国家未来发展的需要。但也存在部分大学生村官适应能力差、与村民沟通困难、工作局面难以打开、创业困难等问题,或者对村官工作的前景感到迷茫,政府主管部门需重视这些问题并采取相应措施加以解决。