Download or read book The failure of the FiReControl project written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-09-20 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: FiReControl was an ambitious project with the objectives of improving national resilience, efficiency and technology by replacing the control room functions of 46 local Fire and Rescue Services in England with a network of nine purpose-built regional control centres using a national computer system. The project was launched in 2004, but following a series of delays and difficulties, was terminated in December 2010 with none of the original objectives achieved and a minimum of £469 million being wasted. The Department attempted, without sufficient mandatory powers, to impose a single, national approach on locally accountable Fire and Rescue Services who were reluctant to change the way they operated. There were no basic project approval checks and balances - decisions were taken before a business case, project plan or procurement strategy had been developed and tested. The result was hugely unrealistic forecast costs and savings, naève over-optimism on the deliverability of the IT solution and under-appreciation or mitigation of the risks. Fundamentals of project management were absent: the centres were constructed and completed whilst there was considerable delay in even awarding the IT contract, let alone developing the essential IT infrastructure. There was a high turnover of senior managers although none have been held accountable for the failure. The IT contract went to a company with no direct experience of supplying the emergency services. £84.8 million is now earmarked to meet the project's original objectives, to improve resilience, efficiency and interoperability within the Fire and Rescue Service but there is no certainty this will provide value for money.
Download or read book The failure of the FiReControl project written by Great Britain: National Audit Office and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2011-07 with total page 40 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The project to replace the 46 Fire and Rescue Services' local control rooms across England with nine purpose-built regional control centres linked by a new IT system has been a comprehensive failure. The Department for Communities and Local Government acted to cut its losses by terminating the contract in December 2010, seven years after it had begun, but at least £469 million will have been wasted, with no IT system delivered and eight of the nine new regional control centres remaining empty and costly to maintain. The Department tried to impose a national control system, without having sufficient mandatory powers and without properly consulting with the Fire and Rescue Services. The Department rushed the start of the project, failing to follow proper procedures. Ineffective checks and balances during initiation and early stages meant the Department committed itself to the project on the basis of broad-brush and inaccurate estimates of costs and benefits and an unrealistic delivery timetable, and agreed an inadequate contract with its IT supplier. The Department under-appreciated the project's complexity, and then mismanaged the IT contractor's performance and delivery. The Department failed to provide the necessary leadership to make the project successful, over-relying on poorly managed consultants and failing to sort out early problems with delivery by the contractor. The Department is now trying to minimise the future cost of the project by subsidising Fire and Rescue Services to use the Regional Control Centres.
Download or read book Information Circular written by and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Public Service on the Brink written by Jenny Manson and published by Andrews UK Limited. This book was released on 2012-03-13 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The contributors to this book mount a robust defence of the concept and practice of public service at a crucial time for its future. They question the ill-conceived assumptions behind the endless programmes of reform imposed by successive governments, often on the basis of advice from people with no direct experience of working in the public sector. With cuts in public spending by the coalition government and “austerity” programmes being imposed in Britain and abroad, the book could not be more timely in its reminder of the core purpose of public service. After a long period of denigration of the public sector, here is the voice that has not been heard clearly through these decades of reorganisation: "I know what my job is and I want to do it as well as I can. Indeed I would love my work if I could get one day's peace to get on with it. But I am beset at every turn by unintelligible, time wasting and fruitless management initiatives, constant change, ill-judged targets, wrong-headed 'commercial' exemplars and continuous and misguided restructuring. I have to watch as, instead of my 'customers' (actually patients, pupils, taxpayers) getting a better deal from me, the only beneficiaries seem to be those who can lobby for special treatment." The book contains accounts of public service by people of varying backgrounds and ages who work both inside and outside of the public sector. They share an allegiance to the value and purpose of working for the common good and an enthusiasm for getting things right and for the opportunity to recount their experience through this book.
Download or read book Three Mine Fire Control Projects in Northeastern Pennsylvania written by H. A. Dierks and published by . This book was released on 1971 with total page 768 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book FiReControl written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Communities and Local Government Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2010 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Government's programme to replace 46 local fire and rescue service control rooms with nine purpose-built regional control centres has been inadequately planned, poorly executed, and badly managed. Given the investment of public funds already committed, and the benefits that will accrue, the MPs conclude that the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) should press ahead with the FireControl project so long as Ministers can agree urgently a viable project plan that will see the project go live by a target date of mid-2011 and in which the main stakeholders can have confidence. The excessive cost of abandoning the project - an extra £8 million more than it will cost to complete - indicates the Department should continue with the project so long as it also: examines alternatives and provides assurances that FiReControl represents the best viable option for the future of Fire and Rescue Services; resolves its contractual dispute with EADS and implements a viable project plan; addresses the shortcomings in its management of the project; consults fully with FRS staff and professionals to define end-user requirements; provides assurances that the safety and security of the Olympic Games will not be compromised by the roll-out of new Regional Control Centres. DCLG should urgently to draw up and consult on contingency plans for any further failures in the FiReControl programme to ensure ongoing safe and effective fire and rescue services cover across the whole country.
Download or read book Final Report on the Collapse of the World Trade Center Towers written by and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the final report of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) investigation of the collapse of the World Trade Center (WTC) towers, conducted under the National Construction Safety Team Act.
Download or read book Substance not spin written by Raynsford, Nick and published by Policy Press. This book was released on 2016-07-11 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why does policy succeed or fail? Nick Raynsford, a former MP, Minister and campaigner, tells us how it looks from the front line of policymaking. Based on his vast personal experience at the very heart of government and the voluntary sector, Raynsford explores what works and what doesn’t in making and implementing policy and legislation. He gives an ‘insider’s view’ on a range of events. some not previously made public, including the botched 1980s reform of Housing Benefit, the vacuum left by the 1986 abolition of the Greater London Council, the ill-fated 2002 Fire Service strike and subsequent reform programme, and fitful regeneration in the Thames Gateway in the 2000s. Bringing it right up-to-date, he explores various devolution plans leading up to the so-called ‘Northern Powerhouse’. Offering solutions as to how obstacles in policymaking and implementation can be overcome which will help to restore trust and much-needed confidence in government and the political process, this is a fascinating bridge across the policy and practice divide.
Download or read book Grand Successes and Failures in IT Public and Private Sectors written by Yogesh K. Dwivedi and published by Springer. This book was released on 2013-06-22 with total page 688 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the IFIP WG 8.6 International Working Conference on Transfer and Diffusion of IT, TDIT 2013, held in Bangalore, India, in June 2013. The 35 revised full papers presented together with an invited paper, 12 short papers and 3 poster papers were carefully reviewed and selected from 65 submissions. The full papers are organized in the following topical sections: IS success and failure; studies of IT adoption; software development; IT in the public sector; and theory and methods.
Download or read book Public Law written by Mark Elliott and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2014 with total page 897 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Public Law' is an introductory textbook that offers a mixture of black letter law and political analysis to give students an excellent grounding in the subject. It covers all of the key topics on undergraduate courses and includes a number of pedagogical features to aid understanding.
Download or read book Coal and Peat Fires A Global Perspective written by Glenn B. Stracher and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2010-09-30 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coal and Peat Fires: A Global Perspective is a compelling collection of research conducted by scientists andengineers around the world. The first of four volumes in the collection, Coal – Geology and Combustion, features chapters that discuss the origin of coal and coal fires; mining and use of coal; combustion and coal petrology; environmental and health impacts of coal fires; combustion by-products; geochemical, geophysical, and engineering methodologies for studying coal fires; the control, extinguishment, and political implications of coal fires; and much more. Integrates pioneering coal-fires research, with topical coverage of remote sensing, policymaking, and more Serves as an essential guide to the socio-economic and geo-environmental impacts of coal fires
Download or read book The Theory and Practice of Change Management written by John Hayes and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2018-01-24 with total page 942 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: John Hayes' bestselling textbook combines a scholarly discussion of change management with a host of practical tools and techniques. It provides future managers with all the skills they need to diagnose the need for change and to ensure its successful implementation. The book's unique underpinning framework views change as a purposeful and constructed sequence of events, rather than something chaotic and unmanageable. Its hands-on approach includes a number of 'Change Tools' that students can apply to various scenarios, an array of case studies and examples based on real-life organisations worldwide and video interviews with experienced change practitioners, who share their insights on key topics. The book will be essential reading for final-year business undergraduates, as well as MBA and postgraduate students who are taking modules in change management or organisational change. It is also ideal for change practitioners and consultants. New to this Edition: - Two new chapters on ethical change management practice - A new chapter on value innovation - A new section showing how the book supports employability skills - Brand new international case studies and examples, including the Volkswagen emissions scandal, the collapse of BHS, and company culture at Uber - A free-to-access website featuring audio-visual Tutorials with narration by the author, lecturer slides, detailed briefings on the book's case studies, and much more
Download or read book Project Leadership written by Sarah Coleman and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-08-12 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Project Leadership, the classic, best-selling textbook originally by Wendy Briner, Michael Geddes and Colin Hastings, anticipated so many of the changes in approaches to project management that are now regarded as mainstream - not least the focus on behaviours. The Third Edition by experts Sarah Coleman and Donnie MacNicol has been substantially rewritten, introducing new material and experience reflecting the transformation that has taken place in the world of projects and leadership. Project Leadership Third Edition looks at the nature of the leadership role in projects, why it is significant and how it impacts the processes throughout the project life-cycle from shaping and scoping, start up and delivery through to project closure. The authors put considerable emphasis on a set of core capabilities around the themes of vision and strategy, relationship building, communication and engagement. The book also focuses on building personal and organizational project leadership capability including models, tools and diagnostics drawing on experiences of working with projects and organizations from multiple sectors and across the globe. The Foreword and Endorsements have been provided by industry leaders. Sarah Coleman and Donnie MacNicol have retained and built on the wonderful range of simple, imaginative and very applicable models and perspectives developed by the previous authors. Every project leader, aspiring project leader and organization with project management communities should own and use a copy of this book.
Download or read book Fire and Rescue Service written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Communities and Local Government Committee and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2006-07-12 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Government detailed its plans to reform and modernise the Fire and Rescue Service (FRS) in its White Paper (Cm 5808, ISBN 0101580827) published in June 2003, and these subsequently became law under the Fire and Rescue Services Act 2004. The Committee's report examines the progress made to implement this challenging reform programme, following on from a previous report by its predecessor Committee (HCP 43-I, session 2003-04; ISBN 0215014936) published in January 2004. The Committee has focused on a number of key issues, including: the impact of the introduction of regional control centres and new FireLink radio services; fire prevention and risk assessment; governance and funding arrangements; staffing issues and policies to promote diversity within the FRS; performance measurement and management; and progress on joint working approaches between the FRS and other emergency services. Findings include: the unprecedented changes being implemented represent a positive change in emphasis for the FRS to a more pro-active role in fire prevention and risk management; the Government needs to make a stronger business case to convince and reassure the FRS that the project to create nine regional control centres (called the FiReControl model) will bring enhanced resilience and efficiency; and that the Government should ensure the new FireLink radio project includes the fire-ground technological upgrade.
Download or read book Management in Ten Words written by Terry Leahy and published by Crown Currency. This book was released on 2012-06-19 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From one of the world’s most admired business leaders, here is a remarkable book that will forever change the way you think about management. The meteoric rise of UK supermarket chain Tesco from humble beginnings to its current status as one of the largest retailers in the world can be largely credited to one man—its recently departed CEO, Terry Leahy. Leahy’s unflagging drive and commitment to progress, his no-nonsense approach to leadership, and his visionary perspective on the manager’s role made him a transformative figure not only within his company but within the culture at large—he was voted Business Person of the Year by the Sunday Times in 2010. But what’s Leahy’s secret? How did a workingclass kid whose first job with Tesco was stocking shelves rise to become his company’s most dynamic leader—quadrupling the firm’s profits and creating a new job every twenty minutes for more than ten years? How did he steer a midlevel supermarket chain to such success that it now accounts for one-seventh of all British spending on consumer goods, with truly global reach and thriving departments in everything from mobile-phone operation to financial services? The answer can be found in ten deceptively simple words—words such as truth, loyalty, courage, and balance. Everyone thinks they understand what these words mean. But what Leahy learned in his fourteen years as the world’s greatest turnaround artist was that there is far more to actually practicing these time-honored values than most people know. Management in 10 Words is Terry Leahy’s unflinchingly honest, deeply insightful account of the most valuable, hard-won lessons of his career. For any leader who aspires to be truly exceptional, this book is a must-read.
Download or read book Equity investment in privately financed projects written by Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Committee of Public Accounts and published by The Stationery Office. This book was released on 2012-05-02 with total page 52 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This report examines the risks and rewards for private equity investors in government private finance projects. The Private Finance Initiative (PFI) model has been used by governments in some 700 projects over the last 20 years but defects, including failures to demonstrate the value for money case satisfactorily, the use of long inflexible contracts and the costly contracting process, and inefficient pricing of equity have made continuing with the current model unsustainable. The Treasury is currently reviewing the PFI model. It needs to improve flexibility in the way that private finance is used, establishing quicker and more efficient procurement procedures and achieving a better balance between investors' risks and their rewards. Private finance should only be used where it secures real value for money for the taxpayer, not because of definitional statistical incentives to get projects off the balance sheet (only some 20% of long term PFI liabilities are recorded as debt in the national accounts). Business cases must be an unbiased and transparent assessment of the best form of procurement for the particular project being undertaken, taking account of expected tax receipts from alternative options and not adjusting assumptions to bias the outcome of the assessment. The Treasury needs to collect data on investors' experiences and use this information to assess and challenge investors' returns. There needs to be greater transparency over the pricing of contracts, and inefficiencies which add to the cost of private deals, such as long procurement times, need to be addressed.
Download or read book The Rules of Project Risk Management written by Robert James Chapman and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-09-10 with total page 455 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Rules of Project Risk Management, 2nd Edition, provides practical experience-based guidance to support the delivery of effective project risk management. While the discipline is recognised as a major contributor to the successful outcome of projects, its implementation is far from straightforward. Successful delivery requires an in-depth understanding of the "ingredients" of effective risk management practices which impact project performance. The book’s value is derived from the description of these ingredients in a manner which will support their practical implementation. The author describes a series of guidelines (labelled "rules") to support the practical application of project risk management to positively influence project outcomes. The rules are supported by mini case studies of both successful and unsuccessful projects to bring to life the ramifications of effective and poor risk management respectively, and are assembled under seven headings of environment, external stakeholders, organisation and culture, leadership and governance, internal stakeholders, risk resources and system. This second edition contains a new glossary of terms and an overview of the risk management process to enable those new to the subject to understand the core risk management activities. It also contains six more individual guidelines and ten more case studies to support practitioners, researchers and academics alike to gain an even greater appreciation of the drivers of successful project risk management. Enabling the reader to "get inside" risk management to gain an appreciation of the individual components and "how the engine works", this book is essential reading for project and risk management professionals. While the guidelines are described individually so specific subjects can be examined in detail, they must be considered together, for like a car, specialist carburettors, fuel injection or high-octane fuel on their own do not support improved performance. The guidelines can be considered as the elements that should be taken into account when compiling a risk maturity model to drive incremental improvement in risk management practices.
