1. What are the current issues in the case? 

2. SWOT analysis 

3. Who are the relevant stakeholders and how do you plan to manage them throughout the process?

4. What are the issues? Which issues need to be addressed now? Which issues need to be addressed within the operating cycle ( 1 year) Which issues can/should wait longer? 

5. Generate a list of alternative steps &/or solutions that might solve the issue(s) or problem(s) you have identified

6. Rank/score your alternatives from above to help you decide which one(s) will fix the problems and/or achieve the required outcomes.

7. Implementation -- Write an action plan & timeline.

8. Implementation -- What are some barriers to implementation? What is your contingency plan?

 

Kathleen Pool is a human resources officer with a municipal government in a town of just over 25 000 people. A well-known consulting firm, in cooperation with senior government officials, recently completed a detailed audit of government operations. As a result of the audit, selected government departments (including the Department of Public Works) were targeted for restructuring. The consultants made it clear in their report that they believed that the budget allocation for the Department of Public Works was "adequate" and recommended that the depart- ment receive a 1.5 percent annual increase in funding for the next two years. Note that operating costs for the department are projected to increase at a rate of about 3.5 percent annually. Kathleen has been given the responsibility of managing the restructuring at the Department of Public Works. Rather than directing the department to cut a specific number of jobs, Kathleen has been asked to develop a restructuring strategy that will meet the town's mission of "providing quality service to its residents in a cost-effective manner." She is currently reviewing the operating policies at the Department of Public Works. The Department of Public Works is responsible for tasks such as garbage col- lection, basic sidewalk and road maintenance, city parks and arenas, installation of street signs and parking meters, and snow removal. At the present time, employees work in one of three subunits: garbage collection, parks and recreation, or city maintenance. Each of the subunits is housed in a separate building, and has its own equipment, supplies, and operating budget. As well, while employees can formally apply to transfer to a different subunit, the managers of the subunits involved and the Director of Public Works (who is responsible for the overall operation of the Department) must all agree. Unless a vacancy at one of the subunits arises, it is rare that any employee transfer will be approved. In 2012, the Department of Public Works underwent a considerable down- sizing and 4 percent of its permanent positions were cut. In addition, the depart- ment stopped its practice of hiring summer students from local high schools and