A critical view of the German procurement process in the sector

This paper makes a critical analysis of the German procurement process in the public sector, based on a case study carried out at Karlsruhe University. The research protocol for the field study was developed in three phases: direct dialogue with the head of the department, document analysis, and semi-structured interviews. Data collection was concerned with both the analysis of the organization as well as with the mapping of project activities. A detailed study was carried out on a single construction project in order to enable the development of a value stream map of the procurement macro processes. Based on the data, the authors present a set of proposals for a radical improvement in the German procurement process, focusing on shortening the cycle time, increasing transparency and improving value generation. The study reinforces the need for more research focused on lean production concepts and principles in the public sector. By identifying radical improvement opportunities in the German procurement process, it may be possible to convince politicians and decision makers to change structures of responsibilities and to apply lean principles in public administration. The paper appears to be one of the first studies to apply lean principles into the procurement process of governmental organizations, in order to simplify processes, reduce waste and better allocate resources in order to add more value for the end-users.

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A Methodology for Creating a Macro Action Plan to Improve IT Use and Its Governance in Organizations

Information ◽

10.3390/info11090427 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 427

Author(s):

Veronica Telino ◽

Ricardo Massa ◽

Ioná Mota ◽

Alexsandro Gomes ◽

Fernando Moreira

Keyword(s):

Information Technologies ◽

Action Plan ◽

Work Capacity ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

It Use ◽

The Public ◽

The Matrix ◽

The Subject

Information Technologies represent a primary instrument in all types of organizations. However, their use is not always well planned in the public sector. The research proposes a methodology to build a realistic action plan that improves the use of information technology and its governance in public organizations. We conduct a case study using semi-structured interviews to investigate the different views of 8 decision-makers regarding the use of IT and its governance. The findings were analyzed systematically and synthesized into a set of perspectives on the subject. An interference matrix reveals how each view interferes and receives positive and/or negative interference from the others. Based on the matrix, the methodology applies criteria to prioritize the perspectives with the highest potential to improve the use of IT and its governance. The final product of the methodology is an action plan aligned with the vision of the institution’s decision-makers. The plan requires little effort to improve the use of IT and its governance. Seventeen views related to the use of IT and its governance emerged from the interviews. Four views that do not cause or receive harmful interference from other perspectives were selected to guide the plan elaboration. The methodology proved to be efficient for creating an action plan adapted to the institutional reality. According to the managers, the action plan represents with high precision the most urgent needs of the organization, respecting its work capacity and available resources for a project to improve the use of IT and its governance.

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Supply chain resilience during pandemic disruption: Evidence from healthcare

Supply Chain Management An International Journal ◽

10.1108/scm-09-2020-0434 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Barbara Scala ◽

Claire Frances Lindsay

Keyword(s):

Supply Chain ◽

Public Sector ◽

Supply Chains ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Collaborative Relationships ◽

Content Type ◽

Supply Chain Resilience ◽

The Public ◽

Pandemic Response

Purpose This paper aims to explore how resilience is evident in healthcare supply chains in the public sector when faced with pandemic disruption and to identify any learnings to inform recovery and future-readiness phases. Design/methodology/approach An exploratory case study was conducted, consisting of seven semi-structured interviews with public sector supply chain actors in the healthcare personal protective equipment supply chain. The data included document analysis. Findings Key findings show how specific resilience strategies such as agility, collaboration, flexibility and redundancy, contributed to supply chain resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic response. Collaboration is identified as a key mechanism for resilience with public sector networks viewed as facilitating this. Established collaborative relationships with suppliers pre-pandemic did not support increased visibility of tiers within the supply chain. Originality/value This is one of the first papers to provide in-depth resilience insights through an example of healthcare supply chains during the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Fighting Corruption While Having Hands Tied: A Case Study of Thailand’s Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission

Journal of Asian and African Studies ◽

10.1177/0021909620926529 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 002190962092652

Author(s):

Dhiyathad Prateeppornnarong

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Public Participation ◽

Present Article ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Regulatory Oversight ◽

The Public ◽

The Core ◽

High Level ◽

Overall Effectiveness

Grounded in 41 semi-structured interviews, this article examines the extent to which the complaints system under regulatory oversight of the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC) in Thailand has been effective for addressing corruption complaints. The present article revisits the theoretical arguments of the structural school and the reputational school over agency independence, deploying such arguments to analyze the way in which de facto independence of the anti-corruption agencies (ACAs) operating in a highly politicized environment can be protected. The analysis finds that a high level of legal independence is the best possible way to safeguard de facto independence, enhancing the overall effectiveness of the ACAs working in highly politicized countries. In addition, the empirical findings suggest that a low level of legal independence, a lack of prosecution power, inadequate qualified staffing, and the absence of meaningful public participation are the core factors contributing to the ineffectiveness of the PACC system.

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THE PROCESS OF LAYING CONCRETE AND ANALYSIS OF OPERATIONS APPLYING THE LEAN APPROACH / BETONAVIMO PROCESO IR OPERACIJŲ ANALIZĖ TAIKANT LEAN METODIKĄ

Mokslas - Lietuvos ateitis ◽

10.3846/mla.2012.48 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 4 (4) ◽

pp. 306-310

Author(s):

Vidmantas Gramauskas

Keyword(s):

No Value ◽

Just In Time ◽

Total Quality ◽

Lean Principles ◽

Value Stream ◽

Operation Analysis ◽

A Value ◽

Fiber Concrete ◽

Value Stream Map

The paper considers Lean philosophy ‘Just in Time’, a value stream map and total quality management principles applying them to the construction. In order to follow these principles, a case study was performed, thus observing and recording the process of laying concrete in three houses where a lower ground floor was casted employing fiber concrete. The collected data were required to fragment the process of laying concrete into smaller operations and examine each operation independently. The examination of operations was introduced in certain units of measurement – time, the number of workers, cubic meters of concrete used, space area, etc. This information helped with distinguishing useful operations from useless actions bringing no value to the product. The previously mentioned methods can be applied to useless operations to reduce their duration or even eliminate them. The main problem is the process of laying concrete splitting it into smaller operations, operation analysis and adaptation of Lean principles. The implementation of Lean system can reduce waste and increase the value of the final product. Santrauka Straipsnyje supažindinama su Lean metodika, „kaip tik laiku“, vertės srauto žemėlapio ir visuotinės kokybės valdymo principais ir jų pritaikymu statyboje. Siekiant pritaikyti šiuos principus atliktas tyrimas stebint ir fiksuojant betonavimo procesą trijuose namuose, kai buvo betonuojamos cokolinių aukštų grindys fibrobetonu. Iš surinktų duomenų betonavimo procesą galima išskaidyti į atskiras operacijas ir nagrinėti kiekvieną atskirai. Tiriant operacijas buvo taikyti tam tikri matavimo vienetai – laikas, darbuotojų skaičius, kubiniai metrai betono, patalpų kvadratūra. Šie duomenys padėjo išskirti naudingas operacijas nuo vertės nekuriančių. Vertės nekuriančioms operacijoms galima pritaikyti anksčiau minėtus principus ir sumažinti jų trukmę arba visiškai panaikinti. Svarbiausia problema yra betonavimo proceso išskaidymas į operacijas, tų operacijų analizė ir Lean principų joms pritaikymas. Įdiegus Lean sistemą galima išvengti atliekų ir padidinti galutinio produkto vertę.

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Using the MEAT VBP Framework to analyse and understand the value of surgical gloves: an explanatory case study

Health Economics Review ◽

10.1186/s13561-021-00325-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Benedict Stanberry ◽

Gerhard Bothma ◽

Katie Harrison

Keyword(s):

Medical Device ◽

Single Case ◽

Healthcare Providers ◽

Decision Makers ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Value Analysis ◽

Surgical Gloves ◽

Analysis Process ◽

A Value

Abstract Background Value-based healthcare is being extensively piloted, scaled and implemented by healthcare providers and systems around the world. However, the ability of the healthcare supply chain function to strategically contribute to the improvement of value has been held back by a lack of practical tools for turning value-based procurement from concept into action. Two recently developed conceptual models – the American CQO Movement and the European MEAT VBP Framework – have been developed to support the implementation of value-based procurement in healthcare. We demonstrate how the latter of these models can be adapted and applied pragmatically to generate insights into the value of a specific medical device, technology or consumable. Methods We undertook an explanatory, qualitative, single-case study focused on a specific consumable – surgical gloves – that provide a critical example of a type of medical device usually procured in high volumes but at risk of commoditisation due to a widespread lack of understanding of their value. Since the global Covid-19 pandemic prevented fieldwork, structured interviews were conducted via Zoom and corroborated by a literature review. Results We identified ten cost criteria and eight outcome criteria with which the value of surgical gloves can be analysed and understood. For each of these criteria we propose definitions and value impact metrics that decision-makers can use during a procurement exercise to describe, quantify and compare glove value. Conclusion The MEAT VBP Framework provides a highly practical and adaptable means of imposing both structure and rigour on a value analysis process and of qualitatively describing the potential value impact of surgical gloves for patients, professionals, providers and health systems.

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SMARTIES Project: The Survey of Needs for Municipalities and Trainers for Smart Cities

Challenges ◽

10.3390/challe12010013 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (1) ◽

pp. 13

Author(s):

George Xydis ◽

Luca Pagliaricci ◽

Živilė Paužaitė ◽

Vygintas Grinis ◽

Gyula Sallai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Smart Cities ◽

Prior Experience ◽

Environmental Awareness ◽

General Concept ◽

Decision Makers ◽

The Public ◽

Low Level ◽

The Subject

In an aim to contribute to already existing knowledge upon the subject of smart cities and the public sector’s wider knowledge in Europe, this study investigates the perception by the municipalities and the wider public sector, responsible for implementing smart solutions in the environment. The understanding of the concept of smart cities/villages by municipalities is on a low level due to the fact that the problem is too wide, not well described, solutions even wider, accompanied by the lack of experts able to offer comprehensive solutions to municipalities. The study presents factors according to the current municipalities’ knowledge (environmental awareness, knowledge and prior experience) and the existing market, of whether these factors can be said that affect the acceptance of smart cities. The public is already aware of the smart cities as a general concept, however, the study sheds light upon the established knowledge that the decision makers have in five countries, Hungary, Slovakia, Italy, Lithuania, and Denmark.

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Conflict dissolution in the public sector: A case-study

European Journal of Operational Research ◽

10.1016/s0377-2217(00)00037-0 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 130 (2) ◽

pp. 388-401 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Carlos A. Bana e Costa ◽

Fernando Nunes da Silva ◽

Jean-Claude Vansnick

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

The Public

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Grey Clustering Evaluation for the Cooperation Efficiency of PPP Project: Taking Beijing Metro Line 4 as an Example

Mathematical Problems in Engineering ◽

10.1155/2019/8232731 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 2019 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hui Sun ◽

Yingzi Liang ◽

Yuning Wang

Keyword(s):

Public Sector ◽

Private Sector ◽

Evaluation Model ◽

Evaluation Index System ◽

The Public ◽

Clustering Model ◽

Grey Clustering ◽

Public Products ◽

Infrastructure Project

PPP model is an important model which provides public products or services based on the coordination between the public sector and private sector. The implementation of PPP model is helpful for relieving the stress of insufficient funding for public sector and improving the efficiency of resource allocation. Comparing with traditional infrastructure project, PPP project involves many stakeholders, and the cooperation efficiency during the different stakeholders impacts the results of the project directly. Thus, it is important to explore the cooperation efficiency of PPP project. Based on grey clustering model, this paper evaluates the cooperation efficiency of PPP project. An evaluation index system including 36 indexes is established based on the aims and objectives of three stakeholders (public sector, private sector, and passengers). A case study of Beijing Metro Line 4 PPP project is implemented to verify the validity and applicability of the evaluation model. And the results showed that the cooperation efficiency of Beijing Metro Line 4 PPP project is relatively high. The model also provided insights into the shortage of the cooperation efficiency of Beijing Metro Line 4 PPP project. As such, the results can assist all stakeholders in adjusting the cooperation efficiency.

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