This book places Oakland's public policy response (nine major ordinances) to building damage suffered in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in a full historical and intergovernmental context. Using a combined non-decision making and advocacy coalition approach, the book demonstrates how and why hazardous-structure abatement was kept off the local political agenda prior to the Loma Prieta disaster. The book then demonstrates how and why city government in Oakland became proactive on the problem of earthquake-damaged and, more importantly, earthquake-vulnerable buildings in general after the disaster.

In the face of contemporary strife, the American marketplace is reeling from repeated examples of ethics violations. These violations cross all industries, from securities and investment firms, to public school districts, to local municipal government, as well as the US federal government. Why the abdication of right or good conduct, especially at this point in time? Is there a commonality within the US culture, or perhaps the world, that serves to underscore why we are collectively struggling with such a serious desertion of conformity to previously accepted principles of right and wrong. With the assistance of colleagues, professionals, friends and family, I have had the opportunity to explore this issue domestically, as well as to travel in search of answers as to how we define our ethical world. The results of these efforts are included for the purpose of engaging the reader's curiosity around this topic.This book explores a wide variety of parameters regarding ethical inquiry, including, looking at the ethical parameters used by city and town managers and how, in turn, these parameters serve to define and delineate the ethical parameters adopted and maintained by the public sector culture. This book also provides insight into the application of the tenets of Systems Theory, symbolic interactionism and societal "rule breaking" known for the purpose of this context as unethical conduct. This book also examines how the perspectives of city and town managers are related to the assumptions of ethical parameters by other public sector employees, as well as the effect(s) of societal labelling once these parameters have been assumed. Overall, it contributes to the content of curricula for the field of public administration and therefore, will provide needed information for individuals whose role it is to practice ethics in the public sector.

The reporting of performance measures and standards in budgeting is expected to strengthen the accountability of results, at the same time lessening the need for compliance with burdensome rules and regulations. Reduction in rules and red tape is anticipated to provide greater discretion, allowing administrators to better utilize their expertise in budget decisions. However, does this in fact happen? Is there is evidence that performance budget reform increases administrative discretion? This book examines that question by testing the fit between reform expectations and reform outcomes as viewed by practitioners. It argues that performance budget reform will not realize change as predicted by its advocates, because this theory of reform does not sufficiently consider the organizational realities of public administrators today; that is, an environment characterized by multiple and often conflicting accountability claims.

This book places Oakland's public policy response (nine major ordinances) to building damage suffered in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake in a full historical and intergovernmental context. Using a combined non-decision making and advocacy coalition approach, the book demonstrates how and why hazardous-structure abatement was kept off the local political agenda prior to the Loma Prieta disaster. The book then demonstrates how and why city government in Oakland became proactive on the problem of earthquake-damaged and, more importantly, earthquake-vulnerable buildings in general after the disaster.

In the face of contemporary strife, the American marketplace is reeling from repeated examples of ethics violations. These violations cross all industries, from securities and investment firms, to public school districts, to local municipal government, as well as the US federal government. Why the abdication of right or good conduct, especially at this point in time? Is there a commonality within the US culture, or perhaps the world, that serves to underscore why we are collectively struggling with such a serious desertion of conformity to previously accepted principles of right and wrong. With the assistance of colleagues, professionals, friends and family, I have had the opportunity to explore this issue domestically, as well as to travel in search of answers as to how we define our ethical world. The results of these efforts are included for the purpose of engaging the reader's curiosity around this topic.This book explores a wide variety of parameters regarding ethical inquiry, including, looking at the ethical parameters used by city and town managers and how, in turn, these parameters serve to define and delineate the ethical parameters adopted and maintained by the public sector culture. This book also provides insight into the application of the tenets of Systems Theory, symbolic interactionism and societal "rule breaking" known for the purpose of this context as unethical conduct. This book also examines how the perspectives of city and town managers are related to the assumptions of ethical parameters by other public sector employees, as well as the effect(s) of societal labelling once these parameters have been assumed. Overall, it contributes to the content of curricula for the field of public administration and therefore, will provide needed information for individuals whose role it is to practice ethics in the public sector.

The reporting of performance measures and standards in budgeting is expected to strengthen the accountability of results, at the same time lessening the need for compliance with burdensome rules and regulations. Reduction in rules and red tape is anticipated to provide greater discretion, allowing administrators to better utilize their expertise in budget decisions. However, does this in fact happen? Is there is evidence that performance budget reform increases administrative discretion? This book examines that question by testing the fit between reform expectations and reform outcomes as viewed by practitioners. It argues that performance budget reform will not realize change as predicted by its advocates, because this theory of reform does not sufficiently consider the organizational realities of public administrators today; that is, an environment characterized by multiple and often conflicting accountability claims.