DOCSLIB.ORG

Supply Chain Management Success Factors in Nigerian Commercial Banks

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Supply Chain Management Success Factors in Nigerian Commercial Banks International Journal of Advanced Studies in Business Strategies and Management | IJASBSM p-ISSN: 2354-4236 | e-ISSN: 2354-4244 Volume 7, Number 1 March, 2019 Supply Chain Management Success Factors in Nigerian Commercial Banks Okeke Augustine Department of Banking & Finance Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State – Nigeria A b s t r a c t upply Chain Management (SCM) is taking deep roots in banking owing to the increasing deployment of banking logistics and equipment. In view of Sthis, the need for effective supply chain management in commercial banks is quite critical. This study, therefore, seeks to identify the supply chain management success factors in the Nigerian banking sector. To achieve this, a quantitative research approach was used. The population for this study is the 433 administrative employees in the supply chain departments of the head offices of the top ten banks in Nigeria according to the “Financial Times” group of London's 2016/2017 rankings. Based on this population, the sample size was determined using Krejcie & Morgan (1970) formula to be 204. A randomly self- administered questionnaire was used to collect data. This questionnaire was built on a five-point Likert scale. A total of 105 completed questionnaires were deemed appropriate for data analysis. This represented a response rate of 51.4%. the data was analyzed using SPSS version 21. The exploratory factor analysis was used to reduce the dimension of the success factors and dependent variable while multi-linear regression was used to model the relationship between SCM success and the six factors identified. Results indicated that planning, motivation, management commitment, competency of SCM staff, communication and benchmarking positively influence supply chain management success in Nigerian banks. Based on this finding, it was recommended that commercial banks should enhance their priority to supply chain success factors identified in this study and take necessary steps to fine-tune their supply chain management procedures towards maximized growth. Keywords: Supply chain management, Critical success factors, Commercial banks, Supply chain process, Nigeria Corresponding Author: Okeke Augustine http://internationalpolicybrief.org/journals/international-scientific-research-consortium-journals/intl-journal-of-business-vol7-no1-march-2019 IJASBSM | page 60 Background of the Study Supply Chain Management (SCM) is taking deep roots in banking (Wagner et al. 2012). This is owing to the increasing deployment of banking logistics and equipment (e.g ATMs, money counting machines, etc) and the need to integrate banks with customers and stakeholders through banking services and products. In this respect, Kristofik et al. (2012) made the submission that there is an emerging need for banks to engage in supply chain management as an avenue for disbursing financial resources among banks. In view of this, the need for effective supply chain management in commercial banks is quite critical. Supply chain management forms a major part of business management and it is believed to contribute largely to organizational growth. Supply chain processes have been a major part of organizational activities for a long time (Thakka et al. 2008). Moreover, supply chain constitutes one of the main management functions of organizational growth especially among firms which depend largely on logistics, material or equipment (Mensah et al. 2014). Thus, supply chain management is of priority to many organizations since it forms the basis for the efficient and effective flow of products, services, and logistics. This is even more so in the banking sector since commercial banks make financial returns from products and/or service. Supply chain, therefore, comes with a medium in which services and products flow efficiently to create the needed link between banks and its customers or stakeholders. An effective supply chain is the one based on the observance of the success factors in supply chain management. Unfortunately, an insignificant number of studies hold this evidence from the perspective of commercial banking. It is even worse that no identifiable study points to this evidence in a Nigerian context. Meanwhile, the growing commercial banking sector of Nigeria ought to leverage these new developments in financial and banking supply chain to maximize growth. This study, therefore, seeks to identify the supply chain management success factors in the Nigerian banking sector. Statement of the Problem Several qualitative and quantitative studies have provided evidence on what the success factors of supply chain management are. These are planning, employee commitment, top management commitment, training and education, communication and benchmarking. Planning in the context of the supply chain is the process of drawing a scheme and road map of work to define all the processes and activities of the chain and their timelines. But since planning is done by people, there is a school of thought that believes it cannot impact supply chain management success if employees and stakeholders of the company are not committed. Similarly, employee commitment significantly drives dedication of employees to their responsibilities defined in planning. Failure to ensure that employees are well motivated would hinder the realization of maximum organizational performance. Often, employee dedication in the organization depends on the commitment of its management to supply chain. Without management commitment, the organization may be unwilling to deploy financial resources for the implementation of the supply chain plan. IJASBSM | page 61 Furthermore, training and education are needed to equip employees with the necessary skills and knowledge to be able to play their roles as defined in the supply chain planning. Lack of competent employees may derail the success of the supply chain as it is the basis for effective communication. Without effective communication among supply chain employees and stakeholders, the network is broken and its activities come with no success. This is because the relationship among distributors, suppliers, and retailers are glued by communication. In the same vein, success in supply chain management cannot be measured without bench marking. Yet, benchmarking is treated as a factor that is not important in the supply chain management practices of Nigerian commercial banks. It is worth mentioning that the above factors have been identified in various studies. Yet, it is obvious that all the studies have been conducted outside Nigeria and Africa, with most of them conducted in Asia. This means that academic debate on the subject from a Nigerian and African point of view is abysmally weak. In terms of banking, only one related study (Kristofik et al., 2012) is identifiable. This means that the volume of the current literature is skewed in favour of manufacturing firms. This is a problem because banks are major drivers of economic development in many economies. So, the fact that banks are less featured in the subject's literature is a major gap that this study will seek to fill. Research Question The research question for this study is as follow: (i) Does planning, employee commitment, motivation, management commitment, competency of SCM staff, communication and bench marking positively influence supply chain management success in Nigerian commercial banks? Objective of The Study The aim of this study is to identify supply chain management success factors in Nigerian commercial banks. More specifically, this study seeks to achieve the following objective: (i) To determine whether or not planning, employee commitment, management commitment, competency of SCM staff, communication and benchmarking positively influences supply chain management success in Nigerian commercial banks. Statement of Hypothesis The hypothesis for this study is as follow: Ho: Planning, employee commitment, management commitment, competency of SCM staff, communication and benchmarking does not positively influence supply chain management success in Nigerian commercial banks. Literature Review Conceptual Framework Supply chain management in service organizations or financial institutions are based on almost a common procedure. It has been proved by research that supply chain management success is dependent on the thoroughness and appropriateness of the planning associated with IJASBSM | page 62 it. According to Ngai et al. (2004), the plan involves who does what, at what time and how? It defines the roles and actions of each stakeholder in the network and establishes policies and strategies for evaluating and controlling success (Kurieen & Qureshi, 2011). Another factor that drives success in supply chain management is therefore employee or stakeholder commitment (Attaran, 2012). In some studies, it is referred to as “employee motivation.” Motivation significantly drives success in the supply chain because it determines the dedication of employees to their responsibilities defined in planning (Attaran, 2012). A third factor of supply chain success is management commitment. According to Quesada et al. (2012), a lack of commitment from management of an organization would mean that issues of supply chain would not be taken seriously. However, when management of an organization focuses on the short and long term benefits of supply chain, they would be able to commit to its tasks and requirement. Furthermore, training and education are the fourth success factor in supply chain management to be
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Corporate Culture and Organizational Change- a Study on a Large Pharmaceutical Company in Bangladesh
    Asian Business Review, Volume 4, Number 2/2014 (Issue 8) ISSN 2304-2613 (Print); ISSN 2305-8730 (Online) 0 Corporate Culture and Organizational Change- a Study on a Large Pharmaceutical Company in Bangladesh S.M. Rezaul Ahsan Senior Manager, Organization Development, The ACME Laboratories Ltd, Dhaka, BANGLADESH ABSTRACT This paper investigates the relationship between corporate culture and attitudes toward organizational change from the perspectives of a large pharmaceutical company in Bangladesh. A structured questionnaire was developed on the basis of the competing values framework of culture typology of Cameron and Quinn (2006) and a study of Justina Simon (June 2012), which was distributed to the 55 staff members of the company. The result shows that there is a significant relationship between corporate culture and organizational change. The study reveals that the organization has adopted all four types of organizational culture and the dominant existing organizational culture is the hierarchy culture. The study also shows that the resistance to change is a function of organizational culture. The implications of the study are also discussed. Key Words: Organizational Culture, Organizational Change, Resistance to change, Change Management JEL Classification Code: G39 INTRODUCTION Corporate culture is a popular and versatile concept in investigate the impact of organizational culture on C the field of organizational behavior and has been organizational change. identified as an influential factor affecting the success There has been significant research in the literature to and failure of organizational change efforts. Culture can explore the impact of organizational culture on both help and hinder the change process; be both a blessing organizational change.
    [Show full text]
  • Five Key Principles of Corporate Performance Management
    ffirs.qxd 11/2/06 1:49 PM Page iii Five Key Principles of Corporate Performance Management Bob Paladino John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ffirs.qxd 11/2/06 1:49 PM Page ii ffirs.qxd 11/2/06 1:49 PM Page i Additional Praise For Five Key Principles of Corporate Perfromance Management “This book is emblematic of Bob’s considerable expertise in organizing a company around the Strategy Focused Organization approach using the Balanced Scorecard Method. As founder, chairman and CEO of Crown Castle International (CCI:NYSE) I hired Bob as a consultant to lead a pro- gram to initiate CCI on the SFO method. He later joined CCI and led a suc- cessful organizational transformation to a much more efficient global platform in the telecommunications industry. I am now chairman and majority shareholder of two international organi- zations; one in the multi-jurisdictional payroll arena and another in the aero- space industry and Bob is successfully transforming those companies into Strategy Focused Organizations. He is probably THE most knowledgeable and experienced individual in implementing the SFO approach to better organizational efficiency given his hands on experience and his considerable knowledge of accounting and finance as a CPA.” —Ted B. Miller, Jr., Chairman, M7 Aerospace and Chairman, Imperium International “This book brings strategy to life through real-life application and provides the road map needed to truly unite a company in its objectives. Bob Paladino’s method encourages team work, cross functional thinking and drives company success.” —Preston Atkinson, Chief Operating Officer, Whataburger, Inc. “Bob Paladino has taken a balanced approach of taking all attributes of high performing businesses and turning them from theory to practical application.
    [Show full text]
  • Job Related Information
    Job Related Information This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the information you will need to provide with your application. 1. Role Details Vacancy reference 13451 Job title: Academic Services Manager (Customer Relationship Management) VOICE (Customer Relationship Management System) Manager Reports to: Salary: £32,004 - £38,183 Terms and conditions: Academic Related Grade 7 Duration of post: Temporary contract to 5 March 2019 Working hours: 37 hours, Monday to Friday Location: Milton Keynes Closing date: 6 April 2017 Type of application form accepted: Full version and covering letter of no more than 1,000 words on how you meet the person specification in the Job Related Information Number of referees required: Three Unit recruitment contact: Staffing & Recruitment Support (ACTS) The Open University, Human Resources, HRG158 | Page 1 of 6 2. Summary of duties Purpose Statement The purpose of this role is to manage the day to day support for the Open University’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) System. The role holder will also act as delegated product owner and therefore liaise with IT and system users on prioritising system improvements. They will also manage all system parameter changes to ensure that BAU and new activities are effectively supported, manage BAU enhancements and defect analysis and management, and manage helpdesk user support. This role is pivotal in ensuring day to day support of the University’s most important tool for supporting students. The role holder will also be responsible for the management of staff providing direct user support. Although the role holder is based in Academic Services, support for CRM will operate across other areas of the University.
    [Show full text]
  • Tier Ii Standard for Human Resources Management Specialists
    ICSC Human resources management specialists Job Classification Manual Page 1 of 60 Vol. II _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ TIER II STANDARD FOR HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT SPECIALISTS INTRODUCTION 1. This grade level standard illustrates the application of the ICSC Master Standard (Tier I) to a specific field of work of the United Nations common system: Human resources management (HRM). It is divided into three sections: definition of coverage; summary factor rating chart; grade level descriptions of typical duties and factor-by-factor evaluation rationales. 2. This standard which replaces an earlier version entitled "Personnel management specialists" (promulgated in 1981), was developed in consultation with the representatives of the organizations taking into account existing organizational structures and jobs within the United Nations common system. Working groups of the CCAQ Sub-Committee on Job Classification led by the ICSC secretariat were convened in New York and Geneva during the autumn 1995 to revise the standard. The groups were composed of job classification specialists from the United Nations, UNICEF, UNDP, ILO, FAO, WHO and ITU. The revised standard was reviewed and endorsed by CCAQ at its eighty-fifth session (July 1996). The primary objectives of this revision were to replace the prior categorization of organizations based on their size by qualitative and quantitative indicators and to update the description of duties. The field of work was renamed Human resources management in order to emphasize the proactive role and contribution of such specialists in the global management process of the organizations and the ongoing interrelationships existing between the “personnel aspects” of an organization and the realization of its mission and programme objectives, and thus strengthen the strategic approach to the management of human resources.
    [Show full text]
  • People Performance Management Toolkit About This Toolkit
    PEOPLE PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT TOOLKIT ABOUT THIS TOOLKIT 5. The toolkit and the supporting scenarios are a guide for 1. People performance management (PPM) matters and how well managers on PPM. They do not replace organisational policies we do it has a huge impact on the quality of care that people who and procedures where they exist and should be treated use our services receive. as an additional resource. Where organisational policies and procedures conflict with the content of the toolkit, the organisational policies and procedures take precedence. 4. The information contained in the toolkit is for general guidance 2. This toolkit for line managers in health and social care aims purposes only. It should not be relied upon as a substitute for to encourage and enable good PPM in practice. Use the left advice on specific facts or matters and we recommend that and right arrows on each page to work through the seven main you contact your usual HR contact or employment law adviser sections, or go straight to the section you need using the icons for detailed advice on the facts of the case. We assume no at the top and bottom of each page. responsibility for the contents of linked websites and we have no control over the availability of the linked pages. 3. The principles of PPM in any care setting are the same, but the context may differ. This resource is intended for your organisation regardless of whether it is small or large, and whether it is commercial, voluntary sector, local authority or NHS. This toolkit is interactive.
    [Show full text]
  • Intelligence Guide: People Management & Leadership
    FG INSIGHT INTELLIGENCE GUIDE: PEOPLE MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP YOUR GUIDE TO Successfully managing and making the most of people in your farm business and how you can work together to achieve goals INTRODUCTION Managing people and leading teams can be challenging, especially in agriculture where the pressure to get things done can be huge. Get it right and the whole team works together, making for a great performance, even under duress, but get it wrong and it can add unneccessary stress to everyone’s jobs. This guide aims to provide some pointers to how you can best manage and lead your team. We have pulled together some key tips, as well as looking at some of the theories involved and look at how you can apply them to your business. You’ll find some useful checklists, an on-farm case study and links for further investigation. EMMA PENNY EDITOR CONTENTS 4 Managing people 13 Learning from other industries 17 Leading your team 21 A personal checklist 24 Case study 28 More information MANAGING PEOPLE 4 INTELLIGENCE GUIDE: PEOPLE MANAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP eople are the best asset a business has, but are not always given the attention they deserve or need from managers. In the ‘head-down-and-get-on-with-it’ world of farming, Pnotions of people management are not always foremost in the mind of the person running the farm. But no matter how good the farm set-up is, without the right staff in place, the business potential will never be realised. Jane Jenkins, head of human resources at Promar, says good staff management can add a huge amount to a business, but is not always top of the list for busy bosses.
    [Show full text]
  • Adapted Customer Relationship Management Implementation Framework:Facilitating Value Creation in Nursing Homes
    Adapted customer relationship management implementation framework:facilitating value creation in nursing homes Article Accepted Version Gulliver, S. R., Joshi, U. B. and Michell, V. (2013) Adapted customer relationship management implementation framework:facilitating value creation in nursing homes. Total Quality Management and Business Excellence, 24 (9-10). pp. 991-1003. ISSN 1478-3371 doi: https://doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2013.776771 Available at http://centaur.reading.ac.uk/31604/ It is advisable to refer to the publisher’s version if you intend to cite from the work. See Guidance on citing . To link to this article DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/14783363.2013.776771 Publisher: Taylor & Francis All outputs in CentAUR are protected by Intellectual Property Rights law, including copyright law. Copyright and IPR is retained by the creators or other copyright holders. Terms and conditions for use of this material are defined in the End User Agreement . www.reading.ac.uk/centaur CentAUR Central Archive at the University of Reading Reading’s research outputs online Adapted Customer Relationship Management Implementation Framework: Facilitating Value Creation in Nursing Homes Abstract This paper proposes a framework to support Customer Relationship Management (CRM) implementation in nursing homes. The work extends research by Cheng et al. (2005) who conducted in-depth questionnaires to identify critical features (termed value-characteristics), which are areas identified as adding the most value if implemented. Although Cheng et al. did proposed an implementation framework, summary of, and inconsistent inclusion of value- characteristics, limits the practical use of this contribution during implementation. In this paper we adapt the original framework to correct perceived deficiencies.
    [Show full text]
  • Performance Management: Chapter 7 in Human Resource Management
    Technological University Dublin ARROW@TU Dublin Books/Book Chapters School of Management 2013 Performance Management: Chapter 7 in Human Resource Management Gerard McMahon Technological University Dublin, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://arrow.tudublin.ie/buschmanbk Part of the Human Resources Management Commons Recommended Citation McMahon, G. Performance Management in Human Resource Management (Carbery, R., Cross, C. eds). Palgrave Macmillan, 2013. ISBN-13: 978-1137009395 This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Management at ARROW@TU Dublin. It has been accepted for inclusion in Books/Book Chapters by an authorized administrator of ARROW@TU Dublin. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License Dublin Institute of Technology ARROW@DIT Books/Book Chapters School of Management 2013 Performance Management: Chapter 7 in Human Resource Management Gerard McMahon Follow this and additional works at: http://arrow.dit.ie/buschmanbk Part of the Human Resources Management Commons This Book Chapter is brought to you for free and open access by the School of Management at ARROW@DIT. It has been accepted for inclusion in Books/Book Chapters by an authorized administrator of ARROW@DIT. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Chapter Seven Performance Management Gerard McMahon http://www.istockphoto.com/stock-photo-15199050-executives-at-conference-table-
    [Show full text]
  • What Are Teachers Saying About New Managerialism?
    Journal of Educational Enquiry, Vol. 3, No. 1, 2002 What are teachers saying about new managerialism? Pat O’Brien City Beach High School, Perth, Western Australia Barry Down Edith Cowan University, Australia Since the mid-1970s, successive federal and state governments have redefined the governance structure of Australian schooling in accordance with the principles of the market and its corollary new managerialism (Hartley 1997; Marginson 1997; Robertson 2000; Yeatman 1990). Morley and Rassool (1999, p 61) argue that ‘the introduction of markets and managers has been a generic transformational device designed to restructure and reorient public service provision’. According to Yeatman (1990, p 14), this structural and ideological shift has resulted in a corporate-style bureaucracy whereby public sector activity is ‘reduced to the effective, efficient and economic management of human and capital resources’. As the dominant style of public administration and public service, it seeks to make government efficient by doing more with less, focusing on outcomes and results and managing change better. The common elements have involved site-based management, the language of improvement and budgetary devolution (Morley & Rassool 1999). Commenting on the British experience, Hoggett (1996, p 12) argues that three fundamental but interrelated strategies of control have been implemented over the last decade to drive these reforms. First, competition has been introduced as a means of coordinating the activities of decentralised units. Second, there has been an attempt to decentralise operations whilst centralising strategic command. Third, there has been the extended development of performance management techniques. Against this backdrop, we set out in this article to examine how six senior teachers in one secondary school in the northern suburbs of Perth, Western Australia have experienced and responded to these generic managerial reforms.
    [Show full text]
  • Yearbook Suite | Staff Management STAFF MANAGEMENT THROUGH TEAM BUILDING
    STAFF MANAGEMENT THROUGH TEAM BUILDING Yearbook SUITE Copyright 2014 by Walsworth Yearbooks All rights reserved. This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without written permission from the publisher. Published in the United States of America by Walsworth Inc., Marceline, Mo. Corporate Office: 306 North Kansas Ave., Marceline, MO 64658 800-265-6795 Yearbook Sales and Marketing Office: 7300 West 110th Street, Suite 600, Overland Park, KS 66210 800-369-2965 For more information about this curriculum guide or any other Walsworth products and services, visit walsworthyearbooks.com or call 800-972-4968. Acknowledgments Jessica Young, MJE, Adviser, Orange Glen High School, Escondido, Calif., and Unit Author Sabrina Schmitz, Adviser, J.W. Mitchell High School, New Port Richey, Fla. Lori Mortland, Adviser, Calhoun High School, Hardin, Ill. Alex Blackwell, Vice President of Communications and Marketing Kristin Mateski, Manager, Yearbook Marketing Jamie Chambers, Design and Creative Concepting Supervisor Anna Nordling, Graphic Designer Amy Spears, Senior Graphic Designer Elizabeth Braden, CJE, Communications Editor Evan Blackwell, Copywriter T. Edward “Blaze” Hayes, Area Sales Manager Mike Taylor, Journalism Specialist Consultants Cheryl Franzmann, CJE, Walsworth Yearbooks sales representative Mary Czech, Walsworth Yearbooks sales representative Lisa Green, Walsworth Yearbooks sales representative By Jessica Young Yearbook Adviser, Orange Glen High School STAFF MANAGEMENT THROUGH TEAM BUILDING STUDENT WORKBOOK Yearbook Suite | Staff Management STAFF MANAGEMENT THROUGH TEAM BUILDING Community is essential in any cooperative learning environment. In a class or club like yearbook, students need to be comfortable working with one another and supporting each other. Activities like ice breakers and warm-up games help break down potential barriers that students have and make it easier for them to bond with their fellow staff members.
    [Show full text]
  • Berkeley Public Library Organizational Assessment
    Berkeley Public Library Organizational Assessment November 14, 2017 Background and Objective PURPOSE Assess the Berkeley Public Library to ensure it is optimally governed and organized to serve the Berkeley community. BACKGROUND • The Library has experienced significant turnover in the Director position. Since 2014, the 2 Library has been led by three Directors, one Interim Director, and one Acting Director. • Turnover in key leadership positions has contributed to organizational instability, impacting the Library’s culture and ability to effectively function. • The BOLT requested that a comprehensive review and evaluation be completed by an independent third party to improve Library operations and services. Scope of Work SCOPE OF WORK This organizational assessment was designed to identify opportunities of improvement in governance, management, staff relations, operational performance, policies and procedures, and community partnerships. The assessment was conducted between July and November 2018 and consisted of four major phases: project initiation and management, fact finding, assessment of 3 operational performance, and reporting. The fact finding phase included: • 26 interviews with BOLT, managers, supervisors, staff, and community partners • An all-staff survey • Document review • BOLT meeting observation • Best practice research Commendations • Community Resources • Collections • Employee Commitment • Facilities • Strong Funding and Support 4 • Utilization of cross-functional, interdepartmental committees We would like to thank Library staff, management, and leadership for their participation in this study. Major Themes • Governance • Cultural Transformation • Change Management • Community-Centered Work 5 Observations & Recommendations 6 Enterprise Solutions: Critical Priority Governance The Library’s governing environment reduces organizational effectiveness and the Observation ability of the Library to deliver services to the broader community.
    [Show full text]
  • 93 Discretionary Decision Making in the Management
    93 DISCRETIONARY DECISION MAKING IN THE MANAGEMENT OF HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS Therese J. Dent, Ph.D. Diplomate Clinical Social Worker, Lakeside Center; Adjunct Assistant Professor, st. Louis University, St. Louis Missouri Introduction Human service program directors are faced with guidelines for program delivery usually created at a level removed from local conditions. As one consequence, program directors are often confronted with a difficult choice--Do you follow the guidelines or do you deviate in order to deliver a good program? The research reported here demonstrates that at least some of the "cornmon sense" adaptive behaviors of those in the field charged with program delivery are the product of individual leader qualities and organizational dynamics. Discretionary decision making is most likely to occur when the decision maker has acquired information and knowledge which goes beyond or adds to that which structured the program guidelines. Use of discretion involves the acquisition and utilization of information unique to the local context that impels variation from a mandated guideline. Several theorists have described behavioral decision models founded on the notion of limited knowledge and bounded rationality (Simon, 1955; Etzionni, 1967, 1986; Braybrooke and Lindblom, 1963). These are pragmatic modifications of the classic rational planning model which idealistically and impossibly calls for complete information and rationality. The ability to perceive and interpret reality from a local implementing context adds to the font of information available to program decision makers. This added information facilitates and encourages the use of discretion regarding compliance with mandated guidelines at a local level. Rigid adherence to rules, which may be more typical of technological organizations, is frequently experienced as counter productive in human service organizations.
    [Show full text]