Known for encouraging step-by-step problem solving and for connecting techniques to real-world scenarios, David Ammons’ Tools for Decision Making covers a wide range of local government practices—from the foundational to the advanced. Brief and readable, each chapter opens with a problem in a hypothetical city and then introduces a tool to address it. Thoroughly updated with new local government examples, the second edition also incorporates chapters devoted to such additional techniques as sampling analysis, sensitivity analysis, financial condition analysis, and forecasting via trend analysis. Numerous tables, figures, exhibits, equations, and worksheets walk readers through the application of tools, and boxed features throughout each chapter present other uses for techniques, helpful online resources, and common errors. A handy guide for students and an invaluable resource and reference for practitioners.
Students can visit college.cqpress.com/TDM for more opportunities to put these tools to use. Instructors can register for access to the solutions.
Table of Contents
Preface
Part I. Introduction
1. The Role of Analysis in Local Government
2. A Few Basics
3. Smoothing Data Trends by Using Moving Averages
4. Sampling for Analysis
Part II. Graphic Techniques for Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluating
5. Gantt Charts and PERT/CPM
6. Demand Analysis
7. "Map It Out" for Improved Efficiency
Part III. Work Flow and Measurement
8. Process Flow Charts
9. Work-Distribution Analysis
10. Performance Measurement and Monitoring
11. Using Performance Standards
Part IV. Simple Mathematical Computations: Analytic Building Blocks
12. Adjusting for Inflation When Comparing Revenues or Expenditures
13. Basic Investment Calculations: Figuring Interest Rates and Yields
14. The Time Value of Money: Opportunity Costs, Discounting, Compounding, Future Value, and Present Value
Part V. Identifying Costs and Analyzing Options
15. Simple Options for Annualizing Costs of Capital Items: Usage-Rate and Straight Line Depreciation
16. Identifying Full Costs of a Program
17. Calculating “Go Away Costs” for Privatization Decisions
18. Life-Cycle Costing
19. Sensitivity Analysis
20. Lease or Buy?
21. Cost-Effectiveness Analysis: A Truncated Version of Cost-Benefit Analysis
Part VI. Surveying Citizens and Service Users
22. Citizen Surveys and Customer Surveys
23. Analyzing Survey Data: Revealing Graphics and Simple Statistics
Part VII. Selected Applications of Analytic Techniques in Local Government
24. Staffing Analysis
25. Staffing Factor Calculation: Projections for Extended-Hour or Uninterruptable Services
26. Correlation Coefficients and Advanced Demand Analysis
27. Financial Condition Analysis
28. Break-Even Analysis
29. Potential Gains through Timely Invoicing
30. Forecasting Via Trend Analysis and Time Series Analysis
31. Analysis of Operations via Benchmarking
Part VIII. Wrap Up
32. The Role of Analysis in a Political Environment
Appendix A: Applying Analytic Techniques
Appendix B: Future Value Interest Factors (FVIF)
Appendix C: Sum of Annuity Factor (SAF)
Appendix D: Distribution of Chi-Square
Appendix E: Instructions for Performing Regression Using Microsoft Excel
Testimonials
“Tools for Decision Making is a very ‘user-friendly’ book that can be used in policy analysis or financial management courses in upper-division or graduate instruction. Ammons uses excellent examples that place tools in realistic and appropriate context for typical public administration students.”
- Howard Frank, Florida International University“David Ammons’ Tools for Decision Making gives readers a practical (and necessary) discussion of analytical techniques that are useful in real-life governmental decision making. Managers will find that these ‘tools’ provide a sound basis for making decisions under practical working conditions. Students will greatly benefit from it as well: learning how today’s managers make quality decisions within short time frames, with limited resources is a crucial lesson. Further, in contrast to many books on similar topics, Tools for Decision Making is extremely readable and easy to understand.”
- Frank Fairbanks, City Manager, Phoenix, Arizona“David Ammons has written a book that every public administration student and administrator should review. Tools for Decision Making is a goldmine of ideas for improving services. It makes difficult-sounding management techniques very understandable. I caution owners of the book to be leery of those who seek to borrow it; else it may go the same way as the trusty hammer and saw.”
- W. Bartley Hildreth, Wichita State University“Dr. Ammons has written the how-to book for progressive local government management. Each chapter chronicles real-world case studies and management techniques for improving customer service. The analytical tools Ammons describes demystify the management of complex organizations. Whether you are the CEO of a large multi-function local or state government or the brand new supervisor of a three-person work group, this book can serve as your tool box of ideas and models for continuous improvement.”
- Russell Blackburn, City Manager, Gainesville, Florida
Bio(s)
David N. Ammons, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
David N. Ammons is Albert Coates Professor of Public Administration and Government at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Among his other books on local government management are Municipal Benchmarks: Assessing Local Performance and Establishing Community Standards and Leading Performance Management in Local Government. Early in his career he served in various administrative capacities in four municipalities—Fort Worth, Texas; Hurst, Texas; Phoenix, Arizona; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee. He consults with local governments on organizational and management concerns, including performance measurement and productivity improvement.
Ancillaries
Instructor's Resources Available!
A solutions manuel has been prepared for adopters of our 2nd edition.
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