Investigation of a Management Process

This study linked the management activity of §planning with Alexander et al.'s (1977) concept of §pattern languages developed within architecture. The §concept has been expanded in the information systems §discipline to document software development §practices. However, this work focussed on software §from a purely technical aspect. Consequently, a §focus of this study was to explore human processes §of planning in organisations. Qualitative research §was conducted by means of case and cross-case §analysis of interviews of senior planning personnel §in public and private organisations. At a macro §level planning performances in all participating §organisations indicated a strong relationship to §Alexander's concepts of patterns. Participating §public sector organisations demonstrated some common §themes in their planning, usually due to government §accountability demands. In the private sector each §organisation undertook very different processes, §largely because there was no internal or external §accountability. Findings led to the development of a §conceptual model to assist planning efficiency and §effectiveness in organisations. This study linked the management activity of §planning with Alexander et al.''s (1977) concept of §pattern languages developed within architecture. The §concept has been expanded in the information systems §discipline to document software development §practices. However, this work focussed on software §from a purely technical aspect. Consequently, a §focus of this study was to explore human processes §of planning in organisations. Qualitative research §was conducted by means of case and cross-case §analysis of interviews of senior planning personnel §in public and private organisations. At a macro §level planning performances in all participating §organisations indicated a strong relationship to §Alexander''s concepts of patterns. Participating §public sector organisations demonstrated some common §themes in their planning, usually due to government §accountability demands. In the private sector each §organisation undertook very different processes, §largely because there was no internal or external §accountability. Findings led to the development of a §conceptual model to assist planning efficiency and §effectiveness in organisations.