Book Description

While the Clinton Administration and federal agencies were busy making government cost less and work better in the near-term, the United States Air Force was regularly visualizing the competencies needed to assure the organization’s long-term effectiveness.

As a result of steady efforts to prepare for the future conducted under successive secretaries and chiefs of staff, the Air Force has developed a distinctive approach to strategic planning. This approach is fundamentally concerned with ensuring that the organization’s future capabilities support effective performance of future tasks. Such tasks are shaped by ever-changing policy objectives and circumstances of implementation. After eight years, the Air Force has not only successfully refined its distinctive approach to strategic planning, but has also leveraged change in programmatic decisions, human resource management, and operational technologies.

This study provides an inside look at how the Air Force came to formulate and declare its "strategic intent" for developing the organization’s capabilities over a timeline of more than twenty years. Air Force strategic intent is not a plan, but a shared commitment to strengthening specific core competencies and critical future capabilities. Michael Barzelay and Colin Campbell reveal how one of the nation’s most significant public organizations has reassessed its own strategic intent.

Drawing lessons from the Air Force experience, this book provides a significant contribution to public management research on innovation and executive leadership. One key lesson is that preparing for the future is a responsibility that organizations can discharge effectively if they combine insights with practical knowledge of executive leadership and the dynamics of policy change. Preparing for the Future provides a fresh argument about innovation and leadership in public management, while breaking new ground in the analysis of managerial practices, such as strategic visioning. ... Read more

Book Description

The war on terrorism has raised profound questions of domestic governance—not primarily about power or policy, but about the capacities of government agencies, their personnel, procedures, work habits and styles, and ability to interface with each other. These are the "workways of governance."

As the aftermath of the tragic events of September 11, 2001, made very clear, shortcomings and defects in the workways of governance are all too often manifested only in times of crisis or scandal—after the damage is done. How much better it would be to design for government a version of the periodic physical examination, where tests of various types, together with the physician’s observations and the patient’s own testimony, combine to help define the patient’s status and prospects.

The Workways of Governance project, sponsored by the Governance Institute, was begun in 1997 in response to a growing concern that institutions of national government have evolved into structures and developed procedures and customs that constrain their workers and hamper their collective effectiveness. A unique feature of the project is the development of a periodic review of the quality of institutional life and work in government. Guidelines for evaluating and monitoring governmental entities will be established, and implemented annually or biennially. The resulting reports consist of both objectively measured data and subjective evaluation, with the ultimate aim of generating positive change toward improving the capacity of government.

In this first volume of analysis arising from the Workways of Governance project, contributors apply these general guidelines to evaluate the leading institutions of the federal government, as listed in the first three articles of the Constitution: the House of Representatives, the Senate, the presidency (focusing on White House organization and staffing), the executive branch (focusing on the civil service), and the federal judiciary. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Readily accessible to non-specialist general readers
Islam: A Mosaic, Not A Monolith by Vartan Gregorian (President of the Carnegie Corporation of New York), is an informed and informative survey of the Islamic faith since its inception some 1,400 years ago. Examining Islam's tenets, institutions, changes, role in history, crucial questions that have caused strife among Muslim states, and a great deal more, Islam: A Mosaic, Not A Monolith is readily accessible to non-specialist general readers, yet thoughtful enough in its study and presentation of complicated issues of faith, politics, and culture to be of considerable value for scholars and dedicated students of Islamic Studies as well. In view of contemporary American efforts to combat the threat of international terrorism arising from fundamentalist Islamic extremists, Islam: A Mosaic, Not A Monolith should be present in the collections of every school and community library system in the country. ... Read more

Book Description

The United States is engaged in an ambitious agenda of defense transformation that is revolutionizing the way the U.S. military organizes, trains, fights, and even thinks about conflict. What impact will this have on America’s European allies? How can NATO transform itself for the 21st century?

This volume examines the implications of U.S. defense transformation for NATO, particularly how America and its allies can close the "transatlantic transformation gap"—a looming breach in strategic orientation, spending priorities, and conceptual and operational planning and training. It examines European approaches to defense transformations and charts the progress made by the Alliance from Kosovo to Kabul—while showing how far it still has to go.

The authors approach the issue of NATO transformation from different perspectives. As a whole, however, their argument is straightforward. If Alliance transformation is to be successful it must include, but also go beyond, the purely military dimension. NATO must transform its scope and strategic rationale, its capabilities, its partnerships—its very ways of doing business. They offer a range of policy prescriptions for the NATO Summit in Istanbul and beyond.

Contributors include Richard L. Kugler, Rob de Wijk, George Robertson, Yves Boyer, Jeffrey P. Bialos, Andrew James, Hans Binnendijk, Manfred Engelhardt and Stuart L. Koehl. ... Read more

Book Description

One of the most dangerous deficits facing transatlantic relations today is not in trade, payments, or military capabilities. It is a deficit in understanding the vital stake Americans and Europeans have developed in the health of their economic relationship. Globalization is happening faster and reaching deeper between Europe and America than between any other two continents. The transatlantic economy generates roughly $3.5 trillion in total commercial sales a year and employs over 12 million workers in mutually "insourced" jobs.

This book maps the increasingly dense web of investment, trade, and jobs that connects Europe’s regions to America’s states. It traces the impact of NAFTA and EU enlargement on transatlantic economic flows. It tracks intercontinental "connectivity" in the new knowledge economy, and it sets forth areas in which Europe and America continue to be global pathfinders.

In the context of today’s debates about globalization and transatlantic drift, this book offers some unanticipated and counterintuitive connections that have important policy implications. ... Read more

Book Description

The most practical, authoritative guide to governmental GAAP

Wiley GAAP for Governments 2002 is a comprehensive guide to the accounting and financial reporting principles used by state and local governments as well as other governmental entities. Financial statement preparers and attestors will find its full coverage of authoritative accounting standards coupled with many examples, illustrations, and helpful practice hints extremely useful and user friendly. Designed with the needs of the user in mind, a "New Developments" chapter keeps you informed of all of the important developments in governmental GAAP during the past year. A look ahead to the status of current and future Governmental Accounting Standards Board standards and projects provides information on the very latest in standard-setting activities and covers:

• GASB Statement No. 137, the "Omnibus" statement that fine-tunes some of the requirements of the new financial reporting model promulgated by GASB 34
• GASB Statement No. 138, which requires additional disclosures to be provided in the notes to the financial statements
• Latest financial reporting model implementation guidance from the GASB
• 2001 Governmental Accounting, Auditing, and Financial Reporting (GAAFR), published by the Government Finance Officers Association

Here are some other highlights of Wiley GAAP for Governments 2002:

• A streamlined format helps readers find what they need to know quickly
• A comprehensive financial statement disclosure checklist assists preparers and attestors in confirming that their disclosures are complete
• New accounting standards, including GASB 34, are fully integrated into the text and examples are provided in the related chapters

Wiley GAAP for Governments 2002 strives to be a thorough, reliable reference that you’ll use constantly. It’s designed to be kept on your desk rather than on your bookshelf.

And don’t forget to add Wiley GAAP for Governments Field Guide 2002 to your library ... Read more

Reviews (2)

OKC CPA
I am very impressed with this reference book. It has saved me valuable time in my accounting practice. I have turned to it a number of times this past year, and so far Warren Ruppel has never let me down. He seems to have a nack for presenting a clear and thorough understanding of each topic in a concise manner. I also recommend accounting material written by Rhett Harrell.

Continues to be the top book for Governmental GAAP.
I've been using the GAAP for Governments book for the past three years and not only does it continue to impress me, but it keeps getting better. It is complete, easy-to-read, and has been instrumental in helping me and my associates in our practice. I've read similar books on Governmental GAAP but no other book seems to explain these difficult topics in such a clear and complete manner. This is one of the most valuable books I have every owned. ... Read more

Book Description

An easy-to-read pocket guide for governments-designed to conveniently fit in your pocket or briefcase. Here is a quick and handy reference to all Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP), including the new GASB34. Supplements existing GAAP guides ... Read more

Book Description

These studies adopt a variety of disciplinary, thematic and country-based approaches to the complex and contested issues around the character of the nation-state in Latin America from the early nineteenth century. In recent years there has been a great deal of scholarly interest in this topic from the viewpoint of cultural and literary studies, but Latin America remains under-represented in general historical and sociological theories of nationhood, and there has been a paucity of serious comparative work on the state.

The essays in the present collection do not pretend to elaborate an all-encompassing theory or model for the region. Derived from a range of analytical and stylistic approaches, they seek to develop debate and research on the topic through case-studies (including Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru and Spain), historiographical review, and themes such as the role of violence, military conscription and pensions, money and the role of finance, early notions of development, the ambiguous role of liberalism, and how to evaluate the reach and qualities of the nation-state. ... Read more

Book Description

Can open source software—software that is usually available without charge and that individuals are free to modify—survive against the fierce competition of proprietary software, such as Microsoft Windows? Should the government intervene on its behalf? This book addresses a host of issues raised by the rapid growth of open source software, including government subsidies for research and development, government procurement policy, and patent and copyright policy. Contributors offer diverse perspectives on a phenomenon that has become a lightning rod for controversy in the field of information technology. ... Read more

Book Description

This 12th edition has been streamlined to contain complete, accurate, and up-to-date coverage of all facets of accounting for governmental and nonprofit organizations.Intended for readers concerned with the design and interpretation of financial statements and financial reports, this text reflects all major changes to authoritative pronouncements affecting Government and Nonprofit organizations through March 2000 . ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Puke! This book is awful! :-(
Please, no one buy this book... it will torture you like nothing else can. This book actually deserves -5 stars for how terribly written it is. The authors seem to repeat the same sentences in 5 or 6 different ways. It is poorly organized, it doesn't seem to have any real objective... a little bit of this here and a little bit of that there. Also, it is completely black and white with absolutely no pictures and very few illustrations... it will be of absolutely no help to a visual learner.

I needed this book for a governmental accounting course in college and when my bookstore wouldn't buy it back from me I wept tears. Luckily, my governmental accounting professor was really good otherwise there is no way I would have learned anything from this course. If you can possibly find some other book or maybe a newer edition would be better. The only somewhat helpful thing about this book was the City of Smithville project (CD-ROM) but even that had problems. It had a lot of technical difficulties and if you messed up an entry you pretty much had to start the project all over again. If you are doing City of Smithville, beware!

Excellent reference for government professionals
I purchased this book to study for the FGFOA exam and have found it to be an outstanding reference. The book is very readable and covers many critical areas in governmental accounting and finance. Its well worth the cost. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

What about policies and procedures?
I was disappointed when I received this book since I thought it was going to be a guide to writing policies and procedures. This book is a guide to financial statement preparation.

Probably the most useful book in all days management of corp
If you have incorporated your business and need to know everything about management, organization, bookkeeping, stock shares and basic accounting, this book is the tool you need. It was a real pleasure to find easily all needed informations inside. If you need only one book to help you with your corp, this is the ONE ! ... Read more

Book Description

Jordan has long served as a pivot between moderate pro-Western and radical anti-American states in the Middle East. In the wake of "regime change" in Iraq, the economic, social, and political effects on Jordan will be pervasive. David Schenker, an expert in Middle Eastern politics, explores the complex nature of Jordanian-Iraqi relations and the extent to which deep historical, ethnic, economic, and political ties between the two states could provide the key to Iraq’s rehabilitation. Presenting key recommendations for U.S. policy, this book is essential reading for scholars of international relations and U.S. policymakers alike. ... Read more

Book Description

Here is a comprehensive, practical research tool for use by governments and their auditors to guide them through governmental accounting and financial reporting. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description

Wiley GAAP for Governments provides all the promulgated accounting principles applicable to financial accounting and reporting, as well as up-to-date, insightful, and practical implementation information. This guide is a comprehensive, practical research tool for use by state and local governments and their auditors to guide them through governmental accounting and financial reporting. Covers school districts, public authorities, and individual pension plan financial statements. Warren Ruppel, CPA (Woodcliff Lake, NJ) is Assistant Comptroller of Accounting in the City of New York, and a Partner at DiTommaso & Ruppel, CPAs. ... Read more