Showing papers by "Government of Canada published in 1972"

An Analysis of an Urban Thoroughfare

Abstract: This paper considers the economic impact of an urban transportation thoroughfare emanating from the central business district of a city to agricultural land. Utilizing the elements of microeconomic theory, namely the models of the producer and of the consumer, we have made an analysis of how a residential area develops around a thoroughfare under different assumptions including transportation costs along the thoroughfare, and the technology of producing residential dwellings in the surrounding area. This contribution can be looked upon as the analysis of residential development in a star-shaped city; the focus is on one branch of the star. With the aid of computer graphics, alternative economic landscapes surrounding the thoroughfare are simulated.The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the nature of city-forming forces which are generated by the decision making of producers and consumers in spatially defined areas. By demonstrating in the particular case of an urban thoroughfare the powerful city-for...

Education and the development of senior executives

Abstract: . This article explains why governments, as employers, should grant sabbaticals to their senior executives. It begins by identifying the skills usually required of senior civil servants, then evaluates their opportunities to develop these qualities in their day-to-day work, and finally suggests how sabbaticals could improve the performances of career civil servants. The qualities required of senior executives include a thorough knowledge of their disciplines, a general knowledge of related disciplines, a good understanding of analytical techniques, a ‘feeling’ for the society in which they live, an understanding of the parliamentary system, some familiarity with modem management methods and, finally, a knowledge of the Canadian constitutional and legal framework. Skills as broad as these have a better chance of being acquired if civil servants have the opportunity to return to a scholarly environment during the course of their careers. A sabbatical year would also allow them to keep abreast of the rapid developments in subject matters of concern to the public service. Finally, a sabbatical would allow the senior civil servant to consider and discuss with his colleagues the special skills expected of them. During his leave of absence, the civil servant could also contribute to the development of the art of public administration in Canada. He could increase his own knowledge in the area of management and in the disciplines connected with his work. Finally, the sabbatical would afford the civil servant the opportunity to reflect on the main trends of the government organization that he will have to manage. Sommaire. Dans cet article, l'auteur explique pourquoi les gouvernements devraient, en tant qu'employeurs, accorder des conges d'education a leurs cadres superieurs. Il procede en identsant d'abord les qualites generalement requises des fonctionnaires superieurs, puis en evaluant les possibilites qu'ont les fonctionnaires de developper ces qualites dans l'exercice de leurs fonctions, et en suggerant enfin comment un conge d'education peut ameliorer la performance d'un fonctionnaire de carriere. Les qualites requises d'un cadre superieur comprennent une connaissance approfondie d'une discipline, completee d'une connaissance generale de certaines disciplines connexes, une bonne comprehension de certaines techniques d'analyse, une connaissance poussee de la societe dans laquelle il vit, une comprehension du fonctionnement du systeme parlementaire, une certaine familia-rite avec les methodes modernes de gestion, enfin, une connaissance du cadre constitutionnel et juridique canadien. Des collnaissaxlces aussi etendues sont plus susceptibles d'etre acquises si les fonctionnaires ont l'occasion de retourner aux etudes au cows de leu carriere. Un conge d'education permet aussi de se ten& au courant des developpements rapides dans les disciplines importantes. Enfin, un conge d'education devrait permettre au fonctionnaire superieur de perfectionner les talents particuliers qu'on s'attend a trouver chez lui. Ainsi, le fonctionnaire en conge pourrait contribuer au developpement d'une science de l'administration publique au Canada, Il pourrait kgalement ameliorer ses propres connaissances dans le domaine du management et dans Ies disciplines qui sont reliees a son travail. Enfin, le conge d'education devrait etre une occasion pour le fonctionnaire de reflechir sur les grandes orientations de l'organisation gouvernementale qu'il est appelea diriger.