HR Green ASD for Local Governments Handbook - Executive Summary - Manual (Page 5)

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particular ASD. We invited 4-5 communities in each focus group. There were two focus groups for interlocal
agreements; officials from communities under 25,000 and another from communities over 25,000 population.
All groups convened for a day-long seminar on November 9, 2012 at the NIU-Naperville campus.
Over the lunch hour, the officials were divided into two larger groups: one of elected officials and one of
appointed officials. The questions for each group were driven by the political nature of the elected officials
and their considerations, and the tenured nature of the appointed officials and their considerations.
The focus group methodology used loosely structured interview protocols (presented in Appendix A). Each
focus group had a facilitator and a recorder. The recorder was an MPA student volunteer. Each chapter
author (a faculty member) sat at the table with the focus group members with a principal orientation of
listening to the answers of the participants. The chapter author was allowed to interject questions to clarify
points raised in the discussion, especially since the nuances of implementation and considerations are perhaps
the most valuable data to be collected in the discussions.
The participants were not guaranteed confidentiality, although they were given anonymity to the degree that
individual quotes will not identify a specific person who makes a statement. Sessions were not recorded with
electronic media.
Feedback Group
After the chapters were written and revised at least once (after editorial review), the results were summarized
and presented at an open workshop (April 18, 2013) of managers and elected officials (including specific
invitations for November 2012 participants to return). Pertinent feedback was incorporated into the final
draft of the chapter.
Layout of book
The book is arranged with five core chapters that each address one ASD in a systematic way. Each chapter
will analyze the following elements of an option:
• The impetus for a local government to consider an ASD.
• The considerations of an economic return on investment
• The considerations of a political return on investment
• The process of implementation, including highlights of “Do’s and Don’ts”
• Readiness Check: if you want to try this at home, is your organizational culture and is your political
culture aligned with the innovations for alternative service delivery?
The final chapter draws lessons from across the five substantive chapters. The emphasis of the chapter will be
a discussion of organizational culture and political culture and how that influences the success of alternative
service delivery innovations. Some alternative service delivery innovations are more difficult and
transformational than others. For example, interlocal agreements are widespread and cover both informal and
formal agreements between jurisdictions. Service consolidation requires a much more extensive and intensive
agreement because it involves a high level of collaboration and political consensus to work. The discussion
will point to the need for managers and political leaders to check their organizations for cultural readiness to
embrace various alternative service delivery reforms.
The references list is followed by a brief bibliography of important sources to inform a community’s decision
on different alternative service delivery methods. The bibliography includes academic and non-academic
materials, including documents from exemplary local governments.