The failure, of the 0,": M. project which involved .the overseas visit as .discussed above is an-example . Other instances .-are .
experiences rin^. Public Corporations where some key.^m.en, politically influential have succeeded in thwarting 0.% M. recommendations,
which coul.d have saved a -lot of public funds. ^ ■ ■,»«33/•
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80. fJhere strong political influences and other pressures
exist to frustrate 0.& H. work it would "be advisable not to set up an 0o& M. Department. Alternatively, v/here an 0.& M. Depart ment already exists it should "be closed down if its work isthwarted by political pressures.
Insufficient Top Level Support
81 . The usefulness of 0.& M. as a helpful management tool is .not sufficiently-appreciated "by most key men in departments, who
rather need 0.& M. services most. As a'relatively new management technique .few people really know what 0.& M. stands for and what it can achieve. As a solution occasional appreciation seminars for toplevel administrators-have "been organised to explain the role of 0.& M. in Ghana. This in my opinion is not enough.82. One effective method of achieving and maintaining top
, level appreciation for 0.& M. would "be for all heads of departments, their deputies and other officers occupyinr; key administra tive positions such as heads of regional "branches to.be formally i a.-inducted in 0.& M. and what it can achieve, .when a'decision is
taken \t-o set up an 0.& M," unit. Iniaddition, regular management and 0.& Mo appreciation courses should be maintained as a means, of preparing properly those in the run for promotion to" occupy "
-key administrative positions'.
83. 'The fear that a change Introduced by 0.& M. might disorga
nise the work of a department and thereby lead to delays andreduced output has also made some heads of departments to shy away from 0.& M.
8U. An answer to the. forefroinf- problem is by ^ettinc- some .responsible and competent members of staff in the departments
concerned to work with 0,& M. officers to inste.il the new proposals.
In the process of implementation the operating personnel should
"be trained and assisted to improve their skills so 'that the necessary-experience needed for operating and maintaining the new systems after their installation can "be ensured.
Poor Staffing .""
-85. Poor staffing is n double-sided problem. On the one side
is the problem of poor 0.& M. staff and on the other is the problem of poor supervisory and -operating staff in departments.86. Poor staffing in 0.& .M. produces poor work that canobstroy
confidence in the 0.& M. service. Some heads of. departments have in fact not "been impressed with the output of some 0.& M. studies due mainly to lack of skillful and expert handling..87. The only answer to the foref-oinf; problem Is 'for the O.<& ,-M.
unit to refuse to proceed with any project for wiiich there is no competent person to carry out. Bat it is not always easy to decide
whether or not to reject a: project on the grounds o.f lack of ■
competent staff because the test of one's competence so far as.
0.& M. work is concerned is best achieved while- the project is actually in progress. However from ex£>erience . the head of an 0.& M. unit should be able to determine and r;rade- the competence of his staff so that he can deploy them to the best advantage
88. On the other side is the poor supervisory and operating
staff in departments. Due to inadequate.operational know-how . ■ in departments many useful Qc& M. recommendations have,been.
awaiting implementation indefinitely. Where the recommendations have been-installed it h^s been difficult to maintain them properly.
The Ghanaian experience is-that there are three' ways in which this problem may be solved. ■■These are discussed
below:-•
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Train Departmental Personnel to Improve -foeir Operational Skills . 89. One solution is "by training clepar,traental supervisory-''■_
.staf.£ to improve "both their operational and supervisory
skills-•-. so "^tjiiey can "be wel1 equiped. to,supervise ,and:-:trai-nr-."'the.ir
subordinates, . . + ,i/(
Establish Departmental 0.& M. Units
9O,~The second solution is "by creating 0.& M. units
in,depart-"merits, especially in the larger ones, and "appointing Qualified
men to man those units. ' This scheme should "be so designed that only those officers who have sufficient working experience' of their department'and would be'reta'ined in the department,'
"are to be trained as departmental"©.& M, officers." Such Officers are expected to be more effective than "outsiders".
91 In October 1959 the first1 step at establishing ■•■-+-{-^L departmental 0.& M. units was ma-'de" -by'havini^ each of the * ; V ' following departments to nominate a candidate to be trained in 0.& -M. techniques:-' Ministry of Health,".Ministry of'' *■ -'S Agriculture, Ministry of .Education and the P.&'T. ■ The"':trainees
■from; the Ministry of Agriculture-and the ■P.'&'-Tlwere rec3Jdied;
by their departments after two years training in 0\& U. but - •• ' they were not put c:\ 0.5: M. -work-on their return due to the" . ppior;:claims of regular and routine departmental''work. ; "' "
{a) '■ ■■-' " ' ; " * ' ' " ' ^'-''•''"' 9\ ■ The remaining two trainees were absorbed on the 0.& M.
establishment but. the one from., the..:Min±.stry. of" Health/is -I'.l.^l. '-currently assigned to full time 0.& M. work, in.that Ministry. .
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