Добірка наукової літератури з теми "Restructuring management mechanism"

Companies experiencing financial distress will try to solve these problems with various improvement efforts. One of the efforts that can be done is to carry out management restructuring, namely management changes. This study focuses on the management restructuring strategy on manufacturing companies that experience a decrease in performance, with the proportion of Earning Before Interest and Tax which decreased for two or more consecutive years period 2010 to 2020. The reason for taking this period is to capture the period after the 1997 crisis until the occurrence of global crisis in 2008. This study aims to examine the effect of ownership structure in choosing management turnover restructuring. The data used is cross-section data and processed using logistic regression with Stata. The results of this research simultaneously show that insider ownership, institutional ownership, family ownership, and corporate characteristic variables have an impact on the management restructuring decision. This study proves that the ownership structure mechanism affects the choice of management restructuring in distressed companies in Indonesia.

Based on the evolutionary game theory, this article constructs a quartet evolutionary game model for debt restructuring with the participation of asset management companies; studies the interactive mechanism of complex behaviors among the government, banks, asset management companies, and enterprises; and analyzes the stability of the strategies of each game subject. It also analyzes the stability of the equilibrium points in the system and finds the stable points that maximize the interests of each subject. Research shows that the government chooses to give specific support, banks choose debt-to-equity swaps, asset management companies choose to provide liquidity, and enterprises choose to work hard, which can better promote the debt restructuring process. Finally, using Matlab2018 software to analyze the impact of each essential element in the debt restructuring on the stability of system evolution, the research results provide a basis for the successful debt restructuring of the enterprises.

This article discusses the organization of administration and personnel management in a time of organizational change in the company, the mechanism of management of human risk as a factor of increase of efficiency of enterprise activity during restructuring. The main method used by the authors to build models of an estimation of personnel risks — the method of expert evaluations. The importance of planned management of the behavior of workers during organizational change is marked. Recommendations for prevention of personnel resistance to change and actions for reducing or eliminating risks are given.

The article investigates and highlights the approaches to defining the concept of “enterprise restructuring” depending on the state of its development strategy, substantiates the economic essence of the concept of “innovation” and “innovative activity “. Based on the combination of characteristics and essence of these concepts, the definition of “innovative restructuring” is formalized and the author’s definition is proposed. It is determined that innovative restructuring is practiced not so much in crisis enterprises as in enterprises that operate stably and seek radical quality change. When making changes, the main ones should be the innovative orientation of management systems, production flexibility, purposeful and effective innovations. It is proved that for effective and complex innovative restructuring it is necessary to improve the enterprise management system by developing and implementing new principles, methods and management structures. That is why the elements of the mechanism of innovative restructuring of the enterprise were singled out and the functions of innovative restructuring were defined and detailed, which allowed to improve the conceptual and categorical apparatus of this economic concept. It is proved that the condition for effective implementation of innovations in the framework of restructuring is the presence of innovative potential in the enterprise. In addition, the transition of the enterprise from one stage of development to another involves the gradual development of innovation potential. This explains the close relationship and mutual influence between innovative restructuring and the innovative potential of the enterprise. Thus, the achievement of goals in the process of enterprise restructuring will depend on the ability to form an effective system of innovation management and the level of innovation potential of the enterprise – its ability to achieve innovative goals.

The article aimed to present the balance of outlays and the effects of restructuring Polish hard coal mining companies in the face of directions of the Energy Policy of Poland PEP 2040. The research problem is defined by the following question: have the goals of restructuring coal mining companies been achieved (and to what extent), and has the restructuring-related expenditure been economically rational? An answer to this question is based on the verification of five research hypotheses, in particular, have the incurred costs of restructuring contributed to changes to the energy mix (its desired time and degree), reducing related expenditure? The scope of research comprises all companies engaged in the extraction of solid mineral energy resources (the entire industry). An assessment of the restructuring process was conducted from two perspectives related to its time and scope. The first perspective was the restructuring programme as a sub-process of the economic transformation (1990–2020), and economic forecasts until the planned coal phase-out (2021–2049). The second perspective was an analysis of the mechanism that determines companies’ performance after carrying out typical and direct restructuring activities (2007–2021). Two multivariate measures were developed for methodological purposes, and the analysis also made use of a logit prediction model and several financial analysis ratios. The analysis led to the general conclusion that the restructuring of hard coal mining companies was not effective—it did not ensure their independent and effective functioning. In particular, the analysis led to the following conclusions: (1) the restructuring process had different levels of intensity, which allowed for its periodization; (2) the main and increasingly important factor of changes was human labour productivity (as opposed to objectified labour—machines and equipment); (3) the identified mechanism of creating results pointed to the areas of inappropriate management; (4) the previous restructuring costs did not contribute to changing the energy mix, and they are likely to rise until coal phase-out.

Clerical workers are the largest single occupational grouping in Australia, and they are predominantly female. For most women, clerical work has meant poor pay, low status, few career prospects and little recognition of their skills. This paper looks at the potential of award restructuring to improve women's employment opportunities in this occupation. In particular it examines the restructuring of the Victorian Commercial Clerks' Award, and analyzes the obstacles that lie in the way of its translation into real benefits for female clerical workers. Comparisons are drawn with developments in public sector award restructuring. The paper looks at the structure of clerical employment in the private sector, and the implications of its distribution across all industries—the predominance of small firms and the absence of industry-based career paths. It goes on to apply a feminist perspective to the key issues of skill, training and careers in clerical work, arguing that it is essential to any analysis of the actual outcomes of award restructuring in this area. The paper concludes that award restructuring is an inappropriate mechanism for improving skills and career paths in such afeminized occupation. The paper uses data from a survey of clerical employees in a wide range of workplaces to illustrate the argument. The potential of award restructuring to address unequal pay among male and female clerks through the process of reclassifying women's skills is also considered. Finally, the significance of the low level of unionization among private sector clerical employees is discussed, raising further doubts about the real benefits of award restructuring.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the vital importance of dispute management in cases of both near and outright sukuk defaults. With the case studies, this study examines the vital importance of dispute management in cases of both near and outright sukuk defaults. With a number of case studies, the study shows how debt restructuring can play a significant role as a dispute management procedure recognized in Islamic law. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses the case study methodology to determine the impact of debt restructuring in instances of near and outright sukuk default and the process taken to reach a win-win settlement among the parties. Due to some sensitive financial information, the study has fully anonymized the sukuk companies examined. Findings – The paper finds that for a more sustainable and stable and resilient Islamic finance industry, the role of law through dispute management cannot be ruled out, as appropriate dispute management mechanism facilitates the underlying contracts. Research limitations/implications – This study limits its focus to near and outright sukuk defaults and the need to come up with Shari’ah-based mechanisms for dispute management when things seem to have fallen apart. Practical implications – The study proposes an integrated regulatory-cum-remedial framework which may serve as sustainable mechanism for handling circumstances involving near and outright sukuk defaults with a view to protecting the rights of all the stakeholders. Originality/value – Though few studies have been conducted on sukuk defaults in cross-border transactions, there has not been much focus on dispute management of cases involving such defaults. This study seeks to fill such an important gap, which has the potential of streamlining dispute management practices in the sukuk industry.

Abstract Lienau’s book on ‘Rethinking Sovereign Debt’ delves into international finance to shed light on its background rules, overarching ideologies and interacting actors, disentangling the social norm of sovereign debt continuity and its institutional foundations. What a formalistic legal reasoning would interpret as a self-contained bilateral contract is then situated in historical time and social space populated by a variety of actors (debtors and creditors), co-existing legal regimes and evolving principles of reference. Her focus on odious debt highlights situations where debt continuity is challenged by major events in the sovereign borrower status (such as major political regime change, corruption and human rights abuse) which challenge debt legitimacy. This comment expands on her thoughtful analysis by linking debt continuity to the borrowing sovereign entity as a going concern. Sovereign borrowing makes lenders involved with this ongoing entity through time and circumstances. Ongoing sovereign debt management is featured by both debt securities market trading and the refinancing mechanism. In turn, refinancing involves public finances with their public benefit missions, central banking and the monetary base management. In this context, socially responsible lending and borrowing may be facilitated by acknowledging the bonding relationship between the borrowing sovereign entity and its creditors, including when default occurs.

У дисертації обґрунтовано варіанти стратегічних змін, які необхідно провести як у внутрішньому, так і у зовнішньому середовищі функціонування підприємств переробної та аграрної сфер АПК задля реалізації стратегії зворотньої вертикальної інтеграції. Виявлено особливості інтеграційних зв’язків між харчовими та сільськогосподарськими підприємствами на прикладі зворотньої та прямої вертикальної інтеграції. Досліджено складові фінансово-кредитного механізму та обґрунтовано доцільність використання інструментів оцінювання ефективності оперативного, фінансового лізингу та довгострокового кредитування у комплексі заходів, що забезпечують стабілізацію діяльності харчопереробних підприємств. Визначено сильні та слабкі сигнали прояву фінансової кризи на підприємстві. Удосконалено процедури організаційного регламентування процесів реструктуризації акціонерних підприємств. Сформульовано конкретні пропозиції щодо поліпшення системи антикризового управління харчовими підприємствами.
Диссертация посвящена обоснованию вариантов стратегических изменений, которые необходимо провести как во внутренней, так и во внешней среде функционирования предприятий перерабатывающей и аграрной сфер АПК для реализации стратегии обратной вертикальной интеграции. Такая интеграция позволит более эффективно использовать производственный потенциал этих предприятий, что в свою очередь обеспечит их стабилизацию и устойчивое развитие. Кризисные явления, в частности финансовый кризис, порождается как внутренней, так и внешней средой функционирования предприятия. При этом управление внешней средой в отличие от внутренней осуществляется труднее в силу её нестабильности. В связи с этим автором предпринята попытка выявить негативные сигналы в развитии предприятия, исходя из теории рефлексии. Указанная теория подразумевает реакцию субъекта хозяйствования на возмущающее воздействие деловой среды, что позволило идентифицировать сильные и слабые сигналы проявления финансового кризиса в деятельности предприятия и обосновать варианты стратегических изменений. Анализ хозяйственной деятельности пищевых предприятий показал, что основными причинами, оказывающими негативное влияние на эффективность их хозяйствования, являются нарушение устойчивых производственно-хозяйственных связей с сельскохозяйственными предприятиями. Также имеет место организационная инертность управленческих кадров предприятия, которая не позволяет вовремя адаптировать его общекорпоративную стратегию к постоянно изменяющимся условиям внешней среды. Определено, что из множества базисных стратегий развития предприятия на сегодняшний день лишь две стратегии могут оказать воздействие на пищевые предприятия: стратегии интегрированного и диверсифицированного роста. Под стратегией интегрированного роста подразумевается организация сырьевой зоны для пищевого предприятия и создание условий, позволяющих обеспечить сближение интересов производителей и поставщиков. В этой связи были выявлены особенности интеграционных связей между пищевыми и сельскохозяйственными предприятиями с выделением их преимуществ и недостатков на примере обратной и прямой вертикальной интеграции. Подчёркнуто, что субъект хозяйствования может выбрать любую базовую стратегию, однако практическая её реализация будет зависеть от ресурсов, которыми владеет предприятие. Исходя из этого отмечено, что реализация прямой вертикальной интеграции, предполагающей активизацию интеграционных процессов со стороны аграрных предприятий, практически не осуществима. Данное утверждение основано на том, что в настоящее время у подавляющего большинства сельскохозяйственных предприятий недостаточно инвестиционных ресурсов и производственного потенциала для её проведения. Учитывая вышесказанное, предлагается организовать сырьевую зону для пищевых предприятий на основе стратегии обратной вертикальной интеграции. В этой связи усовершенствованы составляющие финансово-кредитного механизма и инструменты оценки эффективности оперативного, финансового лизинга, долгосрочного кредитования и публичное размещение акций в комплексе реорганизационных мероприятий, обеспечивающих стабилизацию деятельности пищеперерабатывающих предприятий. Предлагается согласование интересов пищевых и аграрных предприятий на основе справедливого определения пропорций конвертации акций в процессе проведения их реструктуризации. В связи с этим указано, что осуществление реструктуризации предполагает выполнение государством арбитражных функций, обеспечивающих прозрачность при её проведении. Часто в период проведения конвертации акций происходят захваты с использованием инсайдерской информации, что приводит к манипулированию ценами. Поэтому государственным органам, осуществляющим контроль этих процессов, следует проводить жёсткую политику их организационной регламентации. В этой связи даны рекомендации, позволяющие обеспечить порядок в проведении реструктуризации акционерных предприятий. Внедрение разработанных вариантов стратегических изменений позволит повысить эффективность системы антикризисного управления предприятиями реального сектора экономики Украины.
In the dissertation the variants of strategic changes necessary to be carried out both in inner and outer environment for functioning processing and agrarian sphere of Agricultural and Industrial Complex in order to realize the strategy of reverse vertical integration were grounded. Peculiarities of integration links among food and agricultural enterprises on the specific example of reverse and direct vertical integration were ascertained. The research was carried out concerning the constituents of finance and credit mechanism and expediency of using the tools in evaluating the operative, financial leasing and long-term crediting in the complex of measures, which provide food processing enterprises activity stabilization was proved. Strong and weak signals of possible finance crises at enterprises were determined. The procedures of organizational regulation processes of joint-stock companies restructuring were improved. Concrete propositions as for anti-crisis management of food enterprise improvement were formulated.

This chapter argues that the conventional approach to the management and resolution of external financial crises in emerging economies is inefficient and inequitable and needs to be reformed. Such reforms need to account for increased complexities arising from deepened integration, notably the difficulties in differentiating between external and domestic debt in terms of their holders, currency denomination, and governing laws. Effective debt resolution mechanisms would be needed to bail-in creditors whether the crisis is one of liquidity or solvency, or due to private or sovereign debt, or locally or internationally issued external debt, particularly since crises caused by excessive private borrowing lead to large increases in public debt. Debt workouts should include temporary standstills, protection against creditor litigation, lending into arrears and debt restructuring and combine statutory and voluntary elements, including collective action clauses, duly reformed to avoid the kind of predicaments encountered during the Argentinian restructuring.

The turn of the 20th and 21st centuries has been a very dynamic period of change in Poland and around the world; also a period of change in thinking about the economy and agriculture. The present work is a study of the decline, divestments and development of agriculture in the areas of fragmented farming structure. The reflections presented herein, upon the processes of the remodelling of agrarian structures, of divestments in farming, and disagrarisation, are mostly anchored in the achievements of the theory of spatial economy (land management), and the microeconomic theories of choice, including the theory of an agricultural holding (farm) and land rent theories. The work focuses on the economic issues of remodelling the agrarian structure, but due to the nature of the issues discussed herein, specifically in relation to family-owned farms, the social and environmental aspects also needed to be taken into account – in response to the need for a heterogeneous approach, which is increasingly stressed in economic sciences today. The main objective of the research was to diagnose and assess the scale and scope of the mechanisms and processes that inform the decline and growth of agricultural holdings in the areas with fragmented farming structure. The study covered the area comprising four regions (provinces) of south-eastern Poland, which – according to the FADN nomenclature – form the macro region of Małopolska and Pogórze. The study of subject literature has been enriched with an analysis of available statistics; data from the Farm Accountancy Data Network (FADN); information obtained from the Department of Programming and Reporting at the Agency for Restructuring and Modernisation of Agriculture; and author’s own research conducted among farm owners. The information thus obtained made it possible to: • Determine the theoretical premises for the spatial diversity of agriculture, and the role of small farms in the shaping of agrarian structure. • Adapt the concept of “divestment” for the description and analysis of the phenomena occurring in agriculture. • Indicate the role and importance of the processes of divestment and disagrarisation in the restructuring of agriculture. • Assess the natural, social and economic determinants of the process of restructuring agriculture in areas with fragmented farming structure. • Assess selected aspects of economic efficiency of agriculture in areas with fragmented farming structure, with the focus on small and micro farms. • Carry out an ex ante evaluation of the impact of agricultural policy instruments on the process of restructuring of agriculture in the macro region of Małopolska and Pogórze. • Identify the indicators of decline and fall, and barriers to the liquidation of farms. • Assess the relationship between the level of socio-economic development, the structure of farming, and the quality of agricultural production space in a given territorial unit, versus the intensity of the economic and production disagrarisation processes in agricultural holdings. • Propose targeted solutions conducive to the improvement of the farming structure in areas with a high framentation of agriculture. Observation of the processes occurring in agriculture, and the scientific theories created on the basis thereof, have shown that even the smallest farms have a chance to continue in existence, provided that we are able to positively verify their adaptation to the changing conditions in the environment. Carrying out farming activity is a prerequisite for implementing the economic, social and environmental functions associated with family farms. At the same time, based on the analyses performed, we need to assume that the advanced processes of the production and economic disagrarisation of agricultural holdings are to a greater extent determined by the anatomical features of agriculture, and by the natural conditions, than by the level of socio-economic development of the given territorial unit. In the current economic climate, the remodelling of the agrarian structure is only possible with the active participation of the institutions responsible for the creation of economic growth and agricultural policy development. It is extremely important from the point of view of environmental protection, and the viability of rural areas, to support small farms engaged in agricultural activities, and to introduce such instruments that will enable the replacement of an economic collapse with divestments, carried out in a planned manner, and allowing for thus released agricultural resources to find alternative application in units with a higher development potential. The area of theoretical research requiring further exploration includes the issues such as transactional costs of the liquidation of agricultural holdings, and the assessment of the economic effectiveness of conducting divestments.

In the UK, the four commonest cancers—lung cancer, breast cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer—result in around 62 000 deaths every year. Although deaths from cancer have fallen in the UK over the last 20 years, the UK still suffers from higher cancer death rates than many other countries in Western Europe. In 1999, the UK government produced a White Paper called Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation that outlined a national target to reduce the death rate from cancer by at least 20% in people under 75 by 2010. The subsequent NHS Cancer Plan of 2000 designed a framework by which to achieve this target through effective prevention, screening, and treatment programmes as well as restructuring and developing new diagnostic and treatment facilities. But do we know enough about the biology of the development of cancer for government health policies alone to force dramatic changes in survival? The science behind the causes of cancer tells us that its origin lies in acquired or inherited genetic abnormalities. Inherited gene mutation syndromes and exposure to environmental mutagens cause cancer, largely through abnormalities in DNA repair mechanisms, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation. Although screening those thought to be at highest risk, and regulating exposure to environmental carcinogens such as tobacco or ionizing radiation, have reduced, and will continue to reduce, cancer deaths, there are many other environmental factors that have been shown to increase the population risk of cancer. These will be outlined in this chapter. However, the available evidence is largely from retrospective and cross-sectional population-based studies and therefore limits the ability to apply this knowledge to the risk of the individual patient who may been seen in clinic. Although we may be able to put him or her into a high-, intermediate-, or low-risk category, the question ‘will I get cancer, doc?’ is one that we cannot answer with certainty. The NHS Cancer Plan of 2000, designed to reduce cancer deaths in this country and to bring UK treatment results in line with those other countries in Europe, focuses on preventing malignancy as part of its comprehensive cancer management strategy. It highlights that the rich are less likely to develop cancer, and will survive longer if they are diagnosed than those who live in poverty. This may reflect available treatment options, but is more likely to be related to the lifestyle of those with regular work, as they may be more health aware. The Cancer Plan, however, suggests that relieving poverty may be more labour intensive and less rewarding than encouraging positive risk-reducing behaviour in all members of the population. Eating well can reduce the risk of developing many cancers, particularly of the stomach and bowel. The Cancer Plan outlines the ‘Five-a-Day’ programme which was rolled out in 2002 and encouraged people to eat at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. Obese people are also at higher risk of cancers, in particular endometrial cancer. A good diet and regular exercise not only reduce obesity but are also independent risk-reducing factors. Alcohol misuse is thought to be a major risk factor in around 3% of all cancers, with the highest risk for cancers of the mouth and throat. As part of the Cancer Plan, the Department of Health promotes physical activity and general health programmes, as well as alcohol and smoking programmes, particularly in deprived areas. Focusing on these healthy lifestyle points can potentially reduce an individual lifetime risk of all cancers. However, our knowledge of the biology of four cancers in particular has led to the development of specific life-saving interventions. Outlined in this chapter are details regarding ongoing prevention strategies for carcinomas of the lung, the breast, the bowel, and the cervix.

The passing of the Malaysian Companies Bill 2015, which replaced the Companies Act 1965, marks the most comprehensive legislative change in Malaysia's corporate law in 50 years. The Companies Act 2016 makes some significant changes to Malaysia's corporate insolvency regime, as it introduces two new insolvency processes: judicial management and corporate voluntary administration. It also modifies the existing law relating to schemes of arrangement. The objective of this chapter is to study and evaluate the legislative position in United Kingdom, Australia, and Malaysia with regard to the scheme of creditors' arrangement. The introduction of the judicial management mechanisms is a move towards bringing Malaysia's insolvency laws up to the same international standards as many other countries in the region. It also discusses on the strength and limitation of the mechanism as opposed to the concept of judicial management.

Utilizing a conceptual framework based on Morgan's (1998) organizational metaphors, this chapter reports on a qualitative study conducted with faculty members to evaluate their experience of a new program and influence change processes in a teacher-training higher educational institution in Abu Dhabi, UAE, during a period of major educational restructuring. With respect to metaphors generated in response to overall perceptions of organizational dynamics, management practices, and change processes, the study demonstrates tensions surrounding access to channels of communication and decision making within the local educational context; however, no overt concerns on culture shock are found. Moreover, many metaphors are consistent with Morgan's original constructs, whereas a number are unique to the localized context. Organizational metaphors may thus be used as a feedback mechanism to guide systemic decision making around change initiatives within this institution, and to stimulate management research in this region and other higher educational settings.

Tourism is a tactical economic practice across the globe, but the urban and provincial transformations in the industry are strongly contemplated in the light of an unfamiliar shift in tourism business. This chapter discusses an integrated concept with a framework relating systematic approach of managing the destination and its competitiveness. An investigation on the impact on tourism and the recent narrative of national, regional, and local planning approach directs towards efficient destination management organizations (DMO) in practice for future development. This has proceeded by the formation of a competitive approach, emphasizing on the DMO roles and responsibilities helpful for a destination management during an unfamiliar business trend. Modeling destination competitiveness demands an absolute mechanism through destination rebranding, restructuring, and repositioning with DMOs for enabling competency.

This chapter considers major questions arising from over 40 years of public sector liberalisation and consequent outsourcing. It highlights the UK response to the implementation of the opening of competition across the public sector, which has been undertaken in a number of waves. It also discusses how institutional restructuring in central government has been used as a mechanism to delay or prevent the introduction of any competition or external provision. The chapter notes some of the attempts to apply liberalisation that have not been successful and how the government has had to take back major health and transport infrastructure projects to manage directly at financial and social cost to the country. It explains the detachment of the civil service from operational management, which has reduced its capacity to specify and manage contracts and to cope in a crisis.

In this article, we analyse how international crises and conflicts over sovereign debt have transformed the agenda of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Geneva-based organization founded in 1964 and whose history is closely linked to the G77 group of developing countries. We show how UNCTAD’s projects for structural reform of the international financial architecture were contested and ultimately rejected in the 1970s. Such defeats were a blow to the transformative goals that UNCTAD had initially set to achieve. In the 1980s, UNCTAD gradually became a technical agency and its mandate restricted to providing expert assistance and support to developing countries during their negotiations with the Paris Club. Meanwhile, the mandate to produce expertise at the macro level (the so-called ‘upstream’ area), was effectively transferred to the IMF and World Bank. With the development of the Debt Management Financial Analysis System (DMFAS), UNCTAD went from promoting systemic change in international financial architecture to sponsoring the micro-management of domestic policies as remedy to over-indebtedness. But we also show that UNCTAD did not always restrict itself to doing such ‘downstream’ work, i.e., improving debt issuing capacities and technologies of developing countries. While UNCTAD’s recent project on fair principles of lending and borrowing principles conforms to what’s expected from the group of advanced countries, another project involving the creation of an international mechanism of sovereign debt restructuring functioned as a disturbance to this fragile downstream–upstream division of labour between international organizations.

Creditor responses to sovereign debt crises suggest that they view such crises as problems of debt management on the part of the countries facing debt repayment difficulties. Thus, for example, debt relief and restructuring mechanisms coordinated by the international financial institutions place emphasis on correcting perceived imprudent debt management through a series of economic adjustment measures. Little attention, if any, is paid to addressing the underlying causes of the debt crises. This chapter examines the various causes of sovereign debt crises and the role that debt management plays in their eruption or in addressing them in a sustainable manner.

This chapter presents a framework for dynamic restructuring of long-running business processes. The framework is composed of the ActivityFlow specification language, a set of workflow restructuring operators, and a dynamic workflow management engine. The ActivityFlow specification language enables the flexible specification, composition, and coordination of workflow activities. There are three unique features of our framework design. First, it supports a collection of specification mechanisms, allowing workflow designers to use a uniform workflow specification interface to describe different types of workflows involved in their organizational processes. A main objective of this characteristic is to help increase the flexibility of workflow processes in accommodating changes. The ActivityFlow language also provides a set of activity modeling facilities, enabling workflow designers to describe the flow of work declaratively and incrementally, and allowing to reason about correctness and security of

In discussions on e-government, terms such as “seamless” and “joined-up” are often deployed in reference to restructuring the public sector for more effective performance. There is a critical link between delivering services online in a more client-centric fashion and government organization. This critical link often involves new coordinating mechanisms (i.e., new forms of governance) that are more collaborative than before — thus, e-government becomes collaborative government — and as such, many challenges present themselves. In government, however, collaborating is both complex and contentious, as much of public management has traditionally been premised on a command and control regime, where clear structures and rules dictate the behavior of public servants. The contentious nature of collaboration is also amplified by the political nature of government activity, and the difficulties in coordinating activities horizontally across traditional organizational units: there are structural, accountability and cultural dimensions of such coordination. E-government must be built on a fluid and constantly adapting of collaborative governance systems that respond to the twin challenges of external alignment and internal integration and cooperation.