Best Value Procurement Bids in Council Services

Best appreciate Procurement Bids in Council ServicesEmpirical WorkThis root is an empirical athletic field on the strategic signifi cigargontce that Best Value (BV) Procurement adds to Birmingham City Council. The aim of the proposed interrogation is to quantify the strategic link between the BV and the contemporary strategic Procurement. Then to realise a model which go forth evaluate the contribution of the strategy when applied to Birmingham City Council.Best Value was introduced into the public sector in 1998, announced through and through the governing bodys white paper Modern Local Government in Touch with the People. This paper introduced extensive reform of local government, including the new initiative of BV. Within this BV is the e-Government, Community Planning, Strategic Partnerships and new political management structures ( fair Paper 1998).The theory of Best Value was aimed at improving local government services this was introduced in the Local Government Act 19 99. BV replaced the old system of Compulsory Competitive Tendering (CCT), and required local authorities to review over a period of five years, the rule in which they conduct all their functions. This would take the form of consultation with the local community to deliver the most effective, economic and economic services (Local Government Act 1999).The Governments intention to reform local government continued and in 2001 they publish a further white paper empower Strong Local Leadership, Quality earth Services. Addressed within this paper were issues that included strong community leadership, continuous improvement, comprehensive performance assessment, monetary freedom and modernisation of finance systems (White Paper 2001).The report in 2001 Delivering Better Services for Citizens, a review of local government procurement in England was published as a consultation paper. The report included the following recommendation there should be clear political responsibility for pro curement, with elected members taking a strategic role in securing outcomes. Best Value is about breaking down the boundaries between the public and private sectors in local service delivery. (The Byatt radical 2001)This research paper is based on the government white papers and reports which initially defined BV in procurement and established Strategic Management tools apply to identify strategic choice within local authorities. The conceptual analysis is based on identifying the congruence of strategic links between the BV definition and elect Strategic Management tools.The focus of the paper is Birmingham City Councils BV practices, and this leave alone be measured against the resulting model. The output of this research is to measure the strategic worth of Best Value and the strategic worth of Birmingham City Councils delivery of Best Value. The paper will evaluate the relative merits of quantitative and qualitative research methodologies.MethodologyThe rationale of this chap ter is to study and discuss the research methods that could be used for this empirical research paper. When researching any paper there argon numerous methods for collecting entropy, they do not eternally produce workable data that is easy to analysis. Therefore it is resilient to review and plan the methods that will be employed.Before beginning any of the research a time scale will be composed, this will plan and set targets for the research. This plan is flexible, to allow for any considerable changes to the project due to unexpected research findings. Theoretically, the proposal should draw attention to any difficulties with the research question and the access to the data.Secondary investigateThe secondary research will discuss the theories and concepts which exist on the topic and be presented in the literature review. The findings from the primary research are then tested on these theories for validity (Saunders, M. et al 1997). Tertiary data sources will assist in the s earch for secondary data, this will reveal books, journals, newspaper articles, and Internet addresses on the topic (Bell, J. 2005). This section of the research will present some of the conclusions from the relevant Governments White Papers as a secondary source of research data.Primary lookPrimary research is vital to the project as it produces the raw data on the current situation in the placements. A consideration when gathering primary research data, is obtaining the consent of two the organisation and individuals prior to initiating the research and this data must remain within the scope of the project (Saunders et al 1997).Primary Research MethodsMethodType of ResearchCharacteristics, Benefits and shortcomingsPostal survey numericalCost is lowResponse rate can be poorAnswers whitethorn be incompleteResponses are pre-coded and simple(a) so battalion can understand themthis can mean the quality of information provided is lower than from other methodsTelephone and/or email surveyQuantitativeCost effective method of achieving robust sample allowing generalisations to be madeResponses are pre-coded Certain groups do not have access to the telephone, so may be excluded from the sampleIt is difficult to ask sensitive questions over the telephoneWorks well with employersFace-to-face surveyQuantitativeincludes both open questions as pre-codedCan achieve robust sample allowing generalisations if sufficient numbers are surveyedExpensive and time-consuming to administratorIdeal for gathering sensitive information or exploring complicated issuesinterviewQualitativeIn depth and detailed information can be gatheredInterviewers are allowed more flexibilityAnswers to open questions can be difficult and time-consuming to analyseExpensive and time-consuming to administratorFocus groupQualitativeA group discussion with around 8-12 peopleCan lasts up to 3 hoursCapitalises on interaction between participantsParticipants are not representative of wider population which does not allow for generalisationGood method for gathering sensitive dataRequires careful and unbiased analysisCase studyQualitativeResearcher gains understanding of a individuals experienceProvides good quotations and cryptic dataCan bring alive other research, such as survey dataFindings cannot be generalised to a wider populationQualitative ResearchQualitative research is not just quality, it is the starting point where individuals understand and can talk about their lives. Qualitative studies attempt to explain social phenomena (for showcase experience, attitudes, behaviour, interactions and belief) in terms of the wider contexts of individuals lives (Cresswell, J 1994). To gain this type of data methods such as direct, unstructured interviewing, or observation of real-life settings (ethnography) are used. The data that qualitative methods of research collect is usually words, rather than numbers, in the form of transcripts. That data is typically unstructured, and statistical methods cannot be used in its analysis (King, N. 1998).Individuals are surveyed or studied in order to understand their experience from their perspective, that is, what matters to them, rather than from the standpoint of the researcher or the professionals. Observational studies have been undertaken to understand the informal culture, of the organisation (King, N. 1998).Quantitative ResearchQuantitative research generates numerical data or data that can be converted into numbers, for example clinical trials or the study Census. Numbers are the main type of data that these methods collect, and those numbers will be analysed using mathematical or statistical techniques. Surveys that take the form of questionnaires are usually quantitative (Cresswell, J 1994).ConclusionThis paper will combine both quantitative and qualitative approaches, using a qualitative study to overtake the design of a subsequent quantitative study and by mixing elements of the one approach into the other. Ques tionnaires can contain both quantitative and qualitative questions.This paper will use both a quantitative and quantitative approach to the questions. This will be in the form of a ratings scale (1 to 5), whereas the qualitative questions will present a box where people can write in their own words.To obtain the strategic value in BV, a case study approach will be used this will gauge the working practices and will enhance the data from the questionnaires. The secondary research will focus on the Governments white papers, and will introduce discussion from books and journals written on the subject.ReferencesBell, J (2005) (4th Edition) Doing Your Research Project,Open University Press, BuckinghamCresswell, J (1994) Research Design (Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches),Sage publications, capital of the United KingdomKing, N. (1998) Template analysis in G. Symon and C. Cassell (eds.) Qualitative Methods and Analysis in Organizational Research, Sage LondonSaunders, M. Et al (1997) Research Methods for Business Students,Pitman Publishing, London.PapersWhite Paper (1998) Modern Local Government in Touch with the People,Accessed through, www.communities.gov.ukLocal Government Act 1999,Accessed through, www.communities.gov.ukWhite Paper (2001) Strong Local Leadership, Quality Public Services,Accessed through, www.communities.gov.ukThe Byatt Report (2001) Delivering Better Services for Citizens,Accessed through, www.woking.gov.uk