DECENTRALIZED PLANNING--A MEANS TO PROGRAM COMPLIANCE

Program compliance has been an elusive target for many agencies that have installed maintenance management systems. The Indiana Department of Highways (DOH) began system implementation in 1975, and for several years little progress was made on program compliance. Annual plans and actual work seemed to have little in common. Eight years later, Indiana DOH has good program compliance and more progress is made each year. The key to success has been a change to a planning process that allows top management to say "It's my program." In the current process, the central office retains responsibility for program development, program control, budgeting, and distribution of resources. Operational managers have the responsibility of recommending local programs based on information and guidelines provided by the central office. Operational managers also have the authority to implement approved programs. Interaction among all levels of management is stressed. There are several input opportunities for field managers: They input amounts of work, equipment schedules, and allotment schedules for materials. There are also several opportunities for central office control, including approval of inputs, program approval, and requisition approval. The strong points of the process are (a) a good information flow, (b) active participation by a large number of managers, and (c) programs that are implemented. The weakest part of the process is that judgment and opinion are not supported by comparison with quality standards. Uneven levels of service can result, although it is hoped that district and central office reviews and quantity standards lead to similar levels of service.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1984/951/951-016.pdf
• Summary URL:
  • https://scholar.google.com/scholar_lookup?title=DECENTRALIZED+PLANNING--A+MEANS+TO+PROGRAM+COMPLIANCE&author=C.+Whitmire&publication_year=1984
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/309036712
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Publication of this paper sponsored by Task Force for the 1984 Maintenance Management Workshop. Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Whitmire, Clay
• Conference:
  • 63rd Annual Meeting of the Transportation Research Board
  • Location: Washington District of Columbia, United States
  • Date: 1984-1-16 to 1984-1-20
• Publication Date: 1984

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures;
• Pagination: pp 78-84
• Monograph Title: Maintenance management systems in evolution
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Record
  • Issue Number: 951
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 0361-1981

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Compliance; Decentralization; Level of service; Maintenance management; Management information systems; Pavement management systems; Planning
• Subject Areas: Administration and Management; Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; Planning and Forecasting; I10: Economics and Administration;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00390369
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309036712
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Dec 30 1984 12:00AM