This important text book is the first to be written about infrastructure planning in Britain. Written by an experienced author, the book reviews the rapid rise in the use of infrastructure delivery planning at national and neighbourhood level. The key components of infrastructure delivery are set out and analysed, including the development of government policy, planning regulation, funding, environmental processes and legal challenges. Situating this within international, European and domestic economic, territorial and social policy, the author draws on a variety of practical examples to discuss the role of different institutions in the delivery of infrastructure and to illustrate the various issues and merits of each approach. This is a key text for those engaged in the study and application of infrastructure delivery planning including planners, engineers, public administrators and policy advisers.
The essential guide for today’s savvy controllers Today’s controllers are in leadership roles that put them in the unique position to see across all aspects of the operations they support. The Master Guide to Controllers’ Best Practices, Second Edition has been revised and updated to provide controllers with the information they need to successfully monitor their organizations’ internal control environments and offer direction and consultation on internal control issues. In addition, the authors include guidance to help controllers carryout their responsibilities to ensure that all financial accounts are reviewed for reasonableness and are reconciled to supporting transactions, as well as performing asset verification. Comprehensive in scope the book contains the best practices for controllers and: Reveals how to set the right tone within an organization and foster an ethical climate Includes information on risk management, internal controls, and fraud prevention Highlights the IT security controls with the key components of successful governance Examines the crucial role of the controller in corporate compliance and much more The Master Guide to Controllers’ Best Practices should be on the bookshelf of every controller who wants to ensure the well-being of their organization. In addition to their traditional financial role, today’s controllers (no matter how large or small their organization) are increasingly occupying top leadership positions. The revised and updated Second Edition of The Master Guide to Controllers’ Best Practices provides an essential resource for becoming better skilled in such areas as strategic planning, budgeting, risk management, and business intelligence. Drawing on the most recent research on the topic, informative case studies, and tips from finance professionals, the book highlights the most important challenges controllers will face. Written for both new and seasoned controllers, the Guide offers a wide range of effective tools that can be used to improve the skills of strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and risk management. The book also contains a resource for selecting the right employees who have the technical knowledge, analytical expertise, and strong people skills that will support the controller’s role within an organization. To advance overall corporate performance, the authors reveal how to successfully align strategy, risk management, and performance management. In addition, the Guide explains what it takes to stay ahead of emerging issues such as healthcare regulations, revenue recognition, globalization, and workforce mobility. As controllers adapt to their new leadership roles and assume more complex responsibilities, The Master Guide to Controllers’ Best Practices offers an authoritative guide to the tools, practices, and ideas controllers need to excel in their profession.
This textbook provides practical and concrete guidance for the step-by-step implementation of decision-making for infrastructure asset management. Examples are used to illustrate how data from condition assessment are used to develop performance models, to estimate the effectiveness of investments that are prioritized and scheduled to accomplish reliable and convenient infrastructure for the wellbeing of the public and regional economic competitiveness. Book illustrates numerous worked problems to clarify ambiguity in developing a decision-making platform to prioritize assets and distribute budgets effectively and efficiently. Ensures reader understanding of the benefits and challenges of infrastructure asset management; Provides a step-by-step guide for the development of each component of an asset management decision-making system; Includes worked examples to clarify decision-making and budget allocation process.
Comprehensive learning resource providing a framework for successful application of advanced transportation technologies in urban areas Smart Mobility: Using Technology to Improve Transportation in Smart Cities addresses the nature and characteristics of smart cities, providing a focus on smart mobility within urban areas and the opportunities and challenges associated with the application of advanced transportation technologies. The three highly qualified authors include an emphasis on decarbonization possibilities and the potential for smart mobility to reduce emissions and fuel consumption while optimizing modal use, along with risk identification and management using a structured approach. A focus is also placed on the need for end-to-end travel support from origin to ultimate destination, reflecting consumer needs for comprehensive decision support and travel support services. Overall, Smart Mobility provides a framework, planning, and KPIs for smart mobility success and explains how effective performance management can be enabled. Additional topics covered in this modern and thought-provoking work include: Policies and strategies associated with smart mobility, including a description of the organizational arrangements required to support smart mobility technologies The definition of appropriate institutional, funding, and commercial arrangements to assist interested practitioners to solve what is often their biggest challenge Coverage of smart mobility operational management, explaining the likely impact of smart mobility on transportation operations How to attain balance between transportation objectives and the avoidance of undesirable side effects such as congestion For public and private sector professionals in the smart mobility community, Smart Mobility is an essential and easy-to-understand learning resource that will help readers comprehend the state-of-the-art progress in the field and be prepared for future advancements in this important and rapidly-developing industry.
The issues, opportunities and challenges of aligning information technology more closely with an organization and effectively governing an organization s Information Technology (IT) investments, resources, major initiatives and superior uninterrupted service is becoming a major concern of the Board and executive management in enterprises on a global basis. An integrated and comprehensive approach to the alignment, planning, execution and governance of IT and its resources has become critical to more effectively align, integrate, invest, measure, deploy, service and sustain the strategic and tactical direction and value proposition of IT in support of organizations. Much has been written and documented about the individual components of IT Governance such as strategic planning, demand (portfolio investment) management, program and project management, IT service management and delivery, strategic sourcing and outsourcing, performance management and metrics, like the balanced scorecard, compliance and others. Much less has been written about a comprehensive and integrated IT/Business Alignment, Planning, Execution and Governance approach. This new title fills that need in the marketplace and gives readers a structured and practical solutions using the best of the best principles available today. The book is divided into nine chapters, which cover the three critical pillars necessary to develop, execute and sustain a robust and effective IT governance environment - leadership and proactive people and change agents, flexible and scalable processes and enabling technology. Each of the chapters also covers one or more of the following action oriented topics: demand management and alignment (the why and what of IT strategic planning, portfolio investment management, decision authority, etc.); execution management (includes the how - Program/Project Management, IT Service Management with IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL) and Strategic Sourcing and outsourcing); performance, risk and contingency management (e.g. includes COBIT, the balanced scorecard and other metrics and controls); and leadership, teams and people skills.
This book addresses the nuts and bolts of planning and preserving natural assets at a variety of scales--from dense urban environments to scenic rural landscapes. A practical guide to creating effective and well-crafted plans and then implementing them, the book presents a six-step process developed and field-tested by the Green Infrastructure Center in Charlottesville, Virginia. Well-organized chapters explain how each step, from setting goals to implementing opportunities, can be applied to a variety of scenarios, customizable to the reader's target geographical location.
Master Infrastructure as Code (IaC) and streamline your DevOps workflows using Terraform and Ansible Purchase of the print or Kindle book includes a free eBook in the PDF format Key Features Employ effective strategies and approach IaC projects efficiently by diving deep into its fundamentals Understand the working of Terraform and Ansible and integrate them into your CI/CD workflows Work with real-world examples of IaC across multiple cloud providers (Azure & AWS) Book DescriptionThe Infrastructure as Code (IaC) approach ensures consistent and repeatable deployment of cloud-based IaaS/PaaS services, saving you time while delivering impeccable results. Infrastructure as Code for Beginners is a practical implementation guide that helps you gain a clear understanding of the foundations of Infrastructure as Code and make informed decisions when implementing it. With this book, you’ll uncover essential IaC concepts, including planning, selecting, and implementing the right tools for your project. With step-by-step explanations and real-world examples, you'll gain a solid understanding of the benefits of IaC and the scope of application in your projects. You'll learn about the pros, cons, and best practices of different IaC tools such as Terraform and Ansible, and their use at different stages of the deployment process along with GitHub Actions. Using these tools, you'll be able to design, deploy, and secure your infrastructure on two major cloud platforms, Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. In addition, you'll explore other IaC tools such as Pulumi, AWS CloudFormation, and Azure Bicep. By the end of this book, you’ll be well equipped to approach your IaC projects confidently.What you will learn Determine the right time to implement Infrastructure as Code for your workload Select the appropriate approach for Infrastructure-as-Code deployment Get hands-on experience with Ansible and Terraform and understand their use cases Plan and deploy a workload to Azure and AWS clouds using Infrastructure as Code Leverage CI/CD in the cloud to deploy your infrastructure using your code Discover troubleshooting tips and tricks to avoid pitfalls during deployment Who this book is for This book is for cloud engineers, software developers, or system administrators responsible for deploying resources to host applications. Ideal for both beginners and experienced professionals seeking to deepen their knowledge. Experience in manually deploying resources for applications in public clouds such as AWS or Microsoft Azure is a must. A basic understanding of programming or scripting languages, such as Python, Bash, PowerShell, etc. as well as familiarity with version control systems like Git, is a prerequisite.
To succeed in manufacturing and service operations, managers need both technical and behavioral skills, and know how to apply these skills to transform processes and outputs in a wide variety of operational contexts throughout the supply chain. Now, there's an authoritative and comprehensive guide to best-practice manufacturing and service operations in any organization. Co-authored by a leading expert alongside the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), this reference details the planning, organizing, controlling, directing, motivating and coordinating functions used to produce goods or services. It covers long-term strategic decisions such as facility location; mid-term tactical decisions such as setting levels of inventory and labor; and short-term operational decisions such as job assignments. Coverage includes: Basic manufacturing and service operations concepts, purposes, terminology, roles, and goals; types of manufacturing and services; planning processes; inventory and labor requirements; process control; productivity levels, and budget control Key elements, processes, and interactions, including facility, material, and labor requirements planning; scheduling; and continuous process and quality improvement processes, including TQM, ISO, Six Sigma, SPC, Theory of Constraints, FMEA, and 5S Principles/strategies for establishing efficient, effective, and sustainable operations: Manufacturing and services planning and strategies, encompassing facility ownership and location, production, processes, layout, lead capacity, technology, personnel, measurement, compensation, sustainability, and more The key roles and value of technology, including MRP II systems, service systems, ERP systems, and capabilities for supporting manufacturing and service planning, execution, and cost management. Requirements and challenges of global manufacturing and service operations, including manufacturing and outsourcing in Low-Cost Countries (LCCs); logistical difficulties, labor challenges, financial implications, decision processes, contract performance, risk management, and regulation Best practices for assessing performance using standard metrics and frameworks, including KPIs, tradeoff analysis, scorecarding, dashboards, and exception management
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