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Papers by Malcolm Macpherson

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1981

Okarito Lagoon (43° 11´S, 170° 14´E) is a small (20 km 2 ) shore-parallel, predominantly subtidal... more Okarito Lagoon (43° 11´S, 170° 14´E) is a small (20 km 2 ) shore-parallel, predominantly subtidal estuary, deepest near the landward end, and linked to the sea by two subtidal channels incised through shallow subtidal and intertidal flats which occupy the southern third of the lagoon. Tides at sea vary from 2.1m (spring) to 1.2 m (neap), but in the lagoon the tidal range is constant through the lunar cycle and varies from 0.80 m at the entrance to 0.17 m in the upper lagoon. Tidal water level and flow asymmetries in the subtidal channels are separated by a 1.7 h phase difference. Variations in the net discharge through the inlet result from changing flow cross-sections rather than from variations in current velocities. Both the tidal-averaged volume and the tidal compartment of the lagoon vary through the lunar cycle, from maxima at spring tides to minima at neap tides.

The Auckland Hospital Staff Preschool - a small, state-subsidised, fee-paying, not-for-profit pri... more The Auckland Hospital Staff Preschool - a small, state-subsidised, fee-paying, not-for-profit private preschool - has twice won a national quality award. The preschool's leadership system - a partnership between governors, managers and teaching teams - is characterised by clearly identified responsibilities, frequent purposeful meetings, and a focus on performance review, continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, cooperation and consultation. Strategy processes incorporate government-mandated standards and curriculum requirements, the preschool's own values and culture, and stakeholder interests, to yield tightly-specified operational plans. Customers are partitioned into groups and their separate preferences influence the services provided. Employee education, training and development have high priorities. Process and product definition, design, and management integrate customer requirements, professional standards and national mandates, and are subject to cycles of evaluation and improvement. Metrics for group size, teacher qualifications, remuneration, and adult/child ratios compare well to industry benchmarks and all show improvement trends. 140 words

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Measuring business excellence, Jan 1, 2001

Malcolm Macpherson is an independent consultant and veteran quality award assessor. He edits a we... more Malcolm Macpherson is an independent consultant and veteran quality award assessor. He edits a web site dedicated to the US Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and its many international and local derivatives (www.baldrigeplus.com) and publishes email magazines on organisational excellence and leadership. He is an elected member of the Central Otago District Council, in the South Island of New Zealand.

National Conference of the New Zealand …, Jan 1, 2001

By their nature risk-averse and process-constrained, with diverse and sometimes conflicting accou... more By their nature risk-averse and process-constrained, with diverse and sometimes conflicting accountabilities, public sector organisations may struggle to focus clearly on innovation -finding new ways to perform better. Used as a test, not a template, the widely applied performance excellence principles that underpin national award schemes like the Performance Excellence Study Awards and the Business Excellence Award provide an architecture for improvement that can, and does, drive innovative behaviour, even in the public sector: Examples, analysis and fast-start process map.

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 1981

Okarito Lagoon (43° 11´S, 170° 14´E) is a small (20 km 2 ) shore-parallel, predominantly subtidal... more Okarito Lagoon (43° 11´S, 170° 14´E) is a small (20 km 2 ) shore-parallel, predominantly subtidal estuary, deepest near the landward end, and linked to the sea by two subtidal channels incised through shallow subtidal and intertidal flats which occupy the southern third of the lagoon. Tides at sea vary from 2.1m (spring) to 1.2 m (neap), but in the lagoon the tidal range is constant through the lunar cycle and varies from 0.80 m at the entrance to 0.17 m in the upper lagoon. Tidal water level and flow asymmetries in the subtidal channels are separated by a 1.7 h phase difference. Variations in the net discharge through the inlet result from changing flow cross-sections rather than from variations in current velocities. Both the tidal-averaged volume and the tidal compartment of the lagoon vary through the lunar cycle, from maxima at spring tides to minima at neap tides.

The Auckland Hospital Staff Preschool - a small, state-subsidised, fee-paying, not-for-profit pri... more The Auckland Hospital Staff Preschool - a small, state-subsidised, fee-paying, not-for-profit private preschool - has twice won a national quality award. The preschool's leadership system - a partnership between governors, managers and teaching teams - is characterised by clearly identified responsibilities, frequent purposeful meetings, and a focus on performance review, continuous improvement, customer satisfaction, cooperation and consultation. Strategy processes incorporate government-mandated standards and curriculum requirements, the preschool's own values and culture, and stakeholder interests, to yield tightly-specified operational plans. Customers are partitioned into groups and their separate preferences influence the services provided. Employee education, training and development have high priorities. Process and product definition, design, and management integrate customer requirements, professional standards and national mandates, and are subject to cycles of evaluation and improvement. Metrics for group size, teacher qualifications, remuneration, and adult/child ratios compare well to industry benchmarks and all show improvement trends. 140 words

[

Measuring business excellence, Jan 1, 2001

Malcolm Macpherson is an independent consultant and veteran quality award assessor. He edits a we... more Malcolm Macpherson is an independent consultant and veteran quality award assessor. He edits a web site dedicated to the US Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award and its many international and local derivatives (www.baldrigeplus.com) and publishes email magazines on organisational excellence and leadership. He is an elected member of the Central Otago District Council, in the South Island of New Zealand.

National Conference of the New Zealand …, Jan 1, 2001

By their nature risk-averse and process-constrained, with diverse and sometimes conflicting accou... more By their nature risk-averse and process-constrained, with diverse and sometimes conflicting accountabilities, public sector organisations may struggle to focus clearly on innovation -finding new ways to perform better. Used as a test, not a template, the widely applied performance excellence principles that underpin national award schemes like the Performance Excellence Study Awards and the Business Excellence Award provide an architecture for improvement that can, and does, drive innovative behaviour, even in the public sector: Examples, analysis and fast-start process map.