A633.3.4.RB - Complexity Science Clark_A


Complexity Science

     The organization with which I am employed with is Miami-Dade County Public Schools District (M-DCPS), which the second largest employer in Miami-Dade County and the fourth largest school district in the nation.  I am a Director in the Procurement Management Services department which is a branch of the financial services bureau.  The operations for the entire school district falls underneath the direction of the Superintendent of Schools with the guidance and direction of the School Board which is comprised of elected community officials.  The M-DCPS district is a governmental organization which operates under the mandates and statues of the State of Florida and the State of Florida Department of Education.  The business strategy generally changes with the appointment of a new superintendent who directs his administration teams by way of petitions to the School Board according to the School Board Policies which are in place. 

     The current Superintendent of Schools was appointed in 2008.  His business strategies have been focused on keeping a balanced budget, proper facilitation and maintenance of the district’s capital investments, supporting local businesses for capital construction projects and the purchasing of goods and services.   The strategy is communicated through the cabinet members which then channels this information through senior level administrators.  This highly hierarchal organizational structure can be challenging especially when comes to communicating with the masses.    The focus of entire district is connected by having a common vision and mission statement as well as goals that reflect the key stakeholders of the organization (Obolensky, 2014). 

     This Superintendent’s strategy has not changed over time; however the feedback from the community and School Board has changed.  Community members have raised concerns regarding the status of the promises to utilize more small and local businesses for services needed within the school district.  The School board often raises concerns regarding the status and expenditures for capital improvement projects.   This type of feedback often causes the Superintendent and his cabinet members mitigate the current processes and procedures to assure that the specific results are reached and the areas of concern received with the feedback are addressed.  As of result overtime, major changes have been made to the School Board Polices as well as the formation of new departments and committees.  Just as in the private business industry overtime strategic positions at the district can be based on customers’ needs, accessibility, or variety of a company’s products or services with the addition of the governing board and state influences (Porter, 1996).     

     Considering the next steps in the evolution of M-DCPS the operational forecast will have to have some major changes within the next 10 years.  With the support of the increase of charter schools by the current federal administration and State of Florida Legislature the district is set to have a major decrease in funding for the upcoming school term.  With this proposed budget cuts coming down the pipeline, the Superintendent of Schools has begun strategizing how the district will remain operable under such constraints without affecting the most important stakeholders, the students.  This may include mandating a reduction in force which requires the administrative offices to lay off employees in order to try to prevent lying off instructional staff. 

     As for me, I wish to continue working at the district in a leadership capacity.  If I retire from the district I recognize that most of the time remaining in my tenure will be under the leadership of a newly appointed Superintendent of Schools.  This brings about new goals and new strategies; and the opportunity to respond and adapt to the situation at hand.

  

References

Obolensky, N. (2014). Complex adaptive leadership: embracing paradox and uncertainty, 2d Edition. Burlington, VT: Gower Publishing Limited.



Porter, M. E. (1996). What Is strategy?.  Harvard Business Review, 74(6), 61-78.

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