LITERATURE REVIEW
2.4 Concepts of Integration
2.4.2 Integrated Operational Issues of Policy Implementation
provided the authority clearly to be responsible to the achievement by conducting visions and strategies as driven operations Chailerd (2012).
Because the word of integration is widely used in various contexts, there are many meanings of integration based on the expertise of academicians in each department. However, there is a main idea can be concluded that the integration means a system or working feature of people, sectors or organization that coordinate with other people, sectors or organizations as a holistic or same team depended on potentials and capabilities of sectors or co-organizations that are expert and professional for the administration in order to reach the most achievement of organization’s defined purposes.
However, no matter what the definition of integration is. Finally, building the integrated implementation system is considered as one part of reliability in creating a good governance of the government as well as promoting the integrated collaboration between central, regional and local areas in order to achieve the results and maximize the highest benefits for the nation (Office of the Higher Education Commission, 2002;
Office of the Public Sector Development Commission, 2003; Tippawan Lorsuwannarat & Sookyuen Tepthong, 2015). To clearly understand in academics and connections to the integrated policy implementation, the next topic mentions about the context of integration and the integrated implementation in related researches.
Public Sector Development Commission, 2003). According to the problems of coordination, it was an obstacle to the implementation in organizations that need to relate with other organizations in a same activity and at the same time. Then, the executives and implementors in public sectors need to use the knowledge and experiences in the administration and implementation across organizations in both of same level and different levels such as central, regional and local levels as well as need to coordinate with private sectors and civil society (Tippawan Lorsuwannarat &
Sookyuen Tepthong, 2015).
To address the occurred problems, it is necessary to require a working model that is an integrated implementation in order to connect between sectors and eliminate the complications of work for achieving the works based on strategic plans or policies that the objectives were defined (Cooper & Brady, 1998; Tippawan Lorsuwannarat &
Sookyuen Tepthong, 2015). Furthermore, the word of integration is close with the word of “consolidate forces”, but there is little difference that the word of integration is wide in the collaboration between organizations. On the other hands, the word of consolidate forces means working together which is an explanation of reaction situation derived from one sector, two sectors or over two sectors to join together for creating the results better than the total of each sub-part that separated and worked together later (Persson, 2004).
The study of Prof. Dr. Tippawan Lorsuwannarat proposed the integration into four important dimensions including aggregation, alignment, balance, and comprehensiveness in figure 2.19. From the study about using integrated expenditure, it was considered as one mechanism that connected missions and operations of the government and other ministries in order to allocate resources efficiently and decrease the problems of complication and resource waste as well as achieve the results of integrated economic policy continuously (Tippawan Lorsuwannarat & Sookyuen Tepthong, 2015).
Figure 2.19 Important Dimensions of Integration
Source: Tippawan Lorsuwannarat and Sookyuen Tepthong (2015)
All of these four dimension was proposed that is consistent with the previous study of Christine Oliver in 1990 about “Determinants of Interorganizational Relationships: Integration and Future Directions” (Oliver, 1990). It is obvious that foreign countries pay attention on the integrated of operations between organizations before conducting the concept of integrated implementation in Thailand. Additionally, the study of Christine Oliver also proposed a crucial case of integrated operation between sectors into five dimensions including asymmetry, reciprocity, efficiency, stability and legitimacy along with six models of relationships between organizations such as trade associations, voluntary agency federations, joint ventures, joint programs, corporate-financial interlocks and agency-sponsor linkages.
In 2005, the study of Guidelines to integrate the operations on prevention and mitigation of disasters at provincial level by Thira Santimethi (2005) proposed an important thing that was considered as a major core of integrated implementation that consisted of three dimensions. For the first dimension, it is about containing sub-units as an element. For the second dimension, it is an aggregation of sub-units that has a
Aggregation Alignment
Balance Comprehensiveness
Integration
relationship, connection and dependence in terms of being flexible, adaptable and movable all the time. For the third dimension, it is a comprehensiveness by coordinating harmoniously and generating sufficient or balanced conditions.
Otherwise, the study of Underdal (1980Cited in (Persson, 2004)) mentioned about the integration consistently with the previous study that comprised of three dimensions.
For the first dimension, it is a comprehensiveness by gathering areas, times, actors or sectors and issues. Moreover, the areas must cover the territories that have been affected from outcomes by viewing it as a long-term. Also, it needs to have an appropriate proportion of individuals or sectors that related with the assessment of policy options in the issues that have relationships under common framework. For the second dimension, it is a consistency that all parts of operation need to coordinate and connect each other. For the third dimension, it is an aggregation that requires comprehensive criteria for evaluating several elements of operation based on the strategies (Persson, 2004).
According to all of four sample studies, it demonstrated various dimensions that indicated the integrated operation between organizations. Obviously, it found an outstanding main dimension that covered an important core of integration into 3 dimensions including aggregation of sub-units, relatedness of sub-units and holistic of sub-units. Then, this research additionally studied in various academic studies that studied and mentioned about the integrated operations between organizations in terms of the results of study and the results of analyzing knowledge from many literature reviews that a number of scholar studies as shown in the table 2.19.
Table 2.19 Synthesis of Dimensions That Indicate the Integrated Policy Implementation
Indicators
Author 001 002 003
Nguyen (2018) X X X
Tippawan Lorsuwannarat and Sookyuen Tepthong (2015)
X X X
Benjawan Timsuwan and Rachanee Sunsern (2012)
X X X
Chailerd (2012) X X X
Kriengsak Chareonwongsak (2011)
X X X
Thomas (2009) X X X
Hendron (2008) X X X
Vinai Pooprachatrakool (2006) X X X
Barki and Pinsonneault (2005) X X X
Office of the Public Sector
Development Commission (2003)
X X -
Delmotte (2003) X X X
Office of the Higher Education Commission (2002)
X X X
Chanathip Pornkul (2000) X X -
Phra Brahmagunabhorn (Por. Oar.
Payutto) (1997)
X X X
Walenciak (1991) X - X
Beane et al. (1986) X X -
H. J. Johnson (1965) X - X
Total 17 studies 17 15 14
Note: Remarks: 001 = Aggregation of sub-units, 002 = Relatedness of sub-units, 003
= Holistic of sub-units
From compiling and synthesizing the dimensions that measure the integrated operations between organizations in the related researches as shown in the table 2.19, it comprises of aggregation of sub-units, relatedness of sub-units and holistic of sub- units. Then, it can be explained the detail in each element as shown in the figure 2.20 and the details are as follows;
Figure 2.20 Dimensions That Indicate the Integration
2.4.2.1 Aggregation of Sub-units
The issues about aggregation of sub-units are mentioned in the studies of integration in various attributes for many scholars. Moreover, each scholar mentioned in the same direction. Although those scholars do not use the same or similar words, but the contents can be conveyed to analyse and interpret the issues about aggregation of sub-units which is considered as an element or observable variable in the integration. Then, the examples are as follows;
The study of Benjawan Timsuwan and Rachanee Sunsern (2012) regarding “Integration: Paradigm in Educational Quality” mentioned about similar issues or close to the issues about aggregation of sub-units that one thing is combined in another thing or one activity is combined in another activity. For instance, the maintenance of arts and cultures is compiled o be a part of learning activities and others. Additionally, it is involved in individuals, group, organization or sector with the activities of other individuals, group, organization or sector. For example, the institutes have the projects of art and cultural maintenance which is combined in the participation of university students in order to achieve those projects. The study of Kongprasert (2008) about “Integrated Ecotourism Planning for Sustainable Tourism
Integrated Policy Implementation
[Aggregation]
[Relatedness]
[Holistic]
Development on Pha-Ngan Island, Suratthani Province mentioned similar issues or close to the issues about aggregation of sub-units that there is a high participation of individuals in one action. For instance, the active participation of populations in decision making of all levels and all forms of various economic, social, political activities.
Thereby, the aggregation of sub-units in this study means a combination or participation of individuals, group, sector, organization or associations in different levels to take an action or implementation in one activity together in order to achieve the defined objectives.
2.4.2.2 Relatedness of Sub-units
The issues about relatedness of sub-units are mentioned in the studies of integration in various attributes for many scholars. Moreover, each scholar mentioned in the same direction. Although those scholars do not use the same or similar words, but the contents can be conveyed to analyse and interpret the issues about relatedness of sub-units which is considered as an element or observable variable in the integration. Then, the examples are as follows;
The study of Phra Brahmagunabhorn (Por. Oar. Payutto) (1997) regarding “Thai Education: Development for Integration mentioned about similar issues or close to the issues about relatedness of sub-units that the connections of individuals, group, sector, organization or association with another individuals, group, sector, organization or association are considered as a cooperation depended on each other that is flexible and adaptable such as tourism management depended on populations or communities and tourists collaborated with public sectors in taking care of natural resources in local areas. According to the knowledge of Office of the Public Sector Development Commission (2003), the book about “Integrated Government Administration” mentioned about similar issues or close to the issues about relatedness of sub-units that that the cooperation provides the supports to each other by people who related in one management based on specialized aptitudes or skills with sharing resources in order to achieve the expected objectives. For instance, the missions are related with various government offices or depended on continuity, resulting in those government offices have to support main sectors in order to reach the achievement based on the objectives of mission.
Then, the relatedness of sub-units in this study mean a cooperation of individuals, group, sector, organization or associations that are required to connect each other and depend on skills, knowledge and resources which those people lack in order to fulfil the capabilities of mission management to achieve the defined objectives.
2.4.2.3 Holistic of Sub-units
The issues about holistic of sub-units are mentioned in the studies of integration in various attributes for many scholars. Moreover, each scholar mentioned in the same direction. Although those scholars do not use the same or similar words, but the contents can be conveyed to analyse and interpret the issues about holistic of sub-units which is considered as an element or observable variable in the integration.
Then, the examples are as follows;
The study of Tippawan Lorsuwannarat and Sookyuen Tepthong (2015) regarding “Integrated Budgeting for Development: Mechanism for Strategy Integration of Five Economic Ministries” mentioned about similar issues or close to the issues about holistic of sub-units that it means the integration or cooperation in overview, in the situation that over two sectors are cooperating, working together as a teamwork and being unity. For example, the aggregation of several sectors under action plans and projects that contain the same missions in order to work together as teamwork, co-consider about budget allocation to decrease the redundancy and waste in using resources. The study of Nguyen (2018) regarding “Organizational Factors Affecting the Successful Integration Between Physician Groups and Health Systems”
mentioned about similar issues or close to the holistic of sub-units that the operations over two sectors are modified to one unity or one team or collaborated as business partners in order to take advantages in the operations. According to the efficient operations, it results in reducing the operational costs through knowledge, skills, capabilities or shared resources as well as increasing in bargaining power. For instance, over two business sectors join together to invest in one plan, action plan or project as temporary or permanent. As a consequence, these sectors take responsibilities in costs and risks as well as share the benefits together.
Therefore, the holistic of sub-units in this study mean a cooperation as a teamwork or alliances of individuals, group, sector, organization or associations that include over two sectors by sharing expenditures or costs, knowledge, skills, capabilities, resources and benefits to enhance the capabilities of operations to achieve the expected objectives.