Tim Cartwright
Throughout his career, one of Tim's most cherished beliefs has been that more knowledge leads to wiser decisions and better performance. More knowledge may come in various forms and from different sources -- more accurate and more relevant information, sharper analytical skills, greater awareness and sensitivity towards what is relevant, a more positive outlook, and so on. But the principle that we can, by deliberate thought, improve our individual and organizational performance is what drives Tim's approach to management and leadership.
As a university professor, Tim taught and did research on various aspects of management and planning -- including policy-making, strategic planning, institutional development, human-resource development, information systems, stakeholder participation, and governance -- as well as more theoretical studies in organizational behaviour, strategic choice, simulation modelling, and chaos theory.
As a consultant, Tim aims not just to resolve problems but also to build problem-solving capacity. As the saying goes, better to teach a person how to fish than merely to provide the fish. A consultant is only ever as good as his or her client. So good communication is at the core of a good consulting relationship.
Having worked for clients in more than 50 countries around the world, Tim has developed a unique ability to communicate with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
Tim Cartwright has an undergraduate degree in political science and economics and a doctoral degree in public administration and management. He is also keenly interested in information technology and its applications to management and planning.
Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)
In 1961, Tim entered Carleton University in Ottawa (Canada), where he did a four-year, honours degree in political science and economics. Tim's thesis was about the role of ideology in public affairs. Drawing inspiration from the works of philosophers like Kurt Gödel and Arne Næss, Tim concluded that ideology -- whether of the left or the right -- is an especially pernicious kind of intellectual framework. This is because ideology lays claim to both the logical coherence of a science and the universal truth of a religion. Unlike both science and religion, ideology entertains no doubt and accepts no limitation. There is no dialogue with an ideologue. Tim's thesis was never published, but it is requested from the University library on inter-library loan from time to time. . . .
Doctor of Philosophy (D.Phil.)
Tim arrived at Magdalen College, Oxford, in October 1965, and began to read for a postgraduate degree in political philosophy. After a year, he decided it might be wiser to do something more practical. So, when he was awarded a Studentship at Nuffield College in 1966, he began work on a degree in public administration and management.
His research focused on the role of royal commissions and other ad hoc committees in public policy-making in the UK. He concluded that these committees have for centuries -- and long before it became fashionable to highlight such a role -- provided a vital and remarkably flexible means for promoting public participation in government. Tim's thesis was published by Hodder and Stoughton in 1975. (See Publications for details.)
IT Systems
As a student, Tim found computers to be an abomination. He tried to use them for his doctoral thesis. He patiently converted his data into holes on "punch cards". He dutifully took the box of cards to the "computer building", and returned a week later to collect the precious printout -- which inevitably reported an error that meant repeating the whole process once more.
Then, a few years later, the microcomputer appeared. Data entry through a typewriter keyboard, video monitors that provided instant feedback, and electronic data storage. What luxury! Word processing, statistical analysis, database management, and many other functions were suddenly accessible to everyone. And the magical spreadsheet -- possibly the most brilliant piece of computer software ever invented. And now the internet and the world-wide web. Tim was hooked -- and has never looked back.
Tim takes particular enjoyment in projects that enhance personal productivity and creativity. This can include a financial information system that provides exactly the right information you need when you need it, to a simulation model that makes you think about the meaning of life (see the Downloads section for both).
Tim Cartwright's professional experience can be viewed from four main perspectives: consulting, senior management, international development, and teaching.
Consulting
Tim has worked as a management consultant for more than 35 years. (His first consulting assignment was in 1966 and involved market research for a large, department store in Montreal.) Now, his area of practice includes strategic planning and policy making, capacity building, human resource development, and financial management. His clients have come from the public sector (including national and local governments) and the private sector (including small businesses, professional service firms, and non-governmental organizations). He has worked mainly in Canada, the UK, and Scandinavia.
Tim has an especially keen interest in two key management issues: namely, information systems and governance. In Tim's view, information is essential -- though not always sufficient -- for good decision-making. Tim was an "early adopter" of computer technology, having bought his first personal computer in 1979 and used the internet regularly since 1987. Moreover, widespread (decentralized) access to information is critical to achieving both adaptive organizational behaviour and individual staff empowerment.
Tim regards governance as important for both the public and the private sector. In both cases, he argues, good governance means ensuring responsible leadership -- responsible in terms of respect for the interests of employees, shareholders/tax-payers, and society as a whole; and "leadership" in terms of ensuring that good value is given for money received.
Senior Management
Tim has worked as a senior manager in both the public and private sectors. From mid-2003 to the end of 2005, Tim was executive head of the United Nations System Staff College in Turin (Italy). The College was founded in 1997 and became a distinct organization within the UN system in 2002. Its mandate is to provide training and advisory services to the organizations and staff of the UN system (including the World Bank and the IMF). The executive head is responsible to an inter-agency Board of Governors chaired by the Deputy Secretary General of the UN. The College works on a fee-for-service (cost-recovery) basis. It has a staff of 30 full-time employees and an annual budget of about USD 6.5 million.
Prior to joining the UN, Tim was the chief executive officer of Carl Bro Management. Carl Bro Management is based in Copenhagen (Denmark) and is the international arm of the Carl Bro Group. Carl Bro Management implements projects in developing countries on behalf of bilateral and multilateral donors. During Tim's tenure as CEO (1999-2002), the company had about 40 full-time and 30 part-time staff and a turnover of around USD 8.5 million per year. Tim has also served as non-executive director of several small businesses, including Scankit Ltd. (retail sales, 1974-83), SageList Ltd. (property management and relocation, 1997-2002), and Oxford Policy Management Ltd. (an economics consultancy, 1999-2003).
International Development
Tim has worked in international development since the early 1980s. By now, he has worked in some 50 different countries in Asia, Africa, the Arab countries, Latin America, and the Caribbean. His clients have included more than a dozen, bilateral and multilateral donor agencies, as well as various private companies.
Tim's international assignments have focused mainly on capacity building and sustainable development. Tim has long argued that institutional strengthening is vital to making aid effective. For developing countries, advanced technology such as information and communication technology (ICT) can be appropriate technology. In the mid-1980s, Tim worked as special adviser on management to the Executive Director of UN Habitat in Nairobi (Kenya). He later published a book on his experiences, The Management of Human Settlements in Developing Countries (for details, see Publications).
The other cornerstone of Tim's work in international development has been environmental management, including integrated natural resource development, environmental impact assessment, and environmental policy making.
Teaching
Tim began his career as a teacher. During the 1970s and 1980s, he held a tenured appointment in an inter-disciplinary faculty (the Faculty of Environmental Studies) at York University, Toronto (Canada). There, he taught courses (mostly to post-graduate students and students in mid-career, non-degree programs). He carried out research on topics ranging from public participation to information systems, and had the usual academic management responsibilities (admissions, recruitment, tenure and promotion, research and academic development, etc.)
From time to time, Tim was a visiting professor at other universities, including McMaster University (Hamilton) in 1972-73, the Dansk Management Centre (Copenhagen) in 1973-74, Seneca College of Applied Science (Toronto) in 1981-82, the University of Nairobi in 1983-84, and several stints at the Asian Institute of Technology (Bangkok) in the late 1980s.
Since leaving academia, Tim has continued to teach short courses on various professional subjects, such as project planning and management, human resource management, financial management, management information systems, and environmental impact assessment. Based on his teaching and research, Tim has written several books, numerous scientific papers and articles, and various computer programs and applications (for details, see Publications).
Tim is a natural teacher and communicator. He enjoys learning for its own sake. But he also believes that knowledge and skills should be used to get results and to improve performance. As a philosopher once said, intellectuals aim merely to understand the world; the point, however, is to make it better.
AFRICA (19)
Benin: Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries
Botswana: SADC Human Resources Sector
Burkina Faso: Ministry of Environment
Ethiopia: African Union Commission
Kenya: Ministry of Works & Housing
Lesotho: Ministry of Education & Manpower Development
Malawi: Ministry of Environment
Mali: Ministry of Employment and Training, Ministry of Agriculture, Office of the Prime Minister
Mauritius: Ministry of Housing & Environment
Mozambique: Ministry of Environment, SADC Human Resources Sector
Namibia: Ministry of Environment
Nigeria: ECOWAS Secretariat
Senegal: UN Habitat
Sierra Leone: Bo-Kenema Power Services
South Africa: SADC Environment & Land Management Sector, Regional Training & Technology Transfer Centre (Basel Convention), SADC Environment Sector, Ministry of Environment
Swaziland: SADC Human Resources Sector
Tanzania: Ministry of Environment, Cooperative College of Tanzania
Uganda: Ministry of Health
Zambia: Ministry of Environment
ASIA (12)
Bangladesh: Ministry of Education, Department of Environment, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Public Works
Burma/Myanmar: Ministry of Construction
China: National (later State) Environmental Protection Agency, Energy Research Institute
India: Ministry of Works and Housing
Indonesia: Ministry of Public Works, Department of Industry
Malaysia: Department of Environment, State Planning Unit (Penang), State Planning Unit (Sarawak), Ministry of Housing & Local Government, Economic Planning Unit
Mongolia: Ministry of Nature and Environment, Central Statistical Board
Nepal: Ministry of Environment
Philippines: UNDP, Ministry of Human Settlements
Sri Lanka: Ministry of Local Government & Housing, Urban Development Authority, Building Research Institute, Sri Lanka Tea Board
Thailand: UNDP, Asian Institute of Technology, Land Transport Department, Ministry of Public Health, Department of Aviation
Vietnam: Ministry of Fisheries
ARAB STATES (9)
Abu Dhabi (UAE Ministry of Public Works & Housing
Algeria: Ministry of Planning Bahrain: Ministry of Housing
Dubai (UAE): Town Planning Department
Egypt: Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency
Jordan: Housing Corporation
Morocco: Office of Real Property, Ministry of Justice Oman: Ministry of Housing
Tunisia: Ministry of Housing, COGEDRAT
Yemen: Ministry of Municipalities & Housing
AMERICAS (10)
Canada: Multiple agencies of the Federal, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, & BC governments; various NGOs and private clients
Ecuador: Ministry of Environment
Guatemala: Ministry of Environment
Jamaica: Ministry of Finance & Planning
Mexico: Secretariat for Urban & Environmental Development (SEDUE)
Nicaragua: Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Housing & Human Settlements
Panama: Ministry of Planning & Economic Policy
Trinidad & Tobago: Ministry of Housing, Ministry of Finance & Planning
Uruguay: Intendencia de Maldonado
USA: Department of State
EUROPE (7)
Cyprus: Town Planning Authorities
Denmark: Danish Bilharzia Laboratory
Greece: Ktimatologio (Hellenic Cadastre Project)
Italy: UN System Staff College
Montenegro: Ministry of Planning, Building & Public Works
Turkey: Ministry of Works & Settlements
UK: Various private clients
The following is a list of selected publications by Tim Cartwright. Some of the books are available on Amazon and most of the journal articles are available through university libraries. A few items are available from the downloads section of the website.
Books
- 1994. Modeling the World in a Spreadsheet: an Introduction to Environmental Simulation. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
- 1989. The Management of Human Settlements in Developing Countries. London: Routledge.
- 1975. Royal Commissions and Departmental Committees in Britain: Adaptiveness and Participation in Government. London: Hodder & Stoughton.
- 1974. Les relations entre organismes: Facteurs stratégiques en planification urbaine. Montréal: Presses de l'Université de Montréal. With I. Gabbour.
Journal Articles
- 1993. “Geographic Information Systems: Appropriate Technology for Development”. In Onsrud and Masser, eds., Diffusion and Use of Geographic Information Technologies. Boston: Kluwer.
- 1993. “Blowing Smoke: Modelling the Dispersion of Air Pollution” and “Here Comes the Sun: Simulating the Production of Solar Energy”. In Richard Brail and Richard Klosterman (eds.), Spreadsheet Models for Urban and Regional Analysis. Rutgers University Press.
- 1991. “Experimental Systems Research: Towards a Laboratory for the General Theory”. Cybernetics and Systems: an International Journal. Vol. 22, No. 1 (March).
- 1991. “Information Systems for Urban Management in Developing Countries”. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems. Vol. 15, No. 1 (January).
- 1991. “Planning and Chaos Theory”, Journal of the American Planning Association. Vol. 57, No. 1 (Winter).
- 1990. "Local Order, Global Chaos: Another Special Case of the General Theory". In R. Trappl (ed.), Cybernetics and Systems Theory. Singapore: World Scientific.
- 1989. “Urban Management as a Process, not a Result”. Review of Urban and Regional Studies. Tokyo International University (July).
- 1988. “Using Microcomputers for Managing Land Information in Developing Countries”. Plan Canada (June).
- 1988. “UDMS: The Growth and Development of Microcomputer Software for Planning”. Habitat International, Vol. 12, No. 4. With M.R. Brown & H. Seaforth.
- 1987. “The Lost Art of Planning”. Long-Range Planning, Vol. 20, No. 2.
- 1987. “Information Systems for Planning in Developing Countries”. Habitat International (July).
- 1981. “Planning under Uncertainty: A Strategy for Long-Range, Large-Scale Planning.” Contact. Vol. 13, No. 2.
- 1979. "Systems Theory and Social Organisation: A Special Case of the General Theory". In R. Trappl and G. Pask (eds.) Progress in Cybernetics and Social Research. Washington: Hemisphere.
- 1979. “Planning the Education of Planners”. Contact. Vol. 11, No. 2.
- 1975. “Graph Theory and Managing Urban Change”. Socio-Economic Planning Science, IX (Summer). With I. Gabbour.
- 1973. “Problems, Solutions and Strategies: A Contribution to the Theory and Practice of Planning”. Journal of the American Institute of Planners, Vol. 39, No. 3 (May). Reprinted in several books; and selected by the American Institute of Planners (now the American Planning Association) as required reading for professional accreditation.
- 1973. "A Systems Evaluation of Education Management Strategies in Developing Countiries, with Special Reference to Education in India". In M. Cuenod and S. Kahne (eds.) Systems Approaches to Developing Countiries. Pittsburgh: ISA.
- 1972. “Public Involvement in Planning: the Delaware River Case”. In D. Sewell & I. Burton, eds. Perception and Attitudes in Resource Management. Ottawa: Information Canada. With M. Chevalier.
- 1970. “Modern Management Techniques and Urbanisation in Developing Nations”. Doc. No. ESA/PA/MMTS/6. New York: United Nations. With M. Chevalier.
- 1969. "The Multi-Use of the Multiversity". Architecture Canada. Nos. 7-8 (July-August).
Computer Applications
- 2005. DEVELOPMENT SCORECARD. Application of logical framework analysis (LFA), risk management, and the “balanced scorecard” approach to project monitoring and evaluation, using Microsoft Excel.
- 2003. Introduction to Project Budgeting. Computer-based training package for staff on how to make a project budget, based on Microsoft Producer.
- 2002. Making Aid Effective with Logical Framework Analysis. Computer-based training package on logical framework analysis, for deployment by intranet or CD-ROM; includes quizzes, exercises, and other resources.
- 2000. PROJECT ACTIVITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PAMS). Access database of project responsibilities and deadlines for managing a project portfolio through the project cycle, from identification through prequalification, short-listing, contracting, implementation, and closing; PAMS uses using relational tables, background filtering, and programming in VBA and SQL. For Carl Bro Management. With staff of DTI.
- 1999. PROJECT CONTROL AND MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (PCMS). A series of linked Excel workbooks and VBA programs designed to interface with a corporate database and provide analytical and management tools for project managers, including project monitoring, payroll, invoicing, and debtor management. For Carl Bro Management.
- 1997. SIMDEC: a fiscal-equilibrium, simulation model for decision support in relation to strategies for decentralization. For the Government of Mali, funded by the World Bank.
- 1988. FALCON MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEM (FMIS). Relational database management system, using dBaseIII+ and Clipper, for managing clients, schedules, invoices, and payroll in a small company. For Falcon Security Ltd., Nairobi (Kenya).
- 1988. NATIONAL RESIDENTS DATABASE. A relational database management system using dBaseIII+ for keeping track of the name, residence, place of work, biodata, passport, and medical information on all nationals resident in Kenya. For a European Embassy, Nairobi (Kenya).
- 1987. URBAN DATA MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (UDMS). Version (5.0) of a compiled program (in TurboBASIC) to manage, map, and analyse geographical data for urban planning and management, including data checking, thematic mapping, locational and statistical analysis. For UN Habitat, Nairobi (Kenya). With H. Seaforth & M. R. Brown.
- 1984. dbSCORE. A program to monitor, record, and calculate scores in a duplicate bridge tournament for 8-16 pairs, using the “Howell System” of inter-table movements. For the American Women's Bridge Association, Nairobi (Kenya).
- 1983. ENERFILE. A program to calculate community “energy profiles” based on supply and demand of various kinds of energy. For the Ontario Ministry of Energy, Toronto (Canada). With R. Lang & M. Schneider.