Forward Looking: Structural change and institutions in highest-income countries and globally

Abstract

Purpose

Structural economic shifts are a key sign of development in all stages globally; and these shifts may also result in the changing roles of institutions. The purpose of this paper is to quantitatively analyse trends that may be used for so-called forward looking and makes use of them to recommend strategies for reorganising institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The requirements and opportunities of environmental administrations in high-income countries are used as case studies to illustrate the overall context of institutional restructuring. Luxembourg, as a present-day centre of political and strategic power within the European Union and Austria, as a neutral country formerly situated between military blocks are shown to exhibit structural and strategic similarities.

Findings

Two types of quantitative assessments may support any type of institutional restructuring: first, analyses of mega-trends within the global techno-socio-economic evolution and second, options for specific action at the local site of previously industrial settlements that may be converted into centres of innovative service orientation.

Practical implications

On the occasion of the recent resettlement of the Luxembourg Environmental Administration at a new site in Esch-sur-Alzette – in an area of bolder modern urbanisation built on the foundations of the former local industrial use considered – this text deliberates options to propose strategically pioneering innovations on administrative levels.

Originality/value

The paper combines global analyses and local experiences in an action-oriented manner.

Citation

Ahamer, G. and Mayer, J. (2013), "Forward Looking: Structural change and institutions in highest-income countries and globally", Campus-Wide Information Systems, Vol. 30 No. 5, pp. 386-403. https://doi.org/10.1108/CWIS-08-2013-0034