Category: Our Thinking

To protect and preserve: The public value of conservation and preservation

Cube’s Public Value Compass describes key individual and community dimensions of public value outcomes. This blog is the fourth in a series that looks at each of these dimensions in detail. This month, we look at ‘growth and prosperity’. Environmental sustainability and protection of our natural and physical environments are hot topics and the subject of  much debate across Australia, particularly in the context of climate change and rapid population growth. People often have strong opinions about why we should or shouldn’t protect different parts of our natural and physical environments, making it a highly contested and often divisive issue. This

Live long and prosper! The importance of growth and prosperity

  Cube’s Public Value Compass describes key individual and community dimensions of public value outcomes. This blog is the third in a series that looks at each of these dimensions in detail. This month, we look at ‘growth and prosperity’. It’s hard to escape the fact that growth and prosperity dominates a significant part of national discourse. From the Global Financial Crisis to budget surpluses, from tax cuts to austerity measures, economic management, growth stimulation, and prosperous economies are ever-present themes for all governments. But what exactly is growth and prosperity, and why is it important as a public value outcome?

Now hear this. Or not. Do warnings during emergencies work?

Once upon a time when disaster struck, our emergency services responded. Over time, our expectations of emergency services and supporting agencies have broadened enormously. Now, we not only expect a swift and capable response but we want effective mitigation or prevention of disaster, personalised education and advice on how to prepare for various emergencies, and specific and sustained support to recover from the impact of an emergency. We also want to receive targeted and timely warnings if an emergency is going to affect us. During 2014, Cube had the privilege of supporting a National Review of Warnings and Information, overseen

Why equality and fairness matters

The Public Value Compass is Cube’s way of modeling the key individual and community outcomes of public value. This blog is the second in a monthly series that looks at and explores each of the outcomes in detail. Living in a fair and equal society You see a job advertised that you know you’re qualified for, and you’re confident that the process will be merit based. Your name, gender or race will have no bearing on whether you get the job, or even an interview. After all, everyone in Australia is treated fairly aren’t they? Aren’t fairness and equality the

Regulating for public value?

Posted by He who seeks to regulate everything by law is more likely to arouse vices than to reform them. It is best to grant what cannot be abolished, even though it be in itself harmful. – Early advocate of red-tape reduction, Benedict de Spinoza (1670) Regulating for public value? Regulators face some unique challenges in discharging their missions. Public value perspectives offer valuable insights into strategy and operations. Directly or indirectly, regulators impact the lives of millions of Australians. This reach and resonance is a major motivation behind Cube’s regulatory practice: supporting regulators’ effectiveness and efficiency allows us the

Beyond ‘social mission’: Why it’s important for community organisations to talk about public value

Language is principally a communication tool, but it’s also a marker of identity and difference. The ways that organisations and industry sectors talk about their objectives, goals and purpose can vary widely. Unique and native languages often frame ways of working, interacting and excluding. Think of the legal community and its adherence to ‘legalese’ – a language that baffles all but lawyers. It’s no surprise that government and the not-for-profit community sector have distinct and native languages. Although these may vary only slightly, a word or phrase here or there, this still impacts the extent to which organisations and their people

Funding submissions – Shop early and avoid the rush!

When Charlie Sutton, the legendary and only premiership coach of the Western Bulldogs, aka Footscray, implored his young team in the 1954 VFL Grand Final to “shop early and avoid the rush”, very few of his players realised he was talking about funding submissions or business cases. Charlie understood that to get a successful result you have to follow a proven process, but you also need to think laterally.  Irrespective of who you are, if you’re seeking additional funding you need to start early so you have enough time to develop a robust submission and engage all the right stakeholders.

Are we living in a safe and protected society?

Living in a safe society So you or your loved ones have decided to turn a new leaf to put exercise back on the agenda. But winter is coming, the days shorten, and a challenge emerges. Do you feel safe heading out for a walk or run in the morning darkness? This is a classic example of how community confidence in a safe and protected society has a direct impact on the way we live our lives. At Cube Group, community confidence is one of our four public value markers with safety and protection featuring on our Public Value Compass

Introducing the Public Value Compass

Posted by Not all of us like to digest information in frameworks and lifecycles, but it’s hard to deny they have a unique way of sticking in our minds and influencing our behaviours. In fact, many aspects of our lives have been cleverly captured in conceptual models. Hot day? Slip, slop, slap. Sprained your ankle? Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (RICE). Crossing the road? Look left, right and left again. In a business context, we look at strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT), and set SMART goals – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound. As concepts become more complex, so do

Public Value – Are you ‘getting’ it? Part 2

Posted by In my previous blog, I took a fresh look at public value organisations by exploring the dimensions of public value awareness and public value achievement. Four types of organisations emerged: worker bees, dreamers, drifters and entrepreneurs.  Where does your organisation sit? Below are some strategies to improve your position in the model. Worker Bees Worker bees make up a large proportion of public value organisations in Australia. They are technically capable and proficient, but inwardly focused. They need more intention in their approach to public value. 1. Start With Why Simon Sinek’s ‘Start With Why’ (2011) explores the psychology of