Contents
October 1993
Illinois
Issues
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Vol. XIX No. 10
Established 1975
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October 1993/Illinois Issues/5
Published by Sangamon State University/ cosponsored by the University of Illinois
Readers:
One thing the advertising world has
taught us well is that perceptions are often
more important than reality. Create an
image, and that image might very well
overshadow whatever nuances or facts
ought to cast aspersions about the image.
Consider East St. Louis, a city that most
commonly conjures up images of crime,
drugs, deteriorating housing and
considerable poverty. East St. Louis is
indeed a troubled city, but that does not
mean it is absent of any redeeming social
value. Consider football coach Bob
Shannon, who has been so successful at
East St. Louis High School that his
leadership transcends what he accomplishes
on the football field. That is why we made
Coach Shannon our cover story this month.
Shannon, the subject of a new book by
Kevin Horrigan, is in great demand. So it
was no problem — it was a pleasant
diversion — for our Statehouse bureau
chief, Jennifer Halperin, to trek to East St.
Louis and interview Shannon literally on
his home turf. I believe you'll appreciate
her efforts and maybe end up with a more
enriched view of East St. Louis.
The theme of "reinventing government"
emerged in big headlines in September. The
Clinton administration used the phrase
vigorously September 7 in a massive report
that declares the government is broken and
needs to be fixed. Under Vice President
Gore's direction, the report addresses
hundreds of ways the federal government
could become more efficient, less expensive
and more responsive to its customers —
namely, us.
On the state level, few people may recall
that Gov. Edgar established a blue-ribbon
task force two years ago and asked it to
consider "radical change in the [state's]
personnel code." The governor asked the
Governor's Human Resources Advisory
Council to consider better ways to attract
and retain qualified workers and to
improve the image of government service.
You might say he asked for a reinvention of
the state's personnel code. A huge
assignment, indeed. The council wrapped
up its work in mid-September and sent a
report to the governor. We'll have more on
this in upcoming issues.
Meanwhile, efforts are already brewing
to introduce the principles of Total Quality
Management to state and local government.
An article in this issue describes the early
successes of TQM in the public sector in
Illinois.
October 1993/Illinois Issues/3