Strategic Resilience and Sustainability Planning

The book examines management strategies for developing and implementing strategic resilience and sustainability plans for sustainable and climate-resilient communities and organizations. It examines trends in resilience and sustainability planning, highlighting best practices and case studies. The book explores Quadruple Bottom Line strategies and methods to implement resilience and sustainability-related initiatives in organizations and communities. It also examines diverse perspectives on climate resilience, climate preparedness and readiness, greenhouse gas emission reductions policies, climate adaptation and mitigation, disaster preparedness and readiness, and sustainable energy policies and projects. Additionally, the book offers insights on strategic resilience and sustainability planning during a pandemic as well as private sector perspectives on strategic resilience and sustainability.

 

In chapter one,the author presents expanded definitions of strategic resilience and sustainability as well as mechanisms reshaping communities and organizations. Chapter two examines strategic planning processes for communities and organizations and lays out planning steps. Chapter three offers insights into community and organizational level engagement, looking at internal and external stakeholders, organizers, partners, collaborators, and implementers of distinct stages of strategic resilience and sustainability planning. Chapter four outlines measurements and tactics to track and improve strategic resilience and sustainability reporting mechanisms using the quadruple bottom line strategy. It offers a resilience progress report to ensure accountability, answerability, transparency, and good governance. Chapter five details the implementation of a strategic resilience and sustainability plan, describing programs and initiatives to achieve resilient and sustainablecommunities and organizations. Chapter six extensively examines the theoretical and practical intersection between climate change, resilience, and sustainability. Chapter seven reviews resources available for strategic resilience and sustainability plans to aid communities and organizations. Chapter eight assesses the current and future state of resilience and sustainability in communities and organizations, including concerns surrounding climate change, pandemics, disaster resilience, and emergency management and preparedness.

 

“As a primer, the strengths of Alibašić’s book include: 1) a comprehensive discussion of the history of sustainability and resilience planning; 2) definitions of key terms; and, 3) ideas for and examples of communities—“spotlights”—where these ideas have been implemented. Importantly, the approach Alibašić advocates for public administrators to implement and ensure sustainability and resilience also includes metrics for assessing progress along the way, further ensuring that the rhetoric will be translated into tangible achievements. In this way, Alibašić offers what might be called an “integrated approach” for planning: context, theory, application, assessment, and recommendations for future planning.
Alibašić’s book also provides those who teach public administration—especially those teaching courses in county/city/municipal governance—a helpful resource.” (Richard M. Jacobs, Ph.D., Professor of Public Administration, Department of Public Administration, Villanova University, Villanova, PA)

“Haris Alibašić has written a masterful primer for those interested in sustainability and resilience.  The concise and factual review of the roles local government portrayed in this book is a must-read for any elected and appointed official in counties, cities, townships, and villages.  From practical to theoretical, the author weaves through an important narrative on why cities and their leaders must engage in sustainability and resilience planning. For those who live and breathe city planning, this book offers a greater understanding of how we implement and measure the quality of life and sustainable improvements in our cities, preparing them for the worst and the best of times ahead.” (John Dailey, The City of Tallahassee, Mayor)

 

 

 

Dr. Haris Alibašić is an Associate Professor in the Public Administration program at the University of West Florida and the Public Administration Program Coordinator.  Dr. Alibašić brings 26 years of expertise and experience in the public sector, including working for the United Nations Mission and the Office of High Representative in Bosnia and Herzegovina and directing energy, sustainability, and legislative affairs for the second-largest city in Michigan. For over 16 years, Dr. Alibašić taught graduate and undergraduate courses in public policy, public administration, economic development, emergency preparedness, management, and sustainability at various universities in Michigan. As an associate professor at UWF, he teaches doctoral and graduate-level  online and in-class ethics, political economy, strategic management, leadership in sustainability, public budgeting and finance, capstone, and public administration courses. Dr. Alibašić holds a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration (BBA) in International Business and Marketing and a Master's degree in Public Administration (MPA) from Grand Valley State University (GVSU) in Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Alibašić earned a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from Walden University in Minneapolis, MN, where he was a recipient of the Doctoral Scholarship, Commitment to Social Change.

Dr. Alibašić has written, presented, and published extensively on the topics of ethics, sustainability, climate resilience, economic development, and sustainable energy. He is the author of the book Sustainability and Resilience Planning for Local Governments: The Quadruple Bottom Line Strategy, published in June of 2018 by Springer. Dr. Alibašić presented at numerous national, regional, and international conferences on sustainability, resilience, economic development, and ethics, including in Brazil, Costa Rica, Monte Negro, Italy, Austria, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Hehas been interviewed and quoted in local, national, and international media for his expertise and research in sustainability, resilience, and ethics. 

Dr. Alibašić is an elected member of the Executive Committee of the American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) – Section on Ethics and Integrity in Governance (SEIGOV), where he serves as the Director of the Charter, ByLaws, and Legal Affairs. In 2017 and 2018, Dr. Alibašić was appointed and served on the City of Pensacola Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Task Force and presented the Task Force's final recommendations to the City of Pensacola Council. In 2013, Dr. Alibašić advised the Resilient Communities of America on climate resilience and served as a co-chair for the energy sector of the White House Climate Preparedness and Resilience Task Force in 2014. Dr. Alibašić received the 2012 West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC) – The C.R. Evenson Award and the 2011 Grand Valley State University's Sustainability Champion Award.  In November of 2016, he won the prestigious Sustainable Hall of Fame Merit Award from West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum. In January 2017, he received an Emerging Scholar Award at Thirteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability and the On Sustainability Research Network, held in Rio, Brazil. He also received a 2017 Great Lakes-Saint Lawrence Cities Initiative (GLSLCI) Certificate of Appreciation and November 28th of 2016 State of Michigan Special Tribute. In 2018, Dr. Alibašić received the CEPS Outstanding Contribution in Research Award.