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Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the back office efficiency savings made by English councils during the 2004 Spending Review (SR04) period in order to consider the relationship between service delivery, audit and inspection and, efficiency programmes in local government. It considers three research questions: the use of secondary data, the relationship between efficiency savings and contextual factors, and the influence of audit and inspection in delivering efficient public services. Design/methodology/approach – Through statistical analysis the paper discusses the secondary analysis of publicly available sets of administrative data about local councils in England. These datasets are the annual efficiency statements (AES) taken from records made by each council. The paper discusses through the analysis of the AES the degree of efficiency savings and service improvements in English councils and whether efficiency savings are influenced by internal or external contextual factors. Findings – The paper illustrates that secondary data is a useful source of data, but finds that although councils have achieved the efficiency savings set there is no relationship with the contextual factors. The paper considers the influence of audit and inspection, suggesting that the focus has been on meeting the target rather than local needs. Originality/value – This paper aims to contribute to the debate regarding the use of performance indicators, audit and inspection and efficiency achievement within local government. The paper starts to explore the implication in the UK where, after a decade of use, the influence of these is reducing dramatically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to consider the extent to which recent changes in the UK's higher education sector are likely to increase the level of competition and change the behaviour of UK higher education institutions. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws on a conceptual framework developed to understand competitive conditions and behaviours in order to provide an analytical device to guide the narrative of the paper. The paper draws on a number of national and international sources. Findings - It is likely that competition between UK higher education institutions will intensify in the future especially in light of the introduction of student tuition fees and this will lead to further changes in behaviour. Originality/value - The paper offers an original approach and conceptual basis to make a contribution to a growing debate about the future of the UK higher education sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Aims to unpack the development and subsequent growth in the UK of so-called new localism concepts and policies post-1997. Design/methodology/approach - Highlights both the political rhetoric and the practical applications of such policies. In this context, introduces the articles in this special issue which focus on various dimensions of new localism-style policy, predominantly in the UK, but provide a series of arguments and illustrate a number of contradictions that are equally applicable in many Western countries. Findings - Tension exists between centralising focus and constructing prescribed policy at national state level, and decentralising power and responsibility to a more inclusive group of stakeholders in order to develop increasingly nuanced and locally specific sets of regeneration priorities and outcomes. Originality/value - The articles in this special issue illuminate a number of lessons for regeneration practitioners and managers, and for academics engaged in research and evaluation of public sector policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to offer a personal interpretation of the nature and impact of alternative narratives of public management reform evident in the UK since the 1980s. These reforms are examined through the prism of alternative bodies of public management scholarship. They are applied to the specific case of the health care sector as a concrete focus. Design/methodology/approach -- The study is a personal overview of various streams of policy reforms in the UK health care sector and associated public management scholarship. This is an interpretive essay. Findings -- The new of public management remains the dominant reform, narrative and highly embedded, even if dysfunctionally so. Network governance reforms have had some enduring influence. Digital era governance has so far had only weak influence. A reprofessionlisation counter narrative shows variable and oscillating influence. Originality/value -- The study contributes to a developing narrative-based stream in public management scholarship. It also provides a "big picture" assessment of reforming in the UK health care sector since the 1980s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to explain the global, historic context of public administration and the specific British context of teaching and research for public administration. Also, it asks the question, "is twenty-first century public administration still 'fit for purpose?'". Design/methodology/approach -- The paper is a personal reflection on the changes to public administration and management during the twentieth and early part of the twenty-first century, in particular how the UK Learned Society has responded to a number of global, policy and cultural changes. Findings -- The findings demonstrate how the UK Joint University Council (JUC), representing public administration, has responded to changes, in particular to recent forces impacting on HE and training providers. It includes the outcomes of a series of recent UK debates as JUC approaches its 100-year centenary in 2018. It concludes by showing that public administration research, teaching and scholarship are as necessary, if not more so, in 2018. In particular, issues such as accountability, legality, integrity and responsiveness, the overall ethical guidelines are vital for both public and private educational curricula. For either theory building or empirical descriptions, public administration research can still positively contribute to the wider economy. Research limitations/implications -- As a personal reflection, the findings are offered to add to a debate on the future of public administration scholarship in the UK, and much wider afield. Practical implications -- The contents should be of benefit to academics, policy and practitioners in the field of public administration and management. Social implications -- This study has wider societal implications, as all states are facing growing social problems and a need to seek novel ways of delivering public services. Originality/value -- Though the paper is a personal reflection, and may therefore be challenged, it is based on wider literature to support the claims being made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to explore the growth of social enterprise in the UK in the context of the renewed interest in the creative use of organisations with a social mission to complement public service delivery. Given the impact of globalisation and increased demands for effective social welfare interventions, this paper specifically focuses on the nature and type of social enterprise governance models and how they influence their outcomes. Design/methodology/approach -- The study utilises a mixed method approach involving the complementary use of quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. Findings -- The paper finds that the way in which the social enterprise governance structure is designed ultimately influences its outcomes. In particular, those with stewardship governance models tend to perform better than those with democratic models of governance. This leads to a conclusion that in the social context of the UK, social enterprise should aim for a paradigm shift in the design and selection of governance models. Research limitations/implications -- Comparative regional experiences in other regions or social contexts could enrich our understanding of whether these results are applicable across the board. Practical implications -- This paper is of potential benefit to researchers and particularly those designing policies for the governance of social enterprise. Originality/value -- The study employs innovative analytical theoretical lenses not normally associated with the social economy, namely agency, stewardship and resource dependency theories to provide a more in-depth analysis of the governance of contemporary social enterprise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This article aims to introduce the special issue which arose from a conference about urban regeneration in post industrial cities hosted at Bradford University in 2008. The event focused on the sustainable and intangible aspects of individual and community well-being. Design/methodology/approach - The article discusses the background to urban regeneration and introduces the papers in the issue. Findings - The papers investigate and understand how policies, programmes and projects can increase well-being in the built environment, and what this means for those involved. Specifically the papers address key features of well-being in terms of the economics of regeneration, participation, sustainability, social enterprise, migration, partnership, management, and the importance of place and space. Originality/value - The article focuses on the papers of the special issue that encourage pragmatic and workable solutions based on sound theory and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper aims to initiate debate about the tension between ideologies being played out in local government, as illustrated by the case of the empowerment agenda. Design/methodology/approach - The paper considers a range of evidence from: academic research; government documents; personal perspectives from the author's experience as an elected member in local government; and semi-structured interviews with a number of senior managers in local authorities in England. Findings - The paper suggests that the development of performance management frameworks for community engagement has been a means to shift the agenda away from democratic representation to a governance agenda around empowerment. This now includes giving a role to the voluntary sector both as the voice of the people and as providers of public services. It is argued that this illustrates a tension between ideologies at work behind the facade of performance management in local government. Research limitations/implications - The paper can only sample both the extensive range of government output on the community agenda and the academic work in this area over the last few years. Nor is it examining a finished product, as the government is setting up more agencies to develop the work further. The implications of this paper are that there is a need for future academic work to relate accountability and democracy locally to new public management and its connection to the global ideology of neoliberalism. Originality/value - Paralleling recent work in critical management studies, the paper links the consideration of local/national issues of democratic representation, community engagement and the role of the voluntary sector to the impact of the global ideological framework of neoliberalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Conventionally, participation in the informal economy has been explained by viewing citizens as rational economic actors participating when the pay-off is greater than the expected cost of being caught and punished, and thus tackled by raising the sanctions and risks of detection. Given that many citizens do not engage even when the benefits outweigh the costs, a new social actor approach has begun to emerge which explains the informal economy as arising when tax morality is low and seeks to foster commitment to compliance. The purpose of this paper is to provide an evidence-based evaluation of these competing policy approaches. Design/methodology/approach – To do so, the results are reported of 1,306 face-to-face interviews undertaken during 2013 in the UK. Findings – The finding is that raising the sanctions and risks of detection has no significant impact on the likelihood of participation in the informal sector. However, participation in the informal economy is significantly associated with tax morality. Indeed, the only time that increasing the sanctions and risks of detection reduces the level of participation in the informal economy is amongst citizens with very low tax morality. Practical implications – Rather than continue with the current rational economic actor approach of increasing the penalties and risks of detection, this case study of the UK reveals that a new policy approach is required that seeks to improve tax morality by introducing measures to reduce the acceptability of participating in the informal economy. Whether this is more widely applicable now needs to be tested, given the dominance throughout the world of this punitive rational economic actor approach. Originality/value – This paper provides evidence supporting a new social actor approach towards explaining and tackling participation in the informal economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore, through a case study, and using Pawson and Tilley's notion of context-mechanism-outcome configurations, how a sectoral innovation system (SIS) for health technologies has developed. Design/methodology/approach – The case study data were collected as part of a large study that looked at technology innovation and adoption in the UK's National Health Service and were collected using an interpretive case study methodology. Primary data came from interviews and secondary data from published sources, including articles authored by members of the innovation team. Findings – The paper identifies three specific configurations of context, mechanism and outcome that were important in the case and discusses how these contribute to a broader understanding of a healthcare services SIS. Research limitations/implications – Research conducted through a single case study is open to the criticism that its findings are not generalisable but it has offered an economical way of gaining a deep description of a situation and an understanding of the contextual factors affecting a phenomenon. The paper presents a refined model for understanding SISs that though primarily rooted within the healthcare care sector has potential for application in other sectors, especially those that encompass a significant public-sector component. Practical implications – The paper's findings and conclusions have relevance to healthcare service innovation policy development. The findings will also be useful to professionals responsible for innovation projects and their support within the sector. Originality/value – The paper makes an important contribution to the understanding of a SIS for healthcare services as well as refining a general model of SISs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to outline an exploratory study of how a multi-agency, partnership approach to crime prevention might enable the police more effectively to target their utilisation of resources in order both to reduce local levels of criminality and to improve public confidence. It is set against a backdrop of major police reforms that will require police commanders to demonstrate high levels of accountability in terms of resource and financial utilisation, and to show continuing improvement in levels of public confidence. Design/methodology/approach – A case study approach is adopted; it draws upon both primary and secondary data sources and is framed within a situational approach to crime prevention. Findings – There has been a drop in the levels of burglary in those areas where the home improvement initiative (Decent Homes Programme) has been carried out. The tenants consulted as part of the research reported that they felt safer in their homes as a result. Also, their general level of satisfaction with the police and other agencies has improved. Research limitations/implications – There has been an overall drop in levels of reported crime in terms of burglaries across the UK. It may be asked whether such improvement in Nottingham has been due to a genuine improvement in police performance or is as a consequence of the home improvements. The present paper is a single case study, with no opportunity for a comparative analysis across other police force areas. This limitation could be overcome by other researchers involved in similar Decent Homes Programmes in other cities in the UK. Practical implications – The research illustrates that multi-agency working may indeed help create an improvement in living conditions for residents. It also identifies the fact that, as a result of successful integrated multi-agency approaches to crime prevention, the police are able to save resources in terms of time spent investigating crime. Originality/value – This paper adds tangible evidence to theoretical discourse on the benefits of multi-agency work in the context of social housing [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose that a redevelopment of Bessant's continuous improvement (CI) model makes a useful contribution to the research and understanding of the development of performance improvement in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents a conceptual discussion that develops the case for a three stage CI model from an analysis of the literature and feedback from key management stakeholders across a range of public sector organisations. Findings – Although Bessant's five stage model presents a useful way of understanding how CI culture evolves, it is less useful as a framework for measuring the level of CI maturity as it does not provide indicators against each of the five stages of development. It is argued that a three stage model which contains a set of indicators for each level may be useful in the current public sector context where self-assessment is seen as central to driving organisational improvement. Research limitations/implications – The applicability of the revised conceptual framework of CI maturity has still to be tested to gauge its usefulness either as a self-assessment tool or a research tool to measure the level of CI. Practical implications – The paper presents a revised CI model that arguably provides managers and researchers with a more pragmatic framework that more clearly indicates how managers can progress CI to develop mature learning organisations. Originality/value – The revised model of CI provides a conceptual framework for future research and analysis relating to the development of CI maturity levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - How does women's labour market disconnection impact on health and well-being? The paper seeks to explain how economic isolation can cause low self esteem for women. Neighbourhood analysis provides the opportunity to explore some of the operational contradictions in public policy and how they are experienced in regeneration areas. Design/methodology/approach - Local dynamics of employment and health are examined in neighbourhoods in two UK cities. The research draws on focus group data involving local women as well as interviews with representatives of statutory and voluntary organisations. Examination of relevant statistical data supports the evidence base on women's well-being in these regeneration areas. Findings - By analysing labour market characteristics and local women's experiences, depression and low esteem in relation to low incomes, barriers to employment and discrimination emerge as particularly important aspects of well-being. The paper suggests that policy makers often fail to make the connections between women's marginalisation from the labour market and the causes of persistently high levels of poor health. Practical implications - Policy implications suggest that public agencies seeking to promote economic sustainability need to consider health issues along with other neighbourhood characteristics as part of a holistic approach to labour market activation. Originality/value - The originality lies in engagement with several areas of public management practice aimed at addressing poverty and improving community well-being. By exploring issues of economic inactivity, employability and ill health among women the findings help inform policies seeking to address problems of worklessness in local neighbourhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The paper aims to explore the relationship between commissioners of service and the third sector arising from research undertaken during a LinkAge Plus project by comparison to the eight principles of commissioning. It seeks to explore the issues concerning the development of services and the implications in an era of austerity for rapid changes to the implementation of policy nationally in the UK and internationally. Design/methodology/approach – The main methods employed are interview, document analysis and observation. This research re-evaluates research undertaken for a LinkAge Plus pilot evaluation. Findings – The framework provided by the eight principles of good commissioning appeared to rely on the premise that the contracts entered into are long-term in nature, however, where short-term contracts are entered into the principles appear somewhat unachievable. Research limitations/implications – The paper examines the findings arising from one LinkAge Plus pilot site only, however, the authors contend that the findings offer genuine insights into the relationship between commissioners of services and the third sector, owing to the number of projects undertaken for the scheme. Practical implications – The findings offer organisations and policy makers an insight into the issues faced by the third sector when dealing with large commissioners particularly with regards to the rapid change of service provision and short-term contracts. This has considerable relevance in the changing economic climate and the associated austerity measures being imposed. The paper also fulfils the need for greater empirical work required in the important area of third sector delivery of services. Originality/value – LinkAge Plus offered a unique opportunity to examine how a commissioner can use third sector organisations to develop services quickly and the associated issues that arise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to analyse enterprise policy in the United Kingdom (UK), in relation to decisions about policy, policy delivery, entrepreneurial practice and academic/consultative research. Design/methodology/approach – The paper offers and discusses a conceptual framework for analysis of the actors, decisions, and issues involved in enterprise policy-making and policy delivery alongside the interests of the businesses they seek to serve and the academics who provide research support – to shed new light on the UK Government's challenge in satisfying its stated remit. Findings – It considers whether an all-embracing enterprise strategy – with clear ownership and shared commitment – is a realistic alternative to the more piecemeal approach we have experienced in the past. The issues are grounded in key lessons from systems and strategy to assess their relevance to the debate. Originality/value – The change of government in the UK in 2010, the first change for 13 years, makes this debate apposite and the relevant issues discussed are an important challenge for the new coalition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine the practice of human resource management (HRM) in the UK voluntary sector. In recent years many voluntary sector organisations have experienced a changing context, where they have become increasingly involved in contracting for the provision of publicly funded services. This paper examines the suggestion made by a number of commentators that as a result the government has exercised influence over the way in which human resources are managed in this sector. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses data from the Workplace Employment Relations Survey 2004 (WERS 2004) to examine HRM practice in the voluntary sector and compares this with the public and private sectors. Findings – The findings show that most voluntary sector organisations have adopted performance-oriented HR practices, communication and involvement schemes, and welfare-oriented practices. This suggests a departure from the relatively unsophisticated HRM that has traditionally been found in the voluntary sector and which may be as a result of the influence of government on HRM standards in the sector. Research limitations/implications – Future research, which adopts a longitudinal approach, would allow the impact of government influence on HRM practices in the voluntary sector to be examined in more depth. Originality/value – This paper represents a rare examination of HRM practice across a wide range of voluntary sector organisations and provides insight into the potential influence of government on HRM in the sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to trace the origin and development of the increased use of the voluntary sector in the delivery of public services in the UK and to identify both the threats and opportunities that this policy poses. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses government documents to examine policies and models for change. This is located within a discussion of the literature around the developing role of the voluntary sector in public service provision against the backdrop of wider neo-liberal public sector reform. Findings – New Labour laid the basis for a major expansion in the use of the voluntary sector in public service provision as part of its public service reform programme. It did so with a range of sometimes contradictory justifications. The policy is now being extended by the new coalition government. Research limitations/implications – The process of change outlined in the paper is continuing, so it is not possible to make conclusive statements regarding its impact. Further research will be required to monitor the effects. Practical implications – Alerting the voluntary sector organisations to the potential problems of large-scale involvement in public service provision may assist them in retaining their independence and effectiveness. Originality/value – The paper contributes to a necessary (and overdue) assessment of the impact of the changed role of the voluntary sector in public service provision on the sector itself, the services provided and the surrounding framework of accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper seeks to examine how Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been affected by the global financial crisis (GFC). After briefly discussing PPPs and the GFC, the paper considers whether the latter has been a contributing factor in the declining number of projects reaching financial close. Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs document content analysis to compare the time between notification of a project in the Official Journal of the European Union and its financial close in order to assess whether this period has increased since the beginning of the GFC. Two case studies are also presented. Findings – Apart from a very small number of projects, the time between official project notification and financial close is lengthening, with the case studies providing some possible explanations for this. Originality/value – Whilst Burger et al. provide some general statistics on the impact of the GFC on PPPs in a number of countries, this paper examines over 600 PPPs in the UK and supplements this analysis with two case studies, in order to assess whether the GFC has led to delays in projects reaching financial close. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The paper is set in the context of the impact of new public management (NPM) on the police service in the UK. Specifically, it aims to describe a modelling based approach to targeted police performance improvement within a specific area of measured operational policing namely sanction detection levels. It draws upon nationally available crime statistics, which have been utilised in a novel way in order to provide the police with an additional performance management technique. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses secondary data and the PROMETHEE ranking technique to exposit performance rank improvement of a police force amongst their most similar forces group. Findings – The modelling approach is a proven tool that could be used in partnership with other police performance management techniques in their attempt to meet the public interest and Home Office demands for improvements in base sanction detection levels. Research limitations/implications – The paper presents a theoretical approach that seeks to address a complex and multifaceted operational issue affecting all police forces. The theoretical nature in itself presents a potentially idealistic scenario. Practical implications – The paper demonstrates that innovative modelling has the potential to add value to techniques that are currently used in the area of police performance improvement, in this case sanction detection levels. At the fundamental level this could be viewed in terms of "Where to start first, and from there?" with respect to targeting certain types of crime. Originality/value – This paper uses a modern ranking technique previously unused in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – As many states recognise the need to enter into new relationships with the third sector, strategic commissioning of services has moved up the political agenda. The establishment of the Office of the Third Sector in the UK Cabinet Office heralded a commitment to engage the "voice" and "choice" of third sector organizations in designing, delivering and measuring public service delivery. This paper seeks to report on the findings gathered from a series of workshops and other data collection on public sector commissioning of third sector service delivery, and to highlight some tensions and emerging issues in this policy field. Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data from workshops were supplemented with observations, interview data, existing research, and secondary data from a number of government agencies and third sector representative organizations. Findings – The findings from the workshops and other data collection methods will feed into future design and development of training programmes for public sector and third sector officers. They should also inform the policy debate and enhance understanding of some of the tensions and problems facing practitioners in this policy field. Originality/value – Little research exists on third sector or public sector commissioning, and this work will be of value to policy makers, practitioners and academics concerned with strategic commissioning. The paper augments existing theory on state and non-governmental relationships and the contribution of third sector agencies to public service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to review calls on the UK police service to respond to the dual challenge of increasing governmental/public demands for improvements in police efficiency and effectiveness in the likely context of decreasing real time increases in financial resources. Specifically it aims to highlight the reform of police organizational structures, a greater focus on performance management and people development initiatives as areas that have the potential to bring about significant benefits for future UK policing. Design/methodology/approach – Using the results of Government-sponsored research and other secondary data the approach is to explore the potential for implementation of new approaches to policing. Findings – There would appear to be a consensus between the Government and the police service of the need for reform. The mechanics of successful implementation, however, face institutional, cultural and financial obstacles. Research limitations/implications – The complexity of policing and its interaction with government and the public requires significant analysis. The success of future initiatives can only be judged through analysis following implementation. Practical implications – The paper identifies that there may be tangible areas of policing activity that could benefit from the implementation of new techniques such as the "lean" principles of management as a means of focusing on more cost effective ways of utilising future police resources. Originality/value – This paper draws together and contextualises specific areas of police practice that could benefit from new ways of working and posits improvements in efficiency for the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to identify key similarities and differences between the approach to employing public-private partnerships (PPPs) for provision of infrastructure in the UK and Australia. Design/methodology/approach - The paper provides a comparison of published studies together with semi-structured interviews with academics and state government representatives. Findings - There are a number of issues on which similar debates are taking place in both countries and which are summarised in the paper. Such issues include the use of the public sector comparators, the process of initiating PPPs, choice of discount rate and differences in costs of capital between conventional procurement and PPPs. There are, however, also significant differences in that there tends to be fewer social projects in Australia which has a strong emphasis on transportation projects. Importantly there is much more discretion about whether to use PPPs in Australia than in the UK. Research limitations/implications - There are considerably fewer schemes in Australia. Practical implications - The main practical implications are that both countries need to at least reconsider their policies in a number of areas, but particularly the issue of the higher cost of borrowing in PPPs. UK government should consider the advantages of the more flexible approach towards adopting PPPs shown in Australia. This should also mean that the evaluation process will be taken more seriously. Originality/value - There are a significant number of articles about PPPs in both the UK and Australia. The author has never come across a report of a comparative study. There are important insights that can be gained from such a comparative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to describe a recent experiment in research coproduction in an evaluation of service planning at a London Mental Health NHS Trust. The paper aims to consider whether members of the research team who have themselves been users of mental health services are able to contribute to the research process as "experts by experience", or if their experiential knowledge is "colonized" within the academic research team. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative, comparative case study approach was adopted, using structured observations and semi-structured interviews. Researchers' reflective accounts and a reflective focus group were employed to explore the process of coproduction. Findings - The paper concludes that, far from "colonising" expertise by experience, the experiment builds local capacity in research coproduction and usefully informs a service planning process that reflects the priorities and concerns of a range of stakeholders. Research limitations/implications - The paper describes a small, local experiment in research coproduction and so findings are limited in their scope. However, the study demonstrates an effective methodological approach to evaluating, empirically, the impact of coproduction on the health services research (HSR) process. Practical implications - The paper demonstrates the potential for repeated exercises in coproduction to build capacity in collaborative approaches to both HSR and service planning. Originality/value - The involvement of experts by experience is increasingly a policy requirement in the domains of both health service planning and HSR in the UK. There are very few empirical studies that evaluate the impact of that coproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to provide a picture of (local) e-government impact and development philosophy in China, New Zealand, Oman, and the UK. Design/methodology/approach - A survey instrument was used to collect data from policymakers in 114 civil service organisations in four countries during 2007. Findings - Policymakers in every country report only low-medium levels of agreement that their e-government initiatives had yielded significant benefits for organisations and citizens alike over a broad range of performance measures concerning service quality, citizen satisfaction, productivity, and management effectiveness. In interactions with stakeholders that are both directive and maintain control over citizens, policymakers also favour the provision of online services that offer ever increasing amounts of information, rather than collaborative service channels that engage citizens in local decision making. Research limitations/implications - Less than a 100-percent response rate gives an incomplete snapshot of the e-government scene in the four countries studied. Also, a lack of understanding of some key e-government issues plus cultural response bias may have led to erroneous/biased responses. Practical implications - In an era in which public sector organisations worldwide are under pressure to demonstrate success in service delivery and organisational performance, policymakers do not perceive online services as an opportunity to reduce the costs of physical infrastructure or to improve democracy via shared decision-making. Thus, further erosions of trust and participation in democracy may continue unless citizens are given similar choices in the democratic system to those they have in their everyday lives. Originality/value - The paper is undertaken at the local level of government and in a diverse range of countries where the political, social, economic, and cultural environments can differ markedly. It evaluates the significance of key e-government issues in Western, Arabic, and Eastern contexts, enabling international comparisons to be made across these cultural settings. Impacts of the e-government initiatives on organisations and citizens are presented and compared; and policymaker attitudes to new technology having the potential to enhance the democratic process are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — Reform, transformation and restructuring have become endemic in public services. This paper aims to examine the central "modernisation" and improvement themes of public service reform in Denmark and the UK. Design/methodology/approach — The paper is based on the authors' reflections on experience and analysis, drawing on the UK and Denmark as sites where there have been substantial efforts to undertake public services reform. It argues that there has been a weakening of the hierarchically organised state in favour of more differentiated governance regimes that cut across the public, private and voluntary sectors. However, the new dynamic image of public leadership and the apparently enlarged opportunities for managerial discretion seem to be counter-balanced by a strengthening of central interventions and controls. Findings — The paper identifies that managing the tensions and paradoxes of governance regimes has become a key element of the work of public service managers, and that this means that three sets of dynamics need to be worked with. First, the dynamics of self-creation means that authority is not solely formal but that self-constitution is necessary. Second, the dynamics of strategising means that managers cannot rely on a fixed legal or professional set of values but must be able to decode, challenge and develop varied sets of values and goals, working with varied rationales for action. Third, the dynamics of networking and negotiation mean that management and leadership positions are partly created through negotiated relations in a network-like governance structure. Practical implications — These dynamics mean that teaching and learning have to address new challenges if programmes for public service leaders and managers are to be enabling. Originality/value — The paper highlights the challenges facing public sector leaders and managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The paper aims to respond conceptually, rather then empirically, to policy ignorance. It seeks to examine certain aspects of whistleblower protection offered in the common law countries of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. Design/methodology/approach - The paper provides a four-country comparison of whistleblower protection laws against 13 characteristics gleaned from the international literature on whistleblower legislation. This analysis is informed by considerations of the common law and corruption and critical state theory. Findings - The conclusion reached is that the whistleblower laws established in the common law countries of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK variously contain serious structural deficiencies, particularly with respect to the scope of protection and the construction of corruption. The concern is that whistleblowers seeking protection under these inadequate programs will be hurt and there will be negligible impact on the profile of corruption. Research limitations/implications - The major weakness in the analysis was the subjective and arbitrary way the disclosure management characteristics were selected to assess the disclosure laws of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the UK. Future research should seek more objective indictors of performance as well as a consideration of exterior indicators such as the impact of disclosure policies on corruption. Practical implications - If the findings here are validated in subsequent research, then governments should urgently review their current whistleblower policies in order to improve disclosure protection. Originality/value - A conceptual framework informed by considerations of corruption, the common law and critical state theory was used to put whistleblower protection in a wider context where state interest competed with the needs of whistleblowers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper aims to consider whether there is significant divergence between the Welsh and English approaches to partnership working. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis reported stems from a research project, commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government in 2002, which examined the extent and effectiveness of three-sector partnerships. The findings from the Welsh study are contrasted with the findings of a number of studies of the modernisation agenda in English local government. Findings – First there are increasing numbers of partnership programmes which are born and bred in Wales. Second, Wales has unitary local government and so it does not have the complexity of two-tier structures which frustrate partnership working in the English shires. Third the Welsh polity is a small one with short and close vertical linkages between national and local actors. Fourth, the engagement with the private and voluntary sectors as political stakeholders is a higher political priority in Wales than the involvement of these sectors in service delivery. These differences mean that partnership has a rather different emphasis in Wales. Research limitations/implications – Although focused on Wales, the article raises greater questions about the purposes of partnership working. More work is needed, however, on the measurement of partnership performance. Practical implications – The paper raises questions both about the rationale of partnership governance and about the institutional factors likely to influence success. Originality/value – The paper contributes to the new research area of comparative patterns of UK governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a short research project, conducted in 2010 as part of a larger EU funded action investigating the participation and impact of doctors in management. The authors sought to compare the ways in which hospital doctors in the UK and Poland – countries with distinct histories – participate in management; whether they are converging and whether the type of participation found results from changes in the governance and management of these systems. Design/methodology/approach – First, a review of existing evidence and an analysis of policy documents and healthcare statistics were conducted. Identifying a lack of empirical data in the Polish context, and a potentially changing situation in the UK, the authors proceeded to collect some exploratory data in Poland, via interviews with expert informants, and to draw on data collected alongside this study in the UK from qualified doctors participating in research on management and leadership development. Findings – Hospital doctors currently hold similar types of management role in both systems, but there are signs that change is underway. In Poland, different types of medical manager and role are now emerging, whereas in the UK younger doctors appear to be expecting greater management responsibility in the future, and are starting to take up the management training now on offer. Research limitations/implications – The potential implications of these changes for the profession and policymakers in both Poland and the UK are discussed, with opportunities for further research highlighted. Originality/value – The paper provides a comparison of how medical engagement within two systems with different histories is occurring, and also of the changes underway. It provides some much needed initial insight via interviews with expert informants within the polish system, which has been under-researched in relation to the involvement of medicine in management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The primary aim of the research presented in this paper is to address the gap in the literature with regard to the factors that affect the uptake and application of e-procurement within the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – This analysis was achieved through five in-depth case studies – based upon extensive interviews, observation and documentation reviews - conducted within central and local government organisations. Findings – The study shows that despite being very different in terms of their form and function, each of the five case study organisations had achieved similar levels of progress in terms of their adoption of e-procurement technologies. In short every organisation had already adopted BACS, all five were also actively planning to implement: e-tendering; e-award; e-contract and e-catalogue systems, but none had any intention of adopting e-marketplaces or e-auctions. Research limitation/implications – The results of this study will help individual organisations to better understand their current situations and the barriers that will need to be overcome before they can significantly expand their adoption of e-procurement technologies. Originality/value – In addition to presenting one of the first detailed studies of the adoption of e-procurement technologies, this study also breaks new ground through its use of the lens of "Institutional theory" to help interpret the findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Recent UK policies emphasise increased community participation in decision-making. However, research points to an "implementation gap" whereby policy has not led to genuine community empowerment in practice. This paper aims to investigate community empowerment and influence over service providers brought about by the Communities First programme in Wales, a regeneration programme which aims to empower local communities. Design/methodology/approach - The research analyses nine Communities First partnerships with a mixture of interviews, focus groups and community-led partnership reviews. The case studies reflect the rural/urban geography of Wales and the varied governance models evident in Communities First. Findings - Through Communities First, residents feel empowered to manage positive change in their communities. However, key public agencies have not responded adequately to this policy agenda. Notably, there has been a failure to "bend" mainstream services. Research limitations/implications - The findings point to future research with public sector agencies to identify the exact points at which community "voice" is lost and how it could be better assimilated into policy development and service delivery mechanisms. Practical implications - Community empowerment requires adequate training for development staff and support mechanisms for community participants. Roles of public sector organisations attending community partnerships need to be clearly defined. At an organisational level, incentives, including funding, and sanctions are needed in order to change ways of working. Originality/value - Communities and public agencies face challenges in delivering the empowerment agenda. The research identifies key issues in achieving empowerment objectives by examining the eight-year experience of the Communities First programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate to what extent urban regeneration programmes were targeted at the most deprived geographical areas and populations within the boundaries of nine local authorities (LAs) in the North West of England. Design/methodology/approach - For each of the nine LAs, area-level and individual survey data were used in estimating the proportions of the more deprived neighbourhoods and individuals included in (or excluded from) regeneration target populations after 1995. Findings - The area-level approach found that, in general, the more deprived neighbourhoods within local authority districts had been included in a main regeneration programme target area. However there was evidence of inconsistent coverage between LA areas, as well as some cases of very deprived local areas having no involvement at all in major regeneration programmes since 1995. Additional analysis of available survey data found that substantial numbers of residents with one or more individual indicators of deprivation (not in full-time employment, not owning home, in difficult financial situation) had not been included in a regeneration target population. Research limitations/implications - The basic nature of the measures of regeneration and deprivation used in the study reflect its status as the first stage of a wider project investigating the association between regeneration activity, social exclusion and health. Practical implications - The findings of the study highlight the requirement for evaluators of a regeneration programme to consider how successful the intervention has been in targeting those residents for whom it was initially designed. This should precede any measurement of the programme outputs and their impact upon the "well-being" of the targeted community. Originality/value - The study is original in its use of both aggregated and individual level data in its consideration of how regeneration targets "need". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The paper aims to examine the promotion of intra-organisational collaboration within a university setting. Design/methodology/approach – An ethnographic approach influenced by a phenomenographic framework of analysis was used. Findings – Content analysis of qualitative data resulted in 11 overlapping themes being identified in respect of collaboration. Final analysis led to the identification of four hierarchically inclusive degrees of collaboration. Research limitations/implications – The research, whilst based within one UK university, raises important conceptual as well as practical questions. Practical implications – The implications of this paper have relevance for the ways in which universities and other agencies promote intra- as well as inter-departmental (or agency) working. Originality/value – By using the framework developed it is possible to see parallels across different professional and agency settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Supreme audit institutions (SAIs) have become increasingly active in recent years in carrying out "performance audits" of various public bodies. But how does SAIs report on their own performance? The purpose of this paper is to report on a study (commissioned by the UK National Audit Office (NAO)) of how SAIs report on their own performance and explores a possible conceptual framework - a synthesis of work on "performance regimes", "public value" and "competing values" approaches - which might provide a basis for enhancing such reporting. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based first on a review of self-reporting of performance by SAIs in Australia, Canada, the USA, New Zealand and with a specific focus in more detail on the UK's NAO. In Section I, it explores existing self-reporting practices of a number of SAIs based on their published reports. Section II of this paper is more conceptual. Drawing on notions of "performance regimes", "public value" and "competing values", it seeks to reconceptualise how SAIs in general, and the NAO specifically, might usefully report on their performance for multiple external audiences. Findings - The conclusions drawn from the first part of the paper include that multiple measures of SAI performance have evolved, including impacts on governments; financial savings; impact on parliament; media impact, etc. The second part concludes tentatively that a synthesis of "public value" and "competing values" might provide a conceptual framework for making more sense of such multiple reporting. Practical implications - The immediate practical value of this paper should be for SAIs in providing a possible framework for analysing and developing their own performance reporting policies to address multiple dimensions of achievement and meet the needs of multiple stake holders. More widely, this framework can be applied to other public agencies. Originality/value - There are few, if any, current studies of comparative SAI self-reporting of performance, so this paper makes a substantial contribution in this area. The conceptual framework developed in the second half of the paper is also unique in synthesising two important streams of thinking about "public value" and "competing values" which has far wider applicability than the study of SAIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The objective of this paper is to explore the progress of current reforms to government in the English regions through administrative decentralisation aimed at delivering economic growth and greater accountability. Design/methodology/approach - In addition to government documents the paper is informed by the views of a range of public and non-governmental bodies on key aspects of the reforms, including the preparation of integrated regional strategies, accountability arrangements and institutional capacity. Findings - While holding out the prospect of a more effective approach to regional policy making and delivery, implementation of the reforms carries risks for the delivery of key government policies. There is little evidence that they will assist in reversing disparities in economic growth rates between the English regions or tackle England's ingrained tradition of centralisation. There are also concerns that the prominence given to economic considerations is incompatible with delivering sustainable development. Practical implications - Greater attention needs to be given to the coordination of national policies with a regional dimension and to the sub-national institutional capacity required to both prepare and deliver integrated regional strategies. Originality/value - Drawing on empirical evidence this paper offers insights into the administrative and policy tensions associated with ongoing reforms to sub-national government in England. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to ask how the UK Government can currently hold such incommensurable positions, explicitly and implicitly, in respect of spatial development priorities within England, and suggest a research agenda that might produce a better understanding of such contradictions. Design/methodology/approach - The paper contrasts evidence on the changing spatial economic geography of the UK with data on recent trends in identifiable regional public expenditure. Current spatial development policy is analysed in detail and contrasted with a range of implicit development decisions made by central government in recent years. The paper considers the adequacy of the literature on metropolitan dominance within UK political and economic life in explaining the discrepancies between what government says and does in terms of spatial development. Findings - Significant discrepancies are found between formal spatial development aspirations as expressed in the Public Service Agreement on Regional Economic Performance and the outcomes of actual spatial development decisions, which are likely to widen rather than reduce the gap between regional growth rates. An important part of the explanation for this divergence is the metropolitan dominance of London but further work is needed on how this might better be conceptualised and measured. Practical implications - A number of key lines of enquiry for further research on the future of UK metropolitanism and the sustainability of current policy choices are outlined. Originality/value - This paper makes an original contribution to detailing the disjuncture between formal and implicit spatial development priorities, which will be of value to academics and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the issues around the considerable increase in emergency calls experienced by a large county ambulance trust and implications for the implementation of government policy in relation to the English National Health Service Ambulance Service. Design/methodology/approach - The paper involves a literature review and the analysis of the ambulance service data based on emergency call outs, and discussions with senior ambulance and health authority personnel. Findings - Increased calls were mainly explained by a large increase in cancellations, especially after the vehicle had arrived at the scene. The term "cancellation" is potentially misleading and may carry connotations of wasted resources. There was little evidence of inappropriate calls and no single cause of cancellations or any simple solution. Instead, a wide range of actions were included, many of which seem potentially worthwhile. However, the way the data are presented disguises their diversity and potential value. This reflects the tension between policy and practice, and organisational culture and performance measurement regime. Research limitations/implications - This is a single-case study and is limited by the parameters of the data base gathered by the ambulance service as part of their normal operational procedures. Practical implications - This paper gives support to the enhanced role of the ambulance paramedic and the need to recognise this changing role through a more appropriate approach to performance measurement. The present emphasis on response times and transportations to hospital may result in undervaluing activities at the scene. Originality/value - The paper identifies a key area where research into policy and governance issues has been limited and presents recommendations for future analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to argue that managerialism, as applied to the public sector, contributes to a gendered organisational culture that disadvantages female career progression. Design/methodology/approach - The research was qualitative in approach and involved face-to-face interviews with male and female, clinical and non-clinical managers (n = 31) in Scotland's health service. Findings - The main finding is that public sector managerialism, and consequent transactional and stereotypical masculine styles of management, inhibits female career progression. Practical implications - Managerialism as currently applied in the public sector creates certain inefficiencies by limiting the potential of women, which has implications for female career progression in the public sector, succession management and the sustainability of services. Originality/value - The paper adds to a growing body of evidence that stereotypical masculine styles of management create an organisational culture that affects female career progression. Furthermore, the paper will be of value in understanding the factors that impact on female career progression within the public sector, which is of importance given that the majority of public sector employees in the UK, particularly in the health sector, are female. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to further understanding of citizens' attitudes towards electronic government (e-government) and e-governance. Design/methodology/approach - A quantitative study was conducted of 3,000 citizens of a relatively prosperous town in South-East England. A 10 per cent response rate provided 302 completed questionnaires; 216 users of e-government portals and 86 non-users. Findings - Findings indicate that whilst interest in e-government is generally low overall, users appreciate personalisation, user-friendliness and the ability to communicate. Users and non-users perceive moderate value in e-government for knowledge acquisition and communication, but little as a vehicle of democratic engagement. Those using e-government frequently are more positive than other groups. Research limitations/implications - The relatively low-response rate (though not unusual for quantitative methods) suggests a general lack of interest; however users of e-government are appreciative of a few, key benefits. In relation to enhancing participation, the findings suggest that Government ambitions far outstrip those of its citizens. To improve usage, the authors propose that non-users need to be tempted online in a secure environment, that users should be provided with personalised pages in line with their expectations, that elected members should be encouraged to view with web as a means of reaching out to voters and that citizens should be educated in exploiting the potentially valuable online tools to enhance participation. The study is limited by the exclusive use of quantitative methods; the outcomes suggest that further, qualitative, research could be valuable in exploring user needs, motivations, competence, and level of political engagement Originality/value - The paper adds insight into citizens' attitudes towards e-government and e-governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — This paper is the sequel to the authors' earlier paper in this journal and aims to present the "future research" outlined in that paper. Design/methodology/approach — The approaches being employed by Welsh local authorities in commissioning home care from the independent sector are surveyed to see how a mixed economy of care is being implemented. The observed differences are analysed to see what can be learnt: for the benefit of public sector managers concerned with the development of commissioning practices. Semi-structured interviews have been performed with home care managers and commissioning officers in 13 (60 per cent) of the local, unitary authorities in Wales. Managers at independent home care providers have been interviewed also. The study has been ongoing since September 2004. For comparison, Barnet in England has been included because, unlike any Welsh authority, it has implemented 100 per cent outsourcing of home care. Croydon has been included as it has a good practice brokerage that has helped it to expand its provision from the independent sector. Findings — Great diversity is seen in the approaches adopted by the Welsh local authorities when commissioning home care from the independent sector. They differ in the proportion of home care that is commissioned from the independent sector, what is commissioned, the number of independent providers and the contractual arrangements. These features are used to develop a taxonomy of home care strategies that reveals high levels of diversity. It is seen that in Wales there has been less political drive and compulsion to outsource home care than in England, but the natural desire to reduce costs in the face of a growing need for home care is now driving outsourcing in Wales. Practical implications — This paper provides guidance to public sector managers in local authorities seeking best practice in the commissioning of home care from the independent sector. Originality/value — The existing literature contains little research into good practice in the commissioning of home care by local authorities from the independent sector. This paper is a timely contribution to addressing this shortfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The management of human resources is of crucial importance in enabling the delivery of efficient and effective services. The purpose of this paper is to explore one issue relevant to Human Resource Management, that is, the management of hospital doctors in the NHS. The present-day UK National Health Service faces countless challenges at both the macro and operational level. Design/methodology/approach — The paper examines the implications for the NHS in general, and the medical profession in particular, of the continued dominance of the medical profession over the career management of hospital doctors. Findings — The paper argues that FIRM must play a pivotal role in the management of clinicians to ensure the effective and efficient delivery of NHS reforms. The challenges to FIRM and the medical profession that are inherent in this process are outlined. Research implications/limitations — It is argued that the potential long-term gains to be derived from the development of closer working relationships between human resource managers and medical managers are crucial for the delivery of an effective health service. Originality/value — A new and innovative way of looking at the management of doctors and their careers within a changing NHS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to review the implementation of a service improvement in the UK National Health Service, relevant to the National Programme for IT in the N}IS. Design/methodology/approach — Case study and semi-structured interviews, relating users' interaction with information systems to other aspects of a service improvement programme. Findings — Information technology is a major plank of public sector service reform in general. Its impact will rely on the completeness of cultural reform and the transformation of a reactive information audience into one more proactive in seeking and making opportunities for beneficial change. Research limitations/implications — The research reported was conducted in a single setting, preliminary to an action research project The project's aim will be to engage NHS users in a critical appreciation of their information needs, and to contribute this appreciation to the evaluation and refinement of the National Programme for IT and its products. The advantage of a situated study stems from concrete perspective and the capture of detail. These elements are readily understood by the reader, who can then assess the level of relevance to his own situation. Practical implications — The intervention of a major information project ought to be synchronised in the host community with organisational development and the critical review of information needs. Originality/value — Inasmuch as the NHS can be said to epitomise the social complexity of other major public sector organisations, the paper will interest readers from outside and inside the NHS. The contribution of a recipient perspective will counterbalance the tendency to "technology push" detectable in the National Programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to establish empirically whether there is any foundation in the premise that female officers' lesser tenure and/or lower levels of commitment than men explain their lack of career progress. Although the number of women in UK police forces has grown rapidly, it appears that they continue to be under-represented in senior ranks. Design/methodology/approach — Using whole population surveys of two county police forces in the UK the paper compares the promotion of men and women police officers controlling for tenure. The paper then compares the organisational commitment of male and female officers and analyses whether female officers experience managerial and organisational influences that undermine their organisational commitment compared to men. Findings — The findings refute some of the widespread beliefs about reasons for female officers' lack of progress in their policing careers since the analysis indicates that gender differences in length of tenure and organisational commitment can be discounted as possible explanations for lack of advancement in these two police forces. Overall, the results clearly show that female officers are just as committed as male officers and thus cannot be justified as a reason for lack of career progression. Research limitations/implications — It is accepted that survey methods such as ours do not capture the entirety of employee feelings and responses since they tend to homogenise male and female working experiences. However, survey methods do have the advantage that it is possible to generalise from the results and thus these two studies allow us to suggest that our findings can be viewed as providing insights to other UK police forces. Practical implications — The relatively low levels of organisational commitment found should be a cause for concern for senior managers in the Police. The key importance that management has in influencing organisational commitment has been shown by our findings and this indicates the importance of the current Police Leadership Development Board's agenda to improve workforce management skills to encourage transformational leadership styles. Originality/value — The paper make an original contribution by refuting widely held assumptions about the reasons for under-representation of female officers in senior ranks. It also contributes to the sparse literature that examines organisational commitment in the police and its antecedents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to investigate value for money drivers in public private partnership (PPP) schemes. Design/methodology/approach — Three case studies of PPP construction projects in the UK were undertaken. Findings — PPP contracts commonly require the private agent to take responsibilities for the performance of the asset over a long term, at least for a significant part of its useful life, so that efficiencies arising from long term asset management can be obtained. The evidence is finely balanced on the usefulness of such initiatives in realizing efficiency gains, although there is clear benefit of risk transfer. Practical implications — The findings highlight the challenge of designing and implementing innovative partnership plans to manage public services more effectively. More emphasis needs to be placed on strategies for the transfer of risk, value for money drivers and project expertise for the successful conclusions of PPP contracts. Originality/value — The paper contributes to the new research area of public private partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to present a conceptual and empirical analysis of the rationale and enactment of consumer discourses in reformed British welfare administration, through a focus on consumption and the service interaction. The paper aims to explore how administrators use these discourses to manage consumption in particular ways in order to promote individual enterprise and employability, and analyse the pivotal role of front-line workers in these efforts. Design/methodology/approach - The paper draws from range of data sources collected in a case study of Jobcentre Plus, including analysis of public and internal documents, observation of six public offices and interviews with 13 front-line staff. Findings - Images of customer sovereignty are used alongside heightened control to try to shape claimants' motivation and capacity for work. Front-line staff, mainly endorse reformed structures, but their view of claimants is complex, departing from the images fostered by administrators. Research limitations/implications - The paper highlights the importance of context-specific understanding of deployment of consumer discourses in public sector, but interview data are exploratory and further research is needed. Practical implications - The paper highlights complexities inherent in customer orientation in welfare administration and the pivotal role of front-line in reforms. Originality/value - The paper provides a distinctive approach to analysis of customer concept in public sector reform, through focus on consumption and the service interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – To review the current debates on partnership working and to examine whether a ‘fitness for purpose’ test is an appropriate way of evaluating existing developments. Design/methodology/approach – The paper examines the conceptual frameworks within which the partnership discourse has been located, and reflects on whether this enables both practitioners and academics to make sense of the partnership literature and arrangements. Findings – The paper argues that existing frameworks are limited and suggests that alternative models need to be considered. Practical implications – The paper invites the practitioner/academic community to reassess existing models in the light of experience and analysis. Originality/value – The paper provides an alternative framework within which to situate partnership development and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – Seeks to review policy and practice in the English National Health Service (NHS) to show the extent to which medically framed notions of cure act in opposition to attempts to enforce a duty of partnership in the delivery of health and social care. Design/methodology/approach – A review of national policy and the relevant academic literature, spanning two decades, was used to examine the development of inter-organisational relations at the boundaries of health and social care in England. Findings – The paper finds that, despite an espoused willingness on the part of national and local stakeholders to remove long-established disciplinary and organisational partitions between sectors, the failure to secure a shift from medically to socially constructed notions of health continues to impede more integrated care. Furthermore, policies emphasising patient through-put, speed of treatment, episodic intervention and the primacy of hospitals are shown to encourage and empower health professionals to withdraw from cross-boundary working in line with the isolating tendencies of bio-medically framed notions of cure. Originality/value – The paper draws together evidence from policy, research and theoretical literature to identify the underlying causes of collaborative failure, highlighting the manner in which associated processes of public service reform can serve to reinforce long-established institutional barriers to inter-organisational working, both now and in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The new public management (NPM) agenda is transforming the public sector in many countries. However, there have been criticisms of NPM, particularly over its emphasis on quantification, results orientation and the measurement of performance to the possible detriment of service delivery. The purpose of this paper is to examine an important public service — the fire service — in differing contexts: the ‘mature’ NPM setting of the UK, and a ‘late adopter’ of NPM — Portugal. Design/methodology/approach — This study is conducted by a combined methods approach. The principal focus of this study is on publicly available databases of performance indicators. The data are supported by additional material from operational officers in fire services, and from oversight bodies, obtained by interviews and by survey in Portugal. Findings — This comparative study reaffirms the potential for NPM solutions to public service management. In particular, there is a case for carefully targeted key performance indicators in Portuguese fire services. Originality/value — This paper makes an original contribution to ideas of NPM in action by focussing on performance measurement in different contexts. The comparative aspect of this paper is crucial as a means of assessing the portability of NPM ideas in different national settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to explore the issues involved in developing and applying performance management approaches within a large UK public sector department using a multiple stakeholder perspective and an accompanying theoretical framework. Design/methodology/approach - An initial short questionnaire was used to determine perceptions about the implementation and effectiveness of the new performance management system across the organisation. In total, 700 questionnaires were distributed. Running concurrently with an ethnographic approach, and informed by the questionnaire responses, was a series of semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Findings - Staff at all levels had an understanding of the new system and perceived it as being beneficial. However, there were concerns that the approach was not continuously managed throughout the year and was in danger of becoming an annual event, rather than an ongoing process. Furthermore, the change process seemed to have advanced without corresponding changes to appraisal and reward and recognition systems. Thus, the business objectives were not aligned with motivating factors within the organisation. Research limitations/implications - Additional research to test the validity and usefulness of the theoretical model, as discussed in this paper, would be beneficial. Practical implications - The strategic integration of the stakeholder performance measures and scorecards was found to be essential to producing an overall stakeholder-driven strategy within the case study organisation. Originality/value - This paper discusses in detail the approach adopted and the progress made by one large UK public sector organisation, as it attempts to develop better relationships with all of its stakeholders and hence improve its performance. This paper provides a concerted attempt to link theory with practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper is centred through an examination of a short piece of recorded talk between managers and shop stewards within a UK National Health Service (NHS) Trust, relating to the manner in which one of the shop stewards attempted to get the managers to accede to a request he made for changes to the wording of a section of the Trust's disciplinary procedure. In examining this piece of talk, the paper first contextualises the Trust through the decentralisation process of the early 1990s. The decentralisation process clearly did not introduce formal negotiation into NHS units, but instead increased the scope of formal negotiation encounters. The paper argues that there was an increased importance for persuasion as the need to gain others' assent on industrial relations matters at the local level was significantly increased. The paper analyses the dynamics of one particular negotiating encounter between two managers and two shop stewards. In analysing this, the paper focuses through rhetoric. In coming through a rhetorical framework, the paper highlights the need for managers, when negotiating, to be alert to the implied elements of the arguments of those across the negotiating table. Concludes by also understanding the rhetoric of the encounter in the light of the marketisation of the NHS during the 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many countries state ownership of public utilities is being abandoned in favour of private ownership with state regulation. To prevent monopoly abuse, regulatory structures are being created for the telecommunications, gas, electricity and water and sewerage sectors. From 1984 the UK privatised its major utilities and introduced a form of regulation that is proving to be a model for other countries. This paper looks at the performance of UK privatised utilities and the role of regulation in imp roving performance. It also considers the important subject of regulatory governance. The paper concludes that regulatory governance depends on the institutional context of regulation and that one country's regulatory system cannot be successfully transf erred to another country with a very different set of institutional constraints without appropriate adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]