Institutional development (ID) can be an elusive concept when attempts to analyse it are made. The notion of sustainability is even more intangible, save for the fact that the results of any ID should be able to continue after the external or technical assistance is withdrawn. Attempts to define...

States that public administration reform has been a global phenomenon over the last two decades, but that its justification, impact and effectiveness are strongly contested. Reveals that evidence across developed countries varies, but in developing countries conclusions are more difficult to...

Argues that user involvement can provide the best basis for reforming the internal and external relationships of local government, supporting both the reinvigoration of public accountability and providing the only secure foundation for improvements in operational effectiveness. Considers and...

A number of internal and external pressures in UK local government have led to the examination of different options for internal organisation and management. A particular pressure has recently been the reorganisation of local government towards the creation of new unitary local councils. The...

Considers the development and delivery of purchasing strategy within a local government setting. It demonstrates that purchasing can contribute to the political objectives of local government and suggests that strategic alignment leads to a repositioning of purchasing. Consideration is given to...

The delivery of public services in developing countries is over‐centralised. One of the reasons for this is the presence of centralised decision‐making apparatus, which distances power from communities. The centralised decision making reduces accountability among public sector employees and...

Purpose – To present a perspective on partnership grounded in empirical management research. This paper is based on a keynote presentation by the author at a conference on partnership in Durham in 2004. Design/methodology/approach – It reflects on the particular challenges of realising...

During the 1990s the contract has become a key feature in the restructuring of the UK public sector. Currently available literature demonstrates an awareness that the implementation of contracting must entail new forms of management control and organizational structure which involve new patterns...