Illustrates how organizational culture can stifle effective problem solving and decision making. In the organization in question this had critical implications for quality, staff retention and organizational change. The myopic, non‐innovative generation of apparent solutions to major...

Reports the latest stage in a five‐year programme of research involving more than 1,000 large organizations. Describes the results obtained from research conducted on 17 groups containing managers from 140 organizations. Uses a new research technique and reports their expectations of the...

New research on the role of habits and rules in working practices could have a significant impact on the way management understands the routines subordinate individuals use and how effective change may be brought about. Whilst generally applicable, the benefits of understanding such routines,...

Increasing participation in public service issues is a central theme in New Labour’s “modernisation” programme. This concerns service delivery issues but also connects to a broader concern for “democratic renewal”. Underpinning this is New Labour’s continuation of the attempt to...

Public sector bureaucracies in Africa play important roles in the management of socio‐economic development and change. These tasks impose a number of imperatives on these institutions: they must be effective, efficient, transparent, and results‐oriented. In recent times, public bureaucracies...

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the current open innovation practices in the public sector of leading countries. Design/methodology/approach – Using a framework based on the role of the government in open innovation, this study analyses a profile of early open innovation...

Public concern regarding the United States′ competitive dilemma has forced both private‐and public‐sector organisations to critically re‐examine traditional accepted managerial techniques. This article presents a preliminary plan for implementing the managerial philosophy of Dr W....

Total quality management necessitates the co‐operation and enthusiasm of all employees. Implementation issues are examined, including inspection of the process, rather than the outputs; co‐operation; human resource; management; communication. The ideas of Dr W. Edwards Deming, US management...

In their search for optimum performance and cost‐efficiency many organizations have been critically examining the value of the seemingly ever increasing cost of, and dependence on, technology. In the course of examining possible alternative, and potentially more efficient, approaches to...

Technology offers great opportunities to firms. Successfully bringing the benefits of technology to market and realizing favourable returns requires a careful balance and management of a host of factors. The critical test of such efforts occur where and when technology “meets the market”,...