Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the implications of empowerment practices within the disability support service (DSS) sector in New Zealand. The DSS framework is designed as part of the public sector reform process to promote empowerment for people with disabilities so that...

The effectiveness of the reforms of the health sector in New Zealand will depend on the development of new accounting and information systems. The reforms have been rapid and significant. Increasing attention is being given to the development of costing and budgeting as a part of the reform...

Recent health reform in New Zealand has transformed public hospitals and related health services into Crown Health Enterprises (CHEs), which have a statutory objective to operate as successful and efficient businesses. Examines managerialist interpretations of a proposed executive information...

The purpose of this paper is twofold. The first part introduces a theoretical argument from Giddens to help explain the way in which accounting systems and systems of accountability have changed abruptly in New Zealand’s health care sector. The changes are proceeding, surrounded by controversy...

Purpose – Public sector organisations have to respond to calls for accountability from both funders and recipients of the services, as well as report on operations within constrained financial resources. Given the absence of profit motives and the difficulties of performance assessment in...

Purpose – The paper aims to outline benchmarking and performance monitoring practice developed by the New Zealand Health Information Service at a diagnosis‐related group (DRG) level. Design/methodology/approach – The indicators are calculated from the routine hospital discharge data in the...

Purpose – This paper seeks to describe the New Zealand Ministry of Health District Health Board (DHB) Mental Health Service Profile, which for the first time compares performance on a number of quality indicators for the populations of 21 DHBs. Design/methodology/approach – The background,...

Purpose – The aim of the study is to examine the feasibility of comparing hospitals internationally and to highlight some of the barriers. Design/methodology/approach – Comparative analysis of anonymised patient‐level data from hospitals in New Zealand and the UK. Findings – Comparisons...