Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a model using resource‐based‐view theories of competitive advantage for application to the private sector as a basis for understanding managers' perceptions of high performance in a local authority. The model is evaluated as a substantive...

Purpose – The aim of this study is to generate insights into whether market orientation – as defined by Kohli and Jaworski – is being practiced in the Ghanaian public sector. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a case‐study of a local government, the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (the...

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...

Purpose – This paper aims to examine the use of the balanced scorecard (BSC) as a performance management tool in the public sector. Drawing on a New Zealand study of local government organzations (LGOs), it seeks to identify issues and challenges in implementing the BSC in public sector...

Purpose – Reform of local political management continues to be part of the international agenda for change as governments seek to create the conditions for better performance in local government. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of changes in political management upon the...

Purpose – This paper aims to report lessons learnt from six countries in addressing financial crises; what they have done and the impact. It is intended that these lessons are constructive in shaping responses to the current and future financial crises. Design/methodology/approach – A...

The article attempts to assess the impact of party change on budgetary output in three Local Authorities in the UK. An examination is also made of the impact that central government policy may have on local government spending. Party change and central government policy are found to have an...

Provides evidence to show the budget‐setting process in local authorities is incremental in nature. Planned programmed budgeting systems and zero based budgeting systems do not appear to have a place in local authority decision making largely because the process is a political one and is...

Over the past 12 years scores of reports and articles have been written about occupational, workforce, or workplace literacy (Workforce 2000 – economic and labour force changes, and skills requirements, impacting on America). Research and published materials have failed to address the impact...

Throughout the 1980s there has been growing interest in the concept of “corporate culture”, and its effects on economic performance. Investigates corporate culture in both theoretical and practical terms. By constructing a model of the internal and external relationships which organizations...