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Public management reform and organizational performance: An empirical assessment of the U.K. Labour government's public service improvement strategy

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  • Richard M. Walker

    (Cardiff University, U.K.)

  • George A. Boyne

    (Cardiff University, U.K.)

Abstract

We present the first empirical assessment of the U.K. Labour government's program of public management reform. This reform program is based on rational planning, devolution and delegation, flexibility and incentives, and enhanced choice. Measures of these variables are tested against external and internal indicators of organizational performance. The setting for the study is upper tier English local governments, and data are drawn from a multiple informant survey of 117 authorities. The statistical results indicate that planning, organizational flexibility, and user choice are associated with higher performance. Conclusions are drawn for the theory and practice of public management reform. © 2006 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management

Suggested Citation

  • Richard M. Walker & George A. Boyne, 2006. "Public management reform and organizational performance: An empirical assessment of the U.K. Labour government's public service improvement strategy," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 25(2), pages 371-393.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jpamgt:v:25:y:2006:i:2:p:371-393
    DOI: 10.1002/pam.20177
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. George Boyne & Steve Martin & Richard Walker, 2004. "Explicit reforms, implicit theories and public service improvement," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 6(2), pages 189-210, June.
    2. Gregory G. Dess & Richard B. Robinson, 1984. "Measuring organizational performance in the absence of objective measures: The case of the privately‐held firm and conglomerate business unit," Strategic Management Journal, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 5(3), pages 265-273, July.
    3. George A. Boyne, 2002. "Public and Private Management: What’s the Difference?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 39(1), pages 97-122, January.
    4. David E. Guest & Jonathan Michie & Neil Conway & Maura Sheehan, 2003. "Human Resource Management and Corporate Performance in the UK," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 41(2), pages 291-314, June.
    5. Carolyn J. Heinrich & Elizabeth Fournier, 2004. "Dimensions of publicness and performance in substance abuse treatment organizations," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(1), pages 49-70.
    6. Jack H. Knott & A. Abigail Payne, 2004. "The impact of state governance structures on management and performance of public organizations: A study of higher education institutions," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 23(1), pages 13-30.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bert George, 2017. "Does strategic planning ‘work’ in public organizations? Insights from Flemish municipalities," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 37(7), pages 527-530, November.
    2. Christophe Favoreu & Christophe Maurel & David Carassus & Pierre Marin, 2019. "Influence and Complementarity of Follow-on Managerial Innovations within a Public Organization," Public Organization Review, Springer, vol. 19(3), pages 345-365, September.
    3. Yoann Queyroi & David Carassus & Pierre Marin & Christophe Maurel, 2018. "L’innovation territoriale : une analyse de ses impacts en matière de performance publique," Post-Print hal-02141987, HAL.
    4. Carolyn J. Heinrich & Gerald Marschke, 2010. "Incentives and their dynamics in public sector performance management systems," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(1), pages 183-208.
    5. Jos L. T. Blank & Bert Enserink & Alex A. S. van Heezik, 2019. "Policy Reforms and Productivity Change in the Dutch Drinking Water Industry: A Time Series Analysis 1980–2015," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(12), pages 1-14, June.
    6. Rhys Andrews & George A. Boyne & Jennifer Law & Richard M. Walker, 2012. "Strategic Management and Public Service Performance," Palgrave Macmillan Books, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-0-230-34943-8.
    7. Aurora A. C. Teixeira & Pedro Cosme Vieira & Ana Patrícia Abreu, 2017. "Sleeping Beauties and their princes in innovation studies," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 110(2), pages 541-580, February.
    8. Pavlos Karanikolas & Sophia Hatzipanteli, 2008. "The Decentralization Process of Rural Development Policy in Greece," European Planning Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 18(3), pages 411-434, December.
    9. Kendall D. Funk & Erica Owen, 2020. "Consequences of an Anti‐Corruption Experiment for Local Government Performance in Brazil," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 39(2), pages 444-468, March.
    10. Acuff, Christopher, 2023. "More Money or More Problems? Assessing the Fiscal Impact of Consolidation in Macon-Bibb County, Georgia," SocArXiv as3pb, Center for Open Science.
    11. Mehmet Akif Demircioglu & David B. Audretsch, 2019. "Public sector innovation: the effect of universities," The Journal of Technology Transfer, Springer, vol. 44(2), pages 596-614, April.
    12. Sahem Nawafleh, 2022. "Development programs and achieving service efficiency in public sector institutions in Jordan: E‐government as a moderator," Poverty & Public Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 14(3), pages 268-286, September.
    13. Usang Edet Usang, Obal & Salim, Basariah, 2018. "The Relationship Between Institutional Environment, Internal Audit And Performance Of Local Governments In Nigeria," International Journal of Contemporary Accounting Issues-IJCAI (formerly International Journal of Accounting & Finance IJAF), The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), vol. 7(2), pages 120-147, December.
    14. Christophe Favoreu & Christophe Maurel & David Carassus & Pierre Marin, 2018. "Influence and Complementarity of Follow-on Managerial Innovations within a Public Organization," Post-Print hal-02152932, HAL.

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