Showing papers in "International Journal of Public Sector Management in 2011"

Knowledge sharing among public sector employees: evidence from Malaysia

Abstract: Purpose – The main purpose of this paper is to: identify the views of public sector employees towards the importance of Knowledge Sharing (KS); identify the barriers to KS; and identify initiatives that may encourage KS.Design/methodology/approach – The design employed in this research was mainly descriptive in nature. A survey‐based methodology employing a research questionnaire was used to elicit the views of public sector employees towards KS. A total of 320 questionnaires were randomly distributed and 170 were successfully collected, giving a response rate of 60 percent.Findings – The results showed that the respondents were very positive in their views towards “importance of KS” and they also strongly felt that knowledge was a source of competitive advantage. However, they were of the view that the importance of knowledge sharing was not clearly communicated and many of them were not sure whether KS strategy existed in their department. The public sector employees also showed self‐serving biases when...

Procurement issues in Malaysia

Abstract: Purpose – This study was undertaken with the aim of surveying the perception of the two main stakeholders in procurement system; the contractors and the procurement officers on issues such as accountability, transparency, corruption, integrity and cronyism pertaining to the public procurement system in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approach – Interviews were conducted over a nine‐month period in 2007 to gauge the perception of the procurement officers and contractors on procurement issues in Malaysia. The interview data were then transcribed and grouped according to six main themes; transparency, procurement policies and procedures and its implementation, personnel involved in the procurement system, estimation/budget/pricing, professionalism and ethics and timeliness.Findings – One of the common complaints made by the contractors was prevalence of interference from outside parties and cronyism, which affects the awarding of contracts. The procurement officers were blamed for malpractice and non‐compliance ...

Determinants of lean success and failure in the Danish public sector: A negotiated order perspective

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the determinants of lean implementation in Danish public sector organisations. It is proposed to structure the paper around a theoretical model based on a negotiated order perspective.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is based on interviews with 29 managers and employees from Danish public sector organisations who have been involved in the planning and implementation of lean projects over the past few years.Findings – The paper identifies a number of factors within the structural context and the negotiation context which are deemed important for the fate of lean projects in the public sector.Originality/value – The qualitative study brings new insights into the debate on the barriers and success factors in the lean transformation process in the public sector.

Factors affecting the performance of water utility companies

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to carry out an analysis of Italian water utility companies to determine whether their performance was related to certain relevant variables that have been broadly discussed in the existing literature. Among these are ownership structure, size and diversification. In addition, the paper considers another variable – the geographical location.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviewed the annual financial statements of 80 Italian water utility companies between 2004 and 2008. It also obtained data regarding tariffs, volumes supplied and population served from Conviri, the Italian national authority for water. Finally, the paper discusses the significant differences among clusters, using parametric statistic methods.Findings – It was found that ownership structure, size, diversification and geographical location had an impact on the performance of water utility companies, although with different degrees of significance.Research limitations/implications – Further s...

Public sector reform in Kazakhstan: issues and perspectives

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to investigate public sector reform (PSR) initiatives in Kazakhstan, and how such reform efforts have helped the government to be more responsive to the needs and demands of the citizensDesign/methodology/approach – The paper examined four key PSR initiatives: decentralization, Civil Service reform, e‐governance, and civil society in improving governance in post‐Soviet KazakhstanFindings – In light of Kazakhstan government's efforts to reform the public sector, the study finds that substantial progress has been made in improving its service delivery systems and enhancing good governanceResearch limitations/implications – The study is an investigation of four out of several PSR initiatives aimed at improving good governanceOriginality/value – The study provides insights into how aspects of PSR can be fundamentally useful in promoting good governance

Public procurement of innovations, diffusion and endogenous institutions

Abstract: Purpose – Public procurement has been increasingly seen as an important innovation policy tool. One neglected aspect of the public procurement of innovation is, however, diffusion. The purpose of this paper is to counter this neglect by exploring how institutional coordination may affect the diffusion of innovations procured by a public agency.Design/methodology/approach – A case study including semi‐structured interviews and the consulting of different documents were used to study how institutions and institutional coordination affect the adoption and diffusion of innovation.Findings – Several endogenous institutions were identified that act as barriers to the diffusion of innovation throughout an organisation. Attempts to re‐design and negate these barriers were also identified.Research limitations/implications – Institutional analysis of innovation has a tendency to be limited to formal and exogenous institutions. The paper underscores the importance of taking into account the endogenous institutional ...

Diversity and employee turnover in the Dutch public sector: Does diversity management make a difference?

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the differences in turnover and turnover intention by gender and ethnicity. In addition, it seeks to examine the effects of diversity management on turnover intention.Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical framework is constructed on the basis of ASA‐ and PO‐fit literature and previous research on diversity management and turnover. By analyzing two large‐N survey datasets the determinants of turnover and turnover intention of both native Dutch and ethnic minority men and women are examined.Findings – Results show that women's turnover is most commonly associated with intrinsic factors, whereas men's decisions to leave the public sector are most commonly motivated by extrinsic factors. For ethnic minority men, the management of the organization and the leadership style of the supervisor are important determinants of any intention to leave the public sector. There is only a modest negative effect of diversity management on turnover intention.Practical i...

Mapping the spatial patterns of public procurement: A case study from a peripheral local authority in Northern England

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate public procurement activity within the Cumbria County Council and its effects on the local supply chain. The paper seeks to identify the role of public procurement within the county, in relation to the propensity for income retention (or leakage) at local level. In addition, the paper seeks to consider issues related to public procurement in peripheral and rural areas, with particular reference to small and medium businesses operating in Cumbria, and to provide a spatial analysis of money flows at regional and national level.Design/methodology/approach – Quantitative data, from primary and secondary sources, were obtained from a survey questionnaire conducted among the Council's suppliers and from SpikesCavell, an agency specializing in collecting procurement data, respectively. The study focuses on public sector suppliers. It analyses suppliers' attributes and characteristics such as size, location and sector of activity are used in order to explore s...

Public service productivity: how to capture outputs?

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to investigate the micro‐level (managerial) measurement of service productivity in the context of public services, in particular, the role of different output elements.Design/methodology/approach – Current knowledge on the issue is summarised based on the existing literature on service productivity and public sector performance. Measurement challenges and potential solutions are studied in four different services of the city of Helsinki, Finland.Findings – The case study demonstrates that complex service outputs can be divided into components (both tangible and intangible) that can be utilised in designing more sophisticated productivity measures. The findings add to the existing understanding about issues related to public service output definition.Research limitations/implications – This study provides knowledge to support the application of a disaggregated approach to service productivity measurement. However, more research is needed in order to fully utilise this approach in ...

Value for money and the rule of law: the (new) performance audit in Sweden

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to develop a classification scheme of different types of value for money (VFM) audits with different degrees of compliance audit, and to classify the performance audits carried out by the Swedish National Audit Office (SNAO) during its first six years as an independent state audit organization reporting to parliament.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical data were gathered from all of the 150 audit reports published by the SNAO from its establishment in 2003 to the end of 2008. Seminars were arranged to discuss the classifications for validation.Findings – The focus on traditional VFM audits (the “Three Es”) is unusual. Most audits carried out by the SNAO combine different types of extended VFM audits with compliance audit. On the one hand, they audit how the government and/or central agencies fulfil their mandates (from good to bad). On the other, they audit how the government and/or central agencies adhere to legislation, rules and policies (right or wrong). In some cases...

Performance measurement and the UK emergency ambulance service: Unintended consequences of the ambulance response time targets

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess the performance measurement in the UK NHS ambulance service documenting various unintended consequences of the current performance framework and to suggest a future research agenda.Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews the literature on ambulance performance targets and documents several unintended consequences of the current performance system through an in‐depth case study analysis based on interviews with Trust staff and policy experts along with observation of performance review meetings in the chosen Trust. Ethical approval for the study was obtained from a local NHS research ethics committee.Findings – Significant unintended consequences of the ambulance performance targets based on response times have been systematically documented, which are likely to put the target under spotlight, especially that of the eight‐minute response. The current policy focus to reform the eight‐minute target by making it more stringent has the potential of jeopa...

Outsourcing, public sector reform and the changed character of the UK state‐voluntary sector relationship

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to trace the origin and development of the increased use of the voluntary sector in the delivery of public services in the UK and to identify both the threats and opportunities that this policy poses. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses government documents to examine policies and models for change. This is located within a discussion of the literature around the developing role of the voluntary sector in public service provision against the backdrop of wider neo-liberal public sector reform. Findings – New Labour laid the basis for a major expansion in the use of the voluntary sector in public service provision as part of its public service reform programme. It did so with a range of sometimes contradictory justifications. The policy is now being extended by the new coalition government. Research limitations/implications – The process of change outlined in the paper is continuing, so it is not possible to make conclusive statements regarding its impact. Further research will be required to monitor the effects. Practical implications – Alerting the voluntary sector organisations to the potential problems of large-scale involvement in public service provision may assist them in retaining their independence and effectiveness. Originality/value – The paper contributes to a necessary (and overdue) assessment of the impact of the changed role of the voluntary sector in public service provision on the sector itself, the services provided and the surrounding framework of accountability.

Public sector cost management practices in The Netherlands

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this research project is to validate the claim that recent developments in the public sector have increased the demand for and use of cost management information in public sector organizationsDesign/methodology/approach – The approach taken is a survey of financial managers in public sector organizations in The NetherlandsFindings – The findings indicate that the design and use of cost management systems differs across branches In addition, the results suggest that information from cost management systems is used to legitimate the organization's activities to external stakeholders rather than to manage public sector organizations Finally, cost management information is used mostly by financial managers yet hardly used by political managers The results defy claims that cost management information has become important in managing public sector organizationsResearch limitations/implications – All limitations of survey research apply The survey is based on a non‐random sample o

An inquiry into the strategic‐operational role of performance management in local government

Abstract: Purpose – The aim of this paper is to investigate the links and relationships between strategy and operations in local government improvement efforts under the umbrella of the Local Government Modernisation Agenda (LGMA) in England. More specifically, it explores the implementation of structured change methods and performance measurement and management initiatives that claim to have a linked strategic and operational focus through to stakeholder impact.Design/methodology/approach – This research adopts an interpretive multiple case approach (n=5), using in‐depth semi‐structured interviews and focus groups, as well as substantive archive information.Findings – The structured integration of strategic level policy‐setting and its associated operational level activity in local authorities is often obscure and lacking in cohesiveness. Performance measurement and management at the strategic level is, for the most part, driven by emerging legislation and the need for compliance rather than improving service effe...

Clashes as potential for innovation in public service sector reform

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this study is to examine the ongoing dynamics of the public service sector reform through an embedding process of a municipal enterprise from the field of basic social and health care services – a pilot model in Finland.Design/methodology/approach – The framework of a multi‐level perspective on transitions is used to describe the change process. At the lowest level of this perspective are the experimental niches acting as “seeds of change” represented by the case organisation, a municipal enterprise operating in the basic social and health care sector. The data consist of 16 thematic interviews with the key persons of the operating system, analysed with the principles of content analysis.Findings – The examination uncovers diverse pressures affecting niche level innovations and manifesting as clashes and controversies between old and new ways of thinking, but these clashes can also act as a platform for innovations when opened up, analysed and facilitated.Practical implications – ...

Towards the next generation of public management: A study of management control and communication in the Swedish Armed Forces

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to present an empirical case where fundamental changes in the environment have forced an organization to re‐evaluate its management control systems and possibly search for destabilizing supporting routines in order to unlearn the established ways of measuring and controlling within the organization. The problem, however, is that organizational technologies often work in the other direction, i.e. they promote stability in organizational routines. The paper seeks to increase understanding regarding the importance of destabilizing, or, as the authors like to call them, sensebreaking activities within organizations that are present in rapidly changing environments.Design/methodology/approach – The authors used multiple sources and multiple techniques to collect data; interviews with managers, participation in meetings, and document analysis such as annual reports, pamphlets, speeches and Swedish Armed Forces's (SAF's) web site.Findings – The study is clearly presented in a design‐ori...

Towards a theory of collaborative advantage for the sports tourism policy arena

Abstract: Collaboration is now an important part of public sector management. The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that have helped shape the relationships between public agencies involved in sports tourism. Design/methodology/approach - Using critical case sampling 54 in-depth interviews were conducted with public officials in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Findings - The authors have produced the "Theory of collaborative advantage in relation to sports tourism". This model captures the dynamics of collaboration in the sports tourism policy arena. A total of 12 practitioner themes and four cross-cutting themes were identified and although each theme and the issues and tensions identified within it can affect inter-organizational relationships in a particular way, the model illustrates how each theme is interlinked and is part of a larger, more complex picture. Research limitations /implications - Like all empirical research, this paper has its limitations but if the issues that affect collaboration are not identified then they cannot be addressed. Although no two collaborative settings are the same, public sector managers need to be aware of the factors that affect, or may affect, inter-organizational relationships so that they can pre-empt problems and maximise the use of resources. Practical implications - Hopefully this paper will, in some way, lead to better planning and management of sports tourism and encourage those involved in sports tourism policy to adapt a collaborative, rather than an isolated, approach. Originality/value - This study has contributed to knowledge by providing a better understanding of the inter-relationships in the sports tourism policy arena

Challenges, issues and change: what's the future for UK policing in the twenty‐first century?

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to review calls on the UK police service to respond to the dual challenge of increasing governmental/public demands for improvements in police efficiency and effectiveness in the likely context of decreasing real time increases in financial resources. Specifically it aims to highlight the reform of police organizational structures, a greater focus on performance management and people development initiatives as areas that have the potential to bring about significant benefits for future UK policing.Design/methodology/approach – Using the results of Government‐sponsored research and other secondary data the approach is to explore the potential for implementation of new approaches to policing.Findings – There would appear to be a consensus between the Government and the police service of the need for reform. The mechanics of successful implementation, however, face institutional, cultural and financial obstacles.Research limitations/implications – The complexity of policing and its ...

Changed governance of public sector organisations=challenged conditions for intra‐professional relations?

Abstract: Purpose – Effects of NPM in professional work are often discussed on an overriding level, and professionals' own experiences of their working conditions in their specific work contexts have been less discussed (Hasselbladh et al. and Liljegren). In an attempt to consider this concern, this paper seeks to focus on individual professionals, exemplified by teachers and nurses, and their experiences of intra‐professional relations, i.e. teachers' relations with other teachers and nurses' relations with other nurses.Design/methodology/approach – Applying a theoretical framework on professions and professional work, the aim is to discuss the meaning of intra‐professional relations, and how NPM‐influenced changes in the organisation of work affect these relations. Moreover, possible effects of the organisational changes for the professionals will be discussed. It is argued that intra‐professional relations are essential for professionals; at the same time the cases discussed illuminate how changes in the organis...

Provision of public service infrastructure – the use of PPPs in the UK and Australia: A comparative study

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify key similarities and differences between the approach to employing public‐private partnerships (PPPs) for provision of infrastructure in the UK and Australia.Design/methodology/approach – The paper provides a comparison of published studies together with semi‐structured interviews with academics and state government representatives.Findings – There are a number of issues on which similar debates are taking place in both countries and which are summarised in the paper. Such issues include the use of the public sector comparators, the process of initiating PPPs, choice of discount rate and differences in costs of capital between conventional procurement and PPPs. There are, however, also significant differences in that there tends to be fewer social projects in Australia which has a strong emphasis on transportation projects. Importantly there is much more discretion about whether to use PPPs in Australia than in the UK.Research limitations/implications – T...

The effects of perceived funding trends on non‐profit advocacy: A national survey of non‐profit advocacy organizations in the United States

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to examine executive directors' perceptions of the relationship between access to funding and an organization's programmatic and advocacy activities.Design/methodology/approach – This study is based on data from a national survey of executive directors of non‐profit advocacy organizations in the USA. The organizations were selected because they served minority and disadvantaged groups, and were heavily reliant on public funding.Findings – The findings indicate that several factors are associated with how organizations balance their programmatic and advocacy activities. They include dependence on public funding, constituencies served, and perception of funders. Despite evidence for institutional pressures to reduce advocacy activities, the results indicate that such activities are sustainable in organizations with a strong individual donor base. In essence, a stable source of grassroots resources can counter institutional pressures to reduce advocacy.Research limitations/implicat...

The risks and returns of new public management: political business

Abstract: Purpose – This article aims to consider success in terms of the financial returns and risks of new public management (NPM) in state‐owned enterprises (SOEs).Design/methodology/approach – Financial returns of New Zealand SOEs were examined through a review of their annual reports over a five‐year period. Dimensions of risk were examined through interviews conducted in two phases over a two‐year period with senior executives from 12 of the (then) 17 SOEs operating in New Zealand.Findings – Findings indicate the potential for SOEs to operate as profitable government investments, with clear support for positive financial returns under NPM. However, variations noted within individual SOEs also indicate that profitable and commercial operations may not be possible in all cases. An examination of the risks associated with SOEs' operations reveals a number of dimensions of risk, encompassing financial, political (including regulatory), reputational, and public accountability aspects.Practical implications – There...

The Global Financial Crisis and UK PPPs

Abstract: Purpose – This paper seeks to examine how Public Private Partnerships (PPPs) have been affected by the global financial crisis (GFC). After briefly discussing PPPs and the GFC, the paper considers whether the latter has been a contributing factor in the declining number of projects reaching financial close.Design/methodology/approach – The paper employs document content analysis to compare the time between notification of a project in the Official Journal of the European Union and its financial close in order to assess whether this period has increased since the beginning of the GFC. Two case studies are also presented.Findings – Apart from a very small number of projects, the time between official project notification and financial close is lengthening, with the case studies providing some possible explanations for this.Originality/value – Whilst Burger et al. provide some general statistics on the impact of the GFC on PPPs in a number of countries, this paper examines over 600 PPPs in the UK and supplem...

International trends in HRM in the public sector: reform attempts in the Republic of Georgia

Abstract: Purpose – The overall purpose of this paper is to explore the limits of HRM in public sector organisations, within the context of international public management. The cultural basis of HRM, derived chiefly from North America and Western Europe continues to underpin public sector HR reforms, aided and abetted by the international institutions. The paper seeks to begin with an overview of the impact of wider public sector reform on HR practice by briefly exploring the limitations of orthodox HRM in a public service setting. However, the main argument of the paper aims to follow the conceptual position that an understanding of the institutional and cultural contexts is required before attempting HRM‐type reforms.Design/methodology/approach – The author visited the Republic of Georgia in 2008 to work with the Public Service Commission on HRM reforms in central government. Thus, the paper presents the illustrative case of Georgia, which is both a transitional state and susceptible to Western ideas regarding pu...

A gathering storm: re‐tendering and the voluntary sector workforce

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to consider the impact of the European Union procurement regulations. It assesses the impact of the re‐tendering of services on the terms and conditions of employment and sense of well being, and commitment of employees in the social care sub‐sector of the voluntary sector.Design/methodology/approach – The study employs a qualitative study of three organisations utilising semi‐structured interviews with managers and employees.Findings – The process of re‐tendering is creating intensified competition and the breakdown of co‐operation between voluntary sector organisations. Re‐tendering also has an impact on employee terms and conditions with related problems arising with regard to their morale and commitment.Research limitations/implications – This remains a relatively small‐scale piece of research and there is also scope to consider how these issues are played out in private, as well as voluntary sector organisations.Practical implications – The research highlights the potential ...

Implementing the UK Central Government's policy agenda for improved third sector engagement: Reflecting on issues arising from third sector commissioning workshops

Abstract: Purpose – As many states recognise the need to enter into new relationships with the third sector, strategic commissioning of services has moved up the political agenda. The establishment of the Office of the Third Sector in the UK Cabinet Office heralded a commitment to engage the “voice” and “choice” of third sector organizations in designing, delivering and measuring public service delivery. This paper seeks to report on the findings gathered from a series of workshops and other data collection on public sector commissioning of third sector service delivery, and to highlight some tensions and emerging issues in this policy field.Design/methodology/approach – Qualitative data from workshops were supplemented with observations, interview data, existing research, and secondary data from a number of government agencies and third sector representative organizations.Findings – The findings from the workshops and other data collection methods will feed into future design and development of training programmes...

Market orientation and its antecedents in the Polish local governments

Abstract: Purpose – Over the past few years there have been several attempts to reform the structure and functioning of the Polish local government units (LGU). Therefore, it is worth analyzing the application of the marketing concept in this context. More specifically the purpose of this paper is to determine the present level of market orientation (MO) of the Polish LGU, and indicate some factors stimulating the MO development.Design/methodology/approach – A survey with use of CATI technique was conducted among 450 local government officials in Poland. Based on the gathered data a set of hypotheses related to MO level and its antecedents was examined by multiple regression analysis and analysis of variance procedures.Findings – The overall MO level of the Polish LGU is moderate, 21 percent of the units can be considered as truly market‐oriented according to Western standards. The MO scores are diversified with respect to LGU types. Especially, they are significantly lower in smaller municipalities and districts a...

Organisational amnesia: a serious public sector reform issue

Abstract: Purpose – However well‐intentioned are public sector reform movements, they are often compromised by misunderstandings about meanings and directions and by the organisational amnesia that comes from too rapid change and too little attention to the past. A better appreciation of these problems is needed. This paper aims to address these issues.Design/methodology/approach – The paper combines discussion about factors that inhibit successful outcomes of many reform programmes with examples drawn mostly from the Australian experience.Findings – Reform programmes are likely to have better outcomes if they are designed with these possible impediments in view. Similarly theoretical understandings will be safer and sounder if more attention is given to administrative history and more care is taken to reconcile conflicting views.Originality/value – The paper focuses on issues that have not been given much attention in the literature of public sector reform.

Smoke and mirrors and performance management: Democracy, accountability and community engagement, as a hidden agenda emerges?

Abstract: Purpose – This paper aims to initiate debate about the tension between ideologies being played out in local government, as illustrated by the case of the empowerment agenda.Design/methodology/approach – The paper considers a range of evidence from: academic research; government documents; personal perspectives from the author's experience as an elected member in local government; and semi‐structured interviews with a number of senior managers in local authorities in England.Findings – The paper suggests that the development of performance management frameworks for community engagement has been a means to shift the agenda away from democratic representation to a governance agenda around empowerment. This now includes giving a role to the voluntary sector both as the voice of the people and as providers of public services. It is argued that this illustrates a tension between ideologies at work behind the facade of performance management in local government.Research limitations/implications – The paper can o...