| 1. |
- Alexius, Susanna, et al.
(författare)
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Mission(s) impossible? Configuring values in the governance of state-owned enterprises
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 28:4-5, s. 286-306
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to contribute to theory of hybrid organizations, with particular regard to state-owned enterprises (SOEs) and their ability to contribute to sustaining value pluralism in the public sector.Design/methodology/approach – The paper offers a qualitative case concerning ongoing performance management reforms in the corporate governance of SOEs in Sweden, which is analyzed using theory on valuation and evaluation.Findings – It is found that the number of non-financial values is reduced with reference to categorization. Attempts are made to change the perception of the potential value conflict at hand between financial and non-financial missions by adding a number of neutralizing “meta values” such as transparency and efficiency to the performance language in use. There is a risk of mission drift as a clear hierarchization of values, prioritizing financial values, is created and sustained in “investment teams.” Processes, standards and dialogues are all dominated by an economic logic despite formal aspirations to balance the values at stake. The few remaining non-financial values are translated into economic language aiming for a commensuration of the performance of the different missions. In addition, the ambition of the public policy assignment may be further reduced by de-coupling.Originality/value – The paper suggests a novel approach to hybrid organizations in general and SOEs in particular when exploring how the values underlying complex missions are configured in “value work” performed by government officials in Swedish government offices. Such analyses of value work in the micro-practice of hybrids offer a more fine-grained understanding of organizational dilemmas that are commonly acknowledged, but more seldom explained in empirical detail.
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| 2. |
- Almqvist, Roland, et al.
(författare)
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Towards the next generation of public management : A study of management control and communication in the Swedish Armed Forces
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 24:2, s. 122-145
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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‐oriented way. The benefits, however, are that it illustrates that the available models take for granted that the organization has a mission that is accepted. When the mission is debated, the focus and practice of management control falls into pieces. Also, when the ontology of the organization is debated, flexibility does not suffice. The proposition is that it is through sensebreaking that a reflective position may be held. That is, a position where everything may be questioned and that this questioning never stops.Originality/value – The study of the SAF could probably be labeled a study of an extreme case. Extreme cases facilitate theory building because the dynamics being examined tend to be more visible than they might be in other contexts. The caveat, however, is that this particular case study risks becoming anecdotal since the SAF is, per definition, one of a kind. The paper's argument, however, is that the SAF acts as an illustration of the limits (and possibilities) of management control theory and how it is framed as a technology in a milieu that is neither relatively stable nor stable, but rather under extraordinary pressure for change.
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| 3. |
- Andersson, Thomas, et al.
(författare)
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Does patient-centred care mean risk aversion and risk ignoring? : Unintended consequences of NPM reforms
- 2012
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 25:4, s. 260-271
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This article aims to describe and analyze the results of efforts to improve patient-centered care (PCC) in psychiatric healthcare.Design/methodology/approach – Using the methodology of a qualitative case study, the authors studied three Swedish child and adolescent psychiatric care (CAP) units in order to describe how patient-centered actions are performed. They conducted 62 interviews, made 11 half-day observations, and shadowed employees for two days.Findings – The article shows that the increased focus on accountability for unit performance and medical risks results in unintended consequences. The patient’s medical risk is transformed to a personal risk for the psychiatrist and the resource risk is transformed to a personal risk for the unit manager. Patients become risk objects for both psychiatrists and unit managers, which creates an alignment between them to try to send patients elsewhere. New public management (NPM) reforms may consequently lead to the institutionalization of unintended healthcare practices.Practical implications – The article shows that accountability pressure to reduce patient risk may create new risks for patients.Originality/value – The study uses theoretical concepts of risk tradeoffs (risk substitution and risk transformation), which were developed for the macro level, to explain the unintended consequences of NPM reforms at the micro level.
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| 4. |
- Argento, Daniela, et al.
(författare)
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Interactions fostering trust and contract combinations in local public services provision
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 28:4-5, s. 335-351
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between trust and contract in the context of externalized local public services provision. Design/methodology/approach - A multi-theoretical framework is used to analyse different combinations of control mechanisms (i.e. trust and contract) with reference to three cases of externalized water service provision in Estonia consisting of inter-organizational relationships between local governments and water companies with different ownership structures (public, private and mixed public-private). Findings - The relationship between trust and contract, which can either be substitutes or complements, or eventually erode each other, is contingent upon the capacity of interacting individuals (and related organizations) to keep interests aligned in water services provision. Originality/value - The relationship between trust and contract is analysed by considering the interactions between key actors within the underlying governance setting.
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| 5. |
- Argento, Daniela, et al.
(författare)
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Interactions fostering trust and contract combinations in local public services provision
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.. - 0951-3558. ; 28:4-5, s. 335-351
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between trust and contract in the context of externalized local public services provision. Design/methodology/approach - A multi-theoretical framework is used to analyse different combinations of control mechanisms (i.e. trust and contract) with reference to three cases of externalized water service provision in Estonia consisting of inter-organizational relationships between local governments and water companies with different ownership structures (public, private and mixed public-private). Findings - The relationship between trust and contract, which can either be substitutes or complements, or eventually erode each other, is contingent upon the capacity of interacting individuals (and related organizations) to keep interests aligned in water services provision. Originality/value - The relationship between trust and contract is analysed by considering the interactions between key actors within the underlying governance setting.
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| 6. |
- Arvidson, Malin, et al.
(författare)
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The social return on investment in community befriending
- 2014
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 27:3
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: This paper illustrates the social and economic impact of services delivered by a small charity to families affected by post-natal depression (PND). It highlights challenges and offers insights to the meaning of ‘value for money’ for commissioners of public health services. Design/methodology/approach: The analysis is based on a social return on investment (SROI) approach. Evidence was gathered from quantitative data, interviews and a literature review. The analysis examined short, medium and long term effects, and attributed monetary values to social outcomes. Findings: The service provides a return of £6.50 for every £1 invested. The analysis established outcomes for service users and long term impacts on families and children. It illustrated how these services are important in achieving more appropriate service responses, providing value for money to the NHS. Research limitations/implications: There is no common accepted method for identifying financial values for a number of the benefits identified in this analysis. By being transparent in how the analysis was carried out the paper encourages further critical thinking in this area. Practical implications: Engaging commissioners in this type of analysis may assist them in the use of economic evaluation as an input to decision making. Originality/value: The paper contributes to our understanding of ‘social value’ and ‘value for money’ in the context of public services. This is of importance given the Social Value Act and ‘Open Public Services’ reform are being implemented in the UK.
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| 7. |
- Bartocci, Luca, et al.
(författare)
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Towards a hybrid logic of participatory budgeting
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 32:1, s. 65-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeParticipatory budgeting (PB) is considered a suitable tool for supporting and promoting citizen engagement in government work. Previous studies of PB have deeply investigated its design and effects, but paid little attention to the underlying logics of adopting and implementing PB. The purpose of this paper is to, accordingly, investigate the development over time of the institutional logics of PB and attempt to explain their effect on PB.Design/methodology/approachUsing a longitudinal multiple case study design, this research analyzes the evolution of institutional logics over time and across five municipalities in Italy. The analysis integrates documents with interviews conducted at two times to investigate the evolution of PB logics.FindingsThe development of PB is characterized by the spread of two emerging logics—i.e. managerial and community-building logics—that replace or coexist with the traditional political logic. Indeed, these different logics can coexist within governments, with different degrees of conflict or coexistence, resulting in what can be considered a hybrid logic.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the number of examined cases is limited, this research elaborates an original conceptual approach and provides new insights that could help in better designing and implementing PB.Originality/valueThis research builds knowledge of PB by shedding light on its different logics, linking them to diverse specific models of PB and exploring their changes over time.
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| 8. |
- Bartocci, Luca, et al.
(författare)
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Towards a hybrid logic of participatory budgeting
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.. - 0951-3558. ; 32:1, s. 65-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose Participatory budgeting (PB) is considered a suitable tool for supporting and promoting citizen engagement in government work. Previous studies of PB have deeply investigated its design and effects, but paid little attention to the underlying logics of adopting and implementing PB. The purpose of this paper is to, accordingly, investigate the development over time of the institutional logics of PB and attempt to explain their effect on PB. Design/methodology/approach Using a longitudinal multiple case study design, this research analyzes the evolution of institutional logics over time and across five municipalities in Italy. The analysis integrates documents with interviews conducted at two times to investigate the evolution of PB logics. Findings The development of PB is characterized by the spread of two emerging logics—i.e. managerial and community-building logics—that replace or coexist with the traditional political logic. Indeed, these different logics can coexist within governments, with different degrees of conflict or coexistence, resulting in what can be considered a hybrid logic. Research limitations/implications Although the number of examined cases is limited, this research elaborates an original conceptual approach and provides new insights that could help in better designing and implementing PB. Originality/value This research builds knowledge of PB by shedding light on its different logics, linking them to diverse specific models of PB and exploring their changes over time.
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| 9. |
- Björk, Lisa, 1981, et al.
(författare)
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Measuring capacity to perform across local government services – managers’ perceptions
- 2014
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 27:1, s. 26-38
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This study aims at developing a measure that can be used to evaluate organizational capacity to perform across local government jurisdictions, using operational managers' own assessments. Design/methodology/approach – The “management matters” literature that links organizational capacity to service performance is far from reaching any consensus on how to operationalize organizational capacity. In this study, over 400 operational managers were asked, at two different time points and in thirty different local government departments, about what opportunities they have to fulfill their responsibilities and about their perceptions of service performance. The data are factor analyzed, and the proportion of higher level variance of the resulting capacity measure is explored. Findings – Organizational capacity to perform represents a consistent measure that covers essential aspects of the managerial assignment and is empirically distinct, yet positively related to the managers' perceptions of service performance. Results further show that up to 12 percent of the variance in organizational capacity to perform can be attributed to the organization in which managers work. Practical implications – A service-neutral measure of organizational capacity to perform should be useful to strategic managers in organizations as guidance for resource allocation, and for the design of solid organizational structures and support systems for operational managers. Originality/value – Recent public management research indicates that rationalistic management models are often inadequately grounded in the day-to-day practices of operative managerial work. The construct of organizational capacity to perform presented in this study could be a valuable instrument that can bridge this strategic-operational disconnect and provide an insider perspective of the organizational prerequisites that underpin any public service achievement.
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| 10. |
- Brorström, Sara, 1982
(författare)
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Implementing innovative ideas in a city: good solutions on paper but not in practice?
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 28:3, s. 166-180
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This paper examines innovation implementation in the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the “black box” of implementation of innovations and then answer questions of hindrances and opportunities when it comes to implementing innovative ideas in the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – The specific context in this case is a city organization that received funding from the Delegation for Sustainable Cities to put six innovative ideas into practice in a city district. The data collection methods consisted of interviews and observations of meetings where the implementation phase was discussed. Findings – The findings imply that innovative ideas that seemed best on paper often proved to be difficult to implement. The possibility of funding, for example, provided a reason to think “outside the box”, but the system for presenting the ideas in order to obtain the funding was time consuming. The resulting delay meant that, by the time the applications were evaluated, the submitted ideas were no longer necessarily the best available. The findings also imply that one important role of public organizations in implementing innovations is to facilitate the response by its users, here the inhabitants. Research limitations/implications – When discussing innovations and implementation the time aspects is a limitation, the future might imply other effects than the ones visible here. Practical implications – Public sector managers possibilities of organizing to be more innovative can be discussed. From a management perspective focus might thus be on facilitate the implementation of the innovation, since the demand of the new solutions might be other than expected. Social implications – The users of public sector innovations, here the inhabitants, might demand other things that expected, which highlights the need of an ongoing dialogue between city managers and inhabitants. Originality/value – The methodology of following projects in real time proved to be a unique approach for understanding the ”black box” of implementing innovative ideas. The existing paradoxes of managing public sector organizations are thus illustrated.
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| 11. |
- Cocciasecca, Simone, et al.
(författare)
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Public appointments as a tool for public governance : a systematic literature review
- 2021
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 34:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review previous research on public appointments to systematize existing knowledge, identify gaps and discuss implications for future research in this field.Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a systematic literature review, carried out using the Scopus database. We selected academic articles published in journals ranked in the 2018 CABS Academic Journal Guide plus public administration articles in journals classified by Google as falling within the areas of public policy and administration. The papers were analysed according to four categories: geographical area, theoretical framework, research method and organizational setting.Findings – Results show the lack of research regarding areas like Latin America or East Asia; from a theoretical viewpoint, given the lack of explicit theoretical approaches, future research should have more formal and clear theoretical frameworks. Moreover, given the dominance of case study and review/reflectionstudies, alternative research methods, such as surveys or mixed methods are suggested for future works.Research limitations/implications – We identify a new research agenda to revive the focus on public appointments as a tool for intra- and inter-organizational governance in the public sector. Specifically, we argue that how the process of public appointments is managed has huge democratic implications, and publicmanagers have a key role to play in that respect by designing effective governance systems and organizational procedures. The selection of papers has been limited to articles published in peer- review journals ranked in the 2018 CABS Guide; no distinctions have been made regarding journals’ positioning in the ranking. Moreover,this work takes a managerial and organizational approach, while the research on public appointments is clearly interdisciplinary, with previous contributions coming mainly from political scientists.Originality/value – Despite the relevant body of literature on this topic, this study represents the first manuscript to summarize the state of the art of this theme, providing a research agenda on this very relevantbut quite neglected issue in public governance.
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| 12. |
- Cocciasecca, Simone, et al.
(författare)
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Public appointments as a tool for public governance : a systematic literature review
- 2021
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.. - 0951-3558. ; 34:2, s. 171-188
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Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review previous research on public appointments to systematize existing knowledge, identify gaps and discuss implications for future research in this field. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is based on a systematic literature review, carried out using the Scopus database. We selected academic articles published in journals ranked in the 2018 CABS Academic Journal Guide plus public administration articles in journals classified by Google as falling within the areas of public policy and administration. The papers were analysed according to four categories: geographical area, theoretical framework, research method and organizational setting. Findings – Results show the lack of research regarding areas like Latin America or East Asia; from a theoretical viewpoint, given the lack of explicit theoretical approaches, future research should have more formal and clear theoretical frameworks. Moreover, given the dominance of case study and review/reflectionstudies, alternative research methods, such as surveys or mixed methods are suggested for future works. Research limitations/implications – We identify a new research agenda to revive the focus on public appointments as a tool for intra- and inter-organizational governance in the public sector. Specifically, we argue that how the process of public appointments is managed has huge democratic implications, and publicmanagers have a key role to play in that respect by designing effective governance systems and organizational procedures. The selection of papers has been limited to articles published in peer- review journals ranked in the 2018 CABS Guide; no distinctions have been made regarding journals’ positioning in the ranking. Moreover,this work takes a managerial and organizational approach, while the research on public appointments is clearly interdisciplinary, with previous contributions coming mainly from political scientists. Originality/value – Despite the relevant body of literature on this topic, this study represents the first manuscript to summarize the state of the art of this theme, providing a research agenda on this very relevantbut quite neglected issue in public governance.
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| 13. |
- De Fine Licht, Jenny, 1982, et al.
(författare)
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Influence as the key to consent? Swedish director generals’ perceptions of reporting requirements
- 2019
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 32:4, s. 388-402
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: Performance measurements have become a prominent part of government steering of public agencies. At the same time, they are increasingly criticized for creating heavy administrative burdens. The purpose of this paper is to argue that consent on part of the heads of agencies is vital for making performance measurement an efficient tool for not only control but also organizational learning. Design/methodology/approach: The paper reports a survey with a nearly total sample of Swedish Director Generals. Findings: Findings suggest that Director Generals who feel that they are able to influence the goals and indicators of their agencies are significantly more willing to consent to the government’s reporting requirements. Originality/value: The paper suggests that a more encompassing, interactive and participatory process might increase agency consent with reporting requirements.
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| 14. |
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| 15. |
- Dempsey, N., et al.
(författare)
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Contracting out parks and roads maintenance in England
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 29:5, s. 441-456
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: – Different models have been adopted in England over time to organise public service delivery. The purpose of this paper is to explore contracting-out, a prevalent model of public service delivery in England, in relation to parks and roads maintenance delivery by examining private contractors’ performance according to local authority stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach: – Since the Conservative Government was in power during the 1980s, local authorities have been an arena for experimentation of contracting-out to private and other sectors. This paper provides a review of the academic and grey literature, and findings are presented from a large-scale online questionnaire survey (n=103) which was distributed to the relevant public realm managers in English local authorities. Findings: – The paper shows that contracting-out of parks and roads maintenance happens across the country in different ways. By and large, local authorities are satisfied with the performance of contractors, particularly as a response to economic constraints. Responsibilities, particularly for parks, are increasingly shared with non-governmental organisations, including community groups, although this is not reflected in budget distribution. Research limitations/implications: – Despite the efforts, the response rate was relatively low (32 per cent), potentially due to the e-mail communication and online nature of the questionnaire. Originality/value: – The research provides empirical evidence about how contracting-out is currently delivering public services and how it has changed in recent years. The findings suggest that responsibilities (and to a lesser extent, budgets) are increasingly shared in England between different combinations of public, private, third and community sector stakeholders. This marks a shift away from in-house public sector delivery of parks and roads services. © 2016, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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| 16. |
- Eriksson, Nomie, 1955-
(författare)
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Hospital management from a high reliability organizational change perspective : A Swedish case on Lean and Six Sigma
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 30:1, s. 67-84
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe and analyze nurses’ perceptions and evaluations of healthcare developmental work after the introduction of Lean and Six Sigma and, how nurses aspire to maintain a high reliability organization (HRO).Design/methodology/approach – Nurses’ roles and the way they respond to new efficiency and quality working methods are crucial. Underlying themes were analyzed from in-depth, semi-structured interviews with (n 17) nurses at two Swedish hospitals.Findings – The nurses perceived that Lean worked better than Six Sigma, because of its bottom-up approach, and its similarities with nurses’ well-known work qualities. Nurses coordinate patients care, collaborate in teams and take leadership roles. To maintain high reliability and to become quality developers, nurses need stable resources. However, professional’s logic collides with management’s logic. Expert knowledge (top-down approach) without nurses’ local knowledge (bottom-up approach) can lead to problems. Healthcare quality methods are standardized but must be used with flexibility. However, HROs ensue not only from method quality but also from work attitudes, commitment and continuous work-improvement.Practical implications – Management can support personnel in developmental work with: continuous education, training, teamwork, knowledge sharing and cooperation. Authoritarian method structures that limit the healthcare professionals’ autonomy should be softened or abandoned.Originality/value – The study uses theoretical concepts from HROs, which were developed for unexpected events, to explain the consequences of implementing Lean and Six Sigma in healthcare.
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| 17. |
- Feltenius, David, 1974-, et al.
(författare)
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Abolishing the Act on System of Choice in Swedish eldercare : on arguments and replacements in the municipalities
- 2024
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 37:2, s. 141-158
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: Since 2009 Swedish municipalities may apply the Act on System of Choice (LOV) in, among other things, eldercare. About half of the 290 Swedish municipalities have chosen this within home-care services for older citizens, thus creating conditions for a welfare mix where private and public providers compete. Some of these municipalities later made decisions to abolish LOV. This article aims to analyse the arguments put forward by municipal politicians to abolish LOV and discusses if the case of abandoning LOV represents a case of re-municipalization.Design/methodology/approach: Qualitative method was used to analyse decision protocols and media materials from 20 Swedish municipalities that had abolished LOV in home-care services.Findings: The article shows that politics and ideology seem to have only a limited significance in abolishing LOV. The most important arguments found in the empirical materials were instead pragmatic and related to the transaction costs: in smaller municipalities about the weak position of private providers and in larger municipalities about reported cases of welfare crime and extensive needs to control and review. In smaller municipalities, LOV was replaced by public monopoly and in larger municipalities by other types of procurements.Originality/value: With its focus on eldercare in party-dominated municipalities, the article adds knowledge to the literature on drivers of re-municipalization but also discusses possible delimitations of the concept of re-municipalization.
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| 18. |
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| 19. |
- Giritli Nygren, Katarina, et al.
(författare)
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Public e-services from inside : A case study on technology's influence on work conditions in a government agency
- 2013
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 26:6, s. 455-468
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to discuss the consequences of citizens' increased use of public e-services for agency employees' work situation. Design/methodology/approach: In order to accomplish the purpose of the paper the authors focus on the way in which the increased use of public e-services also implies internal process and routine changes in public administration. The authors analyze work conditions for case officers at a government agency in Sweden by applying occupational ideal types to identify the specific work conditions in the studied case. The case study is based on qualitative data collected with a back office perspective. Findings: The findings indicate a new hybrid organization where the increased use of e-services challenges earlier demands for competence. The transformation of e-government has implications for job codification, rule observation, job specification, and interaction with the general public. Originality/value: The paper extends the knowledge on how the increased use of public e-services affects back-office work conditions, with an increased high level of complexity in work content, but with low level of work autonomy. It argues that studying back-office work conditions is an important management issue in public administration research as well as practice. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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| 20. |
- Grossi, Giuseppe, et al.
(författare)
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Corporate governance and accountability of state-owned enterprises : relevance for science and society and interdisciplinary research perspectives
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 28:4-5, s. 274-285
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue and outline its major themes and challenges, their relevance and the research opportunities the field presents. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews prior literature and outline's the need to analyse challenges for corporate governance and accountability of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as a precursor to introducing the contributions to this special issue. Findings - Corporate governance, accounting and accountability of SOEs are crucial and growing topics in public management and other research disciplines. Public service provision and budget consolidation cannot be realized effectively and efficiently without powerful governance and management of SOEs. However there are significant corporate governance challenges and important empirical research gaps in comparison to other fields. Broader theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, accountability mechanisms and sector/context are identified and discussed and encouraged in future research. Research limitations/implications - This paper aims to stimulate interdisciplinary research on emerging issues affecting governance and accountability of SOEs considering their growing importance in the society and their changing nature. Practical implications - Effective mechanisms and good practices may contribute to better performance of SOEs. Findings may help politicians, administrations, board members, auditors, consultants, scholars and the media striving for improvements around the world. Originality/value - The paper condenses theoretical and empirical findings to highlight the relevance of this field and important research gaps. The special issue offers an empirical examination of interdisciplinary literature and innovative experiences of SOEs to strengthen public service motivation, board composition and roles, trust and control, transparency, public value and to enhance the ability to manage, steer and monitor contracts, performance and relationships.
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| 21. |
- Grossi, Giuseppe, et al.
(författare)
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Corporate governance and accountability of state-owned enterprises : relevance for science and society and interdisciplinary research perspectives
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Ltd.. - 0951-3558. ; 28:4-5, s. 274-285
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Tidskriftsartikel (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to introduce the special issue and outline its major themes and challenges, their relevance and the research opportunities the field presents. Design/methodology/approach - The paper reviews prior literature and outline's the need to analyse challenges for corporate governance and accountability of state-owned enterprises (SOEs) as a precursor to introducing the contributions to this special issue. Findings - Corporate governance, accounting and accountability of SOEs are crucial and growing topics in public management and other research disciplines. Public service provision and budget consolidation cannot be realized effectively and efficiently without powerful governance and management of SOEs. However there are significant corporate governance challenges and important empirical research gaps in comparison to other fields. Broader theoretical perspectives, methodological approaches, accountability mechanisms and sector/context are identified and discussed and encouraged in future research. Research limitations/implications - This paper aims to stimulate interdisciplinary research on emerging issues affecting governance and accountability of SOEs considering their growing importance in the society and their changing nature. Practical implications - Effective mechanisms and good practices may contribute to better performance of SOEs. Findings may help politicians, administrations, board members, auditors, consultants, scholars and the media striving for improvements around the world. Originality/value - The paper condenses theoretical and empirical findings to highlight the relevance of this field and important research gaps. The special issue offers an empirical examination of interdisciplinary literature and innovative experiences of SOEs to strengthen public service motivation, board composition and roles, trust and control, transparency, public value and to enhance the ability to manage, steer and monitor contracts, performance and relationships.
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| 22. |
- Grönlund, Anders, et al.
(författare)
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Value for money and the rule of law : the (new) performance audit in Sweden
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 24:2, s. 107-121
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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 carriedout by the Swedish National Audit Office (SNAO) during its first six years as an independent stateaudit organization reporting to parliament.Design/methodology/approach – The empirical data were gathered from all of the 150 auditreports published by the SNAO from its establishment in 2003 to the end of 2008. Seminars werearranged to discuss the classifications for validation.Findings – The focus on traditional VFM audits (the “Three Es”) is unusual. Most audits carried outby the SNAO combine different types of extended VFM audits with compliance audit. On the onehand, 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 andpolicies (right or wrong). In some cases, the SNAO equates compliance audit with performance audit.Practical implications – The authors have verbalised and visualised performance audit activities of interest not only to state auditors, but also to external stakeholders. One practical implication is thatthe Swedish national audit committee has conducted an evaluation of the SNAO that is partly based onthe national report of this study, and has proposed a stronger focus on the Three Es.Originality/value – The study addresses a new approach in terms of a classification scheme forperformance audits, consisting of eight types.
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| 23. |
- Honour, Trudie, et al.
(författare)
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Gender and public service: a case study of Mumbai
- 1998
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 11:2/3, s. 188-200
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This paper considers the role of gender in urban governance, taking Mumbai (formerly Bombay) in India as case study. Findings are presented from a research programme involving both female and male politicians and administrators in order to explore the ways in which women and men undertake the duties of public office. In attempting to take account of the historical traditions of Indian local governance, in the current post-colonial context, characterized not simply by difference, division and hierarchy but also by tolerance, diversity, locality and collective values, it is argued: first that women are held in high regard, seen as competent, fair and flexible in their dealings with others; and second that women's increasing presence may be bringing enhanced levels of respectability to local governance.
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| 24. |
- Hytti, Ulla, et al.
(författare)
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Challenges in delivering brand promise - focusing on municipal healthcare organisations
- 2015
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 28:3, s. 254-272
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate how healthcare professionals understand a new organisational brand and examine the ideas discussed in relation to it within healthcare organisations.Design/methodology/approach - The research is based on a discursive approach that facilitates understanding how the informants perceived a new organisation brand and how that might shape their activities in the enterprise.Findings - The study identified four distinct interpretative repertoires: the organisational brand as an economic solution, the magic wand, the factory and a servant to the customer. The new brand was understood in terms of economic and business-like functions marked by external branding and its signs (logos, etc.). The brand is not communicated to patients or colleagues and the factory metaphor is applied to work practices. Hence, several potential dilemmas arise concerning the brand promise, customer expectations, economic and efficiency gains and the professional values of employees.Research limitations/implications - Adoption of private-sector practices in semi-public or public-sector organisations is common. This study focuses on how private-sector ideas diffuse into the organisations and how they are translated within them.Practical implications - The authors suggest a stronger emphasis on internal branding as a reconciliation to enhance legitimacy, high-quality customer service and staff wellbeing.Originality/value - Theoretically, the unique contribution of the study is drawing upon healthcare branding, dilemma theory and discursive institutionalism in its interpretation. Consequently, it demonstrates how ideas about the brand and public healthcare are translated and communicated in the examined discourses and how those ideas reconstruct understanding and change behaviour within the organisations.
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| 25. |
- Höglund, Linda, 1972-, et al.
(författare)
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The impact of types of trust in the public sector : a case study approach
- 2019
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; :2, s. 247-263
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study how different types of trust develop and change over time in the collaboration between an organization and its board.Design/methodology/approachThis paper is a response to a recent call to apply the concept of trust in understanding the collaboration between a public organization, its board, and other stakeholders. Here, the authors study a single case, and based on a longitudinal in-depth case study method covering the period of 2003–2015, the authors have conducted 27 interviews, including the CEO and all the board members.FindingsThe authors introduce and advance the concept of trust in the public sector literature on board work. This paper shows that trust is complex and multidimensional at different units of analysis. The types of trust discussed in this paper are cognitive, affective, contractual, competence, and goodwill. Different types of trust are developed to make the collaboration between a governed organization and its board to work.Research limitations/implicationsBecause this paper uses the case study method and only studies one single case, the findings of this paper might be questioned on the issue of generalization.Originality/valueThe authors conceptualize and adopt trust as a multidimensional, dynamic concept, and with different units of analyses, capture the nature of the collaboration between a public organization and its board, and its complexity.
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| 26. |
- Jansson, Anna, et al.
(författare)
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Changed governance of public sector organisations : Err:509
- 2011
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 24:3, s. 177-186
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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 organisation of work influence intra-professional relations, in ways that highlight the tension between profession and organisation. Findings – The findings can be seen as an illustration of consequences of the adoption of NPM-influenced governance ideals; this paper sees the organisational changes as deriving from the managements' focus on “the customer in centre of attention”, in the form of interdisciplinary work teams and TAS. Originality/value – The paper shows that, through investigating how individual professionals experience their work, consequences of NPM-related governance changes are unveiled.
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| 27. |
- Johansson, Inga-Lill, 1955, et al.
(författare)
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Patient-centred care: a Nordic perspective
- 2010
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 23:4, s. 325-330
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)
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| 28. |
- Kristensen, Søren Rud, et al.
(författare)
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Pay for performance at acrossroads: lessons from takingaglobal perspective
- 2023
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 36:6-7, s. 592-605
-
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The use of pay for performance (P4P) as an instrument to incentivise quality improvements in health care is at a crossroads in high-income countries but has remained a commonly used tool in low- and middle-income countries. The authors aimed to take stock of the evidence on effectiveness and design from across income settings to reveal insights for the future design of performance payment across income contexts. Design/methodology/approach: The authors identified Cochrane literature reviews of the use of P4P in health care in any income setting, tracked the development in the quantity and quality of evidence over time, and compared the incentive design features used across high-income countries compared to low- and middle-income countries. Findings: The quantity and quality of the evidence base have grown over time but can still be improved. Scheme design varies across income settings, and although some design choices may reflect differences in context, the authors find that incentive designers in both income settings can learn from practices used in the other setting. Originality/value: The research and literature on P4P in high-, low- and middle-income countries largely operate in silos. By taking stock of the evidence on P4P from across income settings, the authors are able to draw out key insights between these settings, which remain underexplored in the literature.
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| 29. |
- Lundberg, Sofia, 1969-, et al.
(författare)
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Tendering design when price and quality is uncertain
- 2017
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 30:4, s. 310-327
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze how local and central authorities choose between lowest price and more complex scoring rules when they design supplier-selection mechanisms for public procurements. Five hypotheses are tested: a high level of cost uncertainty and highly non-verifiable quality makes the use of the lowest-price supplier-selection method less likely. Organizational habits and transaction-cost considerations influence the choice of mechanism. Strong quality concerns make complex rules more likely.Design/methodology/approach – The analysis departures from normative theory (rational choice) and is based on the regression analysis and survey data comprising a gross sample of 40 contracting authorities and detailed information about 651 procurements.Findings – More complex scoring rules are used more often when the authority is uncertain about costs and about delivered quality. Authority effects are also found to directly and indirectly influence the choice of supplier-selection method, suggesting that tendering design is partly driven by local habits and institutional inertia.Practical implications – The authors argue that, from a normative point of view, lowest price is an adequate method when the degree of uncertainty is low, for example, because the procured products are standardized and since quality can be verified. When there is significant cost uncertainty, it is better to use the so-called economically most advantageous tender (EMAT) method. (Preferably this should be done by assigning monetary values to different quality levels.) If there is significant uncertainty concerning delivered quality, the contracting authority should retain a degree of discretion, so as to be able to reward good-quality performance in observable but non-verifiable quality dimensions; options to extend the contract and subjective assessments of quality are two possibilities. The main findings are that EMAT and more complex scoring rules are used more often when the contracting authorities report that they experience substantial uncertainty concerning delivered quality and actual costs and that these factors tend to decrease the weight given to price, in line with the predictions. However, the authors also find that this result is mainly driven by variations between authorities, rather than by between-products variation for the same authority. This is from a training of professionals and regulation perspective of policy relevance.Social implications – Contract allocation based on habits rather than rational ground could implicate the waste of resources (tax payers money) as it adventures the matching of the preferences of the public sector (the objective, subject matter, of the procurement) and what the potential supplier offers in its tender.Originality/value – Although the principles for supplier selection are regulated by law they give the contracting authority substantial freedom in designing the scoring rule and in choosing what quality criteria to use. The tension between different objectives and the more general question whether the choices made by authorities reflect rational decision making or institutional inertia together motivate the current study. While the design of the supplier-selection mechanism is an important consideration in procurement practice, it has attracted relatively little attention from the academic community.
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| 30. |
- Löfgren, Karl, et al.
(författare)
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The growth of organisational professionals in tertiary educational institutions in New Zealand
- 2022
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 35:7
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose The purpose of this article is to ascertain empirically to what extent we can quantify an occupational shift, where a new type of bureaucracy of organisational professionals is on the rise in tertiary educational institutions in New Zealand. Furthermore, the objective is also to present accountability as the prime factor behind the changes. Design/methodology/approach The analytical strategy of the study takes a point of departure in the distinction between occupational and organisational professionals in the public sector in general, and more specifically in tertiary education (TE). Based on these new categorisations, the authors have used various descriptive historical statistics (both national and institutional) to estimate changes over time. Findings The article finds, in line with some international research, that there has been a comparatively higher growth of organisational professionals in TE in New Zealand, and a significantly higher growth than in the private sector and in the overall public services. The authors hypothesise that this growth can be associated with accountability (both vertical and horizontal) as the dominant notion in TE. Originality/value This article takes a different approach than the existing literature on administrative intensity in TE by looking at occupational changes rather than changes in institutions budgets. This article also confirms some of the findings in the growing international literature on changes in professional roles.
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| 31. |
- Nordgren, Lars
(författare)
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Value creation in health care services - developing service productivity: Experiences from Sweden
- 2009
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558. ; 22:2, s. 114-127
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The “old” concept of productivity seems to be misleading in health care, because it does not involve the contribution of the patient in value creation. The purpose of this paper will therefore be to explore possibilities for developing service productivity in theory and practice.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis is based on a discursive reading of authoritative texts, an understanding of how health care work is organised and of several examples illustrating value creation. A proposed theoretical frame draws on “value creation”, “match matching” and “agency”. Empirical material is used, as are an analysis of a service meeting in health care, official texts in a Swedish context and narratives written by “users” and professionals.FindingsThe concept of service productivity in the context of health care encompasses values such as experienced health, quality of life, accessibility, trust, communication, avoidable suffering and avoidable deaths, and not only reduced costs, activities and outcomes.Research limitation/implicationsThere is a need for more research concerning matchmaking and support of the customer. An overall aim for the providers should be to match the value creation process of the customer (patient).Originality/valueThis is a conceptual paper concerning value creation and service productivity in health care.
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| 32. |
- Norén Bretzer, Ylva, 1969, et al.
(författare)
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Is public procurement efficiency conditioned by market types? A critical test in park and road sectors in Sweden
- 2016
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 29:5, s. 488-501
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate to what extent contracting out practices has led to perceived resource cuts in the Swedish park and road sectors. Design/methodology/approach – E-survey sent to managers in park and technical departments in the municipalities. Response rate: 39.7 percent. Findings – Decreased costs were found in 25 percent of the responding road departments, in 20 percent of park departments. 49 percent of the road departments responded “ no change ” or “ increase ” (48 percent parks). Findings indicate that tendering practices tend to be most commonly centered in Swedish municipalities situated in the three metropolitan regions (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö with suburbs), while such practices are not as common in mid-sized and rural municipalities. In addition, contracting out practices correspond with higher per capita budgets, not with smaller. Research limitations/implications – The research implications are that contracting out tend to occur “ where the resources are, ” while poorer municipalities either have to contract even if it is more expensive, or, contracting out is combined with other provision models. The limitation of the data are that it based on managers’ perceptions, while hard data have been impossible to map. Practical implications – The uniform assumption that contracting out saves public resources need to be conditioned with context, and initial resources at hand. Contracting out is one option among several possible strategies, especially for mid-sized and smaller municipalities with small budgets. Social implications – The rationalities of local government procurements are bounded by the local market situations and local the budget capacities. Originality/value – This is the first study of manager ’ s perceptions in the Swedish park and road contexts. Keywords Market structure, Contracting out, Cost-efficiency, Local park management, Local road management, Metropolitan municipalities Paper type Research paper
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| 33. |
- Norén, Lars, 1955
(författare)
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The private interests of consumers in the healthcare market
- 2010
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 23:4, s. 364-371
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – This paper sets out to examine how private health insurance (PHI) supports the private interests of consumers of healthcare services. The focus is on how insurance companies promote PHI to consumers. Design/methodology/approach – Using interviews with insurance company marketing managers and others, the paper is a case study on the introduction of PHI in Sweden. Findings – The interviewed insurance company managers argue that PHI supports two types of consumers' private economic interests. One type is the employers' interest in managing their total health-related costs for their employees and the promise of PHI to reduce these costs. The second type relates to the interests of employees, particularly sports professionals, in managing economic risks and the promise of PHI to limit such risks. Research limitations/implications – The paper focuses on how insurance companies promote PHI to consumers. There is no exploration of how PHI policyholders actually use their insurance. The study focuses on Sweden where private companies are the major PHI policyholders. In other European countries, PHI may be adapted to other consumer groups in order to develop other private interests. The paper points to the value of short waiting times in public healthcare. Originality/value – The paper provides valuable insights for academics and practitioners who are interested in how the private interests of consumers may affect the healthcare sector.
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| 34. |
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| 35. |
- Pierre, Jon, 1953, et al.
(författare)
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Is auditing the new evaluation? Can it be? Should it be?
- 2018
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558. ; 31:6, s. 726-739
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the changing relationship between auditing and evaluation. Over the past several years, supreme auditing institutions (SAIs) in a number of advanced democracies have evolved from conventional auditing institutions to becoming increasingly concerned with assisting policy change and administrative reform in the public sector; tasks that are traditionally associated with evaluation. The paper discusses the potential consequences of this development for the SAIs themselves as well as for the audited and reforming institutions and for policy-making. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses qualitative method and draws on the extensive literature on auditing and evaluation. The analysis has also benefitted from the authors' recent comparative research on SAIs. Findings The findings, summarized in six points, are that the growth of auditing in areas previously assigned to evaluators, has led to a shortened time perspective; stronger emphasis on the administration of policies; increased focus on efficiency of the audited entity; greater independence from the evaluated organizations; a shift in receiver of information toward the legislature and/or the public; and improved communication. Practical implications Evaluation as a professional and scholarly field has developed theories and advanced methods to assess the effectiveness of public programs. The growth of auditing may thus change the focus and quality of policy evaluation. Originality/value The paper speaks to both scholars and practitioners. To the best of the knowledge a similar analysis has not been done before.
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| 36. |
- Randrup, Thomas
(författare)
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Capability versus efficiency: contracting out park and road services in Norway
- 2016
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - 0951-3558. ; 29, s. 474-487
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose outcomes of contracting out in the local road and park sectors in Norway. For understanding the use of contracting out in local governments, it highlights the relevance of the capability perspective in organisational literature as an alternative to the standard efficiency perspective.– The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the extent of, rationales for and Design/methodology/approach gathered from park and road managers in Norwegian municipalities in 2015.– The paper draws on four expert interviews and survey data Findings maintenance services when they do not have the capability to perform these services themselves. Cost concerns are also highlighted but of less importance. Moreover, lack of competition renders the use of contracting out as a potentially costly and less satisfying arrangement for organising service delivery.– The study suggests that Norwegian municipalities primarily contract out park and road Research limitations/implications research may benefit from the theoretical perspectives, which have been used.– While the scope is limited to one country, Norway, future Practical implications service provision.– Policy guidelines should support a flexible use of various arrangements for Originality/value suggests that contracting out to private contractors is undertaken to enhance economic efficiency compared to keeping service production in-house. This study suggests that this is not always the case– The dominating view among proponents of marketisation in the public sector– even in “most likely” sectors such as park and road maintenance.
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| 37. |
- Rodriguez, Rocio, et al.
(författare)
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Organizational positioning and planning of sustainability initiatives : Logic and differentiators
- 2018
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 31:7, s. 755-774
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the logic and differentiators of organizational positioning and planning of sustainability initiatives between private and public organizations in the healthcare industry. Sustainability initiatives refer to organizations’ economic, social and environmental actions.Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on an inductive approach judgmental sampling and in-depth interviews of executives at private and public hospitals in Spain have been used. Data were collected from the directors of communication at private hospitals, and from the executive in charge of corporate social responsibility in public hospitals. An empirical discourse analysis is used.Findings: The positioning and planning of sustainability initiatives differs between private and public hospitals. The former consider sustainability as an option that is required mainly for social reasons, a bottom-up positioning and planning. It emerges merely spontaneously within the organization, while the sustainability initiatives in public hospitals are compulsory. They are imposed by the healthcare system within which the public hospital, operates and constitutes a top-down positioning and planning that is structured to accomplish set sustainability goals.Research limitations/implications: A limitation of this study is that it is undertaken exclusively in Spanish organizations from one industry. This study differs from previous ones in terms of exploring the positioning and planning of the sustainability initiatives, which focus on the organizational logic of such sustainability initiatives. There are both common denominators and differentiators between private and public hospitals.Practical implications: The logic of determining the positioning and planning of the sustainability initiatives is mainly about satisfying organizational needs and societal demands. Nowadays, organizations tend to engage in sustainability initiatives, so it is essential to understand the logic of how organizations position and plan such efforts.Originality/value: This study investigates the path that follows sustainability initiatives in public and private organizations. It reports mainly differentiators between private and public organizations. It also contributes to explaining the organizational reasoning as to why companies make decisions about sustainability initiatives, an issue which has not been addressed sufficiently in existing theory studies.
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| 38. |
- Rämö, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Time and Space in New Public Management Reform: A Case Study in Geriatric Care
- 2006
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 19:5, s. 513-525
-
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose– The implications of new public management (NPM) have been studied from several theoretical perspectives. The present paper sets out to argue that there is a missing dimension to the theoretical debate regarding NPM reform – that of time and space. On the basis of two different notions of time‐space logics, the present paper seeks to develop a framework that contributes to a fuller understanding of NPM reform and organizational change/inertia in general.Design/methodology/approach– The theoretical framework of the paper draws on studies of time and space in organizations, research on public‐sector reform, and neo‐institutional theory. The empirical case study presented here focuses on an attempt to change geriatric care using NPM initiatives.Findings– The paper describes two paradigms of time‐space logics – the paradigm of “speed” (as used in finance and manufacturing) and the paradigm of “closeness” (as used in health care and associated care‐giving practices). The study argues that speed is a feature of almost all NPM programs, but that NPM programs are often directed at practices institutionalized by a time‐space paradigm of closeness. The study utilizes the two time‐space paradigms to understand the effects of NPM in the case reported. The use of time‐space paradigms in studies of public‐sector reform adds to the arsenal of theoretical tools for the analysis of NPM‐reform.Research limitations/implications– Although the methodology of a case study is an appropriate vehicle for introducing the time‐space paradigm to this area of research, the methodology is not well suited to generalizing the findings to other contexts. Future research could elaborate on the present study by applying quantitative approaches to the subject‐matter.Practical implications– The study presents an analysis of an NPM‐reform program in geriatric care – a context in which ideas of “speed” clash with the traditional practice of “closeness”. This potential clash has important practical implications for managers.Originality/value– The paper introduces notions of time and space into research on NPM‐reform. This novel approach to the study of NPM reform might be of value in future research.
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| 39. |
- Siverbo, Sven, 1970-, et al.
(författare)
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On the diffusion and implementation of trust-based management in Scandinavia : cross-country survey evidence
- 2024
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 37:1, s. 1-19
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aims to examine the diffusion and implementation of trust-based management (TBM) in Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway and Sweden). TBM is a novel “anti-New Public Management (NPM)” innovation within the realm of New Public Governance (NPG), which asserts that leadership and control in public sector organizations should be practiced and designed based on the assumption that civil servants and employees in general are trustworthy. The research questions are as follows: How has TBM been diffused and implemented in Scandinavia? To what extent can the institutional logics framework increase understanding of similarities and differences between the Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway and Sweden)?Design/methodology/approachThe authors designed and submitted surveys to the municipal directors of the three Scandinavian municipal populations, thereby producing a unique cross-country dataset on TBM diffusion and implementation in Scandinavia (Denmark, Norway and Sweden).FindingsThe authors' study shows that TBM has diffused widely among Scandinavian municipalities and has developed into a municipal-level concept across policy fields and sectors. While Denmark stands out as an earlier and more decisive TBM reformer, the results show that similarities in the diffusion and implementation of TBM in Scandinavian countries are more apparent than the differences.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the public management literature and research on anti-NPM and NPG concepts by being the first wide-scale empirical study of TBM diffusion and implementation in the Scandinavian municipal sectors.
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| 40. |
- Svensson, Göran, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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A construct of the “ethos of codes of ethics” (ECE) : the Case of Private and Public Sweden
- 2009
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - Bingley, UK : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 22:6, s. 499-515
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The objective of this paper is to develop and describe a construct of the "ethos of the codes of ethics" (i.e. an ECE construct) in the private and public sectors of Sweden.Design/methodology/approach: The paper takes a cross-sector approach to codes of ethics amongst the top private sector companies and the top public sector organisations. The paper then examines the measures put in place by the dual sample in order to describe the ethos of their codes of ethics.Findings: The multivariate techniques used in the statistical analysis indicated that the ECE-construct consists of five dimensions: ethical bodies, ethical tools, ethical support procedures, internal ethics usage, and external ethics usage. Research limitations/implications - It should be noted that the ECE construct has been derived from large companies and organisations in private and public Sweden, which may indicate less applicability to smaller operations. Another limitation may be the validity and reliability across other cultural samples. The dual sample contains a variety of different types of operations, but it may not be transferable to other countries.Practical implications: The outcome is based on data from private companies and public organisations that indicated they had corporate codes of ethics. Therefore, a suggestion for further research is to examine the ECE construct in other countries/cultures that differ from the ones in this research effort performed in the private and public sectors of Sweden.Originality/value: The ECE construct introduced makes a contribution to theory and practice in the field as it is based upon a dual sample. It makes a contribution to theory as it outlines a construct for the benefit of other researchers working in both the private and the public sectors. The authors also believe that it may be of managerial interest as it provides a grounded framework of areas to be considered in the implementation of the codes of ethics in both private companies and public organisations.© Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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| 41. |
- Svensson, Göran, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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Codes of Ethics Best Practice in the Swedish Public Sector : a PUBSEC-Scale
- 2004
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - Bingley, United Kingdom : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 17:2-3, s. 178-195
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article examines the results of a study conducted of the top 100 public sector units in Sweden. The aim of the study was to examine and describe the codes of ethics in these Swedish public sector units. Reports on the responses of 27 public sector units that possessed a code of ethics. The content analyses of these codes indicate that they have only recently become an interest in public Sweden. Many public sector units are in the early stages of development and assimilation of codes of ethics artefacts into overall ethics policies in the organization. A customized PUBSEC-scale was used to measure and evaluate the content of the codes. The code of ethics best practice in the Swedish public sector has been used to develop a public sector scale consisting of seven dimensions and 41 items. The PUBSEC-scale differs from the current private sector scales in literature, owing to the specific characteristics of the public sector. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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| 42. |
- Svensson, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Implementation, communication and benefits of public sector codes of ethics : A longitudinal study of Sweden
- 2009
-
Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - Bradford : MCB University Press. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 22:4, s. 364-379
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine the implementation, communication and benefits of codes of ethics in the public sector of Sweden. Design/methodology/approach: The research is based on a longitudinal approach. It examines the ethos of codes of ethics in the largest public sector organizations of Sweden in 2001-2002 and 2005-2006. Findings: Only a few of the largest public sector organizations in Sweden have indicated that they possess codes of ethics. This finding may be explained by the current judicial legislation that governs Swedish society. The public codes of ethics have been established both recently and, in part, years ago. Research limitations/implications: A suggestion for further research would be to examine the implementation, communication and perceived benefits of public sector codes of ethics in other countries. Another area of further research would be to replicate the reported surveys in the future to examine the existence of potential trends. Practical implications: When it comes to the perceived benefits of public sector codes of ethics there appears to be only minor acknowledgement of the code being used to resolve ethical problems in society. However, there is a strong conviction that the code of ethics positively influences the operations of public sector organizations. Originality/value: The paper examines the ethical implementation, communication and benefits put in place by private companies to embed codes of ethics into their organizations. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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| 43. |
- Svensson, Göran, 1961-
(författare)
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Legal Requirements for Transparency in Appointments and Promotions in Swedish Higher Education Institutions
- 2007
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - Bingley, UK : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 20:2, s. 118-133
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose - The purpose of this research is to describe and assess the legal requirements for transparency in appointments and promotions in the higher-education institutions of Sweden. Design/methodology/approach - The study uses both qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore legal documents, analyse data, and conduct interviews with leading executives in Swedish higher-education institutions and administrative bodies. Findings - Transparency is shown to exist at all stages of documentation and decision-making procedures. In particular, appeals to the Board of Appeal are rarely approved. Research limitations/implications - The findings might not be applicable to public sectors in other countries. There is potential for further research to explore transparency in similar procedures in other comparable countries. Practical implications - Quality assurance and quality control with respect to appointments and promotions in higher-education institutions might be enhanced by legal requirements for transparency of documentation and decision-making procedures. Originality/value - The study provides original research into the administration of part of the Swedish public service and suggests that this might be seen as a potential benchmark for quality assurance and quality control with respect to public access to documentation and decision-making procedures.
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| 44. |
- Svensson, Göran, et al.
(författare)
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Measurement and structural properties of organizational codes of ethics in private and public Sweden
- 2010
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - Bingley : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 23:6, s. 549-566
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the measurement and structural properties in a model of organizational codes of ethics (OCE) in Sweden.Design/methodology/approach – The measurement and structural properties of four OCE constructs (i.e. surveillance/training, internal communication, external communication, and guidance) were described and tested in a dual sample based upon private and public sectors of Sweden.Findings – Results show that the measurement and structural models of OCE in part have a satisfactory fit, validity, and reliability.Research limitations/implications – The paper makes a contribution to theory as it outlines a set of OCE constructs and it presents an empirical test of and OCE model in respect to measurement and structural properties. A number of research limitations are provided.Practical implications – It provides a model to be considered in the implementation and monitoring of OCE. The present research provides opportunities for further research in refining, extending, and testing the proposed OCE model in other cultural and organizational settings.Originality/value – The OCE model extends previous studies that have been predominately descriptive, by using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling.
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| 45. |
- Svensson, Göran, 1961-, et al.
(författare)
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The commitment of public sector Sweden to codes of ethics
- 2004
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - Bingley : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 17:4, s. 302-331
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This article examines the results of a study conducted of the top 100 public sector units in Sweden. These units are comprised of entities of government, municipalities, and county councils. The aim of the study was to examine and describe the commitment to codes of ethics in these Swedish public sector units. This article reports on the responses of those public sector units that possessed a code of ethics. The construct of commitment was measured by a consideration of the inputs, objectives and outputs of the code across six areas. The commitment to codes of ethics has an interest for those involved in the public sector in Sweden and society in general. Most public sector units are in the early stages of development and assimilation into overall ethics policies in code artefacts. On a specific level there are customized codes of ethics that are not always documented in a generic artefact. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided. Furthermore, suggestions for further research are proposed. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
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| 46. |
- Thörnqvist, Christer, 1961-
(författare)
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Changing industrial relations in the Swedish public sector : New tensions within the old framework of corporatism
- 2007
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 20:1, s. 16-33
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- PurposeThis paper aims to provide an overview of changes in the context of the Swedish public sector.Design/methodology/approachIt reviews the main literature on the topic and relevant policy texts.FindingsIn short, even though the last decade and a half has been a most turbulent period in the history of the Swedish public sector, with its peak in two great strikes, the framework has remained substantially intact. Swedish path dependency has been so strong that the system has largely survived; it has moved towards “organized decentralization”, but it has not dissolved. It is probable that the end of that move has not yet been seen; the Swedish system is still transforming.Research limitations/implicationsIt is a general overview of key developments.Practical implicationsIt is relevant for a discussion of the general trends and dynamic of public sector industrial relations in Sweden.Originality/valueThis article manages to take an overview and point to the uncertain development of a new market approach.
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| 47. |
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| 48. |
- Winblad, Ulrika, et al.
(författare)
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Do the waiting-time guarantees in the Scandinavian countries empower patients?
- 2010
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 23:4, s. 353-363
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose This paper aims to analyse waiting-time guarantees in the three Scandinavian countries (Denmark, Norway, and Sweden) and to assess whether their current policy designs have strengthened the role of patients in their healthcare systems. Design/methodology/approach The paper compares official documents and legislation in the three countries. The main findings are that waiting-time guarantees have generally empowered patients in the Scandinavian health systems. This empowerment is stronger in Denmark and Norway, where formal waiting-time guarantee rules are applied, than in Sweden, where the guarantee is based on the “softer” regulatory instrument of agreements. While patients are formally empowered in all three countries, and care providers are gradually adjusting to this situation, it is also clear that the practical conditions for empowering patients are not fully in place. The issue of information dissemination is particularly important. Research limitations/implications Assessments are based on current regulatory configurations in the three countries, where the process of adapting and implementing the policies is ongoing. These assessments are based on a comparative analysis of the institutional designs. There is no detailed information on how patients use the waiting-time guarantee. Practical implications It is important to consider carefully the information that patients have available in exercising their right to choose healthcare as well as the incentives for providing such information to them. Originality/value This is the first systematic comparison of waiting-time guarantees in the three countries. It is a starting-point for further research on the introduction of waiting-time guarantees in public health systems.
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| 49. |
- Åkesson, Maria, 1979-, et al.
(författare)
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E-government and service orientation : gaps between theory and practice
- 2008
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Ingår i: International Journal of Public Sector Management. - : Emerald Group Publishing Limited. - 0951-3558 .- 1758-6666. ; 21:1, s. 74-92
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to review selected literature on e-government service orientation and highlight differences between academic theory and empirical findings. To date, there has been little support for predictions made in the e-government conceptual literature.Design/methodology/approach – The paper is a conceptual framework for a literature review of e-government and service orientation is presented. A systematic database search is then undertaken to identify the literature related to e-government and service orientation. Suitable papers are selected, carefully read, and systematically analysed according to the conceptual framework. A discussion and relevant conclusions are then presented.Findings – The paper finds that a gap appears to exist between conceptual literature and empirical findings. For example, conceptual research claims that e-government will result in a reduction of staff, yet no empirical findings have proven this. The present study applies institutional theory for understanding the fundamental reasons to this gap.Research limitations/implications – The paper is based on a literature review of 27 articles, three monographs and one edited volume focusing on service orientation and e-government. It does not attempt to examine the full range of the literature available within the field of e-government.Originality/value – This review paper uniquely considers the gaps between the theory and practice of e-government service orientation, and identifies where they exist. Some possible explanations for the gaps are explored which can be of interest to both academics and practitioners working in the field.
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