Public Service Management

The public service reforms of the 1980s have radically altered the roles of its managers with widespread effects. From the smallest primary school to the university chief executive, from funding GPs and health service trust managers to the new health authority purchasers, and from BBC producers to local government managers, all have increasingly demanding responsibilities and new accountabilities. In addition, the escalation in demand for public services, especially in the areas of health and education, combined with the constant need for change and technical innovation, puts a heavy burden on effective management. This book examines the underlying forces which drive this need for change. While it is still assumed by many in the UK that such changes are simply a by-product of Conservative policies, this book delves into the nature of parallel causes which can be identified in the USA, Australia and much of Western Europe. It examines the policies, implementatins, pressures and problems which have plagued the public services, and expounds the need to orchestrate strategies for change based upon more realistic assumptions and evidence that will lead to successful outcomes.
 
The public service reforms of the 1980s have radically altered the roles of its managers with widespread effects. From the smallest primary school to the university chief executive, from funding GPs and health service trust managers to the new health authority purchasers, and from BBC producers to local government managers, all have increasingly demanding responsibilities and new accountabilities. In addition, the escalation in demand for public services, especially in the areas of health and education, combined with the constant need for change and technical innovation, puts a heavy burden on effective management. This book examines the underlying forces which drive this need for change. While it is still assumed by many in the UK that such changes are simply a by-product of Conservative policies, this book delves into the nature of parallel causes which can be identified in the USA, Australia and much of Western Europe. It examines the policies, implementatins, pressures and problems which have plagued the public services, and expounds the need to orchestrate strategies for change based upon more realistic assumptions and evidence that will lead to successful outcomes.