Sub-theme 06: (SWG): Organizing the Public Sector: Changing Shapes and Assemblies
Call for Papers
Have recent upheavals in financial markets along with other aspects of globalisation and ecological concerns meant there
is about to be paradigm shift with the public sector? Are we to see the disassembling these organisations, with greater privatisation
or quasi-privatisation – or will there be more of a reassembling with a greater role for the state?
The organizations
within the public sector across Europe were isomorphically pressured to undergo many changes over recent decades. The impact
of 'New' Public Management has been profound although its trajectory across the continent – as well as across sectors - has
been variegated (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2004). Nevertheless, NPM has become the new orthodoxy. We are now much more familiar
with a public sector that is a mix of elements of hierarchy, networks, market orientation and self-organizing, demanding increased
levels of transparency and accountability. But all of this has been challenged with the global financial crisis that was precipitated
by the collapse of private sector banks which led many of them being taken into public control. This has led to further unwanted
consequences such as the collapse of the car industry. This has involved governments in having to deal with the real possibility
of a substantial rise in unemployment and looking for new ways to generate new industry and employment.
Within
these turbulent times, issues of governance and public management are central, or would appear to be so, for with the failure
of the market has led to renewed interest in Keynesian economics and with it a potential for a refocusing (reassembly?) of
the welfare state and its organisations. This highlights the role of central government in strategic redesign of the public
services as well as local agencies.
In terms of our 4 subthemes, we identify a range of questions concerning
reassembling organisations, their governance and the implications for public management and leadership.
1.
Consumerism (clients) versus democracy (citizens)
To what extent has public sector governance arrangements
focused on the local service delivery organisation, for example, a school of hospital? How far has consumerism been effective
in shaping (assembling) public sector provision, for example, through parent choice of schools, and patient
choice of hospitals? Are the low-trust governance structures becoming dominant and undermining the quasi-markets of consumerism?
What kind of impact will economic restraints have on social welfare policies? How can the tensions between increased taxation
and the needs of vulnerable citizens be best balanced? And will central government move to restrict choice if it becomes unaffordable?
2. Professionalism versus managerialism
The classic dualism of professional – manager
has changed fundamentally, perhaps we are all managers now as Grey (1999) suggested a little while ago. Certainly there is
much more interest in the reassembly of professionals and professionalism as 'hybrids' (Noordegraaf, 2007).
Services are delivered predominantly by a professionalised workforce, but whether this indicates occupations with expert knowledge
or ones that behave responsibly – and can be trusted can be unclear: the indeterminacy/technicity ratio identified by Jamous
and Peloille (1970) may be being turned on its head as protocollisation of professional practice makes, in principle, professional
work processes more transparent and accessible to management control. It would therefore, be timely to revisit and reassess
the fashionable classics, perhaps including a critical review of Freidson (2004), or a reassessment of Abbott
(1988) particularly on the question of changing jurisdictions and boundary work in recent times.
3.
Individual actors and organizations in the public management change process
The proliferation of protocols
and guidelines across the public sector – and the private providers too have raised the question of shifting assemblies
as providers find ways of providing the required output or measure by finding informal devices for getting around
the sometimes contradictory and often very time consuming demands of the formal system. In English, these have become
known as 'work arounds' and are generally a means of ensuring work gets done, rather than overtly fraudulent practice. However,
there is also the practice of improving formal performance figures by devious devices to massage figures, for example, cancelling
appointments to reduce clinic waiting times. All of which points to a new type of 'street level bureaucrat' who reflects sometime
the negative and unintended outcomes of public sector governance regimes. Some public sector managers may be charged with
'downsizing' the public services. How will they do this and what resistance will they face? Will central government take on
a strategic role in downsizing?
4. Autonomy and control of public sector organisations
How far have public sector organisations been disassembled and/or reassembled over recent years? What has been the effectiveness
of moves to greater local autonomy (e.g. NHS trusts in the UK)? What have been the implications for redrawing organisational
boundaries and the flow and accessibility of client/citizen information as well as that of our public representatives? What
has been the impact on the 'rechstaat' – or 'Bismarckian' –as compared to the more social democratic and/or 'Beveridge'
– countries of globalisation.
Concerning the submission of short papers, we would appreciate the following information
to be included: the purpose of the research, methodology and theoretical approach, (preliminary) findings, and the originality
of the paper or work in progress. Particular details concerning the chosen theoretical approach and the way the investigations
have been carried out should be made explicit.
References
Abbott, A. (1988): The
System of Professions: An Essay on the Division of Expert Labor. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Freidson,
E. (2001): Professionalism: The Third Logic. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
Grey, C. (1998): "On being
a professional in a 'Big Six' firm." Accounting, Organizations and Society, 23, 5-6, 569-587.
Jamous, J. &
H. Peloille (1970): "Changes in the French University Hospital System." In: J. Jackson (ed.): Professions and Professionalisations.
London: Cambridge University Press.
Noordegraaf, M. (2007): "From 'pure' to 'hybrid' professionalism: Present-day professionalism
in ambiguous public domains." Administration Society, 39 (6), 761-785.
Pollitt, C. & G. Bouckaert (2004):
Public Management Reform: A Comparative Analysis. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Guest
convenors
- Louise Fitzgerald: Visiting Professor, Manchester Business School & Emeritus Professor, De Montfort University, UK. Her research interests focus on innovation and the implementation of change in complex organizations. Recent work has examined the introduction of service improvements in health care; the management of networks and knowledge exchange between researchers and practitioners.
- Mike Dent: Professor of Health Care Organisation, Faculty of Health, Staffordshire University, UK. He published widely on organisations in the health care sector, particular by using a comparative perspective.