Wakeup call: Strategic management, network alarms, and performance

Richard M. WALKER*, Rhys ANDREWS, George A. BOYNE, Kenneth J. MEIER, Laurence J. O'TOOLE, JR

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Journal PublicationsJournal Article (refereed)peer-review

87 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

New empirical evidence suggests that service performance is shaped by the strategies adopted by public organizations and the networking behavior of public managers. Strategy captures two central behavioral aspects of public organizations: the way in which objectives and actions are selected (processes), and an organization's approach to service delivery (content). Networking is similarly concerned with the behavior of public managers as they interact with others. These twin themes are linked in an integrated study that explores the relationship between strategy, networking, and service performance within a sample of English local governments. The results show that strategy processes based on rational planning offer long-run positive effects on public services, as does a strategic proactive stance.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)731-741
Number of pages11
JournalPublic Administration Review
Volume70
Issue number5
Early online date31 Aug 2010
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Sept 2010
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

An earlier version of this paper was presented at the International Research Symposium on Public Management in Potsdam, Germany, April 2–4, 2007. The authors acknowledge the Economic and Social Research Council (RES-062-23-0039) for its financial support. This paper is part of an ongoing research agenda on the role of public management in complex policy settings. That agenda has benefited from the helpful comments of Stuart Bretschneider, Gene Brewer, Amy Kneedler Donahue, Sergio Fernández, H. George Frederickson, Carolyn Heinrich, Peter Hupe, Patricia Ingraham, J. Edward Kellough, Laurence E. Lynn, Jr., H. Brinton Milward, Sean Nicholson-Crotty, David Peterson, Hal G. Rainey, and Bob Stein on various aspects of this research program. Needless to say, this paper is the responsibility of the authors only.

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