The International Journal of Public Sector Management

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/eb002938
• Published date: 01 March 1992
• Date: 01 March 1992
• Pages: 1-63
• Subject Matter: Public policy & environmental management

Culture,

Strategy and

Structure

5

SECTION 1

Culture, Strategy

and Organization

Structure

International Journal of Public

Sector Management, Vol. 5 No. 3,

1992, pp. 5-14, © MCB University

Press, 0951-3558

Culture,

Strategy and

Structure

7

Covers such issues as culture change in the NHS, convergence of

public

and corporate policy

making,

privatization in Germany and Sweden, TQM

in the public sector, management of British universities, and industrial

policy in Ireland.

Structuring finance departments to meet the NHS reforms

M. Prowle in Public Finance & Accountancy (UK), 8 Mar

91:

p.

19 (3 pages)

Examines the possible future finance department structures available to

accommodate the new NHS reforms. Details the issues to be considered

in developing and implementing the required changes and puts forward

a "typical" structure for overcoming the problems raised by the new

reforms. (RT53)

Strategy for shared success

C. Hicks and

D.

Collins in Local Government Chronicle (UK), 8 Mar

91:

p. 18 (2 pages)

Reports that Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council believes that shared

values are important for everyone in the council, as these can contribute

to more responsive service delivery; outlines historical developments

at the council in a drive to a more strategic approach and customer-first

policies. Discusses corporate targets grouped into seven major areas

—

customer first, financial management, departmental targets, people

management, resource management, performance review, corporate

management. Quality is the key feature on the agenda; notes training

and certification aspects; looks also at positive attitudes in a survey of

managers six months after target introduction. (RW65)

Opening up to market forces (local authorities)

P.

Hildreth in Local Government Chronicle (UK), 22 Mar

91:

p. 18

(2 pages)

Examines, by way of the example of efforts undertaken by the London

Borough of Croydon, what impact the single market will have on local

authorities' service delivery. Discusses how Croydon has set about

preparing for

1992

through the formation of

a

project group and produced

reports on

— inter alia —

personnel, finance, contracts. Comments on

challenges in respect of, for example education/training, library services.

(RW69)

IJPSM

5,3

8

Formal strategy in public hospitals

J.L. Denis and others in Long Range Planning (UK), Feb

91

(24/1):

p.

71 (12 pages)

Addresses the question "what kinds of strategies will formal planning

in public hospitals produce?" Four main issues emerged from a study

of Canadian short-term care

hospitals:

(1)

the importance of clinical issues

in strategic plans; (2) an emphasis on expansion and development in

strategic

plans;

(3) the ambiguity of proposed

strategies;

(4) variable levels

of integration in hospital plans. Concludes by recommending ways of

improving the planning process, such as using external environment

information to assist in achieving focus (in

other

words,

what

one might

expect

in a planning

process).

(RW78)

Culture change in the NHS

H. Fullerton and C. Price in Personnel Management (UK), Mar 91

(23/3):

p. 50 (4 pages)

Describes how the Grampian Health Board in 1986 started developing

a new organizational culture

by

initiating an information-gathering exercise

to collect the views and opinions of

staff.

This identified common themes

reflecting issues about which they felt strongly — communication,

motivation and training, among others

—

and formed the basis for specific

change objectives and a change action programme. Reports progress to

date and the next steps. (RX51)

Organizational status and performance

A. Dunsire in Public Administration (UK), Spring 91 (69/1): p. 21

(20 pages)

Takes evidence from various organizations (British Airways, the Post

Office, Rolls-Royce, etc.) to test hypotheses relating to changes in the

capital or product markets as well as internal management structure as

demonstrated by those organizations which had undergone status change

either within the public sector or from public to private; uses three sets

of indicators

—

productivity, changes

in

employment

levels,

financial ratios

— and reports findings of management change in eight of the ten

investigated organizations. Comes to the conclusion that there are no

really clear conclusions. (SC42)

Self-governance and cultural change in NHS hospitals

J.L. Dreachslin and others in Journal of Management in Medicine

(UK),

Vol. 5 No. 1 91: p. 6 (10 pages)

Against the background of reforms in the NHS, competitive contracts,

and the option of self-governing trusts, discusses the need to challenge