Arthur Seakhoa-King, Marcjanna M Augustyn and Peter Mason
Increasingly, governments are using contracts as a means of achieving accountability for public resources directed towards community organisations. This paper compares contractual…
Abstract
Increasingly, governments are using contracts as a means of achieving accountability for public resources directed towards community organisations. This paper compares contractual arrangements between community organisations and governments in British Columbia, Queeensland, and New Zealand. The paper examines the extent to which these contracts are able to measure performance. These contracts are also examined with respect to the power relationships between government and community organisations. The paper concludes that performance measurement may rest on establishing an appropriate “value” framework, and that autonomy of community organisations from government may vary according to broader objectives within policy areas.
Details
Keywords
Suggests that recent models of programme implementation have attempted to accommodate both “top‐down” and “bottomup” concerns within their framework. Some analysts have argued…
Abstract
Suggests that recent models of programme implementation have attempted to accommodate both “top‐down” and “bottomup” concerns within their framework. Some analysts have argued that future development of implementation analysis requires further consolidation of these models and the range of variables identified as having a significant impact on outcomes. Compares the commonalities and differences between three recent implementation analytical frameworks. Argues that a diversity in approaches strengthens the capacity of implementation analysis to accommodate differences in policy environments. Thus, future implementation would be better served by developing analytical tools which assist practitioners to choose appropriate implementation models for different policy situations.
Details
Keywords
Kerry Brown, Neal Ryan and Rachel Parker
There is an international trend to contestability and marketisation in the delivery of public services. The underlying foundation of these trends is that competition results in…
Abstract
There is an international trend to contestability and marketisation in the delivery of public services. The underlying foundation of these trends is that competition results in improved outcomes such as greater efficiency, higher quality of service, a clearer focus on customers and better value for money. This paper examines an approach to the reform agenda that avoids the more dramatic responses of privatisation, corporatisation and large‐scale contracting out while still focusing on achieving commercial principles in public sector service delivery. Commercialisation, in this context, provides a way of developing commercial arrangements yet maintains service delivery within the public sector and offers the possibility of retaining important social objectives.
Details
Keywords
David Thorpe, Neal Ryan and Michael B. Charles
Through investigating the innovation‐adoption process in smaller construction industry firms, this paper aims to ascertain the drivers of innovation in Australian small…
Abstract
Purpose
Through investigating the innovation‐adoption process in smaller construction industry firms, this paper aims to ascertain the drivers of innovation in Australian small residential building firms, and determine how such firms develop or adopt innovations. The research thus provides a more thoroughly nuanced understanding of the innovation‐adoption process within these firms.
Design/methodology/approach
The research described in this paper was conducted among small residential housing contractors in South‐East Queensland, Australia. This was undertaken by means of a semi‐structured interview process, based on a questionnaire requesting information from owners or managers.
Findings
Innovation in this sector is driven by general business concerns pertaining to maintaining overall competitiveness rather than specific client needs. The same firms also utilize supply‐chain relationships and broader industry associations as sources of external knowledge. Despite this, better pathways to transfer externally generated knowledge require implementation, especially as a means to ensure continued sector growth and deliver public goods such as enhanced worker health and environmental sustainability.
Practical implications
The paper highlights the current communication and informational disjuncture between research institutions and practitioners. As a result, workable suggestions for enhanced and meaningful interaction among firms, peak bodies and key research institutions are advanced.
Originality/value
The study complements previous research on innovation development and adoption. Given that there is little previous research on the innovation‐adoption process in the residential building sector, the paper provides an important counterpoint to studies that generally focus on much larger construction firms.
Details
Keywords
Neal Ryan, Trevor Williams, Michael Charles and Jennifer Waterhouse
The purpose of this paper is to assist public sector organizations to carry out better change management strategies and thus achieve better change processes and also to provide a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to assist public sector organizations to carry out better change management strategies and thus achieve better change processes and also to provide a critique of top‐down change strategies, especially when employed by public sector agencies. Furthermore, the paper uses the case of one such public sector organization to highlight the need to complement top‐down change strategies with other approaches.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper used a three‐year longitudinal case study approach to ascertain the efficacy of top‐down change in a large public sector organization. Data were collected by means of a series of employee focus groups and interviews with key management personnel. This was supplemented by organizational communication outputs.
Findings
The paper finds that a top‐down change strategy needs to be coupled with other change strategies for change to become successfully embedded in the organization. Organizational factors and processes can limit the effectiveness of communicating top‐down change and prevent information from filtering through the organization in the expected way.
Practical implications
The paper shows that genuine consultation and meaningful two‐way communication must be established for top‐down change strategies to function effectively together with other techniques.
Originality/value
The paper complements previous literature on top‐down change and corroborates earlier findings. In addition, it highlights the vital importance of middle managers in communicating organizational change and the need to establish a genuine two‐way communication flow.
Details
Keywords
Damian Hine and Neal Ryan
The debate over the innovative role of small firms has largely been resolved. However, researchers have yet to establish the basis for some small firms being more innovative than…
Abstract
The debate over the innovative role of small firms has largely been resolved. However, researchers have yet to establish the basis for some small firms being more innovative than others and the impact of their innovations on their industry. There is also an imperative to augment current literature on small service firms. This paper presents a study of small service exporters and differentiates between three groups based upon their innovativeness. Using analysis of variance as the analytical technique, significant differences are found between groups, indicating that the more innovative firms are of greater potential value to their industry. The findings displayed in this paper support the push for innovation strategy as a means of developing new and emerging markets by pioneering small firms.
Details
Keywords
This paper examines the prospects of developing rational policy processes. The approach taken is to examine two components of policy processes. First, the paper analyses the way…
Abstract
This paper examines the prospects of developing rational policy processes. The approach taken is to examine two components of policy processes. First, the paper analyses the way in which rationality has been applied to three different models, or modes of public administration: Weberian bureaucracy; market or rational actor political behaviour; and managerialism. The analysis suggests that “rational” approaches to public administration are inherently value‐laden, emphasising norms such as institutional integrity, representation or efficiency. Second, analysis is undertaken of policy implementation which is one phase of the policy process. The paper examines “top‐down”, “bottom‐up”, institutional and statutory‐coherence approaches to policy implementation. Contrasts amongst these competing models of policy implementation reinforce previous findings that there appears to be little prospect of achieving policy rationality because of the inability of the current approaches to policy analysis to enable reconciliation of fundamental normative assumptions underpinning the approaches. The current methods utilised by policy analysts do not appear to be able to provide either the tools or the structures required to achieve instrumental rationality in policy sciences.
Details
Keywords
Nabil Baydoun, William Maguire, Neal Ryan and Roger Willett
The purpose of this paper is to draw together available data as a means of comparing the state of corporate governance in five countries; Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to draw together available data as a means of comparing the state of corporate governance in five countries; Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman. This comparison provides a basis for analyzing the efficacy of corporate governance and government regulation in the region.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors construct a measure of corporate governance using the OECD's 2005 survey data, which includes these and many other countries in the sample. The authors analyze the resulting measures in the light of ongoing institutional developments in each country.
Findings
Based on the corporate governance measurement scale, Oman is the clear leader among the five countries, followed by Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. Bahrain and Qatar rank fourth and fifth, respectively.
Originality/value
This paper adds value by transforming the data in the OECD survey, thus adding to the limited information available on corporate governance and related issues in the Arabian Gulf.
Details
Keywords
Kofi Osei-Frimpong, Graeme McLean and Samuel Famiyeh
The purpose of this paper is to deepen the understanding on social media brand engagement (SMBE) practices by exploring the impact of consumer brand knowledge, perceived social…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to deepen the understanding on social media brand engagement (SMBE) practices by exploring the impact of consumer brand knowledge, perceived social pressure, perceived social relatedness (PSR) and the role of brand trust.
Design/methodology/approach
A model is proposed to suggest the influence of consumer-level antecedents and moderators of SMBE. Following a survey design approach, data collected from 687 respondents on Facebook are examined through structural equation modelling using AMOS 23.0.
Findings
The findings reveal significant relationship between the examined antecedents (brand knowledge, perceived social pressure and brand trust) and SMBE. Examination of the moderation role of PSR revealed significant interaction effects on the relationship between brand knowledge and SMBE, as well as perceived social pressure and SMBE. The findings also suggest a lack of interaction effect of PSR on the relationship between brand trust and SMBE.
Research limitations/implications
This research provides empirical evidence in support of understanding SMBE practices by testing theoretically grounded hypotheses. The study focussed on technologically savvy respondents and only Facebook users in Ghana, which could limit the generalisation of the findings reported.
Practical implications
This study illustrates a need for managers to integrate multi-communication channels to enhance brand interactions and engagements. Firms must also adopt strategies that would enhance the sharing of interesting information about their brands on their social media platforms to attract others through customer networks.
Originality/value
The conceptualization of SMBE in this study zooms out our understanding of online SMBE by examining pertinent variables that drive or moderate consumer participation in SMBE activities. The integration of these variables brings out new empirical understanding and extends our knowledge on SMBE.