Organization Theory and the Public Sector

<p>Public-sector organizations are fundamentally different from their private-sector counterparts. They are part of the society’s political organizations and are major political actors. They are multifunctional, follow a political leadership and the majority do not operate in an external market. In an era of rapid reform, reorganization and modernization of the public sector, this book offers a timely and illuminating introduction to the public-sector organization that recognizes its unique values, interests, knowledge and power base.</p><p>Drawing on both instrumental and institutional perspectives within organization theory, as well as democratic theory and empirical studies of decision-making, the book addresses five central aspects of the public-sector organization:</p><p>■ goals, values and motivation</p><p>■ leadership and steering</p><p>■ reform and change</p><p>■ effects, learning and implications</p><p>■ understanding and design</p><p>The book challenges conventional economic analysis of the public sector, arguing instead for a political-democratic approach and a new prescriptive organization theory. A rich resource of both theory and practice, <i>Organization Theory and the Public Sector: Instrument, Culture and Myth</i> is essential reading for anybody studying the public sector.</p><p>This second edition of the book contains a range of new and updated themes, examples and references.</p> <p>1 Organization theory for the public sector</p><p>2 An instrumental perspective</p><p>3 A cultural perspective</p><p>4 A myth perspective</p><p>5 Goals, values and motivation</p><p>6 Leadership and steering</p><p>7 Reform and change</p><p>8 Effects, learning and implications</p><p>9 Understanding and design</p><p>Index</p>