Comparative Public Management

The book contributes significantly to the public management literature by addressing a very important question: How does context matter for the management-performance relationship? Drawing on empirical studies from four different continents, it asks whether management affects performance differently in different countries. It also provides a very promising theoretical framework for future studies of the context-dependent association between management and performance. -- Lotte B. Andersen, Aarhus University

Shows that scholars must find a better way to account for political, environmental, and organizational contexts to build a more general model of public management. This volume propose a framework in which context influences the types of managerial actions that can be used effectively in public organizations.While the field of public management has become increasingly international, research and policy recommendations that work for one country often do not work for another. Why, for example, is managerial networking important in the United States, moderately effective in the United Kingdom, and of little consequence in the Netherlands? Comparative Public Management argues that scholars must find a better way to account for political, environmental, and organizational contexts to build a more general model of public management. The volume editors propose a framework in which context influences the types of managerial actions that can be used effectively in public organizations. After introducing the innovative framework, the book offers seven empirical chapters-cases from seven countries and a range of policy areas (health,education, taxation, and local governance) - that show how management affects performance in different contexts. Following these empirical tests, the book examines themes that emerge across cases and seeks to set an agenda for future research. Intended for students and scholars of public administration and public policy, this book will be the first to provide a comprehensive comparative assessment of management's impact on organizational performance.