Strategy in the Public Sector: A Guide to Effective Change Management

The public sector is experiencing tremendous pressure for strategic change. Governments in many countries require public sector managers to be more responsive to the public and to deliver more value with constrained budgets. Members of the public also face change, and look to their public sector organisations to provide efficient and high quality service, while adapting their activities in a complex and dynamic world.

Strategy in the Public Sector provides guidance to managers who have responsibility for delivering increased levels of efficiency and innovation—and accountability. It shows how strategic changes can be made through realigning and increasing the capacity of the public sector organisation. It shows how managers are now handling strategic changes in the context of public policy, favouring pluralism of service delivery systems and partnership working. Based on the practical experience of managers in local government, central government, health services and education, the book presents insights, lessons and examples from many countries on both sides of the Atlantic that help bring about effective strategic change.

Strategy in the Public Sector has been written for anyone who has a role in modernising the public sector and requires a practical guide in making strategic changes that are both responsive to the public need and sustainable.

The public sector is experiencing tremendous pressure for strategic change. Governments in many countries require public sector managers to be more responsive to the public and to deliver more value with constrained budgets. Members of the public also face change, and look to their public sector organisations to provide efficient and high quality service, while adapting their activities in a complex and dynamic world.

Strategy in the Public Sector provides guidance to managers who have responsibility for delivering increased levels of efficiency and innovation and accountability. It shows how strategic changes can be made through realigning and increasing the capacity of the public sector organisation. It shows how managers are now handling strategic changes in the context of public policy, favouring pluralism of service delivery systems and partnership working. Based on the practical experience of managers in local government, central government, health services and education, the book presents insights, lessons and examples from many countries on both sides of the Atlantic that help bring about effective strategic change.

Strategy in the Public Sector has been written for anyone who has a role in modernising the public sector and requires a practical guide in making strategic changes that are both responsive to the public need and sustainable.

About the author Paul Joyce is professor of Strategic Management at the University of North London. He holds a PhD in local government and has worked in local government as a senior manager. He is currently director of the Management Research Centre at the University of North London and is involved in research on innovation in the public sector. His current research interest is centred on the way in which strategic management processes can be used to reinforce entrepreneurship and innovative management. He also works as a consultant in the public sector, for example, in the areas of strategic performance management and service developments and has published widely in that area.