Since the 1980s, local governments in many parts of the world have undergone major institutional reforms. Shaped by a wide range of economic, political, and social trends, these changes have been driven by a particular blend of global and local dynamics. On the one hand, they have been contingent upon a globally dominant discourse that has tirelessly pointed out the devastating consequences of public-sector growth. On the other hand, the particular tracks that this discourse has followed, as well as the modes of local appropriation of its core messages, have variedand we believe will continue to vary-from case to case.This article sets out to explore the correlation between governmentality, globalization, and local practice from the vantage point of the institution of local government as it is being reshaped by the global discourse known as New Public Management (NPM).Evolved from modest beginnings among international administrative experts working for the United Nations, taken up by the Carter administration, and then processed and refined by the OECD, NPhl has arguably acquired the status of a hegemonic discourse: since the 1980s, most contemporary discourses in the field of public administration and management have positioned themselves in relation to elements of NPM. Though not a coherent set of values and notions and therefore not readily definable, NPM can nevertheless be distinguished despite its multiple guises and applications by (1) its clear emphasis on business-management practices, and (2) its reliance on individual rationalities and market ?
This article discusses how two different British authorities, both intent on empowering local residents in their capacity as citizens, have gone about defending the political dimension to local government—while at the same time complying with central government's reform agenda. It is my contention that the discourse developed at the local level as part of the response to the centrally conceived reforms gives valuable insight into the nature of the power struggle between central and local government, that it is indeed part and parcel of the power struggle.
PurposeThis paper sets out to chart the transnational activities of Danish local government, with a specific view to examining the perceived relevance of these activities for public sector learning, innovation and development. More specifically, it probes into the degree to which Danish local government can be seen to have a global outlook and is actively participating in knowledge sharing and knowledge production across borders; and the nature of this engagement.Design/methodology/approachTheoretically, the study draws on the literatures of public management, governance and globalization. Empirically, the paper is founded on a survey of the global orientation of the 79 largest Danish local authorities, and on a number of more detailed studies of selected local authorities conducted in 2003‐2004.FindingsThe findings show that more than a third of the local authorities surveyed consider themselves very internationally active, even if a closer examination of the data suggests that the nature, intensity and, importantly, strategic implications of these activities vary considerably. Nevertheless, for several major authorities, transnational activities and, more generally, a global outlook, are part and parcel of being a learning organization. For a majority of authorities, however, transnational activities appear to constitute an under‐utilized learning, innovation and development resource which, if carefully attended to and managed, could bring some distinct value to the municipal organization.Research limitations/implicationsThe modest size of the overall population of respondents, a response rate of only 65 per cent and the open‐ended nature of many of the questions suggest that no firm conclusions can be drawn on the basis of these data. The questions probed into the lived experience of the interviewees, and what we got was their representation of the world. The data cannot tell us anything about what these authorities actually do, whether transnational activities can actually be harnessed as a management development tool.Originality/valueThe study is explorative in the sense that it seeks to elicit insights into a relatively under‐researched area. It adds some flesh to current thinking about the global interconnectedness of local authorities, focusing on the strategic implications of such an orientation.
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