Organization Theory and the Public Sector

Public-sector organizations are fundamentally different from their private-sector counterparts. 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. 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: goals and values leadership and steering reform and change effects and implications understanding and design 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, Organization Theory for the Public Sector: Instrument, Culture and Myth is essential reading for anybody studying the public sector.Christensen, Tom is the author of 'Organization Theory and the Public Sector', published 2007 under ISBN 9780415433815 and ISBN 0415433819.