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Theoretical Approaches to New Public Management

Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira

in Democracy and Public Management Reform: Building the Republican State

New public management–the new discipline that serves as an intellectual basis for public management reform–is far from constituting a unified intellectual field. New public management ... More

New public management–the new discipline that serves as an intellectual basis for public management reform–is far from constituting a unified intellectual field. New public management theoretical–ideological orientations vary also according to the different national realities that analysts face. We have, for instance, an Anglo-Saxon, a Continental European, and a Scandinavian tradition of approaching government and the state. It is possible to discern at least three orientations in the literature on managerial public administration, which I propose to the call ‘technical’, ‘economic’, and ‘political and sociological’ approaches. The political and sociological approach is the one that I adopt in this book. This approach founds inspiration rather in political theory and in the sociology of organizations than in rational choice theory.Less

Innovation and the Transfer of Organizational Learning

Tony Edwards, David G. Collings, Javier Quintanilla, and Anne Tempel

in American Multinationals in Europe: Managing Employment Relations Across National Borders

It is commonly argued that a key factor shaping the competitive position of multinationals is their capability to identify innovations made within the firm, and subsequently transfer these across ... More

It is commonly argued that a key factor shaping the competitive position of multinationals is their capability to identify innovations made within the firm, and subsequently transfer these across their operations. This chapter examines the process of innovation and the transfer of innovations in US multinationals. It focuses on the ways in which innovative employment practices are identified in one part of a firm’s operations, and then transferred to sites in different countries. In doing so, it examines the contribution of different perspectives on organizational learning, contrasting the information-processing, contingency, national business system, and micro-political approaches. The evidence concerning the transfer of practices from the domestic operations of American multinationals to their foreign subsidiaries is reviewed, drawing on the findings of earlier chapters. The extent to which the case study firms transfer across borders practices that originated in their overseas operations is considered.Less

What Feminist Science Studies Can Offer

Janet A. Kourany

in Philosophy of Science after Feminism

This chapter takes up the feminists’ normative questions regarding science introduced in chapter 1 together with the various feminist science studies approaches they have engendered—the ... More

This chapter takes up the feminists’ normative questions regarding science introduced in chapter 1 together with the various feminist science studies approaches they have engendered—the methodological approach rationalized by the ideal of value-free science, the social approach rationalized by the social value management ideal of science, and the naturalist approaches rationalized by the empiricist ideal of science. In the end, however, a new approach is found necessary—a political approach rationalized by the ideal of socially responsible science. According to this approach sound social values as well as sound epistemic values must control every aspect of the scientific research process from the choice of research questions to the communication and application of results, this to be enforced by such political means as funding requirements on research.Less

The Prospects for Philosophy of Science in the Twenty-First Century

Janet A. Kourany

in Philosophy of Science after Feminism

This chapter takes up the fundamental questions that remain regarding the political approach’s ideal of socially responsible science. In particular, how can the ideal of socially responsible science ... More

This chapter takes up the fundamental questions that remain regarding the political approach’s ideal of socially responsible science. In particular, how can the ideal of socially responsible science be spelled out so that it is at once 1) comprehensive enough to apply to all scientific fields and practitioners, but also 2) specific enough and perspicuous enough to be capable of yielding the desired concrete results, and 3) warranted enough to command the respect and adherence of scientists from different cultures, religious traditions, and economic and political systems and levels of development? Moreover, 4) what role might philosophers of science play in such a venture? The upshot is a new, more comprehensive understanding of scientific rationality, one that integrates the ethical with the epistemic, and a new, more socially valuable role for philosophers of science.Less

Challenges from Every Direction

Janet A. Kourany

in Philosophy of Science after Feminism

This chapter defends the political approach with its ideal of socially responsible science against five important challenges. The first—the epistemological challenge—suggests that the more a practice ... More

This chapter defends the political approach with its ideal of socially responsible science against five important challenges. The first—the epistemological challenge—suggests that the more a practice is concerned with knowledge, especially technical knowledge, the more it should be free from societal control or oversight. The second—the historical challenge—points to the dire social as well as epistemic effects that have resulted from societal interference with science—for example, those that occurred in Stalinist Russia or Nazi Germany or Galileo’s Italy. The third—the sociological challenge—emphasizes the cognitive and social norms institutionalized in science that ensure the advancement of science and the fourth—the economic challenge—emphasizes the socioeconomic progress that results from this advancement in the absence of societal interference. Finally the fifth—the political challenge—insists that scientists have a right to freedom of research and that societal interference with science infringes on that right.Less

Conclusion: Researching Violence against Women—The Point is to End it …

Jacqui True

in The Political Economy of Violence against Women

In the conclusion to the book, Chapter 10 argues that based on our knowledge of the structural determinants of violence against women, we can anticipate the gendered impacts of various political and ... More

In the conclusion to the book, Chapter 10 argues that based on our knowledge of the structural determinants of violence against women, we can anticipate the gendered impacts of various political and economic policies and forces. The chapter surveys the future research agendas and questions that arise from the political economy approach to violence against women advanced in the book. Two key areas look to be the most promising approaches and likely to have the most traction in the medium to long term in achieving the goal of ending violence against women: women’s economic empowerment and men’s leadership by example. Through a review of the scholarship on policy change, the chapter explores how anti–violence against women advocates might move beyond saving one woman at a time to bring about the policy changes that recognize and address the political economy roots of violence against women.Less

The political-administrative and the professional approach to errors and mistakes in Swedish child protection

Inger Kjellberg and Staffan Höjer

in Errors and Mistakes in Child Protection: International Discourses, Approaches and Strategies

The discourses and debates on errors and mistakes in child protection in Sweden hold many different sub-themes. Relatively recently, the Swedish state both recognised and apologised to persons ... More

The discourses and debates on errors and mistakes in child protection in Sweden hold many different sub-themes. Relatively recently, the Swedish state both recognised and apologised to persons maltreated in the Swedish child welfare system before 1980. At times, the discourse has been dominated by parents’ abuse or neglect resulting in child deaths. The role of social services in these cases has been depicted as faulty. Other areas of discourse focus on strengthening children’s rights in child protection, and impact on the day to day work of social services arising in part from the increase in unaccompanied children entering Sweden over recent years. This chapter aims to describe and discuss past and current strategies to avoid and handle errors and mistakes in child protection in Sweden. The chapter describes legal errors, organizational errors and professional errors as well as strategies to handle them. It builds on research from the two authors and others. The strategies are presented in themes, including: a) the different measures within the quality assurance systems – such as mandatory reports of mistreatment to the regulatory authority; b) the strategies to avoid errors and mistakes including increased legislation, control and governmental inspections and more attention to children’s voices; c) strategies originating from professional groups aiming to avoid errors and mistakes. Finally, the chapter discusses possible strategies designed to promote learning from errors and mistakes in social work education and for policy development.Less

Political Non-Ranking Biocentrism

Anna Wienhues

in Ecological Justice and the Extinction Crisis: Giving Living Beings their Due

This chapter discusses political non-ranking biocentrism, the most defensible account of such sort in the context of justice. For this, the political constitutes a qualification and non-ranking is a ... More

This chapter discusses political non-ranking biocentrism, the most defensible account of such sort in the context of justice. For this, the political constitutes a qualification and non-ranking is a specification of the biocentric focus. The chapter begins by explaining the political approach to biocentrism. It then turns to how the author understands biocentrism more generally. This is by no means a defence or full description of biocentrism, but the elaboration on a few grounding premises. Finally, the chapter explains why a non-ranking version of biocentrism that does not construct a hierarchy of moral significance is the most convincing account of such sort and considers what implications such a political non-ranking biocentrism has for theorising about justice.Less

Epilogue

Andreas Antoniades

in Producing Globalisation: Politics of Discourse and Institutions in Greece and Ireland

This chapter sums up the key findings of this study on materialisation hegemonic and globalisation discourses in Greece and Ireland. The results indicate that while political economy and domestic ... More

This chapter sums up the key findings of this study on materialisation hegemonic and globalisation discourses in Greece and Ireland. The results indicate that while political economy and domestic institutions play an important role in the materialisation process of hegemonic discourse, they cannot account on their own, combined or separately, for the materialisation of globalisation discourse. The countries examined and the findings presented here point to the significant limitations of the models-of-political-economy approach to international political economy.Less

Introduction

in Rules and Restraint: Government Spending and the Design of Institutions

This book demonstrates that rules vary in their effectiveness and in their enforceability, concentrating on how rules shape outcomes. The theoretical models rely on two components: an examination of ... More

This book demonstrates that rules vary in their effectiveness and in their enforceability, concentrating on how rules shape outcomes. The theoretical models rely on two components: an examination of how rules shape policy outcomes, and an examination of how the enforcement of rules influences their effectiveness. In particular, this chapter describes the environment in which budget rules are adopted, utilized, and enforced or not enforced. The inability of Congress to follow its own budget rules is a direct consequence of weak internal enforcement. It uses the political economy approach and game theory. The models serve as tools for understanding the impact of state and federal budget rules on spending. A complete understanding of rules requires that design and enforcement be considered in tandem. Finally, an overview of the chapters included in the book is given.Less

Leading Breakthrough Initiatives in Business Schools

Fernando Fragueiro and Josefina Michelini

in The Institutional Development of Business Schools

Historically, the governance of business schools, as with most academic organizations, has been characterized by the weak power of deans due to frequent turnover and strong norms of collegiality and ... More

Historically, the governance of business schools, as with most academic organizations, has been characterized by the weak power of deans due to frequent turnover and strong norms of collegiality and consensus among academics. These conditions make these institutions poorly equipped to face the critical challenges of increasing global competition. This chapter, based on an empirical study of the strategic leadership in three top business schools—IMD, INSEAD, and LBS—describes the leadership challenges the deans of these institutions faced as they sought to internationalize their schools during the period 1990–2004. The experience of these schools indicates that, over time, effective strategic leadership processes require the ability to set strategic priorities aligned with academic and economic demands and to navigate the political interplays among the three main governance stakeholders—the board, dean and faculty.Less

Protecting EU values: Reverse and the Rule of Law Framework

Armin von Bogdandy, Carlino Antpöhler, and Michael Ioannidis

in The Enforcement of EU Law and Values: Ensuring Member States' Compliance

This chapter discusses the instruments currently on the table regarding the enforcement of EU values, exposing their strengths and weaknesses in legal and practical terms. It also offers an ... More

This chapter discusses the instruments currently on the table regarding the enforcement of EU values, exposing their strengths and weaknesses in legal and practical terms. It also offers an evaluation of the first use of the Rule of Law Framework. So far, most of the proposed instruments have been presented in isolation. This is particularly true of the proposed ‘Copenhagen Commission’ and the ‘Reverse Solange’ mechanism. This chapter presents and normatively assesses the ideas proposed and discusses a possible way to combine instruments that so far have been considered separately. It argues that the most apt European response to systemic deficiencies is to combine judicial mechanisms, including the Reverse Solange mechanism, as well as a complementary political approach.Less

Introduction

Doris G. Bargen

in Mapping Courtship and Kinship in Classical Japan: The Tale of Genji and Its Predecessors

This introductory chapter emphasizes the interconnectedness between the place of courtship and the literal and figurative movements of its participants by exploring anthropological and political ... More

This introductory chapter emphasizes the interconnectedness between the place of courtship and the literal and figurative movements of its participants by exploring anthropological and political approaches to The Tale of Genji. It looks closely at a scene from Chapter 13 (“Akashi”) that features hybrid courtship combining parental arrangement with an individual courtship initiative without kaimami (lit., “looking through a gap in the fence;” a uniquely Japanese form of erotic hide-and-seek that is the central trope of courtship in the Genji). Taken together, the courtships described in this chapter drive the narrative in ways that critics of the Genji have sometimes touched upon but never fully explored. They form the vital core of this book's attempt to map the phenomenon of courtship in the Genji and in a number of other tenth-and early eleventh-century texts that shed light upon the courtship scenes in Murasaki Shikibu's immensely complex masterpiece.Less