The role of operations management in public sector policy and practice alignment: A local government analysis

Shirley Ann Hazlett, Rodney McAdam, Tim Walker

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    8 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    In responding to the demand for change and improvement, local government has applied a plethora of operations management-based methods, tools and techniques. This article explores how these methods, specifically in the form of performance management models, are used to improve alignment between central government policy and local government practice, an area which has thus far been neglected in the literature. Using multiple case studies from Environmental Waste Management Services, this research reports that models derived in the private sector are often directly implanted into the public sector. This has challenged the efficacy of all performance management models. However, those organisations which used models most effectively did so by embedding (contextualisation) and extending (reconceptualisation) them beyond their original scope. Moreover, success with these models created a cumulative effect whereby other operations management approaches were probed, adapted and used.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)988-1001
    Number of pages14
    JournalProduction Planning and Control
    Volume24
    Issue number10-11
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished (in print/issue) - 1 Nov 2013

    Bibliographical note

    Copyright:
    Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.

    Keywords

    • alignment
    • local government
    • operations management
    • performance management models
    • service level

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