This paper considers the British Next Steps agency and market testing programmes. It argues that despite aggressive marketing by those involved the approaches have been improvised with no defensible and coherent philosophy. The policies are presented as complementary but they conflict in practice. The need for change is not documented.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Many of the issues raised here are dealt with in O'Toole , Barry J. and Jordan, Grant (1994) The Next Steps: Improving Management in Government (Aldershot :Dartmouth).
2.
Cabinet Office (1991) Improving Management in Government: The Next Steps Agencies - Review 1991, Cm 1760, (London: HMSO).
3.
Chipperfield, Sir G. (1994) The Civil Servant's Duty, Essex Papers in Government, No. 95.
4.
Competing For Quality (1991), Cm 1730 (London: HMSO).
5.
Goldsworthy, D. (1991) Setting Up Next Steps (London : HMSO).
6.
James, S. (1992) British Cabinet Government ( London: Routledge).
7.
Jordan, G. (1992) 'Next Steps Agencies: from Managing by Command to Managing by Contract?' Aberdeen Papers in Accountancy, Finance and management, W6, Department of Accountancy.
8.
Kemp, Sir P. (1993) 'Beyond Next Steps,' Social market Foundation Paper No. 17.
9.
Lawson, N. (1993 edn) The View From No. 11 (Corgi edn).
10.
Margetts, H. (1994) 'The National Performance Review, the Clinton Presidency and the Future Shape of American Government, in P. Dunleavy and J. Stanyer, Contemporary Political Studies, Proceedings of PSA Annual conference.
11.
Next Steps Review, 1993, Cm 2430 (London: HMSO).
12.
O'Toole, B. (1989) ' "The Next Steps" and Control of the Civil Service ', Public Policy and Administration, Vol. 4, No. 1, pp. 41-51.
13.
Osborne, D. and Gaebler, T. (1992) Reinventing Government (Addison-Wesley Publishing Co.).
14.
Parker, D. and Hartley, K. (1990) 'Competitive Tendering: Issues and Evidence', Public Money and Management, Vol. 10, No. 3.
15.
Part, Sir A. (1990) The Making Of A Mandarin (London : Andre Deutsch).
16.
Richards, S. and Rodrigues, J. (1993) 'Strategies for Management in the Civil Service: Change of Direction, Public Money and Management, Vol. 13, No. 2.
17.
Richards, S. (1993) 'Editorial; management of Change in the Civil Service ', Public Money and Management, Vol. 13, No. 2.
18.
Stewart, J. (1993) 'The limitations of government by contract', Public Policy and Management, Vol. 13, No. 3.
19.
Waldegrave, William (1993a) Public Service and the Future, CPC, February.
20.
Waldegrave, W. (1993b) 'The Reality of Reform and Accountability in Today's Public Service,' Inaugural Public Finance Foundation/BDO Consulting Public Service Lecture.
