The Executive Agency Revolution in Whitehall: Public Interest versus Bureau-Shaping Perspectives [Hardcover]

This is the first book length assessment of the executive agency revolution in UK central government, part of the New Public Management, with 65 per cent of civil servants now working in agencies. The 'Next Steps' reformers' public interest view suggested value for money improvements. However, original analysis of budgets, performance data, documents and interviews reveals some support for an alternative 'bureau-shaping' perspective from rational choice, with officials using the reform to protect their welfare and substantial performance problems, especially in 'joining-up' government.List of Tables List of Figures Acknowledgements List of Abbreviations Introducing Executive Agencies PART I: PERSPECTIVES ON EXECUTIVE AGENCIES The Public Interest and Bureau-Shaping Perspectives PART II: EXECUTIVE AGENCIES IN PRACTICE The Process of Executive Agency Creation The Practice of Executive Agency Working The Performance of Individual Executive Agencies Executive Agencies and Central Government Systemic Performance PART III: CONCLUSIONS The Perspectives, Findings About Practice and the Future Use of Executive Agencies Appendices References Index

'Where mainstream public administration uncritically accepts the story of agencification as 'reform', James sees civil servants shaping their organizations into forms that yield maximum benefits for officials in hard political times. His approach successfully predicts where and why agencification so signally failed to deliver lasting public service improvements. The book is a major contribution towards renewing the flagging intellectual impetus of public administration and public management studies.' - Professor Patrick Dunleavy, Department of Government, London School of Economics

'This is an innovative, well written, and major contribution to understanding and explaining a revolution in British government. Deserves to be on the bookshelf of all those interested in British politics and policymaking. Oliver lsC