PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR MANAGERS OVER 20 YEARS: A TEST OF THE ‘CONVERGENCE THESIS’

  1. MICHAEL POOLE,
  2. ROGER MANSFIELD,
  3. JULIAN GOULD-WILLIAMS

Article first published online: 6 NOV 2006

DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9299.2006.00626.x

Issue

Public Administration

Public Administration

Volume 84, Issue 4, pages 1051–1076, December 2006

Additional Information

How to Cite

POOLE, M., MANSFIELD, R. and GOULD-WILLIAMS, J. (2006), PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR MANAGERS OVER 20 YEARS: A TEST OF THE ‘CONVERGENCE THESIS’. Public Administration, 84: 1051–1076. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9299.2006.00626.x

Author Information

  1. 1 Michael Poole is Professor of Human Resource Management, 2Roger Mansfield is Professor of Business Administration and 3Julian Gould-Williams is Senior Lecturer in Human Resource Management at Cardiff Business School, Cardiff University.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 6 NOV 2006
  2. Article first published online: 6 NOV 2006
  3. Date received 28 October 2004. Date accepted 19 October 2005. Date edited 26 August 2006.

SEARCH

SEARCH BY CITATION

ARTICLE TOOLS

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (126K)

This paper sets out to test the ‘convergence thesis’ in respect of managers in the public and private sectors in Britain. New Public Management (NPM) initiatives have had the objective of making managerial behaviour in public sector organizations more similar to that in the private sector. Based on unique national surveys undertaken in 1980, 1990 and 2000, using quite large random samples of fellows and members of the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), comparisons are made to investigate whether ‘convergence’ between public and private sector managers has actually occurred. The patterns are found to be complex and, although there are some signs of convergence, the two sectors continue to exhibit similarities, persistent differences and parallel movements evident in managerial attitudes, behaviour and experiences.

View Full Article (HTML) Get PDF (126K)