Title: Autonomy and control of state agencies : comparing states and agencies /
Authors: Verhoest, Koen.
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan,
Year: 2010
Subjects: Administrative agencies Norway Cross-cultural studies.; Administrative agencies Ireland Cross-cultural studies.; Administrative agencies Flanders Cross-cultural studies.; Administrative agencies Norway Management Cross-cultural studies.; Administrative agencies Ireland Management Cross-cultural studies.; Administrative agencies Flanders Management Cross-cultural studies.; Administrative agencies Management; Administrative agencies; POLITICAL SCIENCE Political Freedom & Security Law Enforcement.; Behörde.; Management.; Verwaltungskontrolle.
Abstract: Do public organizations with similar tasks or structures differ across states with respect to their autonomy and control? If so, why? By comparing the autonomy, control and internal management of state agencies, this book shows how New Public Management doctrines actually work in three small European states with different politico-administrative regimes. Using a unique set of similar survey data on 226 state agencies in Norway, Ireland and Flanders, this study explains differences in agency autonomy, control and management by referring to international isomorphic pressures, state-specific politico-administrative regimes and characteristics of agencies. Therefore, organization theory and neo-institutional schools are used to formulate four competing theoretical perspectives and hypotheses are tested through simple and advanced statistical techniques. By comparing practices between states and between types of agencies, this study substantially enhances scientific knowledge about why public organizations are granted autonomy, why they are controlled in specific ways, and how autonomy affects internal management.
Contents: Pt.1. Introduction. Central research questions and argument -- Central concepts -- Theoretical lenses -- Data and methods -- pt. 2. Describing agencies and their contexts. Politico-administrative regimes in Norway, Ireland and Flanders -- Agencification in Norway, Ireland and Flanders: history, reforms and types -- pt. 3. Comparing states. Theories on similarities and dissimilarities between states -- Comparing agency autonomy, control and internal management between states -- Explaining similarities and dissimilarities in agency autonomy, control and internal management between states -- pt. 4. Comparing agencies. Theories on similarities and dissimilarities across agencies -- Comparing autonomy and control of agencies -- Comparing internal management of agencies -- Explaining agency autonomy, control and internal management: the importance of agency-and state-level characteristics.