Managerialism Redux?

Abstract

This paper argues that managerialism is still very much with us. NPM (one prominent manifestation of managerialism) is not dead. Alongside NPM, other species of managerialism have evolved. Across Europe patterns of management reform have been complex, with layers of traditional bureaucracy, NPM, other forms of managerialism and post‐NPM forms being sedimented on top of, or woven alongside, each other in a variety of national formations. The advent of austerity has led many governments to implement traditional, pre‐managerialist across‐the‐board cuts and freezes. Sometimes (as in the UK) these have been mixed with renewed NPM initiatives, and/or with post‐NPM ideas, such as partnership and networking. Overall, however, managerialism seems unlikely to offer a major part of any solution to problems of fiscal balance ‐ the sums that can be saved through greater efficiencies are substantial, but not large enough.

Searching for managerial discretion: how public managers engage managerialism as a rationalization for increased latitude of action

“…Of special interest are manifestations of managerialism through discourse and practice (Pollitt 1993(Pollitt , 2016Clarke and Newman 1997) in the form of managerial talk (Gewirtz and Ball 2000). In the empirical analysis, this becomes manifested through the emergence of two important first-order concepts -bravery and obedience -by which I mean such concepts that are 'appropriated within social life itself' (Giddens 1984, 284), i.e.…”

“…Attempts of separating policy from administration (Svara 2006a;George et al 2012;Mouritsen and Svara 2002) came to increase the need and presence of managerial discretion (Bryson, Crosby, and Bloomberg 2014), leading to a formation of an audit society bureaucracy (Power 1997). Although many scholars have raised concerns about the failure of NPM (Osborne 2006(Osborne , 2010Hood and Dixon 2015), its effects and presences still dominate current public management (Pollitt 2016). This is what I refer to as managerialism.…”

“…By associating efficiency with a customer perspective and allowing this to become a governing factor in management, some even argued that care for beneficiaries would become internalized by individuals within the agency. Actors' construction of a customer as the main recipient can be understood as an effect of managerialism (Pollitt 1993(Pollitt , 2016Clarke and Newman 1997) as discourse and as practice McLaughlin 2000a, 2000b;Gewirtz and Ball 2000). The connection made between efficiency and the (re)construction of customers indicates a deeper shift in terms of ideology and perceptions of the administrative function within the agency.…”

“…Ideas about creating a public sector that would work better and cost less (Hood and Dixon 2015;Gore 1993Gore , 1994 come from a larger and more fundamental idea about managerialism (Pollitt 1993(Pollitt , 2016Clarke and Newman 1997). Managerialism as I see, it is about discourses and practices '.…”

“…I argue that managerialism (Pollitt 1993(Pollitt , 2016Clarke and Newman 1997) from an ideological perspective (Eagleton 1991;Deem and Brehony 2005;Clarke and Newman 1997) shows that ideas about and how the public sector is to be governed and organized has mimicked the private industry to a large extent, and that this has carried effects and consequences in its wake. The purpose of the article is to critically discuss and empirically show how managerialism has resulted in an embedded understanding of an endeavour towards increased managerial discretion within the public sector.…”