Reframing governance: competition, fatalism and autonomy in central-local relations

Entwistle, Tom ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6457-4749, Guarneros-Meza, Valeria, Martin, Steve ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1883-5837 and Downe, James ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0772-3183 2016. Reframing governance: competition, fatalism and autonomy in central-local relations. Public Administration 94 (4) , pp. 897-914. 10.1111/padm.12210

Preview

PDF - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (502kB) | Preview

Abstract

Much of the work on contemporary governance points either to a strong central government that continues to operate hierarchically or else to a relatively weak centre which relies on network forms of coordination. In place of the choice between hierarchy and networks, the cultural theory pioneered by Mary Douglas draws our attention to five distinctive ‘social environments’ characterized in terms of hierarchy, individualism, egalitarianism, fatalism and autonomy. Based on an analysis of survey data collected from 488 local government managers across England, Scotland and Wales, this article uses the Douglas framework to understand patterns of governance. While the data lend support to the strong centre theorists in revealing little evidence of a central–local partnership and continuing reliance on regulatory-type instruments, we find this more a recipe for competition and fatalism than hierarchy. Our data also point to significant differences in governance style both across services and between countries.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Business (Including Economics)
Additional Information:	PDF uploaded in accordance with publisher's policies at http://www.sherpa.ac.uk/romeo/issn/0033-3298/ (accessed 17.3.16)
Publisher:	Wiley
ISSN:	0033-3298
Funders:	Welsh Government
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 March 2016
Date of Acceptance:	22 July 2015
Last Modified:	08 Nov 2024 17:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/88008

Citation Data

Cited 8 times in Scopus. View in Scopus. Powered By Scopus® Data

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item