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This article seeks to identify, map and understand the ways in which the everyday beliefs and practices of British central government departments embed social constructions of masculinity and femininity. It draws on observational fieldwork and repeat interviews conducted between 2002 and 2004 to analyse the everyday practices of departmental courts. We argue these courts have gendered practices and are 'greedy institutions'. We unpack their practices of hierarchy, civility, rationality, gendered division of work, and long hours. We argue that these practices have significant gender consequence most notably women have few institutional options but to 'manage like men'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To understand governance, we ask who is telling the story from within which tradition. We argue there is no essentialist notion of governance but at least four conceptions each rooted in a distinctive tradition. The first section of the paper describes the relevant traditions: Tory, Liberal, Whig and Socialist. The second section describes the different notions of governance associated with each tradition; intermediate institutions, marketizing public services, reinventing the constitution and trust and negotiation. We explain these distinct conceptions of governance as responses to the dilemmas of inflation and state overload. In the conclusion, we summarize how and why traditions change, concluding, there is no such thing as governance, but only the differing constructions of the several traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Views the new public management (NPM) as a prime example of the laws of unintended consequences in action in the United Kingdom. Dimensions of NPM; Unintended consequences of reform; Interpretation of the changes from marketization to networks.

Focuses on the state of public service in Great Britain. Administrative reforms; Public administration policies; Trends; Public intervention to government policies; Alternative service delivery systems.

Argues that British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's effect on policy was more limited than many claim and suggests why the Thatcher effect was greater in some policy areas than others and why it was generally limited. Influence of Thatcher government; Failure to deliver radical policy change; Housing, industrial relations, privatization and local government; Discussion.

Surveys developments in the profession of public administration in Great Britain in the 1980s. Growth of a mini-industry on research and research methodology in public administration; Source of research grants; Statistical portrait of the academic profession of public administration.

Analyzes the effect of the European Economic Community membership on the administrative structure of local governments in Great Britain. Background on the Community's directives on public works contracts; Participation of local government in community decision-making.