000			01716pab a2200157 454500
008			180718b2001 xxu||||| |||| 00| 0 eng d
100			_aHyndman, Noel
245			_aRational management, performance targets and executive agencies: views from agency chief executives in Northern Ireland
260			_c2001
300			_ap.579-98
520			_aThe way in which central government services are delivered in both Britain and Northern Ireland has changed significantly since 1988. Executive Agencies have been created with the aim of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery, with changes being supported by an increasing focus on the rational management model as a basis for improving management in the public sector. This paper is a case study of nine agencies within the Northern Ireland `family of agencies' and is the first study of its type in the UK. It presents the results of a series of interviews with agency Chief Executives that attempted to identify perceptions with respect to the development, use and impact of mission statements, objectives, targets and performance measures (components of a rational management approach). The main findings of the research include: Northern Ireland Chief Executives perceive an increased focus on quantification since agencification; this focus is viewed as helpful in providing a basis for improving management; systems in practice are considered to be much more flexible than a rigid management model would normally suggest; and, it is thought that the potential adverse consequences of such an approach can be managed. - Reproduced
650			_aCivil service
700			_aEden, Ron
773			_aPublic Administration
909			_a50403
999			_c50403 _d50403