Beyond hollowing out: Public sector managers and the use of external management consultants

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Kirkpatrick, Ian; Sturdy, Andrew J. J.; Alvarado, Nuria Reguera; Veronesi, Gianluca
• 署名单位: University of York - UK; University of Bristol; University of Sevilla; University of Bristol; Aarhus University; University of Bristol
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3352
• DOI: 10.1111/puar.13612
• 发表日期: 2023
• 页码: 537-551
• 关键词: knowledge; service; client

摘要

Expenditure on management consultants in public sector organizations is generally seen as contributing to a hollowing out of the state through the substitution of internal management capability. However, there is little systematic evidence for this view which also ignores how public sector managers may, themselves, drive consulting use. Looking at 125 English public hospitals over 6 years, we explore the relationship between the development and composition of management functions and spending on consultants. Our findings show the absence of a substitution effect and, therefore, challenge the hollowing out thesis. Instead, they point to a more active, occupationally varied and political use of consultancy. We find that larger management functions overall are associated with greater reliance on consultants-a complementary relationship. However, where a higher proportion of managers are engaged in internal consulting functions, this results in the lower use of external management consultants, with implications for theory, research and policy.