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This paper explores a fundamental issue in public administration:the political bureaucratic relationship or political administrative interface. Much of the research and writing hitherto has been at central government level; and while important work on local government exists, relatively little exists on local government.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyse gender representation in leadership and management in further and higher education organisations. It does this, through the lens of two perspectives on bureaucratic representation, a "liberal democratic" perspective and an alternative view which states that bureaucracies are not necessarily gender blind or women friendly. The paper reviews the reform and managerial environments, vertical and horizontal gender patterns in the sectors; undertakes empirical research which surveys staff in six case study institutions seeking responses on job roles and activities, career motivators and inhibitors, supportiveness of line managers, perceptions of organisational leadership and culture with regard to gender equality and career advance.Design/methodology/approachSecondary data were used from a variety of sources. Primary data were based on all staff surveys using online software symbolic network analysis program in case study institutions withn=4,522, representing one quarter of the population.FindingsNon‐executive levels of management in both sectors were highly gendered and unrepresentative of the population. Vertical segregation was found at executive level too, though less in colleges than universities. In higher education, horizontal gendering – in subject areas – and the emphasis on subject knowledge and background with the connected gender segregation of research activity, played a crucial role in unequal gender representation patterns. In colleges, while there was horizontal subject‐based segregation, the lesser importance of research/subject background in the career dynamic has created opportunities to de‐couple subject background and career opportunity. Part‐time working, especially in colleges, had mixed effects in gender career terms. The research showed that in universities women spent greater proportions of time in teaching and administrationvis‐a‐visresearch compared to men. Work life balance was not a career inhibitor for women in higher education but was for women in colleges. Some other key similarities and differences in perceptions between men and women in both sectors are outlined, perhaps the most striking of which was that women in both sectors, while agreeing that opportunities policies are equal and fair, felt that institutional leadership could do more to advance the careers of women; men did not.Originality/valueThis is the first study of its kind to compare and contrast college and university sectors, and makes a significant contribution to understanding of gender representation in organisations. While, there are similarities between the sectors, this research has highlighted major differences which have importance for research, policy and managerial practice. The paper, in its conclusion, aims to stimulate action by suggesting some practical initiatives, based on the research.

PurposeA key aspect of the government's modernisation programme is to promote greater gender balance and diversity across public sector institutions and services. This includes appointments to and membership of public funded bodies. This paper reports on initial research on gender representation on boards in the Scottish enterprise (SE) sector.Design/methodology/approachA survey of membership by gender of SE and local enterprise company (LEC) boards; questionnaire survey of board members (n=66 – 43 male, 23 female); elite interviews.FindingsGender imbalance skewed in favour of males to an even greater extent than the public appointments sector as a whole. Women were more likely to approach board membership through formal means than by personal contact. Men and women had different views about personal contribution made to boards. Women surveyed tended to serve on more boards than did men. There were major procedural differences and inconsistencies between LECs and between LECs and SE regarding board recruitment.Practical implicationsAppointments procedures could be altered to ensure consistency, transparency and increased "gaze" across the enterprise network. Ways should be found to increase the female recruitment pool to counter the over stretching currently observed among existing female board members.Originality/valueThis research highlights the challenges faced by modernisation in this sector with respect to improving gender balance in representational terms. The next stage of the research will focus on substantive representation in the enterprise sector.

The focus of this article is an examination of the policy and early implementation of an integrated community care initiative targeted at older people. The research examined four geographical areas. The policy prescriptions behind integrated care were viewed in historical context. Two key aspects of current policy, the drive from central government and the focus on users and outcomes, were analysed in terms of first, the purpose and design behind the initiative, and second the early implementation experience. The policy purposes of collaborative partnering and user focus were clearly observed. However, the early implementation experience, while showing that partnership structures were in place, indicated differing levels of authority and responsibility from health and local authority managers causing some frustration for local partnership management. The research showed that in practice the extent of user-outcome focus was limited. Users and clients were involved in agreeing to the design of their care package as demanded by legislation, yet there was little evidence of a broader collective, participative dimension. There was some devolution of financial authority to managers at the client interface level and this marked a clear difference from earlier practice, but the approach to this was patchy with some of the areas studied completely separating assessment and authorization of care processes. The focus on local outcome – effectiveness – measures to calibrate achievement was less well developed, giving support to those who regard as unlikely the comprehensive adoption of such approaches in the public spending arena. The article concludes by outlining the significance of the Joint Future initiative for policy development as well as indicating a research agenda for some wider debates in public policy and management.

1. The policy process -- 2. Public policy domains -- 3. Public policy making -- 4. Case study : women in public policy? -- 5. Policy capacity -- 6. Inter- and intra-organisational relationships -- 7. Professionals, users, consumers and markets -- 8. Case study : partnerships and practices -- 9. Public policy and accountability -- 10. Public policy and performance management -- 11. Case study : public policy and UK foot-and-mouth epidemic 2001.

Understanding how public policy is made and managed is a key component in studying the disciplines of public management and administration. Such are the complexities associated with this topic, a deeper understanding is vital to ensure that practising public managers excel in their roles. This textbook synthesizes the key theories, providing a contemporary understanding of public policy and how it relates to private and other sectors. It integrates this with the management and implementation of public policy, including outlines of organizations, practices and instruments used. Pedagogical features include chapter synopses, learning objectives, boxed international cases and vignettes and further reading suggestions. This useful, concise textbook will be required reading for public management students and all those interested in public policy. -- Publisher website.

In public service institutions occupational gender segregation persists. These institutions are often gendered with predominantly masculine organisational cultures. The lack of passive and active representation of women has implications for public policy outcomes. This paper suggests a normative typology of the passive and active representation of women in bureaucracies, vis-à-vis institutional strategies to address the under-representation of women. The typology is based on: a theoretical discussion of representative bureaucracy; and a critical discussion of strategies to improve the representation of women. A key feature of the paper is the development of a typology with a suggested concinnity of institutional strategies.