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Leading Horses to Water? The Impact of Decentralization on Managerial Behaviour

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  • Colin Hales

Abstract

This paper offers a critical examination of the assumptions about managerial behaviour which underpin the concept of decentralization. Following an attempt to elucidate the key dimensions of the concept, together with some of their variations and ambiguities, it is shown how the claimed advantages of decentralization flow from assumed changes in managerial behaviour, away from compliance with centrally imposed instruction and regulation and towards seizure of business opportunities which, in turn, rest upon assumptions about the influence of organization structure on managerial behaviour, the constraints imposed by centralized organization, the freedoms afforded by decentralization and managers' ability and willingness to take up these freedoms. These behavioural assumptions are re‐examined critically and shown to be problematic. The paper concludes that little change in managerial behaviour may be expected from decentralization which entails no more than formal changes in managers' responsibilities without concomitant changes in managerial selection, development and remuneration

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  • Colin Hales, 1999. "Leading Horses to Water? The Impact of Decentralization on Managerial Behaviour," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(6), pages 831-851, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jomstd:v:36:y:1999:i:6:p:831-851
    DOI: 10.1111/1467-6486.00160
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    Cited by:

    1. Sung‐Choon Kang & Scott A. Snell, 2009. "Intellectual Capital Architectures and Ambidextrous Learning: A Framework for Human Resource Management," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 65-92, January.
    2. Alev Ozer Torgaloz & Mehmet Fatih Acar & Cemil Kuzey, 2023. "The effects of organizational learning culture and decentralization upon supply chain collaboration: analysis of covid-19 period," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 16(1), pages 511-530, March.
    3. Mikael Ohrling & John Øvretveit & Mats Brommels, 2021. "Can management decentralisation resolve challenges faced by healthcare service delivery organisations? Findings for managers and researchers from a scoping review," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(1), pages 30-41, January.
    4. Liu, Xiaoyun & Martineau, Tim & Chen, Lieping & Zhan, Shaokang & Tang, Shenglan, 2006. "Does decentralisation improve human resource management in the health sector? A case study from China," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 63(7), pages 1836-1845, October.
    5. Exworthy, Mark & Frosini, Francesca, 2008. "Room for manoeuvre?: Explaining local autonomy in the English National Health Service," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 86(2-3), pages 204-212, May.
    6. Faßauer, Gabriele, 2005. "Individual identity and cultural unlocking: Consequences of changing performance management in organizations," Schriften zur Organisationswissenschaft 7, Technische Universität Chemnitz, Professur für Organisation und Arbeitswissenschaften.
    7. Marc J. Epstein & Marie‐Josée Roy, 2007. "Implementing a corporate environmental strategy: establishing coordination and control within multinational companies," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(6), pages 389-403, September.
    8. Therese Fagerlind & Martin Stefanicki & Andreas Feldmann & Jouni Korhonen, 2019. "The Distribution of Sustainable Decision-Making in Multinational Manufacturing Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(18), pages 1-17, September.
    9. Lunt, Neil & Exworthy, Mark & Hanefeld, Johanna & Smith, Richard D., 2015. "International patients within the NHS: A case of public sector entrepreneurialism," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 338-345.
    10. Marte D.-Q. Holmemo & Jonas A. Ingvaldsen, 2018. "Local adaption and central confusion: decentralized strategies for public service Lean implementation," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 38(1), pages 13-20, January.
    11. Allen, Pauline, 2006. "New localism in the English National Health Service: What is it for?," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 79(2-3), pages 244-252, December.
    12. Edwin Rap, 2006. "The success of a policy model: Irrigation management transfer in Mexico," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(8), pages 1301-1324.

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