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Good, Better, Best? Inter-organizational learning in a network of local authorities

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  • Jean Hartley
  • Maria Allison

Abstract

The UK government's agenda for the 'modernization and improvement' of public services is based on legislative change, programmes of experimentation and the sharing of better practice. But how does the sharing of better practice take place? The precise processes for the transfer of knowledge and their implications for organizational and cultural change have not been analysed in detail in the public sector context. This article examines the role of a local authority inter-organizational network in transferring better practice in implementing the Government's major initiative on Best Value. The article draws on the theoretical framework of Nonaka (1994), and particularly the distinction between tacit and explicit knowledge to examine how knowledge is transferred between individuals and between organizations. The article analyses data collected as part of the Better Value Development Programme (BVDP), an inter-organizational network. Findings indicate that the inter-organizational network was valued by participants as a way to share and transfer knowledge about better practice through a number of processes. The need to consider both tacit and explicit knowledge transfer in inter-organizational learning is considered. This has implications for traditional policy models of best practice transfer.

Suggested Citation

  • Jean Hartley & Maria Allison, 2002. "Good, Better, Best? Inter-organizational learning in a network of local authorities," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(1), pages 101-118, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:pubmgr:v:4:y:2002:i:1:p:101-118
    DOI: 10.1080/14616670110117332
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. John Benington, 2000. "Editorial: The Modernization and Improvement of Government and Public Services," Public Money & Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 20(2), pages 3-8, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Allen, April D. & Hyde, Justeen & Leslie, Laurel K., 2012. "“I Don't Know What They Know”: Knowledge transfer in mandated referral from child welfare to early intervention," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 1050-1059.
    2. Lummina Horlings & Chris Collinge & John Gibney, 2017. "Relational knowledge leadership and local economic development," Local Economy, London South Bank University, vol. 32(2), pages 95-109, March.
    3. Chris Huxham & Paul Hibbert, 2008. "Manifested Attitudes: Intricacies of Inter‐Partner Learning in Collaboration," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 45(3), pages 502-529, May.
    4. Fischer, Caroline, 2018. "Motivated to Share Your Knowledge? Development of a scale to measure knowledge sharing motives of public employees," OSF Preprints r5xba, Center for Open Science.
    5. G. Jan van Helden & Åge Johnsen & Jarmo Vakkuri, 2008. "Distinctive research patterns on public sector performance measurement of public administration and accounting disciplines," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 10(5), pages 641-651, September.

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