Strategy Implementation Style and Public Service Effectiveness, Efficiency, and Equity

• Main Authors: Rhys Andrews, Malcolm J. Beynon, Elif Genc
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-02-01
• Series: Administrative Sciences
• Subjects: strategy; implementation; performance; public sector; quantitative analysis; fuzzy clustering
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3387/7/1/4

Strategic decision-making theories suggest that organizations that combine rational and incremental strategy implementation styles are likely to perform better than those that emphasize a single style. To assess whether these arguments apply to the public sector; we explore the strategy implementation style and perceived service effectiveness, efficiency and equity of Turkish municipal government departments. Using fuzzy cluster analysis, we identify four distinctive though inter-related styles of strategy implementation in our sample organizations: logical-incremental; mostly rational; mostly incremental; and no clear approach. A logical-incremental and mostly rational style of implementation are associated with better effectiveness, efficiency and equity; with the absence of an implementation style associated with worse performance. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.