To Monitor Or Intervene? City Managers And The Implementation Of Strategic Initiatives

Abstract

Strategic initiatives represent a government's response to constituent and organizational needs, but are only effective if properly implemented. In local governments with a council-manager form of government, city managers face a unique dilemma as compounding challenges of implementation often require them to step into leadership roles typically reserved for elected officials. For this qualitative study, 16 city managers and project leaders from US local governments were interviewed regarding the implementation of nine varied strategic initiatives. The responses indicate that city managers play an important dual role in implementation—first, monitoring the progress of the implementation team and the satisfaction of the stakeholder coalition; and second, choosing to intervene directly in implementation decision-making when they observe missteps by the implementers or discontent from the stakeholders. These conclusions contribute to the practice perspective of strategic management theory and a better understanding of the institutional leadership role of city managers.

Publication Date

3-1-2018

Publication Title

Public Administration

Volume

96

Issue

1

Number of Pages

200-217

Document Type

Article

Personal Identifier

scopus

DOI Link

https://doi.org/10.1111/padm.12381

Socpus ID

85044429848 (Scopus)

Source API URL

https://api.elsevier.com/content/abstract/scopus_id/85044429848

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