Abstract
Strategic planning in British local government has enjoyed a renaissance over the past ten years, but little attention has been paid to the effectiveness of strategies at the local level. Strategic effectiveness can be assessed in terms of the success of the strategy in attracting resources (current and/or capital), its influence on existing programmes and as a vehicle for wider cultural change. This article interprets evidence from a case study of Cardiff City Council in the 1990-95 period, analysing the strategic effectiveness of three corporate strategies involving economic development, environment and the city centre respectively. The results are interpreted within a framework that portrays chief officers as 'bureau-shapers', influenced by (non-instrumental) values as well as (instrumental) interests. The resilience of 'departmentalism' is highlighted as a key factor in explaining the differential effectiveness of the three strategies.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1-21 |
| Number of pages | 21 |
| Journal | Local Government Studies |
| Volume | 28 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2002 |
