Some Comparative Learnings from the Study

Introduction

Chapters 3, 4 and 5 have presented and discussed data from our studies in England, Scotland, Denmark and Australia. Although the Australian study employed slightly different approaches to data gathering from those in the other three countries, the purposes and key questions in all four studies were similar. As a consequence, in this chapter we analyse the overall findings for similarities and differences and we discuss some of the significant impressions we gained from our work. In our analysis, three frames of reference are influential: leadership and the cultural context; ‘new public management’ and change. Although they have been mentioned in earlier chapters, we revisit each in turn briefly, to remind readers ...