ABSTRACT

This book has discussed a wide variety of opportunities and challenges relating to public services operations management.While not anticipated to be a complete evaluation of the field these chapters represent a foundation upon which this important and contemporary area can cultivate future contributions.Therefore this book has presented a collection of critical assessments both of mid-range theory (as defined by Soltani et al., 2014) and empirically driven instruments used to unpack meanings and implications for public services operations management researchers and practitioners. From inception this book has evolved from the belief that public services

operations management holds with the grand theory of ‘input, process, and output’ (Radnor and Bateman,Chapter 1). Central to this theory is product logic (Smith et al., 2014) for organisational systems (Kast and Rosenzweig, 1985; Katz and Kahn, 1969).More recently this theory has evolved with the inclusion of service dominant logic. In tandem traditional public management theories have been challenged for suitability to service orientated contexts particularly for operations management (Radnor and Osborne, 2013). Research in public services has predominantly been related to the political regulation (Martin, 2010), organisational governance versus organisational ambiguity (Rainey and Steinbauer, 1999; Rainey, 1993) and implications of different collaborative institutional logics rather than how public services operate.The attention on improvement of current public service organisational and supply based arrangements in this book is a reflection of the gap in public services theory. This final chapter has two main aims. First, to assimilate the key themes which

have been raised in this book as well as identifying the contemporary gaps for knowledge which are critically absent. By evaluating these themes, opportunities are identified to extend existing theories and operational approaches in order to develop public services operations managers and this area of management. Second, this chapter reflects on the current knowledge of public services oper-

ation management and outlines a future agenda for public services operations management scholars.Tackling this subject domain provides a range of routes to set a research agenda that evaluates the specific underpinnings of public services

operations management.The contributions herein also help to feed forward thinking from various public services contexts. Particularly the book chapters provide a means for learning from public services who seek to tackle the extremes of operations management, to those commercial organisations also facing similar issues (e.g. volatile demand, quick response and limited resources, dealing with cultural and ethical differences). It is observed that public services draw upon organisations which have a layer of

social and environmental motivation (Doherty et al., 2014), which can be quite different from the private sector (see Table 23.1).These different types of organisations regularly work together or contract with each other, to exploit opportunities for service integration or build networks of service provision for specific populations (Al-Tabbaa, Leach and March, Chapter 3).This final chapter presents insights on operational features and supply chain/networks management from both wholly public organisations (in the idealised form) and a range of variants of third sector organisations. Specifically, this chapter does not elaborate on context specific future research

that contributors raise in individual chapters, or constrain commentary through the books organisational structure but rather focuses on more general operations management themes which have emerged.These have been organised to first focus on operational strategy. Second, consideration is given to the implications on and for senior and middle managers within public services operations management.This group has been selected as they traditionally have the span of control to design operational systems, processes within the organisational boundary.Thirdly, focus is centred on tactical aspects of operations management which form part of the dayto-day management of the organisation. Finally supply and network based practices are considered, which may provide the requisite variety (Ashby, 1958) to satisfy the complex and challenging market segments that have remained or emerged as unfulfilled through existing channels/segmentation of public services organisations. Supply chain and network management has the potential to provide a responsive, comprehensive and innovative mix of public services provision.To evaluate and influence these changes, there has also been the emergence of regulatory agencies (Boyne et al., 2010): in the USA, the Office of Social Innovation and Civic Participation (White House, 2014); in Europe, the Social Business Initiative (European Commission, 2014); in the UK, the Office for Civil Society (Cabinet Office, 2014) has been running since 2010 (Alcock, 2010).