ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on organisational structures and cultures were to investigate the level of quality management implementation in Estonian local authorities. It addresses the how does the current organisational context of Estonian local authorities affect the implementation of quality management? and what needs to be done in order to facilitate quality management at the local level? Quality management has become very topical in the Estonian public sector. For example, the Estonian Public Administration Reform Strategy names quality of public services as a key issue. In most Estonian local authorities, quality management is closely connected with the idea of Total Quality Management, a term 'coined to emphasise the need for a complete approach to quality'. According to organisational theory, structure is one of the most important organisational aspects. In general, the literature focuses on three main characteristics of structure: the degree of formalisation; the degree of centralisation; and the degree of complexity.
