Introduction to Chapters 5–10

The present study concerns a large unitary local authority in the north of England,

here referred to as A Big Council (ABC; see Figure I.1). At the time of study the

ABC was under a coalition administration of an unusual mix, referred to locally as

the “rainbow coalition”, comprising 99 elected members. The leadership of the

coalition passed at six-monthly intervals between the leaders of the two main polit-

ical parties of the coalition. The aim of the present study was to examine the influ-

ence relationships between leaders and followers in a public sector organization

and how these relationships inform social influence processes.