Effective Local Government Management: Role Emphases of Public Works Directors

Abstract

In this article I examine whether the role orientations of local public works directors mirror the orientations discovered by Wright (1969) among city managers and reexamined by Newell and Ammonds (1987) among managers, assistant managers, mayors, and mayoral assistants. In other words, has the shift from management to policy and political orientations extended to bureau chiefs. The findings show that role orientations are stable over time with the emphasis on management. Operating in a political environment (mayor form of government) does not affect this relationship as Newell and Ammonds found. However, there is some support for their finding that political and policy orientations increase with city size. Age or tenure in the profession is positively linked with a policy orientation, unlike the Newell and Ammonds finding. There is no massive shift to political and policy activities among actors at this level of the local hierarchy, at least among local public works directors.