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This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/09513559610119546. When citing the article, please cite: Inger Boyett, (1996), “The public sector entrepreneur - a definition”, International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 9 Iss: 2, pp. 36 - 51.

In 1989 a new head teacher was appointed to the Garibaldi School in Mansfield. Even before taking up his new position, he was aware of the need for changes — the school had a bad reputation locally, the staff were unmotivated and the finance available through local authority funding was not sufficient to provide the quality of education he would wish. He developed a three and a five year plan incorporating a change of internal culture, the organisational structure, the perceived value of Garibaldi to all its stakeholders, the quality of educational experience for the youngsters and means of generating revenue for the school. The case looks at cultural change, flattening of hierarchies, the ‘bobbing cork’ organisational archetype, the entrepreneurial strategic management system, the marketing of the school and the hugely successful raising of finance, £56,000 in 1992. By early 1993 the objectives of the initial forward plans had all been met and even surpassed whilst the new head teacher had become recognised by many — including the awarders of the title ‘East Midlands Company of the Year 1992’ — as a successful entrepreneur. But can such entrepreneurial activities coexist with the values and ethics society impresses on the educators of our children? Can such innovatory management and leadership be sustained over time without cost to the effective operation of the institution, educating children?

Argues that changes in education policy over the last decade‐and‐a‐half have moved some of the most traditionalist organizations in the UK, the “old” universities into a totally alien environment. The numbers of universities has nearly doubled, competition is encouraged through external audit and league tables, resourcing has been cut, while the student numbers have grown; and the twin concepts of “business” and “management” have entered their vocabulary. Asks whether, in a period of such accelerating change, the leadership styles in the old universities have changed to accommodate the new managerial culture. Gives a case example of the changing management and organizational development at the University of Nottingham to provide an example of the new style of higher education leadership.

Examines how and why some major UK purchaser and supplier organizations have increasingly sought to become partners. Drawing on detailed case studies of Rank Xerox, Hoover, ICL and British Rail discusses the dynamics of partnership sourcing, and analyses and exemplifies the costs and benefits to both partners and suppliers. Suggests that both partners benefit from the increased commitment and improved communications that partnership brings. Argues that purchasers derive extra advantages from partnership relations in the form of the potential for a reduced supplier base and increased scope for quality improvements in supplier goods and services. Finally, considers a number of problems, opportunities and constraints on partnership sourcing. Concludes that it is the UK cultural heritage of adversarialism in purchaser‐supplier relations which present the most significant difficulties in making partnership sourcing work.

Since the early 1980s there have been fundamental changes in the structure and management of the UK public sector, based on the introduction of quasi‐markets. The literature suggests that, for markets to operate at their maximum level of efficiency, there is an overwhelming need for entrepreneurial activity. Attempts through a synthesis of the published literature, surveys of educational and health managers and case examples, to determine whether a new strain of leadership ‐ the public sector entrepreneur ‐ is emerging to display many of the characteristics of their business counterparts.

This paper presents a case study of a management development programme, which adopts a competence‐based approach aimed at middle managers in a further education college. The programme takes place in a context that promotes the concept of general management. However, the programme, in which the general management approach is embedded, is resisted by the participating middle managers, to the extent that the programme “collapses” half way through and is never revived. As the paper suggests, there may be two reasons for this. First, in considering any potential relationship between public and private sectors, a key question is whether generic transfer of managerial ideas and practices from private to the public sector is appropriate. Second, it may be a question of the way in which the programme was implemented and delivered.

This issue is a selected bibliography covering the subject of leadership.