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This study aims to examine stakeholder interests in and influence on corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation in hotels through an instrumental stakeholder theory lens.

Semi-structured interviews with 54 managers from several sectors of the Cyprus tourism industry were undertaken using purposive sampling.

There is a dominance of supply-chain stakeholder interests which in turn outline the CSR orientation of hotels, whereas stakeholder influence, largely shaped by the interdependent, multi-faceted nature of the tourism industry, conditions the implementation of CSR in hotels. Interestingly, stakeholder influence on CSR in hotels is not corresponding to stakeholders’ perceived saliency, indicating that stakeholder analysis needs to move beyond the consideration of salient stakeholders’ interests.

Although the focus of this study has been the perceptions of tourism stakeholders in Cyprus, the exploratory approach adopted in the study sets the ground for further research to consider stakeholder issues regarding CSR in hotels from an instrumental perspective. In addition, insights from this study might inform practitioners in similar destinations.

In encouraging a holistic approach to strategic CSR in hotels, this study contributes a framework of stakeholder roles, emanating from stakeholder responsibility and stakeholder involvement in CSR in the hotel sector that will be of interest to both academics and practitioners.

This article investigates the interaction between urban place marketing actors with specific reference to marketing urban areas as shopping destinations – town centre managers, shopping centre managers, local authority economic development managers and marketing managers and tourism promotion managers. It reports the results of a survey of these actors in the top 173 urban shopping destinations in the UK. It identifies those actors with prime responsibility for marketing urban retail provision (i.e. town centre managers and shopping centre managers), the nature of their collaboration (via formal, informal, and initiative‐specific interaction), and the factors impelling interaction (i.e. recognition of the linkages between the activities of different organisations, ensuring wider representation of organisational interests and the financial imperative). With the recent publication of Draft PPS6 and its increased focus on the strategic development of smaller centres, the implications for the marketing/promotion of such centres are addressed in detail.

Philosophers and political scientists have a long history of dealing with the difficult puzzle of leadership, and how it is to be distinguished from management and administration. The purpose of this paper is to explore the question of whether the innovative role of elected executive mayor in England can be considered as leader or manager. The paper critically assesses the concept of leadership before using empirical evidence to come to conclusions about the current role of elected mayor, an office with an uncertain history and unclear future in English public sector leadership.

The paper draws from the authors’ qualitative interviews with mayors from the inception of the office to the recent past.

The study finds that elected executive mayors are both leaders and managers, but that the notion of leadership in the local public sector remains contested as the mayor is a part of a bureaucratic structure of administration which limits the exercise of leadership as outlined in the existing literature.

As central government continues to advocate the expansion of the office of mayor, not least as part of English regional devolution, the study relates to future practice and to overall understanding of just what elected mayors do.

The paper provides useful insight into the forthcoming expansion of the mayoral system into the new Combined Authorities.

The paper provides original evidence about the faltering progress of the mayoral system in the English public sector.

Second of two articles focusing on public sector service quality. Looks at a number of local authority case studies, and benchmarks these against the service quality model of Parasuraman, Zeithaml and Berry.

This paper reports the findings from an empirical analysis of stakeholder opinions relating to t‐government within a United Kingdom local authority. These t‐government initiatives are related to a national drive for the implementation of t‐government from the UK Central Government. The aim of this paper is to gain insight, knowledge and understanding into important issues relating to t‐government from a single case study, senior executive, decision making and user perspective, and to develop a framework for t‐government.

The paper utilises an interpretive exploratory case study research via structured interviews with senior and strategic executives in the case study organisation.

A conceptualised framework for t‐government is extrapolated from the issues raised in the case study, to assist with the t‐government initiatives for UK public sector and elsewhere.

The paper is a single case study, not generalisable, but may be generally useful (Walsham).

The paper extrapolates lessons learnt, framework and options for successful t‐government deployment, from a senior executive user perspective.

Social inclusion is an important and current issue and is discussed in context of the case study.

The paper brings together the literature, recent discussions within enterprise, United Kingdom Central Government, public sector and t‐government, together with an exploratory empirical public sector case study from a senior user perspective. The aim is to inform theory and practice.

The aim of this article is to critically review the Autism Strategy and to discuss its implications.

This is a summary and critical review of the Autism Strategy and its implementation. This includes discussion of the political context, reactions to the strategy by stakeholders, economic considerations, equity, integration across health and social care and the role of diagnostic services and specialist interventions.

The Autism Strategy Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives was published in 2010. It aimed to increase awareness of autism, establish clear pathways for diagnosis and needs assessment, promote independent living and access to work, and help the development of local services. It focuses on intended outcomes, is not prescriptive about how those aims are achieved, and relies on existing legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act. The emphasis on accessing mainstream services may limit the development of appropriate specialist services, especially in the current economic climate. Specialist interventions that may follow diagnosis are not prioritised, even though the economic case for them has been well made by the Audit Commission. Although the Department of Health has produced “outcomes and ambitions” to measure implementation of the Strategy, local authorities are not required to measure themselves against these targets or publish their results. However, organisations such as the National Autistic Society have already developed training materials to help with implementation, and the NICE guidelines for adults with autism due in 2012 may help the development of better services.

This article provides new insights into the implications of the strategy for service users, service managers and healthcare professionals. Although the strategy applies to England only, the principles are of interest to stakeholders in other countries.

Most organisations take their property for granted. Local authorities are no exception. Yet in England and Wales, local authorities hold over £100 billion worth of non‐housing property. The extraordinary fact is that there is no precise information on its extent or value. At the same time, property also accounts for considerable recurring costs. One way or another, the cost of holding and managing this property represents about a quarter of local authorities' total annual rate and grant expenditure. The Audit Commission's handbook on property management is, therefore, timely. Perhaps the only surprise is that the subject has resisted in‐depth analysis for so long, since the 1972 Bains report identified it as one of the three key resources to be managed in local government, along with finance and personnel.

The purpose of this paper is to identify organisational good practice concerning equality, diversity and sexual orientation and consider the impact of the Employment Equality (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2003.

The paper employs in‐depth interviews and a short survey with 154 lesbian, gay and bisexual people (LGB) and 60 interviews with management, trade union and LGB group representatives within 16 “good practice” case study organisations.

Before the introduction of the (SO) Regulations (2003), progress concerning equality, diversity and sexual orientation was made based on social justice and/or business case arguments. The research shows that an inclusive organisational response can benefit both LGB employees and their employers. However, an “implementation gap” between equality/diversity policy and practice on sexual orientation was identified. The introduction of the law as a further driver to equality action in the sexual orientation area has been positive. However, LGB employees voiced concerns about the way in which organisations rely on LGB people to come forward with complaints before tackling problems. Thus, the protection provided by the (SO) Regulations 2003, although welcomed, was not seen as a panacea to tackling discrimination and harassment on grounds of sexual orientation in the workplace. LGB respondents looked to their organisation management to provide proactive leadership on equality/diversity issues and stop treating the sexual orientation strand as the “poor relation” within the organisational drive for equality and diversity.

The paper addresses the gap in knowledge regarding LGB people's perceptions of equality/diversity policy and practice within UK workplaces, providing information on good practice for employers, trade unions, government and LGB campaigning organisations.

A changing boundary between hospital and home‐care services over two decades has taken place enabling people to live in their own homes wherever possible, enabling “choice of independence”. Against this background, five principal issues are raised regarding how hospital services have been reshaped over that time and how the pattern of service developments outside the hospital has altered over the same period.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the use of knowledge transfer partnership (KTP)as a means for universities to generate and exchange knowledge to foster sustainable cities and societies.

This paper reports on a series of separate yet interrelated KTPs between a university and the local authority in the North East of England, designed to enhance the environmental, social and economic performance of a large-scale urban housing procurement project.

Results from the partnerships indicate that KTPs may play a crucial role in developing capacity within local authorities tasked with creating sustainable cities and societies, whilst at the same time, enhancing skills and knowledge within the communities whom they represent and their industry partners.

The paper contributes an understanding as to how universities can act as a conduit for the generation and exchange of knowledge for sustainability. It presents a case study which examines how a series of KTPs can provide a useful mechanism for enhancing environmental, social and economic sustainability.