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The aim of this paper is to investigate the links and relationships between strategy and operations in local government improvement efforts under the umbrella of the Local Government Modernisation Agenda (LGMA) in England. More specifically, it explores the implementation of structured change methods and performance measurement and management initiatives that claim to have a linked strategic and operational focus through to stakeholder impact.

This research adopts an interpretive multiple case approach (n=5), using in‐depth semi‐structured interviews and focus groups, as well as substantive archive information.

The structured integration of strategic level policy‐setting and its associated operational level activity in local authorities is often obscure and lacking in cohesiveness. Performance measurement and management at the strategic level is, for the most part, driven by emerging legislation and the need for compliance rather than improving service effectiveness. This has led to discontinuity, delays in implementing policy, and criticism of performance measures from service delivery staff.

There is a need for improved integration across the strategic‐operational divide, which requires improved understanding and translation approaches. Methods adopted from other sectors should be assessed critically and tailored to suit this need rather than adopting an off‐the‐shelf provision.

There is a paucity of in‐depth studies relating to performance measurement and management across the strategic‐operational span in the public sector in general, and local government in particular. Increased understanding in this area is of critical importance in relation to implementing effectively the current and future modernisation and reform initiatives.

Arising from a study exploring whether best value and performance management had caused change within councils' waste services, this study, having found alternative approaches to those promoted by Government which could warrant further study, sets out to pursue this line of enquiry.

This was an exploratory, inductive theory‐building study using a practitioner‐researcher approach to develop a conceptual model based upon a literature review and a case study research methodology.

Despite much publicity, the cases studied did not use performance management frameworks to structure change. Several of the cases were aware of the intent of performance management and, in light of those approaches promoted by Government, other systems were considered to be potentially more suitable.

The practitioner‐researcher approach provided particular insights to this study which may not be apparent otherwise. One of the principal findings was that there appeared to be an absence of coordinated independent research relating to management theory and councils' service delivery, as opposed to private sector applications of theory and practice, which appears unbalanced, especially given that the public sector is one of the largest employers in the UK. In particular, this paper highlights that simply transferring private sector performance management approaches without scrutiny and amendment to the different cultural and structural working environment within councils would appear imperfect and likely to create ad hoc success. These findings relate specifically to councils' waste services but may have a relevance outwith these operations.

This study recommended that further research should be conducted to develop a greater understanding of council management practice and examine how this could be positively affected. Simply recommending the transposition of private sector approaches was unlikely to work and, similarly, the current hands‐off approach adopted both between Government and councils and between councils' corporate centres and their operational services suggested the emergence of strategic/operational divides. This could be overcome with a more balanced approach and secondments between the different tiers.

As practitioner‐research, this paper provides an insight into how councils' waste services are prioritizing change which highlights the emergence of an apparent, growing dislocation between different government tiers. These findings emerge following case study research from a service whose perspectives on management theory rarely get expressed, owing to the demands arising from daily operational delivery.

This paper arises from a study examining the causality of change by exploring whether best value and performance management had caused change within councils' waste services. The purpose of this paper is to represent one of the unforeseen findings arising from the research programme.

The paper was an exploratory, inductive theory‐building study using a practitioner‐researcher approach to develop a conceptual model based upon a literature review and a case study research methodology.

The paper finds that, despite much publicity, the cases studied did not use performance management frameworks to structure change and, in this regard, operations management may offer a better approach by which councils could include operational service delivery within the development of corporate strategy. Research limitations/implications – The practitioner‐researcher approach provided particular insights to this paper, which may not be apparent otherwise. One of the principal findings was that there appeared to be an absence of coordinated independent research relating to management theory and councils' service delivery, as opposed to private sector applications of theory and practice, which appears unbalanced, especially given that the public sector is one of the largest employers in the UK. Simply transferring private sector performance management approaches without scrutiny and amendment to the different cultural and structural working environment within councils would appear imperfect and likely to create ad hoc success. These findings relate specifically to councils' waste services but may have a relevance outwith these operations.

This paper recommended that further research should be conducted to develop a greater understanding of council management practice and how this could be positively affected. Simply recommending the transposition of private sector approaches was unlikely to work and, similarly, the current hands‐off approach adopted both between government and councils and between councils' corporate centres and their operational services suggested the emergence of strategic/operational divides. This could be overcome with a more balanced approach and secondments between the different tiers.

As practitioner‐research, this paper provides an insight into how councils' waste services are prioritizing change, which highlights the emergence of an apparent, growing dislocation between different government tiers. These findings emerge following case study research from a service whose perspectives on management theory rarely get expressed, due to the demands arising from daily operational delivery.

In December 1999 Thomson Financial (TF) began a radical transformation from forty-one divisions toward a more integrated firm organized around customer segments. This required active, coordinated involvement from business, organization, and technology functions, as well as sustained investment and execution through the crises of the technology market crash and September 11, 2001. By 2005 TF had emerged as one of the top three financial information firms globally (with Bloomberg and Reuters).

Understand: 1. Building the customer-centric firm; “synchronizing” marketing (branding and sales), organizational, and technological infrastructure to focus on customer segments rather than products. 2. Making transformative, long-term investments under difficult circumstances. 3. Coordinating business, organization, and technology strategies throughout a long-term transformation process.

Developing an effective destination branding strategy in places that have a negative image is still a difficult challenge to overcome for place marketers. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyze how developing and promoting a new cuisine can transform a negative destination image into a positive one. The main premise is that food can be an effective way of rebranding a destination.

The research method used for this exploratory study was the qualitative content analysis of 50 articles from newspapers and magazines in English and websites from the Mexican tourism boards websites.

The results of the qualitative content analysis showed that local chefs (who are proud of their city and aim to promote their cuisine through the use of local products and the organization of food events) are fundamental for the development of a new and successful cuisine able to change the negative image of a destination.

The paper provides an innovative approach to destination image restoration by analyzing local gastronomy as an important means to offset the negative media projection of a damaged destination image.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a Canadian corporation's implementation and application of a sustainable business operation and model. It is based upon a case study of an International Canadian coffee and donut chain: Tim Hortons.

Data were collected through: extensive publications of corporate documents, observations of actual operations at retail sites and social media sites.

The paper finds that Tim Hortons has clearly made progress toward greater sustainability. However, its program often lacks specificity, particularly in terms of greenhouse gas emissions. Within a visibly and highly polluting industry Tim Hortons sustainability program is a step in the right direction but there are areas in need of improvement.

The findings of this study paradoxically suggest that it is difficult for a company in the fast food industry to truly become sustainable given certain characteristics of the industry (disposal food and beverage containers, and drive‐thrus for example), yet sustainability is also imperative to business success and competitiveness.

Through a detailed examination of Tim Hortons' sustainable business approach the authors delineate a number of areas where the company can improve its sustainability. The paper also discusses areas of difficulty (e.g. drive‐thrus) and areas in need of improvement (e.g. a detailed description of the sources of the company's greenhouse‐gas emissions).

Tim Hortons' sustainability program was only recently launched, and although the motivations behind the program are not discussed, it was not developed in response to any government subsidies or legislation.

The main contributions are as follows. First, the authors methodically analyze the sustainable business approach of a Canadian fast‐food company including but not limited to its value‐added process, driving forces, and purchasing policies. This provides a beginning for others who wish to implement sustainability into an industry not known for its environmental responsibility. Second, the authors suggest ways that Tim Hortons could improve its sustainable business approach. Third, the authors provide a case study of how an iconic Canadian company with revenues over $2.5 billion and nearly 4,000 stores across the globe has begun to implement sustainability into its core strategic approach.