Many changes are taking place in the public sector across Europe as emphasis is being placed on the efficient use of resources, the way that public organisations are managed and their relationship with clients and customers. Post-bureaucratic structures are being introduced and a more managerialist culture is being established. A new type of public servant is emerging - the public manager. This book consists of three theoretical chapters and nine case studies of public managers, which examine these changes amongst member states of the European Union. The concluding chapter identifies common trends and explains similarities and differences in terms of the constitutional, political, cultural and economic contexts.

The introduction of new public management first in the UK and subsequently in most other European member states has been the subject of a great deal of interest within the last decade. However, the impact of this on personnel policies and practices has been less well documented, although they have had far reaching effects. This book seeks to fill that gap by mapping out the changes in personnel management occurring throughout Europe and, in particular, evaluating the changes that have been driven by the move to greater flexibility and market responsiveness in public personnel policies including an examination of the US for comparative purposes.

HR functions within both internal and external contexts. The understanding of both contexts is crucial for comprehending how and why they drive HR strategies and practices in organizations, as well as the rules and structures within which they work. Built around five major themes which impact upon the HR function, and mapping to the CIPD Level 7 Advanced module of the same name, Human Resource Management in Context enables students to understand the complex and changing organizational context in which HR operates today by providing a comprehensive breakdown of the concepts, theories and issues from globalization and government policy to demographic, social and technological trends. This fully updated 4th edition of Human Resource Management in Context includes a range of pedagogical features, balancing theory with practical analysis to form an engaging insight into the strategic side of HR. It includes enhanced emphasis on the impact of the external environment on the HR profession, a discussion of the impact of technology and social media, increased coverage of ethics and CSR and links to the HR Profession Map. Online supporting resources for lecturers include an instructor's manual, lecture slides, annotated web links and guidance for the chapter activities.