2004 volume 22(1) pages 55 – 76
doi:10.1068/c0214

Cite as:
Rydin Y, Thornley A, Scanlon K, West K, 2004, "The Greater London Authority -- a case of conflict of cultures? Evidence from the planning and environmental policy domains" Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 22(1) 55 – 76
Download citation data in RIS format

The Greater London Authority -- a case of conflict of cultures? Evidence from the planning and environmental policy domains

Yvonne Rydin, Andy Thornley, Kath Scanlon, Karen West

Received 14 January 2002; in revised form 6 August 2003

Abstract. The creation of the new Greater London Authority (GLA), with effect from June 2000, has provoked considerable interest in policy and academic circles. It stands as an innovation in London governance, an experiment with the mayoral system in British politics and another example of the New Labour programme of modernisation. For all these reasons, the GLA provides an interesting focus of study. The particular focus of this paper concerns the internal dynamics of the GLA as it strove to establish its policy agenda and modus operandi. We were not so much concerned with policy outcomes in terms of documentation and its orientation, but rather the developing nature of the GLA as an emerging organisation. To this end we analyse the first year of the GLA's operation using the perspective of cultural theory, emphasising the nature of the GLA as a set of overlapping institutions. Developing Hood's and Coyle's applications of cultural theory enables us to comment on the tensions apparent within the GLA in its first year and the prospects for integration across the GLA. It also enables a reassessment of the value of such a cultural theory framework in contexts of organisational evolution.

Restricted material:

PDF Full-text PDF size: 189 Kb

HTML References  45 references, 3 with DOI links (Crossref)

Your computer (IP address: 107.22.25.119) has not been recognised as being on a network authorised to view the full text or references of this article. If you are a member of a university library that has a subscription to the journal, please contact your serials librarian (subscriptions information).