TY - JOUR
T1 - Flexible working practices In the public, not-for-profit and commercial leisure sectors In Scotland
AU - MacVicar, Anna
AU - Foley, Malcom
AU - Graham, Margaret
AU - Ogden, Susan
AU - Scott, Bernadette
N1 - Academic submitted wrong article title. Corrected TM 21-12-16
PY - 2000
Y1 - 2000
N2 - Public sector leisure managers in the UK have been struggling, since the extension of compulsory competitive tendering to leisure management in 1989, to reconcile the conflicts between becoming more consumer led and satisfying the needs of the ‘recreationally deprived’. Rationalization has ensured that a fundamental priority for managers has been the introduction of more cost-effective working practices. This article examines the diversity in employment practices across the three sectors of the leisure industry, that is, the public, not-for-profit and private sectors. The case study evidence presented found clear differences between the sectors. Although managers in not-for-profit leisure facilities have more freedom to use greater flexibility in employment practices as compared with their public sector counterparts, they are still somewhat constrained by having to meet the social objectives set by their Board of Directors. Private sector managers were found to be providing the highest proportion of full-time jobs, although they offered lower conditions of employment. This was made possible by the funding certainties created by regular monthly/annual customer memberships.
AB - Public sector leisure managers in the UK have been struggling, since the extension of compulsory competitive tendering to leisure management in 1989, to reconcile the conflicts between becoming more consumer led and satisfying the needs of the ‘recreationally deprived’. Rationalization has ensured that a fundamental priority for managers has been the introduction of more cost-effective working practices. This article examines the diversity in employment practices across the three sectors of the leisure industry, that is, the public, not-for-profit and private sectors. The case study evidence presented found clear differences between the sectors. Although managers in not-for-profit leisure facilities have more freedom to use greater flexibility in employment practices as compared with their public sector counterparts, they are still somewhat constrained by having to meet the social objectives set by their Board of Directors. Private sector managers were found to be providing the highest proportion of full-time jobs, although they offered lower conditions of employment. This was made possible by the funding certainties created by regular monthly/annual customer memberships.
KW - charitable trust status
KW - public sector leisure
KW - flexibility
KW - best value
U2 - 10.1080/14719030000000014
DO - 10.1080/14719030000000014
M3 - Article
VL - 2
SP - 263
EP - 272
JO - Public Management: An International Journal of Research and Theory
JF - Public Management: An International Journal of Research and Theory
IS - 2
ER -