The notion of ‘Department-itis’ at the centre has long been identified. Rhodes (1997) and Kavanagh and Richards (2001) have demonstrated the persistence of ministers as ‘barons’ of their departments. The territoriality of each department with its own culture, practices and hierarchy has tended to resist thus far the drive towards greater joined-up government (Ling 2002).
(Exworthy and Powell, 2004: 267)
Exworthy, M. and Powell, M. 2004. Big Windows and Little Windows: Implementation in the ‘Congested State’. Public Administration, Vol.82(2), pp.263-281
Kavanagh, D. and D. Richards. 2001. ‘Departmentalism and Joined-up Government: Back to the Future?’, Parliamentary Affairs, 54, 1–18.
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