Opening the ‘black box’: Organisational Adaptation and Resistance to institutional isomorphism in a prime-led employment services programme

Abstract

The UK’s Work Programme (2012-18) was a major employment services pro-gramme, inspired by new public management principles. A relatively small num-ber of directly commissioned ‘prime providers’ were paid by the central Gov-ernment largely according to the number of job-outcomes their service users achieved but were given a ‘black box’ to design their own services and subcon-tracting arrangements. Drawing on an empirical study of subcontracted service providers, and focusing on those from the third sector, the paper shows that within this prime-led commissioning model, subcontractors came under sus-tained pressure to adjust their operational practices. We draw on institutional isomorphism to show that isomorphic pressures were experienced because of both the design and implementation of the Work Programme. Although there were strong pressures pushing towards convergence, however, the different starting positions of subcontractors meant that these changes were not entirely deterministic and some attempts at resistance were observed amongst third sec-tor providers. Their diverse institutional contexts, including positioning and wider interest in the field, shaped how they navigated and responded to isomor-phic pressures, ultimately mitigating homogenisation. The paper contributes a more sophisticated understanding of the ways in which provider organisations experience, interpret and respond to structural pressures within an evolving quasi-market. The findings have implications for public service reform pro-grammes featuring quasi-markets that are intended to encourage innovation and a diversity of provision, particularly when promoting mission-led, third sector organisations (TSOs).

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ORCID for Rebecca Taylor: orcid.org/0000-0002-8677-0246

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