Understanding the changing social structural and corporate agency governance characteristics of (UK) policing: Towards a new relational policing matrix by Chris Goodman Canterbury Christ Church University Thesis submitted for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy 2019 Abstract Purpose: - To investigate governance changes in UK policing from the perspective of serving federated rank police officers. Two research questions ask - RQ1: What are the social structural and corporate agency characteristics of different UK policing governance systems since 1980? and; (RQ2) How have police officers reacted to the social structural and corporate agency governance changes in UK policing since 1980? Design/Methodology: - Two case studies (Mecronia and Andrad) were conducted following an Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methodology. Critical/relational sociological views of the interaction between non- human structure (Donati, 2007) and corporate agency (Archer, 1995) provided a lens for the analysis. In this manner, the changing social, structural and corporate agency characteristics in policing were brought into focus. In the same way, the feelings and reactions of individual police officers were explored in response to those changes. Analysis: - Using existing policing, management and critical/relational sociological texts and collected research data, a new conceptual relational policing matrix (RPM) is developed and is a major contribution of this work. I argue that NPM structures had a de- humanising effect on police organisations and were at odds with personal public service motivation (Perry and Wise 1990). I argue that the recent removal of numerical targets is greatly welcomed by the officers. Finally, I argue that ongoing austerity measures of successive UK Governments have left police officers feeling greatly overworked and over stressed due to an increasing imbalance between demand and resources. Originality/ Value: - The Relational Policing Matrix (RPM) is a new conceptual framework and using critical/relational sociological theory as a lens for the examination of policing structures and culture has not been attempted before. No one has described the changing governance characteristics in relation to the police from the perspective of serving police officers or analysed the impact of those changes on the police officers using a relational sociological lens. Therefore, through the analysis and use of the RPM the thesis is original and adds value to understanding of police, public-sector and organisational management. Acknowledgements I would like to thank my supervisors, Dr Colm Fearon and Professor Heather McLaughlin for their support and encouragement throughout my study; for their invaluable advice, feedback and support – thank you all for believing in me. Thank you to CCCU Graduate Department, who kindly offered the scholarship for my study on behalf of Business School, without which I would not be able to take this journey. Thank you to all of the research informants who participated in my study, without whose assistance, it would not have been possible. Finally, a very special thank you goes to my amazing wife Tracy who made the entire research process possible. Without her support and encouragement, I would never have commenced this new and exciting life journey and certainly would never have completed this project. Contents 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Rationale and motivation. .................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research aim and questions ............................................................................... 3 1.3 Originality and contribution ............................................................................... 8 1.4 Thesis road map ............................................................................................... 10 1.5 Summary .......................................................................................................... 11 2 Background literature .............................................................................................. 12 2.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 12 2.2 The golden years (1950 – 1979) ...................................................................... 15 2.3 UK public police governance (1980 – 2010 and beyond) ............................... 17 2.4 Characteristics of policing structures in response to NPM .............................. 36 2.5 Characteristics of policing in response to new localism .................................. 49 2.6 Summary .......................................................................................................... 54 3 Focal literature......................................................................................................... 55 3.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 55 3.2 Organisational culture: - A dilemma? .............................................................. 59 3.3 Structure versus agency ................................................................................... 60 3.4 Relational sociology: An introduction to morphogenesis ................................ 61 3.5 Locating the human within society .................................................................. 65 3.6 Organisational culture: Through a relational lens ............................................ 66 3.7 Corporate agents .............................................................................................. 68 3.8 Researchable context ....................................................................................... 70 3.9 Theoretical framework ..................................................................................... 72 3.10 Research questions ........................................................................................... 91 4 Research design and methodology .......................................................................... 93 4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................... 93 4.2 Research design ............................................................................................... 96 4.3 Methodology .................................................................................................. 105 5 Analysis of the data: Governance and cultural changes ........................................ 119 5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 119 5.2 Dimensions and characteristics of the quadrants ........................................... 129 5.3 The RPM: The four quadrants considered together. ...................................... 181 5.4 Summary ........................................................................................................ 187 6 Case study analysis: Personal lived experiences and feelings .............................. 192 6.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 192 6.2 Analysis of the data ........................................................................................ 196 6.3 Summary ........................................................................................................ 257 7 Discussion ............................................................................................................. 261 7.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 261 7.2 RQ1: Theoretical implications recent changes in UK policing governance and public service leadership ........................................................................................... 263 7.3 RQ2: Reflecting on police officer reactions to governance and leadership changes ...................................................................................................................... 268 7.4 Influence/role of critical/relational sociologist in informing theory arguments 272 7.5 Implications for policing policymakers and practice ..................................... 275 7.6 Limitations of my work ................................................................................. 283 7.7 My role as a researcher .................................................................................. 287 7.8 Future research ............................................................................................... 294 8 Summary and recommendations ........................................................................... 296 8.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 296 8.2 Thesis rationale and connection to existing literature ................................... 296 8.3 Statement of contribution ............................................................................... 302 8.4 Recommendations .......................................................................................... 303 9 Bibliography .......................................................................................................... 306 10 Appendices ........................................................................................................ 338 List