Paper short abstract:

Drawing on research conducted on Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, which provides citizens with a right to access information held by the Scottish Government, this paper offers an alternative description of the person of the public sector organization.

Paper long abstract:

A shift in the orientation of government in the UK, towards the 'publics', made evident in recent measures to make government more 'open', has led to a debate concerning what kind person this change produces within government. Can we write of the detached, rational, and rule-bound Weberian style 'bureaucrat' or do we need to write of a different kind of government employee - one is who personable, innovative, and self-managing? Du Gay (2000) notes a particular ethic of personhood 'which stresses autonomy, responsibility, and the freedom/obligation of individuals to actively make choices for themselves' (Rose and Miller 1992) underpins the reformulation of government and displaces the old-style Weberian bureaucrat. Drawing on research conducted on the reception, implementation and use of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, which provides citizens with a right to access information held by various levels of Scottish government, this paper examines the kind of person the Act produces, and in so doing, offers an alternative description of the person of the public sector organization.