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Beyond the Rhetoric: Lessons From Louisville’s Consolidation

Savitch, H.V., Vogel, Ronald K., Ye, Lin·2010·The American Review of Public Administration
DOI 10.1177/0275074009333175
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Abstract

Louisville’s consolidation with Jefferson County was the first large-scale merger to take place in the United States in more than 30 years. The authors examine this merger as a major institutional innovation that was supposed to enhance economic development. Proponents of consolidation claimed that institutional change would “shake up” the system and create an economic boom. The authors use actual results to determine whether this much-heralded experience warrants claims that it can be a role model, point of reference, or best practice. In doing this, they compare data from premerged and postmerged Louisville over a full 8-year period. Of central concern are whether “shake up” worked, how elites manage results as unsatisfying outcomes become apparent, and what that behavior portends for responsible governance. The authors conclude with a number of principles and policies regarding institutional change.

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Metadata

Authors
Savitch, H. V., Vogel, R. K., & Ye, L.
Affiliations
  • University of Louisville (US)
  • Roosevelt University (US)
ORCID
Venue
The American Review of Public Administration
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Published
2009-03-26
Volume
40
Issue
1
Pages
3-28
ISSN
  • 0275-0740 (ISSN-L)
  • 1552-3357
DOI
10.1177/0275074009333175
OpenAlex
W2021419752
Cited by
27
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2024: 1 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2018: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2012: 2
FWCI
5.00
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations
The American Review of Public Administration (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Public Administration › Public Policy and Administration Research
  • Social Sciences › Geography, Planning and Development › Local Governance and Planning
  • Social Sciences › Political Science and International Relations › Local Government Finance and Decentralization
Keywords
municipal mergers, institutional change, economic development, local government, responsible governance, best practices, public administration policy

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Beyond the Rhetoric: Lessons From Louisville’s Consolidation. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1177/0275074009333175
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Savitch, H. V., Vogel, R. K., & Ye, L. (2010). Beyond the Rhetoric: Lessons From Louisville’s Consolidation. The American Review of Public Administration. https://doi.org/10.1177/0275074009333175