The prevailing dogma has been the portrayal of the private sector as the model to be emulated by the public sector and has been the driving force of government policy toward the public services. Consequently, major changes have resulted in the management of public services provision. This book considers these changes and evaluates the actual and potential consequences of their implication and addresses issues such as: the contracting and enabling state; competition and public service provision; accountability; charters and public service provision; policy, politics and management.
Managing public services - policy and dogma; towards a skeleton state? - changes to public sector management; competition and public service provision; accountability; accounting for dogma - administrative change and the proper conduct of public business; charters and public service performance; conservatism, theory and public service management; directing or diluting dogma? - new public managerialism, agency structure and policy delivery; dealing with dogma - the National Health Service.