Research Catalog

Title

Local government innovation : issues and trends in privatization and managed competition / edited by Robin A. Johnson, Norman Walzer.

Publication

Westport : Quorum Books, 2000.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Holdings

Details

Additional Authors

• Johnson, Robin A.
• Walzer, Norman.

Description

x, 277 p. : ill.; 24 cm.

Summary

Nationally recognized scholars and practitioners examine opportunities in which services traditionally provided by local governments are offered by the private sector throught a contract or are transferred to a private business completely. Many large U.S. cities have contracted services for many years. With the movement to rightsize governments in recent years there has been renewed interest by local governments in similar ventures. Privatization, in its many forms, is now seen as a viable alternative to traditional ways of providing public services and can bring substantial benefits to residents. With greater accountability being demanded and pressures on local officials to hold the line on or reduce taxes, efforts to find innovative service delivery methods will probably increase. Cities, such as Atlanta, Indianapolis, and Charlotte, are examples showing that contracts with private businesses can work to benefit all parties. Local officials must move ahead cautiously, and not all attempts at privatization or contracting have succeeded. Some cities, after an evaluation, have decided to provide servies with municipal employees. The main issues underlying privatization decisions will be addressed conceptually so that practitioners and academics benefit from a review of the current thinking on the issues. At the same time, exemplary practices and case studies are included so that readers can understand how privatization and managed competition have been implemented in local governments. Special attention is paid to administrative questions that may arise during the implementation process. For example, ways in which cities have worked with employees who fear displacement because of the privatization process are described. The book breaks new ground by including references to recent innovations in public-private partnerships and describing how privatization may evolve in the future.

Subject

• Public contracts > United States
• Municipal services > United States
• Public works > United States
• Privatization > United States

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Processing Action (note)

• committed to retain

Contents

Introduction and overview / Norman Walzer, Robin A. Johnson -- The evolution of privatization practices and strategies / Adrian Moore, Wade Hudson -- Opportunities in privatization and outsourcing / E.S. Savas -- Selecting services for outsourcing / John O'Looney -- Structuring the market for service delivery : a new role for local government / Mildred Warner -- Providing public services through long-term service agreements / Douglas Herbst, David Seader -- The role of information management in making competition work / Bridget M. Anderson -- Impacts of social mandates in contracting / Margaret M. "Peg" Swanton -- Privatization and managed competition : management fad or long-term systematic change for cities? / Robin A. Johnson, Norman Walzer -- Impact of privatization and managed competition on public employees / Christi Clark, Robin A. Johnson, James L. Mercer -- Impact on public organizational structure and behavior : managed competition and privatization / Ed Sizer -- A bold, innovative approach to privatization : lessons learned from Atlanta / Bill Campbell -- How far can privatization go? / John D. Donahue.

ISBN

1567203825 (alk. paper)

LCCN

^^^00028001^

OCLC

• 43567369
• SCSB-10464205

Owning Institutions

Harvard Library