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Agency Status, Privatization and Improved Performance Some Evidence from the UK

Agency Status, Privatization and Improved Performance Some Evidence from the UK The 1980s saw a resurgence of the notion that transferring assetsfrom the public sector to private enterprise would raise both allocativeand technical efficiency, leading to greater economic wellbeing. Thisresurgence led in the UK and elsewhere to privatization and the transferof state activities from Government departments to separate agencies.Tests arguments that performance is linked to ownership by consideringten organizations which underwent relevant status changes in thepostwar period. Results confirm that, in general, a political toprivate change in ownership is associated with improved performance, butthat this performance improvement is not guaranteed. Thus the linkbetween ownership and performance is apparently more complex than manycommentators have assumed. Findings suggest that further research isneeded to address the factors that determine performance. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png International Journal of Public Sector Management Emerald Publishing

Agency Status, Privatization and Improved Performance Some Evidence from the UK

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References (10)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © Emerald Group Publishing Limited
ISSN
0951-3558
DOI
10.1108/09513559210008741
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

The 1980s saw a resurgence of the notion that transferring assetsfrom the public sector to private enterprise would raise both allocativeand technical efficiency, leading to greater economic wellbeing. Thisresurgence led in the UK and elsewhere to privatization and the transferof state activities from Government departments to separate agencies.Tests arguments that performance is linked to ownership by consideringten organizations which underwent relevant status changes in thepostwar period. Results confirm that, in general, a political toprivate change in ownership is associated with improved performance, butthat this performance improvement is not guaranteed. Thus the linkbetween ownership and performance is apparently more complex than manycommentators have assumed. Findings suggest that further research isneeded to address the factors that determine performance.

Journal

International Journal of Public Sector Management – Emerald Publishing

Published: Jan 1, 1992

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