Abstract
The last three decades have seen an increasing privatisation and contracting out of the delivery of public services to voluntary and private sector providers. This has led to a mixed economy of public services which draws on the strengths of different sector providers to deliver more efficient and cost-effective services. This chapter seeks to take a long-term historical view of public service delivery to argue that in fact the mixed economy is a much older concept in public services with the state being a relatively recent addition. It also highlights the importance of these different actors in implementing policies through the services they deliver. Examples from sub-areas across the public services highlight these trends and show innovations happening around the world. As the world becomes more globalised and interconnected, the social, economic, environmental and political factors that shape how public services are delivered also require more innovation and partnerships to tackle core issues. It is therefore essential to understand the interactions of the different sectors as well as the challenges and opportunities that these bring.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Understanding Public Services |
| Subtitle of host publication | A Contemporary Introduction |
| Publisher | Policy Press |
| Pages | 29-42 |
| Number of pages | 14 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781447364009 |
| Publication status | Published - 28 Feb 2023 |