Understanding Public Management

′A broad-ranging and highly intelligent account of key recent developments internationally which skillfully updates the public management and governance literatures′ - Ewan Ferlie, Royal Holloway

′Public management has been radically changed and reformed... this book gives students a fine introduction to these changes and to the theories dealing with them′ - Jørgen Grønnegaard Christensen, University of Aarhus

An introduction and guide to the dramatic changes that have occurred in the provision of public services over the last two decades, this book combines theoretical perspectives with a range of case studies from Europe, North America and further afield to explain why, how and with what success liberal democracies have reformed the service role of the state.

The book pays close attention to four major dimensions of this transition:

"External challenges and opportunties: globalisation and EU integration

"Reducing the role of the state: Liberalisation, privatisation, regulation and competition policy

"Improving the role of the state: New Public Management, e-Government and beyond

"Managing the New Public Sector: organisations, strategy and leadership

This text is designed for undergraduate courses in public governance, but it also addresses the core components of MPA programmes - the parameters, tools, principles and theories of public sector reform.