Unbundled Government: A Critical Analysis of the Global Trend to Agencies, Quangos and Contractualisation (Routledge Studies in Public Management)

Public sector bureaucracies have been subjected to harsh criticism. One solution which has been widely adopted over the past two decades has been to 'unbundle government' - that is to break down monolithic departments and ministries into smaller, semi-autonomous 'agencies'. These are often governed by some type of performance contract, are at 'arm's length' or further from their 'parent' ministry or department and are freed from many of the normal rules governing civil service bodies.This, the first book to survey the 'why' and the 'how' of this epidemic of 'agencification', is essential reading for advanced students and researchers of public management. It includes case studies from every continent - from Japan to America and from Sweden to Tanzania, these 14 case studies (some covering more than one country) critically examine how such agencies have been set up and managed. 1. The Agency Idea: Sometimes Old, Sometimes New, Sometimes Borrowed, Sometimes Untrue / Colin Talbot -- 2. What Is Available And What Is Missing In The Study Of Quangos? / Geert Bouckaert And Guy B. Peters -- 3. Adapting The Agency Concept: Variations Within 'next Steps' / Francesca Gains -- 4. Executive Agencies And Joined-up Government In The Uk / Oliver James -- 5. Contacting And Accountability: A Model Of Effective Contracting Drawn From The U.s. Experience / Jocelyn M. Johnston And Barbara S. Romzek -- 6. Contractualism And Performance Measurement In Australia / Linda Mcguire -- 7. The Agency Concept In North America: Failure, Adaptation And Incremental Change / Andrew Graham And Alasdair Roberts -- 8. Quangos In Dutch Government / Sandra Van Thiel -- 9. Lost In Translation? Shifting Interpretations Of The Concept Of 'agency': The Dutch Case / Amanda Smullen -- 10. Central Agencies In Sweden: A Report From Utopia / Jon Pierre -- 11. Agencification In Japan: Renaming Or Revolution? / Kiyoshi Yamamoto -- 12. New Public Management In A Developing Country: Creating Executive Agencies In Tanzania / Janice Caulfield -- 13. Putting New Public Management Of Good Use: Autonomous Public Organizations In Thailand / Bidhya Bowornwathana -- 14. The Design, Performance And Sustainability Of Semi-autonomous Revenue Authorities In Africa And Latin America / Robert R. Taliercio, Jr. -- 15. Castles Built On Sand? Agencies In Latvia / Christopher Pollitt -- 16. A Radical Departure? Executive Agencies In Jamaica / Colin Talbot -- 17. Theoretical Overview / Christopher Pollitt. Edited By Christopher Pollitt And Colin Talbot. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. This comprehensive study discusses the series of changes in governmental systems and structures. It considers the varying approaches of different countries and their governmental structures