Download or read book Reforming Infrastructure written by Ioannis Nicolaos Kessides and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2004 with total page 328 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Electricity, natural gas, telecommunications, railways, and water supply, are often vertically and horizontally integrated state monopolies. This results in weak services, especially in developing and transition economies, and for poor people. Common problems include low productivity, high costs, bad quality, insufficient revenue, and investment shortfalls. Many countries over the past two decades have restructured, privatized and regulated their infrastructure. This report identifies the challenges involved in this massive policy redirection. It also assesses the outcomes of these changes, as well as their distributional consequences for poor households and other disadvantaged groups. It recommends directions for future reforms and research to improve infrastructure performance, identifying pricing policies that strike a balance between economic efficiency and social equity, suggesting rules governing access to bottleneck infrastructure facilities, and proposing ways to increase poor people's access to these crucial services.

Download or read book Does Privatization Deliver written by Ahmed Galal and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1994 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines whether Africa's disappointing economic performance reflects a failure to undertake structural adjustment reforms or a failure of those reforms to boost growth. Covers 29 African countries that underwent adjustment in the late 1980s. To reverse the economic decline that began in the 1970s, many Sub-Saharan countries initiated programs to pave the way for long-term development and prosperity by restructuring their economies. This report addresses just how much those countries undertaking reform actually changed their policies, the extent to which their policy reforms restored growth, and the future for adjustment. The report recognizes that adjustment can work in Africa but that it cannot work miracles in reducing poverty or ensuring sustained, equitable growth. African adjustment programs must go hand in hand with long-term development efforts to invest more in human capital and infrastructure, expand institutional capacity, and provide better governance.

Download or read book The Privatized State written by Chiara Cordelli and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2020-11-24 with total page 356 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why government outsourcing of public powers is making us less free Many governmental functions today—from the management of prisons and welfare offices to warfare and financial regulation—are outsourced to private entities. Education and health care are funded in part through private philanthropy rather than taxation. Can a privatized government rule legitimately? The Privatized State argues that it cannot. In this boldly provocative book, Chiara Cordelli argues that privatization constitutes a regression to a precivil condition—what philosophers centuries ago called "a state of nature." Developing a compelling case for the democratic state and its administrative apparatus, she shows how privatization reproduces the very same defects that Enlightenment thinkers attributed to the precivil condition, and which only properly constituted political institutions can overcome—defects such as provisional justice, undue dependence, and unfreedom. Cordelli advocates for constitutional limits on privatization and a more democratic system of public administration, and lays out the central responsibilities of private actors in contexts where governance is already extensively privatized. Charting a way forward, she presents a new conceptual account of political representation and novel philosophical theories of democratic authority and legitimate lawmaking. The Privatized State shows how privatization undermines the very reason political institutions exist in the first place, and advocates for a new way of administering public affairs that is more democratic and just.

Download or read book Does privatization deliver highlights from a World Bank conference written by Ahmed Galal and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Right Privatization written by Sergio G. Lazzarini and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2022-04-07 with total page 283 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Privatization requires the presence of capable governments setting clear goals, addressing potential hazards of private engagement, and exploring multiple paths of improvement.

Download or read book A Report to the Commission on Privatization and Delivery of Government Services written by Alaska. Commission on Privatization and Delivery of Government Services. Legislature Subcommittee and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 4 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book An Approach to Privatization in the 21St Century written by Jeffrey A. Roy and published by AuthorHouse. This book was released on 2003-08-26 with total page 458 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fresh look at the issue of Privatizing the government. This book looks at the history of government and government organizations from the beginning through the period of Re-invention. The issue of privatization is not seen as the end all to solve governments problems rather it is seen as just one tool available to the politicians and government managers. Privatization is viewed as one method of improving management in government by removing many political constraints and barriers from the government manager. This book looks at the specific example of privatizing the nations Air Traffic Control System. A system that has a history of inefficiency, cost overruns, and resistance to change yet it enjoys a solid political backing which continues to offer it protection from privatization. The last part of the book offers some recommendations for long term change by establishing a commission on privatization.

Download or read book Public Sector Privatization written by Lawrence K. Finley and published by Praeger. This book was released on 1989-09-26 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When government services are turned over to profit-making corporations will a gentler, kinder America result? Significantly, when the issue of privatization of government arises, this question usually takes a back seat to the more narrowly focused one of: can the taxpayer pay less for the same service without diminishing existing quality? . . . This book compiles experiences of practitioners and corporations with generally positive experiences in contracting for services between public and private entities. The essays by professors raise serious questions that all societies will face in creating an appropriate mix so that their citizens enjoy gentler, kinder lives. Growth and Change For many cities and states faced with reductions in federal revenue sharing and little political support for increased taxes, privatization of the public sector seems the only viable alternative. In an effort to maintain existing service levels with decreased funds, many governments have turned to alternative service delivery approaches through such mechanisms as contracting, franchises, subsidies, and voucher plans. In this volume, Finley and a distinguished group of contributors from city governments, corporations, and universities, offer a comprehensive overview of privatization in practice. Their papers address privatization in a number of areas including transportation, fire protection, health care, and environmental services as well as the legal aspects of privatization. An especially stimulating chapter describes major European efforts at privatization. Divided into three major sections, the book begins with introductory chapters that examine the dimensions of public services, evaluate recent changes in the public-private mix, and explore alternative delivery methods. Part Two focuses on alternate services experiences of governments and companies, including topics on environmental infrastructure alternatives, alternative means of highway development, private fire contractor operations, and alternative health care delivery. The final section addresses both constraints to privatization and the opportunities presented by various alternative delivery mechanisms. Here the contributors address the legal liabilities of governments involved in contracting out, the financial responsibilities of the contracting entities, and government financing of facilities through bonds. A chapter by the editor recommends a process by which business persons can begin to successfully compete tith public deliverers, while the final chapter offers new insights into the ways in which various European countries have handled the issue of privatization. Policymakers and public sector executives will find these essays enlightening and provocative.

Download or read book You Don t Always Get what You Pay for written by Elliott Sclar and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 214 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an assessment of the pros and cons of public sector privatization, Sclar (urban planning, Columbia U.), who is affiliated with the Economic Policy Institute in Washington, DC, warns that outsourcing services may not result in leaner US government. He examines alternatives and offers tips for public sector reform. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR

Download or read book Alternatives to Privatization written by David A. McDonald and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2012-04-23 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: There is a vast literature for and against privatizing public services. Those who are against privatization are often confronted with the objection that they present no alternative. This book takes up that challenge by establishing theoretical models for what does (and does not) constitute an alternative to privatization, and what might make them ‘successful’, backed up by a comprehensive set of empirical data on public services initiatives in over 40 countries. This is the first such global survey of its kind, providing a rigorous and robust platform for evaluating different alternatives and allowing for comparisons across regions and sectors. The book helps to conceptualize and evaluate what has become an important and widespread movement for better public services in the global South. The contributors explore historical, existing and proposed non-commercialized alternatives for primary health, water/sanitation and electricity. The objectives of the research have been to develop conceptual and methodological frameworks for identifying and analyzing alternatives to privatization, and testing these models against actually existing alternatives on the ground in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Information of this type is urgently required for practitioners and analysts, both of whom are seeking reliable knowledge on what kind of public models work, how transferable they are from one place to another and what their main strengths and weaknesses are.

Download or read book Monopoly Mail written by Douglas Adie and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-09-29 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: First class postage rates have risen from six cents in 1971 to 25 cents in 1988. This rapid increase might be justifiable if service had improved commen-surately, but in fact postal service has steadily deteriorated. The Postal Service concedes that it takes ten percent longer to deliver a first class letter than it did in the 1960s, and one recent postmaster general admits that delivery may have been more reliable in the 1920s. In this volume, Adie reviews the failures of the U.S. Postal Service - an inability to innovate, soaring labor costs, huge deficits, chronic inefficiency, and declining service standards. He blames most of these problems on the postal service's monopoly status. Competition produces efficiency and innovation; monopoly breeds inefficiency, high costs and stagnation. He also examines the experiences of other countries and other industries that may be valuable in prescribing reform for the postal service. The breakup of AT&T provides lessons that may be applied to postal reform. The long-run effects of deregulation on the airline industry are also examined. Since the postal service has serious union problems, Adie looks at the air traffic controllers' strike and other evidence on pay and labor relations in government unions. Finally, Adie examines the experiences of Canada and Great Britain with privatization of government companies. He then offers a comprehensive - and controversial - reform plan for the U.S. Postal Service, with no further monopoly privileges or taxpayer subsidies. He argues that private companies should be free to compete with the Postal Service, and it, in turn, should be free to compete in all phases of the communications business. Without privatization and deregulation, the Postal Service is doomed to continuing inefficiency, rising costs, worsening labor relations, and an increasing loss of customers to more innovative and efficient service providers. Competition would give the Postal Service a chance to enter the 21st ce

Download or read book Privatization for the Public Good written by Felipe Barrera-Osorio and published by Inter-American Development Bank. This book was released on 2008-01-01 with total page 253 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a detailed microeconomic analysis of the impact of various privatizations in different countries in the region. Its central message is that in many cases, contrary to popular belief, society as a whole and in particular the poor have benefited from privatization. The book presents a careful analysis of the various mechanisms through which privatization has an impact on welfare, an analysis that by and large has been missing from the debate. Case studies of water sector privatization in Argentina and Colombia, and also the telecom industry in Peru are included.

Download or read book Can Privatization Deliver written by Federico Basañes and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While privatization of water, electricity, transportation and communications infrastructure continues to gain momentum in Latin America, its success often depends on whether countries implement the reforms essential to attract private investment.

Download or read book The Privatization of Everything written by Donald Cohen and published by The New Press. This book was released on 2021-11-23 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book the American Prospect calls “an essential resource for future reformers on how not to govern,” by America’s leading defender of the public interest and a bestselling historian “An essential read for those who want to fight the assault on public goods and the commons.” —Naomi Klein A sweeping exposé of the ways in which private interests strip public goods of their power and diminish democracy, the hardcover edition of The Privatization of Everything elicited a wide spectrum of praise: Kirkus Reviews hailed it as “a strong, economics-based argument for restoring the boundaries between public goods and private gains,” Literary Hub featured the book on a Best Nonfiction list, calling it “a far-reaching, comprehensible, and necessary book,” and Publishers Weekly dubbed it a “persuasive takedown of the idea that the private sector knows best.” From Diane Ravitch (“an important new book about the dangers of privatization”) to Heather McGhee (“a well-researched call to action”), the rave reviews mirror the expansive nature of the book itself, covering the impact of privatization on every aspect of our lives, from water and trash collection to the justice system and the military. Cohen and Mikaelian also demonstrate how citizens can—and are—wresting back what is ours: A Montana city took back its water infrastructure after finding that they could do it better and cheaper. Colorado towns fought back well-funded campaigns to preserve telecom monopolies and hamstring public broadband. A motivated lawyer fought all the way to the Supreme Court after the state of Georgia erected privatized paywalls around its legal code. “Enlightening and sobering” (Rosanne Cash), The Privatization of Everything connects the dots across a wide range of issues and offers what Cash calls “a progressive voice with a firm eye on justice [that] can carefully parse out complex issues for those of us who take pride in citizenship.”

Download or read book Privatization of Water Services in the United States written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2002-08-20 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the quest to reduce costs and improve the efficiency of water and wastewater services, many communities in the United States are exploring the potential advantages of privatization of those services. Unlike other utility services, local governments have generally assumed responsibility for providing water services. Privatization of such services can include the outright sale of system assets, or various forms of public-private partnershipsâ€"from the simple provision of supplies and services, to private design construction and operation of treatment plants and distribution systems. Many factors are contributing to the growing interest in the privatization of water services. Higher operating costs, more stringent federal water quality and waste effluent standards, greater customer demands for quality and reliability, and an aging water delivery and wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure are all challenging municipalities that may be short of funds or technical capabilities. For municipalities with limited capacities to meet these challenges, privatization can be a viable alternative. Privatization of Water Services evaluates the fiscal and policy implications of privatization, scenarios in which privatization works best, and the efficiencies that may be gained by contracting with private water utilities.

Download or read book Does Privatization Deliver written by Alberto Chong and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper takes advantage of a quasi-natural experiment in Peru by which the privatized telecommunications company was required by government to randomly install and operate public pay phones in small rural towns throughout the national territory. Using a specially designed household survey for a representative sample of rural towns, it is possible to link access to telephone services with household income. It was found that, regardless of the income measurement, most characteristics of public telephone usage are positively linked with income. Remarkably, the benefits occur at both non-farm and farm income levels. Not only do the findings hold when using instrumental variables, but they are also further confirmed when using propensity scores matching methods.

Download or read book Privatization written by Graeme Hodge and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-03-09 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Contracting out public sector services and divesting public enterprises are reforms that have enjoyed widespread global popularity in recent years. Better services, lower prices and greater accountability are the promises made by politicians, senior executives, and investment companies when functions are moved from the public sector to private enterprise. But in Privatization, Graeme A. Hodge challenges these assumptions. Through an examination of hundreds of international studies on the performance of privatization activities, Hodge demonstrates that privatizing public services is often not the guaranteed panacea portrayed by its political supporters. Importantly, privatization activities can lead to modest gains, but there are also winners and losers in this reform. It therefore deserves far more care and balanced debate than it usually attracts.