Research Handbook on Privatisation
Published on 13. June 2025
Book
Hardback
424 pages
978-1-0353-0997-9 (ISBN)
Description
Graeme A. Hodge, Carsten Greve and Eoin Reeves bring together expert authors to explore 50 years of research and analysis in the complex field of privatisation. The Research Handbook highlights current issues and challenges in privatisation through relevant contemporary examples, to further our understanding of this economic concept and how it is shaping global policies.
Acknowledging the ongoing discussions surrounding the performance of both the public and private sectors, this Research Handbook explores the evidence and controversy within 'traditional privatisation' research and addresses emerging conversations within the privatisation debate. The Research Handbook tackles fundamental conceptual and definitional issues, frames privatisation within a broader set of ideas about the control of activities in the public realm by private actors and explores new privatisation battles. Contemporary areas covered range from entire health care systems, housing, urban planning and finance to areas such as the governance of the internet, the role of global private foundations and space exploration. Overall, this Research Handbook concludes that the topic of privatisation, and what it means for citizens in a democracy, is now more important and relevant than ever.
Providing a balanced overview of privatisation policy debates, this Research Handbook is essential reading for students and scholars of economic regulation and governance, public and private sector economics and public administration and management. Public and private policy makers will also find the insights presented here beneficial.
Acknowledging the ongoing discussions surrounding the performance of both the public and private sectors, this Research Handbook explores the evidence and controversy within 'traditional privatisation' research and addresses emerging conversations within the privatisation debate. The Research Handbook tackles fundamental conceptual and definitional issues, frames privatisation within a broader set of ideas about the control of activities in the public realm by private actors and explores new privatisation battles. Contemporary areas covered range from entire health care systems, housing, urban planning and finance to areas such as the governance of the internet, the role of global private foundations and space exploration. Overall, this Research Handbook concludes that the topic of privatisation, and what it means for citizens in a democracy, is now more important and relevant than ever.
Providing a balanced overview of privatisation policy debates, this Research Handbook is essential reading for students and scholars of economic regulation and governance, public and private sector economics and public administration and management. Public and private policy makers will also find the insights presented here beneficial.
Reviews / Votes
'This Research Handbook is an indispensable resource, providing updated insights into privatization models, developments, key theories, and global evidence. The Handbook is an essential reading for scholars, students, and practitioners looking to stay informed on the privatization of public services.' -- Ole Helby Petersen, Roskilde University, Denmark 'This Research Handbook on Privatisation brings together leading experts to provide a comprehensive, in-depth, and rigorous examination of the history, theory, challenges, and impacts of privatisation across diverse policy fields. This authoritative and balanced compilation will serve as an indispensable resource for course syllabi, libraries and future research on privatisation initiatives.' -- Anna A. Amirkhanyan, American University, USA 'In this lively and deeply researched book, Hodge, Greve, Reeves and their colleagues take a fresh look at privatisation, which has blossomed into a host of new forms and which has become an even more important-but often hidden-part of twenty-first century governance. The book has wide implications for governments-and the people who study them-everywhere.' -- Donald F. Kettl, University of Maryland, USA 'Privatisation was probably the most important theme in government reform in the last half-century. In this book, some of the world's leading experts explain what privatisation means, and what it has achieved in practice. This is an essential Research Handbook: clearly written, expansive in its approach, and frank in its analysis.' -- Alasdair Roberts, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA 'This Research Handbook provides a comprehensive treatment of both the history and main results of privatisation and discusses merits and disadvantages. It includes everything you always wanted to know about privatisation but did not have available on your bookshelf. A very good read!' -- Erik-Hans Klijn, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the NetherlandsMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cheltenham
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 244 mm
Width: 169 mm
ISBN-13
978-1-0353-0997-9 (9781035309979)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Edited by Graeme A. Hodge, Professor, Monash University, Australia, Carsten Greve, Professor, Department of Organization, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark and Eoin Reeves, Professor, Department of Economics, University of Limerick, Ireland
Content
Contents
Preface and acknowledgements xi
PART I INTRODUCTION: DEFINITIONS, CONCEPTS, AND CONTEXT
1 Introduction to the Research Handbook on Privatisation 2
Graeme A. Hodge, Carsten Greve and Eoin Reeves
2 Regulatory capitalism, privatisation, and governing 15
Graeme A. Hodge and Carsten Greve
3 The long history of privatisation: a short summary 41
Tony Bovaird
PART II ENTERPRISE SALES AND CONTRACTING OUT PUBLIC SECTOR SERVICES
4 Enterprise sales: experience and ideas in Western liberal countries 58
Harriet Gray
5 Enterprise sales: paradoxes of transformational privatisation 89
Eva Voszka
6 Governing with contracts: have we entered the era of the outsourced state? 113
Graeme A. Hodge and David Van Slyke
7 Do state-owned enterprises behave like public or private entities when they go abroad? 140
Judith Clifton and Daniel Diaz-Fuentes
8 McKinseyfication of government 158
Matti Yloenen and Hanna Kuusela
PART III PRIVATISATION: AN ENDURING INFLUENCE
9 Privatisation and health care 174
Hal Swerissen and Stephen Duckett
10 Public and private values: a continuing story 193
Gene A. Brewer
11 A century of housing privatisation: the case of Ireland 213
Eoin O'Sullivan, Donal Palcic and Eoin Reeves
12 The privatisation of Urban Planning: smarter cities? 229
Yinnon Geva and Matti Siemiatycki
PART IV CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC POLICY CHALLENGES
13 The privatisation of finance: can private finance save the world? 246
Stewart Smyth and Anne Stafford
14 Governing the already privatised internet? 267
Joshua Yuvaraj
15 Privatisation, commodification, and the public sphere 303
Henry Silke, Ciara Graham and Kathryn Hayes
16 The privatisation of sport 320
Eric Windholz
17 The potentials for government-foundation partnerships to address public sector challenges in the twenty-first century 337
Eric Boyer and Hyunrang Han
18 The privatisation of space? 357
Nicolas Peter and Douglas K. R. Robinson
19 The (alleged) rise of reverse privatisation: causes, effects, and implications for public service delivery 375
Bart Voorn and Ina Radtke
PART V CONCLUSIONS
20 The promise and perils of privatisation: making sense of it all 390
Graeme A. Hodge, Carsten Greve and Eoin Reeves
Index 403
Preface and acknowledgements xi
PART I INTRODUCTION: DEFINITIONS, CONCEPTS, AND CONTEXT
1 Introduction to the Research Handbook on Privatisation 2
Graeme A. Hodge, Carsten Greve and Eoin Reeves
2 Regulatory capitalism, privatisation, and governing 15
Graeme A. Hodge and Carsten Greve
3 The long history of privatisation: a short summary 41
Tony Bovaird
PART II ENTERPRISE SALES AND CONTRACTING OUT PUBLIC SECTOR SERVICES
4 Enterprise sales: experience and ideas in Western liberal countries 58
Harriet Gray
5 Enterprise sales: paradoxes of transformational privatisation 89
Eva Voszka
6 Governing with contracts: have we entered the era of the outsourced state? 113
Graeme A. Hodge and David Van Slyke
7 Do state-owned enterprises behave like public or private entities when they go abroad? 140
Judith Clifton and Daniel Diaz-Fuentes
8 McKinseyfication of government 158
Matti Yloenen and Hanna Kuusela
PART III PRIVATISATION: AN ENDURING INFLUENCE
9 Privatisation and health care 174
Hal Swerissen and Stephen Duckett
10 Public and private values: a continuing story 193
Gene A. Brewer
11 A century of housing privatisation: the case of Ireland 213
Eoin O'Sullivan, Donal Palcic and Eoin Reeves
12 The privatisation of Urban Planning: smarter cities? 229
Yinnon Geva and Matti Siemiatycki
PART IV CONTEMPORARY PUBLIC POLICY CHALLENGES
13 The privatisation of finance: can private finance save the world? 246
Stewart Smyth and Anne Stafford
14 Governing the already privatised internet? 267
Joshua Yuvaraj
15 Privatisation, commodification, and the public sphere 303
Henry Silke, Ciara Graham and Kathryn Hayes
16 The privatisation of sport 320
Eric Windholz
17 The potentials for government-foundation partnerships to address public sector challenges in the twenty-first century 337
Eric Boyer and Hyunrang Han
18 The privatisation of space? 357
Nicolas Peter and Douglas K. R. Robinson
19 The (alleged) rise of reverse privatisation: causes, effects, and implications for public service delivery 375
Bart Voorn and Ina Radtke
PART V CONCLUSIONS
20 The promise and perils of privatisation: making sense of it all 390
Graeme A. Hodge, Carsten Greve and Eoin Reeves
Index 403