Beyond the state? Third party government in comparative perspective.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Birmingham
Department Name: INLOGOV
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Publications
Catherine Durose (Co-Author)
Governing at arm's length: privatising the public or publicising the private?
Skelcher C
(2015)
THEORIZING HYBRIDITY: INSTITUTIONAL LOGICS, COMPLEX ORGANIZATIONS, AND ACTOR IDENTITIES: THE CASE OF NONPROFITS.
in Public administration
Smith S
(2014)
Hybridity and Nonprofit Organizations The Research Agenda
in American Behavioral Scientist
| Description | The idea of governing 'beyond the state' may conjure the loaded language of privatisation and the outsourcing of public services, but this is not the only perspective. There are many ways in which the design and delivery of public policies by business, community and nonprofit organizations can occur. Contracting out of public services is now the norm globally, yet it can have undesirable social and political consequences - especially for marginalised communities. However other forms of third party government drawing on expertise from community organising and co-production can potentially deepen democratic engagement and administrative responsiveness. While the central state is likely to remain the core institution for defining and accomplishing public purposes, evidence from the US and the Netherlands shows that there is much to be learnt from alternative traditions of self-organisation, power-sharing and separate but mutually respectful political institutions. But nongovernmental organizations are not independent of the state. Research from the US revealed that public rather than charitable funding is most important in sustaining a high level of nonprofit activity. |
| Exploitation Route | The findings of the seminars are being utilised through related AHRC action-research projects and in policy advice projects undertaken with local authorities and third sector organisations. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Description | Our findings have contributed to discussions of policy and the development of administrative practice in the relationship between government departments, civil society organisations and semi-independent agencies. This has been achieved through invited presentations/participation at workshops/conferences organised by Communities and Local Government and other agencies. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2010 |
| Sector | Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Policy & public services |
| Description | AHRC Re-defining local public services: towards transformative co-production |
| Amount | £45,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2012 |
| End | 04/2013 |
| Description | AHRC Re-defining local public services: towards transformative co-production |
| Amount | £45,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2012 |
| End | 04/2013 |
| Description | Shrinking the State: Analysing the Reform of Arm's Length Bodies in Comparative Perspective |
| Amount | £800,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/J010553/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2012 |
| End | 11/2015 |
| Description | Shrinking the State: Analysing the Reform of Arm's Length Bodies in Comparative Perspective |
| Amount | £800,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | ES/J010553/1 |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 05/2012 |
| End | 11/2015 |
| Description | Who is accountable in localism? Community governance in a context of decentralisation |
| Amount | £45,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2012 |
| End | 04/2013 |
| Description | Who is accountable in localism? Community governance in a context of decentralisation |
| Amount | £45,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2012 |
| End | 04/2013 |
| Description | Delivering local public services - learning from international and UK experiences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | This event for officials in the UK Government's Department of Communities and Local Government was organised in cooperation with CLG's Research Manager. Its purpose was to disseminate knowledge from the ESRC seminar series to policy officials, enabling participants to explore a range of approaches to local public service delivery, financing and governance, and to bring new ideas to the debate about ways in which policy ideas can be turned into practice. It was led by specialists in US, continental European and UK local public service organisation and governance: The event included presentations/discussion of: Strategic Commissioning and Co-production of Local Public Services; Lessons from Contemporary Issues in US City and Local Government; and International Experiences in Front-Line Public Services. The event included presentations/discussion of: Strategic Commissioning and Co-production of Local Public Services; Lessons from Contemporary Issues in US City and Local Government; and International Experiences in Front-Line Public Services. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |
| Description | Department for Communities and Local Government Enquiry Week |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | A presentation to civil servants on 'How to build civic engagement at a neighbourhood level' as part of CLG's annual Enquiry Week where researchers and others are invited to share insights from their work with policy makers. This presentation was in part informed by conversations about the role of intermediaries in the delivery of public services and governance during the seminar series. This presentation was in part informed by conversations about the role of intermediaries in the delivery of public services and governance during the seminar series. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2012 |