Cities and Privatization: Prospects for the New Century [Paperback]

Jeffrey D. Greene (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 013029442X | ISBN-13: 978-0130294425 | Publication Date: August 6, 2001 | Edition: 1

This concise, readable book focuses on privatization at the municipal level, blending theory with practical matters, and containing real-life examples of privatization. It presents the practical arguments and theoretical frameworks for and against using privatization, summarizes the evidence on efficiency between public and private organizations performing similar tasks, and includes numerous examples of privatization taken from the real-world of city management. Chapter topics cover cities and the privatization debate; the evidence on efficiency and the use of privatization by cities; examining various dimensions of municipal privatization; successes, failures and persistent urban issues; and prospects for the new century. For anyone that is interested in privatization at the municipal level.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Urban governments in the United States contract out services more than do governments in any other country. This book fills a significant vacuum by reviewing and evaluating an impressive amount of empirical data on the topic. It is an excellent volume for students of urban studies and practitioners of urban affairs, combining, as it does, thoughtfulness and insight." -- Nicholas L. Henry, Georgia Southern University "This book is easy to read and user-friendly, while at the same time rigorously researched. Greene treats the 'politics of privatization' in an intelligent and even-handed manner, giving credit to both sides of the argument while forming his own conclusions based on the evidence." -- Michael E. Milakovich, University of Miami

From the Back Cover

This concise, readable book focuses on privatization at the municipal level, blending theory with practical matters, and containing real-life examples of privatization. It presents the practical arguments and theoretical frameworks for and against using privatization, summarizes the evidence on efficiency between public and private organizations performing similar tasks, and includes numerous examples of privatization taken from the real-world of city management. Chapter topics cover cities and the privatization debate; the evidence on efficiency and the use of privatization by cities; examining various dimensions of municipal privatization; successes, failures and persistent urban issues; and prospects for the new century. For anyone that is interested in privatization at the municipal level.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 178 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall; 1 edition (August 6, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 013029442X
• ISBN-13: 978-0130294425
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,041,914 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Impartial Examination of Privatization, November 14, 2010

By 

Rufus Burgess (Upstate, NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Cities And Privatization: Prospects For The New Century- (Value Pack w/MySearchLab) (Paperback)

Greene's "Cities and Privatization" is an excellent primer on municipal privatization. Greene begins with a brief overview of economic theory and then gives numerous case studies of privatization. Privatization tends to be a polarizing concept but Greene remains impartial throughout his work.

The basic argument for government intervention in a city's economy is to eliminate market failures. With the correction of market failures the government can increase the utility of citizens. The basic argument for privatization is to increase efficiency in traditionally government produced services. Proponents of privatization claim that government is inherently inefficient while critics claim privatization doesn't work in practice.

Greene's conclusion is that competition is essential to increased efficiency. Who owns the factors of production is irrelevant as long as competition exists. Privatization offers a method to create competition between the public and private sector. Other important factors of privatization include clear contracts, effective monitoring, and clear legal action for firms that do not complete their contracts.

The only problem with Greene's "Cities and Privatization" is age. It was published in 2002 and almost all of the empirical evidence comes from studies conducted in the late 80's and early 90's. It would be nice to see a second edition.

I strongly recommend this book to everyone interested in privatization.