The estimation of economic contributions, activity, and impacts from industries, businesses, and events is a cornerstone of the regional economic development field, yet the approaches used to conduct such studies are rarely discussed in detail. Although Impact Analysis for Planning (IMPLAN)...

Steve Davies is a trade unionist and academic, working on the response of the international trade union movement to globalisation. He takes a particular interest in public sector reform and has written several reports on public libraries for the union UNISON.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to trace the origin and development of the increased use of the voluntary sector in the delivery of public services in the UK and to identify both the threats and opportunities that this policy poses. Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses...