<title>Abstract</title> The prior history of voluntary and community organisations (VCOs) as pioneers of public services during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century has lead to reification of the innovativeness of these organisations. Is this reification justified -- are VCOs inherently...

This article proposes an innovative model of marketing practice for public services. This is rooted in the paradigm of relationship marketing and emphasizes the need to build relational capital between and within organizations operating in the public services arena. It is argued that this is...

This article presents an initial assessment of the impact of the HM Treasury's 'Cross Cutting Review' (CCR) of the role of the voluntary and community sector in service provision in the UK. The analysis offered focuses in particular upon the rising agenda towards <italic>voluntary sector modernization</italic>...

Comparative perspectives on modernizing local governance provide a useful context for discussing change and continuity within the New Public Management paradigm. They highlight divergence within nation states as well as across nation states. The modernizing local governance debate challenges...

Osborne S. P. and McLaughlin K. (2004) The cross-cutting review of the voluntary sector: where next for local government-voluntary sector relationships?, Reg. Studies 38, 573-582. This paper evaluates the impact of the recent 'cross- cutting review of the voluntary sector' by HM Treasury in the...

This paper reports on a recent pilot project by the English government aimed at introducing 'single pot' funding for local voluntary and community groups. It finds that implementation difficulties undermined the success of the scheme. Moreover, whilst local voluntary and community groups were...

<title>Abstract</title> This paper focuses upon two complex and related concepts, namely risk and innovation in public services. The last two decades have witnessed an increasing policy imperative around using innovation to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of public services. Innovation is seen to be...

<title>Abstract</title> ‘Lean’ has become a popular approach to public service reform. In the current era of reduced public spending, it promises to maintain service productivity, improve utilisation and maintain quality. Drawing on literature and empirical data, this paper will argue that the...