Strategic concepts and practices first evolved in the private sector, so they evoked much controversy when they migrated to the public sector from the late 1970s onwards. Partly this was about their (in)applicability to the distinctive features of government organizations, in particular their...

Introduction. Contracting on the policy agenda -- Theories of contracts -- Contractual governance -- Policy change and learning in contracting out -- Contractual governance in USA and Scandinavia -- Comparing Dane County, WI and Odense, Denmark : two case studies -- Performance-based contracting...