This edited volume presents case studies of the transformation of China's public services over the past decade in China. As the country has experienced fundamental changes in its demographic, economic, social and environmental structures, demands on public services have been increasing tremendously, and have become unprecedentedly diverse. In response, innovations to provide new services, expand service recipients, adopt new technologies, engage partners, and streamline service processes have been employed widely in China to increase service efficiency, enhance quality, enlarge coverage, and improve citizen satisfaction. This book examines prominent cases of public service innovations in China, disclosing their causes, patterns, diffusion, and effects. These cases provide interesting evidence about the nature and effectiveness of public service innovations in China while highlighting to what extent these innovations can be explained by accepted theories and whether new theory building is needed. This book will be of value to academics and policymakers seeking to understand the evolving Chinese political system.

Social accounting as a discipline has challenged the methodology and focus of the larger field of accounting over the last 50 years. More recently it has taken on greater significance for other subjects as well, addressing issues for public policy and management more broadly. These include the issues of the nature of accountability in the contemporary plural state, environmental and societal sustainability, the ethical management and governance of public services and resources, and the creation and sustenance of social capital as an essential element of the modern plural state. Social Accounting and Public Management brings together for the first time researchers from a range of disciplines including accounting, political science, management, sociology and policy studies to discuss and develop our knowledge and theory of the nature of 'accountability' in contemporary global society and the challenges it may pose for public policy and management. This book addresses this nexus of all of these issues and disciplines, and through this, makes a contribution to the development of the disciplines of both social accounting and public policy and management.

Social accounting as a discipline has challenged the methodology and focus of the larger field of accounting over the last 50 years. More recently it has taken on greater significance for other subjects as well, addressing issues for public policy and management more broadly. These include the issues of the nature of accountability in the contemporary plural state, environmental and societal sustainability, the ethical management and governance of public services and resources, and the creation and sustenance of social capital as an essential element of the modern plural state.

Social Accounting and Public Management brings together for the first time researchers from a range of disciplines including accounting, political science, management, sociology and policy studies to discuss and develop our knowledge and theory of the nature of accountability in contemporary global society and the challenges it may pose for public policy and management. This book addresses this nexus of all of these issues and disciplines, and through this, makes a contribution to the development of the disciplines of both social accounting and public policy and management.

Despite predictions that 'new public management' would establish itself as the new paradigm of Public Administration and Management, recent academic research has highlighted concerns about the intra-organizational focus and limitations of this approach. This book represents a comprehensive analysis of the state of the art of public management, examining and framing the debate in this important area.

The New Public Governance? sets out to explore this emergent field of research and to present a framework with which to understand it. Divided into five parts, the book examines:

• Theoretical underpinnings of the concept of governance, especially competing perspectives from Europe and the US
• Governance of inter-organizational partnerships and contractual relationships
• Governance of policy networks
• Lessons learned and future directions

Under the steely editorship of Stephen Osborne and with contributions from leading academics including Owen Hughes, John M. Bryson, Don Kettl, Guy Peters and Carsten Greve, this book will be of particular interest to researchers and students of public administration, public management, public policy and public services management.

The role of the Third Sector within European society is an extremely topical subject, as both governments and the EU continue to consider the role these organizations can play in providing essential public services. This book presents contemporary research into this emerging area, exploring the contribution of this important sector to European society as well as the key challenges that the sector and its components organizations face in making this contribution.

This volume brings together for the first time a range of challenging perspectives upon the role and import of the Third Sector for European society from a variety of disciplines - including economics, sociology, political science, management and public policy. Areas covered include the Third Sector civil society and democracy, relationships with government, its impact on social and public policy, the growth of social enterprise and of hybrid organizations as key elements of the sector and the future challenges for thesector in Europe.

This volume uses original research to assess the innovative capacity of voluntary organizations. It provides:
* a conceptual framework for understanding the innovative capacity of voluntary organizations
* empirical evidence detailing the nature and extent of innovation
* an analysis of successful innovators in personal social services
* the applicability of the for-profit model of innovation to non-profit organizations
* an account of the contingent nature of voluntary organizations' relationship to their external environment and particularly their main funders.
The development of a theory of innovation in non-market and non-profit conditions makes this volume an important addition to organizational studies literature.

eBook available with sample pages: EB:0203068017

This edited volume presents case studies of the transformation of China's public services over the past decade in China. As the country has experienced fundamental changes in its demographic, economic, social and environmental structures, demands on public services have been increasing tremendously, and have become unprecedentedly diverse. In response, innovations to provide new services, expand service recipients, adopt new technologies, engage partners, and streamline service processes have been employed widely in China to increase service efficiency, enhance quality, enlarge coverage, and improve citizen satisfaction. This book examines prominent cases of public service innovations in China, disclosing their causes, patterns, diffusion, and effects. These cases provide interesting evidence about the nature and effectiveness of public service innovations in China while highlighting to what extent these innovations can be explained by accepted theories and whether new theory building is needed. This book will be of value to academics and policymakers seeking to understand the evolving Chinese political system.

Despite predictions that 'new public management' would establish itself as the new paradigm of Public Administration and Management, recent academic research has highlighted concerns about the intra-organizational focus and limitations of this approach. This book represents a comprehensive analysis of the state of the art of public management, examining and framing the debate in this important area.

The New Public Governance? sets out to explore this emergent field of research and to present a framework with which to understand it. Divided into five parts, the book examines:

• Theoretical underpinnings of the concept of governance, especially competing perspectives from Europe and the US
• Governance of inter-organizational partnerships and contractual relationships
• Governance of policy networks
• Lessons learned and future directions

Under the steely editorship of Stephen Osborne and with contributions from leading academics including Owen Hughes, John M. Bryson, Don Kettl, Guy Peters and Carsten Greve, this book will be of particular interest to researchers and students of public administration, public management, public policy and public services management.

The role of the Third Sector within European society is an extremely topical subject, as both governments and the EU continue to consider the role these organizations can play in providing essential public services. This book presents contemporary research into this emerging area, exploring the contribution of this important sector to European society as well as the key challenges that the sector and its components organizations face in making this contribution. This volume brings together for the first time a range of challenging perspectives upon the role and import of the Third Sector for European society from a variety of disciplines - including economics, sociology, political science, management and public policy. Areas covered include the Third Sector civil society and democracy, relationships with government, its impact on social and public policy, the growth of social enterprise and of hybrid organizations as key elements of the sector and the future challenges for the sector in Europe.