CHANGES IN OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT OF PRIVATIZED SPANISH FIRMS

Firm privatization entails a thorough process of reform that includes the introduction of new management practices. A review of theoretical and empirical studies conducted confirms that a systematic analysis of changes in management arising after a public company’s privatization does not exist. This study explores changes in operations management that take place after a public company’s privatization and proposes relevant factors in four operations performance areas. In order to confirm the theoretical propositions posed, we used contemporary multiple case studies as a research methodology. In particular, changes experienced in the operations management area in four privatized Spanish companies were investigated using a longitudinal analysis. The results of this study confirm most theoretical propositions and identify four areas considered are relevant to the process of change in a privatized firm’s operations management.