<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 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...

<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...

<title>Abstract</title> Research on the roles of the third sector in the delivery of public services has so far been scattered. However, there is much to learn from drawing the different manifestations of third-sector involvement together, as each represents an element of the third sector within the public...