Competition in Government-Financed Services

This study synthesizes and summarizes the theoretical arguments and empirical evidence that suggest that competition works remarkably well to reduce costs and improve efficiency and innovation, even in an arena where competition has typically been ignored--government-financed services. The arguments and data marshaled here, drawn primarily from the American experience, portray the substantial benefits to consumers and taxpayers that can result from efforts to increase competition in commercial services previously operated as government monopolies.

Competition in Government-Financed Services will help fortify the efforts of competition advocates, both in the United States and in the emerging market economies of Eastern Europe and the developing world, to get on with the job of strengthening competition and opening their systems to market forces.

List of contents

Introduction
Federal Government Potential Cost Savings
Local Government Potential Cost Savings
Sources of Cost Savings
Conclusions and Implications
Appendix A: Potential Cost Savings from Increased Competition
Appendix B: Turf Maintenance Services: An Example of the Stevens (1984) Study Methodology
Appendix C: Main Quality of Service Findings and Reasons for Observed Cost Differences in the Stevens (1984) Study
Appendix D: Additional Insights from a More Recent Study of Florida Local Government
Appendix E: Census, ICMA, and Research Categories
Bibliography
Index

About the author

JOHN C. HILKE is Staff Economist in the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Economics, specializing in issues relating the role of competition to improved economic performance. He is the co-author of U.S. International Competitiveness: Evolution or Revolution? (Praeger, 1988).

Product details

• Authors: John C. Hilke, Hilke John C.
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: ages 7 to 17
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 20.05.1992
• EAN: 9780899307503
• ISBN: 978-0-89930-750-3
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Business > Miscellaneous; BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Strategic Planning, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Policy / Social Policy, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Public Policy / Social Security, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Human Services, Social welfare & social services, Social issues & processes, business strategy, Social welfare and social services, Business competition, Social and ethical issues, Central / national / federal government policies, Central government policies, Current Events and Issues: Business