Contracting out welfare services

How are private contractors held accountable

Datos Bibliográficos

ID21723536
AutoresPaula Blomqvist (0000-0001-6714-6854, Uppsala University, autor de correspondencia), Ulrika Winblad (0000-0002-3921-5522, Uppsala University)
Año2022
Volumen24
Número2
Páginas233-254
Fecha de publicación2022-02-01
Peer ReviewedSí
Open AccessSí
TipoARTICLE
RevistaPublic Management Review (JOURNAL)
Identificadores de la revistaISSN: 1471-9037 • E-ISSN: 1471-9045
EditorialInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/14719037.2020.1817530
OpenAlexW3088572100
IdiomaEN
Citas recibidas18
Referencias citadas46

A challenge for governments contracting out public services is holding accountable contractors who fail to meet agreed-upon standards. In social services, contract monitoring is complicated by the fact that contracts tend to be incomplete and performance hard to assess. In this study, we examine how local governments in Sweden hold private contractors accountable in nursing home care. The main finding is that a mixture of accountability mechanisms was used, but that social accountability was seen as most effective. Marketaccountability measures like contract termination and financial sanctions could not be applied as local governments lacked the capacity to enforce them

Accountability · Business · Contracting out · Economic growth · Economics · Market economy · Political science · Private sector · Sanctions · Social Welfare · Welfare · Community Development and Social Impact · Law · Public Administration · Public Procurement and Policy · Public-Private Partnership Projects · Finance