Th is study examines how cities help social entrepreneurshipthe activity of private individuals and organizations taking initiative to address social challenges in their communities. Based on a national survey and in-depth interviews among jurisdictions with populations over 50,000, the authors fi nd that municipalities help social entrepreneurs by increasing awareness of social problems, and by helping them to acquire resources, coordinate with other organizations, and implement programs. Nearly threequarters of cities provide active or moderate support, which is positively associated with the perceived eff ectiveness of nonprofi t organizations in their communities.

Are states effectively managing contracting and procurement activities? Are they striking the right balance between central administrative control and empowerment through delegation? How effective is training and monitoring? How do these practices compare to the principles of best practice? What role will information technology play in the future for procurement and contracting? As part of the Government Performance Project, budget, procurement, and contracting managers in 48 states were surveyed, providing descriptions of their procurement and contracting practices. There are numerous developments that speak to the practical details of contemporary public management. Five key findings are (1) information technology needs are challenging states, with some responding well, but others struggling, (2) in most states staff training needs to be improved, (3) restrictions prohibiting "best value" purchasing need to be removed, (4) states can learn from and improve practices by partnering with other governments and private organizations, and (5) most states use a hybrid of both centralized and decentralized management structures when it comes to contracting and procurement.

There is limited empirical evidence on why municipal contracting takes place. To fill this void, this research presents a comprehensive model of service contracting which incorporates the economic, demographic, political, organizational, and legal variables that influence contracting decisions. The types of factors which influence the decision to contract out are identified through regression analysis and case studies. Economic‐based factors, demographic factors, and organizational factors are found to be the most important determinants of local contracting decisions. These findings are an important addition to understanding the municipal service delivery decision‐making process.

This study examines the differences in department-level and organization-wide strategic planning efforts. Although much has been written about organization-wide planning, little empirical data exist on similar efforts at the departmental level. Although some research suggests that unit-level planning may allow departments to establish more appropriate priorities or create effective solutions that then percolate up to higher levels of the organization, other studies have argued that the lack of centralized, organization-wide coordination may actually result in suboptimal planning outcomes. This study addresses this paradox by using data collected from a national mail survey and personal interviews of senior managers. It suggests that although some aspects of strategic planning are perceived similarly at both levels, differences exist in relation to perceived levels of (a) conflict and cooperation, (b) innovation and empowerment, (c) support for the planning effort, and (d) change created through strategic planning.

This study provides evidence on an aspect of privatization that is increasing in popularity yet rarely considered in the literature: the effect that private-sector task forces have on privatization efforts. It uses case studies from Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina, to provide evidence on the role cf task forces in reengineering government and suggests how future privatization efforts can benefit from this knowledge. Specifically, it suggests that task forces need to establish realistic timetables, understand thai there are fundamental differences between the public and private sectors, and work without predetermined biases to achieve desired ends. In addition, they need to identify services that are appropriate for privatization, understand the nature of privatization, and accept both the strengths and weaknesses of it. While the results of privatization endeavors may vary, they may be enhanced by adopting a new awareness of how private-sector task forces irifluence privatization efforts.