Walking the High Wire

Abstract

Practitioners often face the challenge of structuring privatized arrangements to best deliver public services. Despite the literature's focus on contracting, there are 10 different service arrangements that can be used to deliver services. Each arrangement balances the strengths of the public and private sectors in different ways. Selecting one of these arrangements for a specific situation can be challenging, and practitioners must understand what they gain and lose with each arrangement. This article proposes a typology of service arrangements based on the dimensions of accountability and competition. Practitioners can use this tool to structure privatized arrangements that best maximize the values of accountability and competition within a particular situation.