The politics of quality in the public sector

The 1980s and early 1990s have been a period of radical change in the public sector; developments such as privatization, the creation of internal 'markets' and the increased use of competitive tendering remain at the heart of government policy. This volume examines one of the key features of this policy: the emphasis on 'quality improvement' and 'customer orientation'. The contributors, leading experts from a range of academic disciplines, focus on a number of broad issues relating to the way the concept of quality has been used in the public sector. They discuss the macropolitical rationale behind quality-oriented projects, showing how they have served to add legitimacy to politically motivated changes. They also analyse how specific quality initiatives have actually been used within organizations: 'quality', they argue, may provide a convenient rhetoric to justify or force through changes in culture and working practices and a means of increasing control and discipline. A number of case studies illustrate such key issues as organizational change, shifts in occupational roles and the use of 'quality' by various interest groups. Throughout, the contributions highlight the contradictions and new sites of conflict that are emerging in the public sector around issues of quality and customer empowerment.