This research examined government officials' perceptions of the factors associated with contract service delivery. Open-ended interview questions and a questionnaire were developed to examine the viewpoints of those most involved in the process--the city officials. The major research objective was to determine the subjective importance of normative, legal, administrative, and economic factors on the decision to contract services. / Thirty-seven interviews were conducted with regional directors, mayors, and other local officials; 200 questionnaires were distributed to directors of municipal branches, directors of local ministerial offices, and members of bid committees in these organizations. The response rate for the questionnaire was 60%. / A number of factors are seen to affect the feasibility and attractiveness of contracting for public services--most notably, avoidance of government rules and regulations. Other equally important issues addressed include the efficiency and effectiveness of contracted services, the ability of the contracting agency to monitor the process, the availability of providers, the potential for corruption, service output measurability, and the ability to create and sustain competition. Other factors such as city size, location, and type of service provided were found to be associated with the perceived desirability of contracting. Benefits and difficulties common to the practice of contracting are identified and reforms suggested. / Overall, the results show that government officials believe that contracting public goods and services to private firms can be beneficial only under certain conditions: (a) competition among private providers, (b) use of appropriate contracting procedures by the government, and (c) effective governmental oversight and monitoring. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-01, Section: A, page: 0288. / Major Professor: Richard Chackerian. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_78142 |
| Contributors | Al-Sawat, Talak Awadallah., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 438 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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