What is so special with outsourcing in the public sector?
Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing
ISSN: 0885-8624
Article publication date: 7 May 2020
Issue publication date: 15 December 2020
Abstract
Purpose
This paper centers round outsourcing. The purpose of this paper is to direct attention to outsourcing in the public sector and focus on what could be special when considering outsourcing in such contexts. The authors try to portray the business activities in private and in public sector settings and identify some similarities and – more importantly – some significant differences.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors use two analytical tools, a classification system of various interfaces between a selling and buying firm and a two-fold scheme for strategic analyses of outsourcing or not as well as in what ways to outsource. These tools have been developed in studies of private sector outsourcing but are applicable, as tools, also in public sector contexts. Two empirical cases from public sector outsourcing are used to illustrate options and obstacles for outsourcing ventures in the public sector.
Findings
The analytical discussion aims at pointing out when and how outsourcing should be a straightforward choice in the public sector. The authors also point at situations when it is a much more complicated process and thus restricted.
Originality/value
This study gives strong support for the need to identify which theoretical model has been used by the involved organizations in their evaluation of the situation.
Keywords
Citation
Hakansson, H. and Axelsson, B. (2020), "What is so special with outsourcing in the public sector?", Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, Vol. 35 No. 12, pp. 2011-2021. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-06-2019-0280
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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