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Contract Service Firms in Local Authorities: Evolving Geographies of Activity

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Author Info
Suzanne Reimer
Abstract

REIMER S. (1999) Contract service firms in local authorities: evolving geographies of activity, Reg. Studies 33 , 121-130. The introduction of compulsory competitive tendering has significantly reshaped the nature of manual service provision in local authorities. Since 1989, private firms have won an increasing share of contracts, particularly within the cleaning and catering sectors. The paper evaluates the activities of large national and multinational companies, and both considers the reasons why such firms have taken on local government contracts, and examines decisions to bid for contracts in particular places. It is suggested that cleaning and catering firms have been influenced by perceptions about the political control of local authorities and by the shape of the management structures of firms' existing contracts. The paper indicates that a previous north-south split in tendering patterns has been replaced by more complex geographies of private sector activity. REIMER S. (1999) Les prestataires des services aux administrations locales: des géographies d'activité en pleine évolution, Reg. Studies 33 , 121-130. L'introduction de la mise en adjudication compétitive obligatoire d'un contrat a sensiblement modifié la prestation des services manuels aux administrations locales. Depuis 1989, les entreprises privées remportent une proportion de plus en plus importante des contrats, notamment au sein des secteurs du nettoyage et de la restauration. Cet article cherchè a évaluer les activités des grandes entreprises nationales et multinationales, et considère les raisons pour lesquelles de telles entreprises ont passé contrat avec les administrations locales, et examine pourquoi, dans des endroits particuliers, elles ont décidé de faire une soumission. On laisse supposer que les entreprises de nettoyage et de restauration ont été influencées par l'idée qu'elles se font du pouvoir politique des administrations locales et par la structure de la gestion des contrats actuels des entreprises. Cet article laisse voir le remplacement d'un clivage nord/sud antérieur quant à la répartition des offres par des géographies plus complexes de l'activité du secteur privé. REIMER S. (1999) Vertraglich verpflichtete Dienstleistungsfirmen in der Ortsverwaltung: aufkommende Unternehmensgeographien, Reg. Studies 33 , 121–130. Die Einführung obligatorischen Einholens miteinander konkurrierender Angebote hat in Ortsverwaltungen eine wesentliche Umstellung in von Hand ausgeführten Dienstleistungen ergeben. Seit 1989 sind zunehmend Verträge mit Privatfirmen abgeschlossen worden, besonders auf dem Gebiet der Reinigungsarbeiten und der Lieferung von Speisen und Getränken. Dieser Aufsatz beurteilt die Tätigkeiten großer überregionaler und internationaler Gesellschaften, und zieht nicht nur in Betracht, warum solche Firmen Verträge mit Ortsverwaltungen abschließen, sondern untersucht auch die Beschlüsse, sich um Verträge an bestimmten Orten zu bemühen. Es wird unterstellt, daß sowohl Reinigungs- als auch Speisen und Getränke liefernde Firmen von Vorstellungen der politischen Gewalt der Ortsverwaltungen und von der Form der Leistungsstrukturen bereits abgeschlossener Verträge der Firma bestimmt werden. Der Aufsatz weist darauf hin, daß die ehemalige Nord/Südteilung der Vertragsmuster einer komplexeren Geographie der Unternehmen des Privatsektors gewichen ist.

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Article provided by Taylor and Francis Journals in its journal Regional Studies.

Volume (Year): 33 (1999)
Issue (Month): 2 (April)
Pages: 121-130
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Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:33:y:1999:i:2:p:121-130

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Related research
Keywords: Contract Service Firms Compulsory Competitive Tendering Local Authorities Privatization;

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  1. Germa Manel Bel Queralt & Antonio Miralles, 2002. "Factors influencing privatization of urban solid waste collection: some evidence from Spain," Working Papers in Economics 74, Universitat de Barcelona. Espai de Recerca en Economia. [Downloadable!]
  2. Antonio Miralles, 2005. "Political economy of municipal water service privatization in Spain: a duration model analysis," Working Papers in Economics 133, Universitat de Barcelona. Espai de Recerca en Economia. [Downloadable!]
  3. Germa Bel & Anton Costas, 2004. "Do public sector reforms get rusty? An empirical analysis on privatization of solid waste collection," Public Economics 0409014, EconWPA. [Downloadable!]
  4. Philip L. Pinch, Alan Patterson, 2000. "Public Sector Restructuring and Regional Development: The Impact of Compulsory Competitive Tendering in the UK," Regional Studies, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 265-275, May. [Downloadable!] (restricted)
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