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Contract Service Firms in Local Authorities: Evolving Geographies of Activity

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  • 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 The paper indicates that a previous north-south split in tendering patterns has been replaced by more complex geographies of private sector activity.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 geographies d'activite en pleine evolution, Reg. Studies 33 , 121-130. L'introduction de la mise en adjudication competitive obligatoire d'un contrat a sensiblement modifie la prestation des services manuels aux administrations locales. Depuis 1989, les entreprises privees remportent une proportion de plus en plus importante des contrats, notamment au sein des secteurs du nettoyage et de la restauration. Cet article cherche a evaluer les activites des grandes entreprises nationales et multinationales, et considere les raisons pour lesquelles de telles entreprises ont passe contrat avec les administrations locales, et examine pourquoi, dans des endroits particuliers, elles ont decide de faire une soumission. On laisse supposer que les entreprises de nettoyage et de restauration ont ete influencees par l'idee 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 anterieur quant a la repartition des offres par des geographies plus complexes de l'activite du secteur prive. REIMER S. (1999) Vertraglich verpflichtete Dienstleistungsfirmen in der Ortsverwaltung: aufkommende Unternehmensgeographien, Reg. Studies 33 , 121-130. Die Einfuhrung obligatorischen Einholens miteinander konkurrierender Angebote hat in Ortsverwaltungen eine wesentliche Umstellung in von Hand ausgefuhrten Dienstleistungen ergeben. Seit 1989 sind zunehmend Vertrage mit Privatfirmen abgeschlossen worden, besonders auf dem Gebiet der Reinigungsarbeiten und der Lieferung von Speisen und Getranken. Dieser Aufsatz beurteilt die Tatigkeiten grosser uberregionaler und internationaler Gesellschaften, und zieht nicht nur in Betracht, warum solche Firmen Vertrage mit Ortsverwaltungen abschliessen, sondern untersucht auch die Beschlusse, sich um Vertrage an bestimmten Orten zu bemuhen. Es wird unterstellt, dass sowohl Reinigungs- als auch Speisen und Getranke liefernde Firmen von Vorstellungen der politischen Gewalt der Ortsverwaltungen und von der Form der Leistungsstrukturen bereits abgeschlossener Vertrage der Firma bestimmt werden. Der Aufsatz weist darauf hin, dass die ehemalige Nord/Sudteilung der Vertragsmuster einer komplexeren Geographie der Unternehmen des Privatsektors gewichen ist.

Suggested Citation

  • Suzanne Reimer, 1999. "Contract Service Firms in Local Authorities: Evolving Geographies of Activity," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 33(2), pages 121-130.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:regstd:v:33:y:1999:i:2:p:121-130
    DOI: 10.1080/00343409950122927
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Geoffrey Ingham, 1996. "The `New Economic Sociology'," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 10(3), pages 549-564, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Philip Pinch & Alan Patterson, 2000. "Public Sector Restructuring and Regional Development: The Impact of Compulsory Competitive Tendering in the UK," Regional Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(3), pages 265-275.
    2. Germa Bel & Anton Costas, 2004. "Do public sector reforms get rusty? An empirical analysis on privatization of solid waste collection," Public Economics 0409014, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. 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.
    4. Bel, Germà & Warner, Mildred, 2008. "Does privatization of solid waste and water services reduce costs? A review of empirical studies," Resources, Conservation & Recycling, Elsevier, vol. 52(12), pages 1337-1348.
    5. 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.
    6. Germà Bel & Antonio Miralles, 2003. "Factors Influencing the Privatisation of Urban Solid Waste Collection in Spain," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 40(7), pages 1323-1334, June.

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