The relevance of the restructuring thesis for the analysis of recent changes in the structure of public services is considered. It is argued that recent changes in public services are far more complex than suggested by the notion of privatisation and that a variety of concepts previously applied to the study of manufacturing industries can also be applied to the study of public services. The concepts considered include intensification, rationalisation, technical change, and self-provisioning. The paper concludes with a research agenda for analysis of public service restructuring.
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