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Over the past decade, the public sector in the UK has made great effort in adopting business excellence thinking. To what extent have such practices taken root and what has been their impact? Presents some of the key results from a recent empirical study of 119 public sector organisations in North‐East England. They show considerable strengths in some of the related HR practices, leadership issues, service delivery and quality matters. Equally, many of them face major challenges in adopting appropriate performance measurement systems, in eliminating waste and reducing costs, and in being innovative in service design.

The purpose of this paper is primarily to analyse the implementation of shared services models in business enterprises or private sector and the benefits realised, thereafter; to a greater extent, focusing on the lessons learnt from such operations and exploring the potential of applying similar models in the public sector.

This research attempts to examine whether or not the concepts regarding shared service in the private sector are valid and applicable in the public sector.

Even though the shared services concept and related models are significantly prevalent across the business enterprises or private sector and government sector, the author argues that the shared services model developed in the private sector may further significantly facilitate governments and public agencies in dealing with the recent changes (i.e. due to global financial crisis) in their environments and to become more effective and efficient.

This paper brings together some of the key discussions from the business and private sector on shared services and discusses their applicability in the public sector context.

It has been observed in various studies that the “servicization” of the structures of production and employment has taken place in India. However, a problem peculiar to this sector or several types of services is that the output of some components of this sector is difficult to measure as well as to value it in monetary terms. The purpose of this paper is to identify the problems encountered in the measurement of service sector output.

The paper makes use of secondary sources of data including various reports, books and journals, etc. An attempt has been made in this paper to review those studies which deal with measurement problems in services sector output.

In the Indian context, it has been found that the data base on the service sector is highly disorganized. It has been recognized in studies that the limitation of the existing system is marred by the absence of a well-organized mechanism for maintaining a regular and proper database for this sector. A large number of the unorganized units are located in the service sector and the composition of units in the domain undergoes changes at a rapid pace because new units or newer service areas come into existence and others disappear with alarming frequency. Therefore, the need for “devising a proper classification of services” by identifying all new services and adopting a suitable methodology so as to maintain international comparability of data has been highlighted in various studies.

Although there are studies which try to point out measurability problems of services in developed European economies, however, studies related to service sector statistics problems in India are far less in number. This paper will therefore mainly focus on the service sector statistics problems in India and point out the way forward.

The paper discusses the balance between values and economic efficiency in the public sector in comparison with the private sector. The argument is that the public sector, hence the public welfare service institutions, can learn much from the private service sector, hence the private service firms with regard to the relation to values, ethics, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and efficiency in order to improve the balance between values and efficiency in the public sector.

The paper discusses the concept of balance in relation to the development of the management of private service companies as a useful alternative to new public management (NPM). It discusses this with regard to three issues: the evolution of the management of private companies; what can the public sector, hence the public welfare institutions, learn from the evolution of management of private companies? How would it be possible for governments to work for an alternative to NPM, on the basis of the experiences of management of private companies, improving the balance between values and economic efficiency in the public sector?

It is argued that a deadlock in the development of efficiency management in the public sector, hence in the public welfare service institutions, is created. It is argued, furthermore, that this deadlock to a great extent, paradoxically, is created because of the focusing on NPM for almost two decades as the most important tool to develop efficiency management in the public sector. Finally, it is argued that the experiences in private companies regarding how to find a proper balance between values, ethics, CSR and economic efficiency can be very helpful in developing a strategy within the public sector to unlock the deadlock regarding the development of efficiency management. That is why the experiences of management of the private services companies can become a constructive alternative to the experiences of NPM in the public sector at the level of welfare institutions.

There would be potential for more research on CSR, business ethics and values‐driven management in relation to the public sector.

The paper offers new insight into the relation between values, CSR and management models in the private and in the public sector.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how the different dimensions of service quality influence customers’ behavioural intentions in the private and public sector banks, that is, in class and mass banking, respectively, and the implications for the service provider, consumer, society and consumer policy.

A contextually modified SERVQUAL instrument was used to capture customers’ perceptions of service quality followed by exploratory factor analysis to study the dimensionality of service quality in retail banking. Multiple regression was used to probe the influence of the dimensions of service quality on customers’ behavioural intentions.

The study revealed four dimensions of service quality in retail banking, namely, customer-orientedness, reliability, tangibles and convenience and showed that the service quality factor customer-orientedness comprising of the responsiveness and attitude of employees is most important in influencing customers’ behavioural intentions in the case of private sector banks and reliability of the service is most influential in the case of public sector banks.

Future research can focus on “service excellence” being extended beyond assessment of the quality of services, towards evaluation of the quality of life outcomes, to which public organizations contribute, appraisal of the quality of public governance processes and quality of performance in meeting social objectives.

Retail bank managers must realize the importance of employees providing competent, reliable service in the case of public sector banks and their responsiveness and behaviour towards customers in the case of private sector banks, as the keys to foster a culture of service excellence.

High-quality financial consumer policy must not only be able to increase customer satisfaction with financial services but also build security and trust in public administration through transparent processes and accountability. In this context, with public agencies being regarded as service providers and citizens as customers, the concept of quality must also visualize public agencies as catalysts of a responsible and active civic society.

This study explores the relationship between service quality and customers’ behavioural intentions in the private and public sector banks by linking both constructs at their dimensional level. It highlights major implications for the service provider, society, consumer and public policy based on the different needs, characteristics and requirements of customers of class and mass banking, that is, private and public sector banks.

This paper explores the characteristics and organisational attributes of hybrid non‐profit organisation (NPO)/public sector settings to identify the particular challenges presented for performance management and to further explore the extent to which such characteristics and attributes might impinge on a move to “performance governance” as a performance framework ideal type.

A preliminary case study of an Irish NPO/public sector hybrid organisation was used to ground a review of NPO and public sector performance management concepts and theoretical developments. The review focused on the implications of organisational characteristics/attributes of the hybrid case study organisation for performance management.

Five organisational characteristics/attributes are identified as central to the understanding of the challenges for performance management in such settings: inter‐stakeholder relationships; tensions across priority objectives; culture and institutional clashes; power distribution; and interdependent stress. Further, it is suggested that while the adoption of collaborative public sector models suggests a move toward performance governance, the performance challenges identified in the hybrid setting give rise to particular barriers to any substantive movement in that direction.

Performance of NPO/public sector hybrid organisations has only relatively recently attracted the attention of researchers. The paper contributes to this emerging area by identifying certain organisational characteristics/attributes particular to such hybrids that are critical to understanding the challenges for performance management in such settings.

When comparing and contrasting features of the public service sector with those of the private service sector, the differences between the notions of customer and citizen, notable in the past, are now blurring. Whilst acknowledging the important differences that exist between the two service sectors, the authors seek to address the recent structural changes in the public service sector that aim to adopt best practices taken from the private into the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to elaborate on the important differences in public and private service delivery processes; with an emphasis on the need for improved definitions.

The literature reviews undertaken were qualitative synthesis in nature. Content analysis was undertaken and applied in reviewing 39 literature of sub‐fields of public and private service delivery, published in English‐speaking peer‐reviewed journals.

Based on the literature review, a promising approach for public sector productivity might be the disaggregated approach. Such an approach, focusing on the output components at a tactical level, could alleviate the problems related to public service productivity measurement (i.e. the problem of output definition). In particular, it could help define outputs at the operative level. Such measures could then percolate up to the strategic level (by aggregating the operative level results). Clearly this remains an interesting challenge for the productivity and performance management discipline and worthy of greater examination.

The authors compared and contrasted appropriate performance and productivity tools and highlight the challenges in adopting performance and productivity measures in the public sector in an attempt to become more efficient and effective. Until greater understanding is gained, there is little likelihood of successfully transferring models of productivity and performance management between the sectors or the development of appropriate models.

To date, there has been inadequate attention given to identifying, comparing and contrasting the significant differences between the organisations that deliver the public funded services and those in the commercial private services sector. This work highlights specific areas for future research.

The subject of part‐time work is one which has become increasingly important in industrialised economies where it accounts for a substantial and growing proportion of total employment. It is estimated that in 1970, average annual hours worked per employee amounted to only 60% of those for 1870. Two major factors are attributed to explaining the underlying trend towards a reduction in working time: (a) the increase in the number of voluntary part‐time employees and (b) the decrease in average annual number of days worked per employee (Kok and de Neubourg, 1986). The authors noted that the growth rate of part‐time employment in many countries was greater than the corresponding rate of growth in full‐time employment.

The purpose of this paper is to identify critical components for service science curricula that address the unique competency needs of the service sector.

The method for this investigation included a comprehensive review, analysis, and synthesis of service science, as well as service science management and engineering (SSME) related literature. As human capital is of unique importance in this business sector, particular emphasis was placed on examining the need for human resource development‐related content in service science curricula.

Expansion of the services sector globally has been unprecedented. “Some analysts predict that by 2020, services will account for 50 percent of world trade” (Downe et al.). Yet a global shortage of graduates with the skills needed for success in service sector jobs has been forecast. Compounding this talent shortage is the relatively small number of degree programs available to prepare professionals for service sector jobs. Because the growth in the service sector has outpaced improvements in productivity, quality, and innovation, and there is a lack of skilled talent to address these challenges, increasing attention is being placed on service science curricula.

Given the economic importance of, and current deficiencies in, the service sector it is poised to make a significant impact by improving service science education.

Compiled by K.G.B. Bakewell covering the following journals published by MCB University Press: Facilities Volumes 8‐18; Journal of Property Investment & Finance Volumes 8‐18; Property Management Volumes 8‐18; Structural Survey Volumes 8‐18.