This book explores the extent to which a transformation of public employment regimes has taken place in four Western countries, and the factors influencing the pathways of reform. It demonstrates how public employment regimes have unravelled in different domains of public service, contesting the idea that the state remains a 'model' employer.

"Public sector employment is undergoing a major transformation. The authors have undertaken a Herculean task of mapping and analysing these changes and collecting a unique set of statistical and comparative material. The book provides a monumental analysis of changing public employment regimes. It is required reading for anyone who is looking for a current overview of public employment and HR reforms, essential public employment data, and innovative country comparisons." - Steven Van de Walle, Erasmus University Rotterdam, the Netherlands

"Karin Gottschall, Bernhard Kittel and their colleagues have created a high-quality and exemplary resource on a controversial topic. Their impressive work is packed with an encompassing research design that integrates a persuasive methodological approach, well observed international comparisons and well-written case studies. I am highly recommending this book to interested practitioners as well as to any student and scientist of public administration and political science interested in solid research paired with stringent argumentation." - Jörg Bogumil, Universität Bochum, Germany

"This necessary study fills a major gap in existing research. It provides urgently needed empirical results on regulatory regimes of public employment and their substantial change and drastic transformation in selected major European countries after the 'Golden Age' of the welfare state. It successfully combines sector-specific analysis of crucial areas of service provision and country studies on a strictly comparative base. It extensively elaborates on all three major levels of government (municipal, state, and federal) and copes with differing degrees of public responsibility devolution. This ambitious interdisciplinary volume constitutes an important contribution to all future comparative analysis on the increasing national heterogeneity of public and civil service employment." - Berndt Keller, Universität Konstanz, Germany

"This important work provides critical insights into the politics of institutional change through the lens of administrative reform and public employment." - Kathleen Thelen, MIT, USA

Autorentext
Karin Gottschall is Professor of Sociology at the SOCIUM Research Center on Inequality and Social Policy at Bremen University, Germany. Her research focuses on the sociology of labour markets, social inequality, social policy and education, and gender studies.

Bernhard Kittel is Professor of Economic Sociology at the University of Vienna, Austria. He is interested in experimental group decisions, comparative labour markets and welfare states, and social science methodology.

Kendra Briken is Chancellor's Fellow in the Department of Human Resource Management at the University of Strathclyde, United Kingdom. Her research interests include private/public security, lean management, and industrial relations.

Jan-Ocko Heuer is Postdoctoral Researcher in the Department of Social Sciences at Humboldt University Berlin and was Research Fellow at the Collaborative Research Centre 597, 'Transformations of the State' at the University of Bremen, Germany.

Sylvia Hils is Research Assistant and Women's Representative of the University of Bremen, Germany. Between 2008 and 2014 she worked as a research assistant at the Collaborative Research Center 597 'Transformations of the State' at the University of Bremen, Germany.

Sebastian Streb worked as a research assistant between 2008 and 20012 at the
Collaborative Research Center 597 'Transformations of the State' at the University of Bremen, Germany.

Markus Tepe is Professor ofPolitical Science at University of Oldenburg, Germany.

Inhalt

1. Introduction
   PART I. APPROACH AND RESEARCH DESIGN
2. The Analytical Problem
3. Research Design and Methods
   PART II. CROSS-COUNTRY ANALYSIS
4. Public Employment Regimes in OECD Countries
5. A Comparison of Public Employment Regimes in Germany, France, Sweden, and the United Kingdom
   PART III. SECTOR STUDIES
6. Energy Regulatory Agencies
7. Waste Collection
8. The Police
   PART IV. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS
9. Summary and Integrated Comparison of Countries and Sectors
10. Conclusions and Outlook
    Appendices
11. List of Statutory Regulations
12. Overview Expert Interviews (see Chapters 6, 7, and 8)
13. Cross-Country and Time-Series Data: Measurement Issues (see Chapter 4)
14. 'Milestone' Events in the Introduction of Performance-Related Pay (see Chapter 4)