By evaluating previous public management research through Marxist concepts, this textbook offers innovative solutions to public service problems. It updates Marx's framework to reflect the growth of public services, transitioning from abstract state notions to concrete service analysis.

Addressing two critical gaps, the book highlights the benefits of a Marxist approach to public services and presents Marxist ideas to examine these services at a micro level. It demonstrates the relevance of Marxist frameworks for public service professionals, critically reviews current public management knowledge, and sheds light on the dynamic nature of public services against the background of neoliberalism. While doing so, the book goes beyond a Eurocentric perspective, providing cases and practical examples from developed and developing countries, with an additional focus on Asian practices.

Written by an award-winning author with years of practical experience and designed for graduate and advanced undergraduate students, each chapter sets clear learning objectives and reviews existing tools and frameworks. The chapters also present new ways of improving public services, encouraging readers to apply Marxist concepts to their contexts and cultures. This will also make this book a practical resource for practitioners and professionals, seeking to resolve their grounded public services issues.

Explores public services through an updated Marxist framework tailored to modern challenges Applies Marxist concepts to developed and developing country contexts Presents a personalized Marxist toolkit to address specific public service issues in diverse settings

Autorentext

Tony Kinder currently is a visiting Professor at Tampere University, Finland, and visiting Professor at the University of Science and Technology, Beijing, China. Following a period as an engineering trade union official (1972-98), Kinder chaired several venture capital investment funds and occupied leading positions in Lothian Regional and West Lothian local Councils (1982-1998). He then worked at the University of Edinburgh Business School, Scotland, (1998-2016) as Director of Programmes and later as MBA Director. His research is on learning in service innovation processes around which he has published over 70 papers in academic journals. His current research focuses on the governance of ecosystems, public value, mutuality, and the ethical use of advanced technology in integrated local public services in Finland and Scotland. Jari Stenvall is a Professor of Administrative Sciences at Tampere University, Finland, since 2013. Previously, Stenvall worked at the University of Lapland as a professor of public administration from 2002 to 2013. Stenvall was named Finnish Professor of the Year by The Finnish Union of University Professors in 2022. He awarded the life time achievement award by Finnish Evaluation Society (2022). His research focuses on the management of change, the reformation and assessment of public administration, regional development, public services, and the utilization of technology in administration.

Inhalt

Chapter 1. Introduction: Public Services and Marxism.- Chapter 2. Public Value: How to Make It and Measure It?.- Chapter 3. Public Services, Dialectics, and Nature.- Chapter 4. Social Change, Public Services and Dialectics.- Chapter 5. Transitions and Public Services.- Chapter 6. The State and Public Services: The Welfare State.- Chapter 7. Public Services and the Neoliberal State.- Chapter 8. The Family, Households and Public Services.- Chapter 9. Marx, the Third Sector and Public Services.- Chapter 10. Public-private Partnerships and Value-flows.- Chapter 11. Marx and Services for the Elderly.- Chapter 12. Marx, Public Services and Young People.- Chapter 13. Marx and Health Care Public Services.- Chapter 14. Marx and Public Services for Cities.- Chapter 15. Racism, Marx and Public Services.- Chapter 16. Gender, Marx and Public Services.- Chapter 17. Marx, Technology and Public Services.- Chapter 18. Transitioning to Socialism and Public Services.- Chapter 19. Public Services, Planning, and the New Person.- Chapter 20. Marxism and Public Services.