Proceedings of the Workshop on the Evaluation of Public Sector Performance

Abstract

The expansion of the public sector and evaluation of public sector perfomance are dealt with in this collection of papers which were originally presented in a workshop arranged by the Government Institute for Economic Research on the 14th of March, 1991. Heikki A. Loikkanen describes expansion of the public sector and discussess related theories. Finn Førsund introduces the DEA method, which can also be applied to calculating efficiency of public sector activities. Howard Oxley compares public sectors in OECD countries and reviews efforts to increase efficiency by the introduction of market disciplines. Sixten Korkman gives reasons why the growth of public expenditures must be limited and how this can be done (in Finnish). In sectoral evaluations of efficiency and productivity Rita Asplund considers education, Virpi Alander hospitals (in Finnish), Eero Lehto Finnish railroads, and Antti Talvitie together with Catharina Sikow highway construction.