Commissioning In The UK

Since 1990s,as the predominate paradigm in the reform of public administration marketization and its main mechanisms such as purchasing and contracting are under big criticisms.Another global clock pendulum happened.In the UK,this results in the approaching of 'Commissioning' which stands for a series of different concepts and tools compared to new public management and its predecessors.The research starts from trailing the evolution of commissioning in the UK.Three stages are recognized that are "Leading by Government Stage","Public Service Purchasing Stage",and "Commissioning Stage".Commissioning is based on the experiences of marketization and could be ascribed to the pressure of global recession,the opportunity given by new information technology,and the responsibility to supply diverse and personalized services to the citizens.To understand what Commissioning Stage is about and its differences compared to the others,this research analyses from three perspectives that are the theories that Commissioning is based on,its policy frame,and the implementation of commissioning.Firstly,the research exclaims that Commissioning has four typical characteristics:A.a focus on outcomes of services instead of outputs or inputs of services;B.participations from diverse stakeholders in the delivery of public services;C.coordination among governmental,private and not-for-profit sectors;and cooperation among types of services;D.the new role of governments as enablers rather than suppliers of services or buyers of services.Whole governance theory,public value theory and supply chain management theory are the three theories that contribute to Commissioning.Secondly,different from marketization which depends on external organizations to supply public services,Commissioning emphasizes the capacity of the government to manage the whole process of public service supply strategically.Its focus on outcomes opens the gate to innovations on public service supply.Stakeholders including services users,the community,services suppliers,relevant government departments would access the decision-making,planning,and producing stages of public services.Various policy tools more than purchasing and contracting are used in Commissioning.Thirdly,the policy process of Commissioning consists of three stages that are needs assessment and market analysis;service planning and supplying;evaluating and market risk managing.Human resource system and information technology system are two key systems to implement commissioning.This research takes Birmingham elderly service as a case to uncover how to implement commissioning.Based on the above analyses,this research confirms that Commissioning is the next step of marketization.It doesn't throw the reasonable concepts and feasible tools of new public management away.In contract,it absorbs from different theories and makes those elements its own.It illuminates China to foster an enabling government,manage the public service supply as a whole,and make the best use of modern technology to improve the outcomes and wellbeing of the people.