POWER AND POLITICS IN PRIVATIZATION NEGOTIATIONS

Abstract

Much of the commerce of state and local governments with private firms is fairly routine. Standardized procedures exist for its conduct. A trend to privatization of facilities and services, however, has created novel contexts in which government‐business relationships must be negotiated. In the absence of established ground rules, the balance of power between the local government and the firm is likely to be asymmetrical and unstable. This manuscript chronicles the dynamic nature of power distribution and the application of power in negotiations surrounding the privatization of a major distribution facility in one of the largest cities in the United States. The manuscript concludes with some cautionary comments for firms contemplating conducting business with local governments.

Citation

Buntzman, G.F. (1990), "POWER AND POLITICS IN PRIVATIZATION NEGOTIATIONS", International Journal of Conflict Management, Vol. 1 No. 1, pp. 93-112. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb022675