Public sector services should be managed just like the private sector Essay

Public sector services should be managed just like the private sector. Discuss this statement using examples from contemporary management practices - Essay Example The public services are not usually sold to people to gain profit and are not withheld from the people who can not afford them (Flynn 2007). This difference though always not applicable to all public services, significantly affects the management practices in private and public sector. The private service is marketing oriented. Different services are provided to people paying different prices. The services and strategies are designed to offer customized and good services to attract people to the private service. The public services on the other hand are aimed to provide protection, education, care and help without taking into account the profitability. That is why the public services often face the problems with rationing and pricing as they treat all service users equally. As the need for marketing services or attracting people is minimal the profitability is often lowered too. While distinguishing the public and private services, it can be said that the public sector needs to provide services for public good where the market fails to do so. These services include those, which cannot exclude any individual, and a collective payment is needed for those services. The services, which are paid through taxes rather than through direct payment, are considered as public services. The armed forces, judiciary and police, civil services, local governments, essential infrastructure like road, welfare state like health, education, social security, housing, etc are generally considered as public services. Ownership of services also makes them public or private. But it is often seen that people are not much concerned with the ownership of the services they receive except when they consider employment. Public sector employments are often considered to be much secured but with low wage though there are jobs, which get better security and wage in private sector. There are certain practical arguments in support of the public services. There are services like armed forces