Still Searching for the Ithaca? Performance Improvement and Governance Reform in Greek Local Government
Sifis Plimakis, Nikos Papadakis

Abstract
Presented empirical research analyses and evaluates according to primary empirical data, the viability and effectiveness of the alternative institutional arrangement for municipal services provision in the distinctive environment of Greek local government. The alternative provision appears to lead to cost reduction and quality improvement in the majority of the case studies being analyzed, assuming however the appearance of a series of determinant factors of services performance, relating to the level of the competition and mainly the establishment of relations of trust, mutual collaboration, engagement and common culture among the partners and the stakeholders. Factors that transform the alternative provision from a simple cost rationalization tool, into a promotion catalyst of new governance model in the Greek local government.

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