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Public Choice Theory of Organizations

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Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance
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Synonyms

Choice theory; Neoliberalism; New public management

Definition

Public choice theory is an economic theory that argues for public decision-making and the production and allocation of public goods and services to be based on citizens’ preferences.

Introduction

The theoretical concept of public choice theory (PCT) argues that government services are best organized by consumer-citizens’ preferences. This perception of choice is characterized by Tiebout’s (1956) consumer-voter theory that argues citizens shop around for communities that best fit their preferences and neoliberalism that argue governments are monopolies, which will inflate the cost of public goods and services. These two perspectives have shaped the PCT discourse that argues for market principles in the production and allocation of pubic goods and services. Public choice theory is a neoliberal theory which emphasizes the private sector in the deliverance of public goods and services and views citizen as consumers...

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Correspondence to Kevin W. Davis .

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Davis, K.W. (2016). Public Choice Theory of Organizations. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_69-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_69-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31816-5

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