Third-Party Governance: Using Third Parties to Deliver Governmental Goods and Services

Every  year thousands of college students apply for and receive federally  guaranteed loans to fund their educations in the United States. The  loans are managed by nongovernmental entities – Sallie Mae, College Ave  Student Loans – that indirectly implement the public goal of affordable  higher education. Put another way, the US Department of Education relies  on these nongovernmental entities for implementation of public policy  via third parties. Where this kind of indirect implementation occurs,  and how it differs from direct implementation, is the focus of this  book, introducing readers to the theory and practice of third-party  governance. It helps students understand market-oriented tools such as  contracting, networks, public-private partnerships and other  collaborative governance mechanisms that make up the repertoire of  third-party governance. This background is, in turn, key to  understanding modern governance arrangements all over the world.

Author  Jessica N. Terman explores the ‘whys’ behind government and the market,  alongside the theories behind when one or both should be used. The book  is filled with case studies exploring the issues at play in third-party  governance, including transaction costs and the practices that mitigate  transaction costs, as well as the advent of networks and how they have  changed the governance structure of public policy implementation. Taking  a jargon-free approach, the book is written as a primer on third-party  governance, introducing readers to the ways that government is  structured and the factors that influence contemporary policy  implementation. Third-Party Governance will be required reading on courses related to public administration, public policy, and governance and collaboration.