Citizen Support for Hospital Privatization: A Hierarchical Cross-National Analysis

The movement for a new public management (NPM) holds that citizens will put aside partisan and ideological differences to support more efficient service delivery. Focusing on hospital privatization, a multi-national sample is utilized to investigate this assertion. Generalized hierarchical linear modeling (GHLM) is employed as the method of statistical analysis. The findings with regard to privatizing hospitals reveal that citizens develop their policy position by reference to a combination of symbolic political variables, service demand, self-interest, information levels, and political efficacy. The results cast doubt on the assertion that partisan differences will be set aside as citizens consider privatization reforms.

Jerome S. Legge Jr.Email:

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R. Paul Battaglio Jr.   is an Assistant Professor in the Public Affairs Program at the University of Texas at Dallas. His research interests include comparative policy and administration, public human resource management, and comparative political attitudes. His work has appeared in Public Administration Review, Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis, and Review of Public Personnel Administration. Jerome S. Legge Jr.   is Professor of Public Administration and Policy and Associate Dean of the School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Georgia, where he has taught since 1980. Among his many research interests are public opinion and public policy, privatization, public health, and science and technology policy. He and Robert F. Durant of American University are currently working on public opinion and stem cell research in the nations of the European Union.