CONSTRUCTING THE MARKET - COMMERCIALIZATION AND PRIVATIZATION IN THE ROYAL-MAIL

The public sector in the UK has become the object of constant reform a nd change as part of the government's project to increase the remit of the private sector and the role of markets. There is much debate abou t the effect such a move to market relations has on public services. T here is increasing concern with the way market-based reforms are Linke d to a new pattern of organizational structure and strategy that negat es and/or opposes the traditional political processes associated with the public sector. This article focuses on the case of the Royal Mail to explore how such a transformation is both complex and contested. It reveals how 'the market' within the public sector is to a large exten t politically constructed, and that the public-private dichotomy over- simplifies what is a complex process of negotiating meaning, forming a lliances, lobbying for support, handling conflict and exerting influen ce. It demonstrates how various readings of 'the market' emerge, and t hat any solutions of how to become more commercial can be the result o f political machinations. The implications of this analysis go beyond Royal Mail and can be generalized across the public sector.