theory, one proponent, assumes a pluralist state and a plural state within which public
management has become increasingly uncertain and fragmented (Osborne, 2006).
There is a pluralist perspective in the theory of the state literature that views the state
as a neutral referee between the competing demands of society, but a state logically
cannot be plural or pluralist. Skelcher (2005) gives a better and more precise account
when he argues that government has become fragmented because of a congested state.
NPG examines inter-organisational relationships and their effectiveness in public
services delivery, subject to the efficacy of the governance processes that manage these
relationships.