What one can discern in the extension of the public domain, is a
de-institutionalization arising from embracing the discourses and practices of new
forms of organisation centred on values of creativity, innovation and entrepreneurship
(in the broadest sense) in the first instance. Equally, with the introduction of
quasi-markets in the allocation and management of publicly provided or underwritten
services, one can detect the process of disintermediation. That is, the ability of users to
directly access public services without using intermediary agencies. For example, access
to walk-in health services like X-rays, rather than first going to one’s local doctor.
However, deinstitutionalization in the public policy process and disintermediation in the
management process cannot escape the need for standardization: one of the supposed
key characteristics of bureaucracy. In particular, the need to sustain economies of scale
in service provision reinforces standardization. For example, collective bargaining
arrangements which establish pay and conditions are important in sustaining service
continuity. Moreover, the ability to engage more creative and innovative ways of
delivering and managing services rest on exploiting economies of scope. This
exploitation rests on establishing a minimum scale of operations and not on
post-bureaucracy.