This book brings together scholars and experienced practitioners from different countries to investigate the relationship between regulation and relational governance for the third sector in a comparative context.

In recent years public management research in a variety of disciplines has paid increasing attention to the role of citizens and the third sector in the provision of public services. Several of these efforts have employed the concept of co-production to better understand and explain this trend. This book aims to go further by systematizing the growing body of academic papers and reports that focus on various aspects of co-production and its potential contribution to new public governance. It has an interdisciplinary focus that makes a unique contribution to the body of knowledge in this field, at the cross-roads of a number of disciplines - including business administration, policy studies, political science, public management, sociology, third sector studies, etc. The unique presentation of them together in this volume both allows for comparing and contrasting these different perspectives and for potential theoretical collaboration and development. More particularly, this volume addresses the following concerns: What is the nature of co-production and what challenges does it face? How can we conceptualize the concept of co-production? How does co-production works in practice? How does co-production unfold in reality? What can be the effects of co-production? And more specific, firstly, how can co-production contribute to service quality and service management in public services, and secondly, what is the input of co-production on growing citizen involvement and development of participative democracy?

Governance and Regulation in the Third Sector brings together scholars and experienced practitioners from different countries to investigate the relationship between regulation and relational governance for the third sector in a comparative context. Each chapter reviews recent regulatory changes in the country in question. To what extent are there significant convergences in these reforms and what are the implications for the third sector? Is there any evidence that the foundational architecture for a more collaborative relationship between the state and the third sector has been laid? Overall, the book reveals that the reality of the supposedly new collaborative relationships and the impacts of regulatory reform are quite different from what contemporary theories of public management would have us believe. Recognizing the gap between theory and reality, the chapters explore some of the outstanding challenges for regulatory reform for the third sector.

To mark the 20th Anniversary of Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organizations the editor has compiled a comprehensive overview of contemporary debates in third sector scholarship, comprised of all original research by leaders in the field. The volume will offer a critical review of the central and innovative themes that have come to form the core of third sector debate and research with an international focus. The first global compendium of third sector research, this volume provides a international, multi-disciplinary, and state-of-the-art overview of the field. The contributions not only examine and review the existing scholarship, but introduce new perspectives and thinking on the third sector—especially in terms of future implications around the world. Topics covered include: -History and Development of the Field -New Trends in Volunteering and Philanthropy -Volunteering and Participation in Developing Countries -Leadership and Governance -Corporate Responsibility -Social Capital -Global Civil Society This seminal volume provides a broad and comprehensive look at the field of Third Sector Research, of primary interest to researchers in political science, sociology, development studies, and nonprofit leadership programs.

Addressing a key social policy problem, this book analyses modern voluntary organisations through the lens of a new theory of hybrid organisations, which is tested and developed in the context of a range of case studies. Essential reading for all interested in the future of the third sector.

The nonprofit sector occupies an ever more central role in economic and social policies, from the redesign of welfare system in the U.S. or UK, to fostering democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. At the same time, non-profit organizations face increased public scrutiny, and calls for more 'efficiency' and greater 'accountability'. Against this background, this revealing book explore keys policy issues such as: * Is the nonprofit sector in crisis? * What are the common themes and patterns in current policy debates concerning the future of the nonprofit sector? * What policy models are being discussed, and what are their implications? * How can nonprofit organiztions negotiate a course between commercialization and tighter government regulation? As this sector is confronted with often conflicting demands of new public management, tight budgeting, and greater competition, it arrives at a crucial crossroad in its development. Through the detailed investigations presented in this key book, postgraduate students of business and politics can fully explore this significant sector and analyze it's position in today's society.