Call for papers: Marketing Strategies for Public Performance

Call for papers: Marketing Strategies for Public Performance

A special issue of International Journal of Public Sector Performance Management

Marketing in the public sector faces challenges both a regional and national level. In particular, there is emphasis on performance management and the adoption of an approach to business that parallels that in the profit making private sector. As public organisations aim to produce impacts on their external environment, their performance needs to be measured, not only at the internal level but also at the external level. This is the reason why marketing approaches and their specific tools have a key role to play in the management and measurement of public performance.

The creation of initiatives between public and private sectors, involving partnerships and joint ventures companies, and the emphasis on changing attitudes and behaviour in society, have focused attention on making strategic decisions in increasingly market-oriented ways. A successful adoption of a market orientation allows the public sector to become better positioned to exploit emerging opportunities. Recognition of opportunities that exist, the marketing orientation required to exploit these opportunities and the enabling strategies demanded are key to the future development of public sector organisations in the 21st century.

Theoretical and empirically-based papers are being sought for this special issue which will explore to what extent marketing can, should and indeed must, improve the customer orientation within the public sector and the ways in which this goal can best be achieved. The exploration of key marketing challenges and the identification of best practice in differing marketing contexts are highly topical and important. Papers adopting a theoretical approach are welcome provided they deal with new marketing tools and approaches. However, priority will be given to papers which concentrate on empirical researches (cases studies). The general theme of the special issue will be around how public sector executives plan strategic marketing activities to increase performance within their organisations.

This special edition aims to inform readers on the processes and the consequences of adopting marketing approaches within public sector. It will focus on “marketisation” (increase performance in service delivery) and social marketing in order to link these integrated marketing approaches to performance that relies not only on promotion and communication, but also on the will to identify the needs of their public.

Areas that may provide an appropriate focus include (but are not necessarily limited to):

• Diversity of the demand the public manager has to face (with consumers, users, voter, taxpayers). Which marketing tools are more adapted to cope with this specific demand?
• Market segmentation, targeting and positioning approaches - traditional or new approaches more adapted to public services.
• How new public services are adapted to meet the needs of a specific demand
• Analysis of users' satisfaction within public sector organisations.
• Targeting specific publics to reach social goals.
• How marketing tools are used and adapted in order to reach performance in changing social behaviours?
• Value based marketing
• Innovation and improved service delivery through public-private partnerships and networks or co-operation with other public sector providers
• Measuring short and long term future demand for services
• Effective delivery of customer service to reflect and reinforce the desired corporate brand image
• Methods of improving customer service
• Issues regarding pricing of services in the public sector
• Marketing communication approaches
• Social marketing in practice
• E-marketing and the public sector customer.

Important Dates
Submission of full paper before: 1 November, 2008
Notification of acceptance before: 15 February, 2008
Submission of final and revised manuscripts: 1 April, 2009