Marketing public sector services: concepts and characteristics

There is an ongoing debate on the relevance and role of marketing in the changing public sections of Western democracies. Public service organizations are increasingly turning to marketing professionals as “managerialism” takes over “administration”. This article argues that the marketing community must clearly conceptualize the public sector as a marketing context if it is to operate effectively within it. The distinctive aspects of the public sector which impact upon marketing are addressed by examining relevant structural and process characteristics. The structural characteristics indude the nature of the product, the organization and the market; the marketing implications of these are outlined. The process characteristics are concerned with the procedures and systems that govern activity, and their implications. Appropriate strategic responses are briefly proposed.