The pitfalls of contracting for policy advice
In the current issue of Governance, Ringa Raudla of the Tallinn University of Technology examines the problems that can emerge when governments outsource the task of providing policy and management advice. Raudla examines the use of consultants during Estonia’s recent experiments in budget reform. The decision to rely on contractors was encouraged by the availability of European Union structural funds. Estonian experience, Raudla concludes, shows how “contractualization of policymaking . . . can lead to inconsistent reform plans, hinder genuine deliberation on the content of reform, and undermine its democratic legitimacy.” Read the article.
