The ugly sister: On relationships between the private and the public sectors in Sweden

Abstract

As a result of a change of government and a period of economic crisis in Sweden, the public and the private sectors changed roles in the eyes of public opinion. The public sector, previously a positive model of social action, became an “ugly sister” of the supposedly more effective and more efficient private sector. This article, based on interviews with the General Directors of Swedish central government agencies, presents the consequences of these events for the self-image, leadership and personnel management within the public sector. The analysis suggests that a vicious circle has been formed: as long as the public sector is evaluated on the basis of criteria taken from the private sector, there is no room for improvements.