Does the transition from public to private ownership consistently result in improved economic efficiency for individual firms? The authors, David Parker and Stephen Martin, utilize their academic expertise to bridge the gap between theoretical economic models and the practical outcomes of privatization policies. By examining the performance of eleven specific companies, the text evaluates whether the shift toward private sector management successfully addresses debt and operational inefficiencies as proponents suggest.

Experts recognize this work as a foundational case-study analysis for understanding the practical limitations of privatization theory. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous examination of firm-level data rather than broad ideological claims.