It is particularly unwelcome for workers, who under state control had assumed their jobs and terms of employment were protected. For politicians, not only is the power of patronage lost, the power to influence economic decisions in the direction they would like is also diminished. When jobs are cut, that puts pressure on the politicians. They dislike acknowledging their powerlessness. Proud men do not like being humbled.
Suppliers dislike the change brought about through open tendering and careful scrutiny of contracts.
Cozy relationships, which are often long standing, can be disrupted. The competitive pressures introduced by privatization can also affect customers. Economic pricing can result in loss making activities being cut. Hidden subsidies are identified by a commercially driven management and eliminated. These are the changes brought about by a commercially driven management.