Organisational status change and performance: The case of Irelands national telecommunications operator
Irelands national telecommunications operator, Telecom ireann, was privatised in 1999 after over a decade of commercialisation within the public sector. This article provides an in-depth economic analysis of the impact of commercialisation and privatisation on Telecom ireanns productivity over the period 19852001. Disentangling the effects of privatisation from other factors that impact on productivity is problematic. Accordingly, a three-dimensional organisational status change framework incorporating ownership, product market competition and internal organisational structure is adopted. We find no clear evidence that ownership change had a significant impact on productivity. Improvements were associated with competition and the impending deregulation of the market as well as considerable changes in the internal organisational structure of the firm.
organisational status change ireland telecommunications privatisation productivity