• Contents: Introduction; Trends; Theory; Causes; Consequences; Conclusion; Bibliography; Index.

’This detailed theoretical and empirical study of quangos provides a model against which researchers in the field would do well to judge themselves.’ Dr Chris Skelcher, University of Birmingham, UK ’Sandra van Thiel has managed to combine two virtues that are much-needed in today’s world of ever-changing public management fashions. First, she is a highly competent theorist. Second, she is a thoughtful and methodologically sophisticated empiricist. She applies these virtues to an large, but hitherto obscure, part of the public domain - the quangos...’ Christopher Pollitt, Professor of Public Management, Erasmus University Rotterdam ’Quangos: Trends, Causes and Consequences is an original and innovative contribution to the literature on this topic. It is a stimulating and provocative book that will be of interest to scholars and students of public administration, political science and public policy. Moreover, its explicit and detailed theoretical framework, combining qualitative and quantitative analysis, make it equally rewarding for those interested in research methods.’ Journal of Comparative Policy Analysis