ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book provides insight into the policies of austerity in European countries and the consequences of such policies for public management. It aims to understand whether and how austerity leads to centralisation. The book focuses on coordination, coherence, and organisational scale advantages in public management consistent with the alleged transformation of New Public Management (NPM) in the direction of 'post-NPM' reform. It introduces the existing literature on public management reform, cutback management and budgetary reforms and the selected case-countries. The book also focuses on expenditure cutbacks in Germany, Italy, Denmark, Ireland, and Estonia. It looks into recent budgetary reforms in the same countries. The book outlines the main findings and the character of changes and the patterns of change of public management in times of austerity are discussed. It discusses the differences and similarities between the countries.
