ABSTRACT
The policy goals of human services, such as a peaceful life in old age, are ambiguous and therefore, notoriously difficult to be measured in a meaningful way. The government bureaucratic model that led to an adherence to prescribed procedures has proved unsustainable, because human services need to be flexible to respond to rapid changes in society. The problem of human service provision through competitive markets originates from the contradiction between the essential mission of human services and the nature of markets. The bigger the demand for human services is the more competitors governments need to admit, because mass provision requires innovative and efficient aspects of competitive markets. In long-term care markets, most countries in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development, which are experiencing aging populations, have introduced a license subsidies system, and others are expected to follow their lead. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.
