NPM and Craftsmanship: an Explorative Case Study in a Utilities Company into a Neglected Relationship

Introduction Since the 1980s welfare state institutions have undergone profound changes based on the principles of New Public Management (NPM). These changes were brought on by neoliberal criticism at the rigid, bureaucratic, inefficient and paternalistic nature of the welfare state. Led by the U.S. and the U.K. governments started incorporating the NPM doctrine: privatization, decentralisation and accountability (). Public utilities became privatized and liberalized and subsequently had to compete in ‘Quasi Markets’ (Bartlet and LeGrand, 1993). The state assumed a steering role aimed at guarding public values and ensuring a free market with open competition.