Provision of public and social services in European countries. Any lessons to learn for the Asia-Pacific region?

In European countries, the provision of public and personal social services has historically gone through profound shifts between the public/municipal, private and societal sectors. Covering a broad selection of European countries, this article explores the institutional development of service provision and the factors impinging on it. In pursuing a developmental approach, different historical stages are distinguished and explored (pre-welfare state, advanced welfare state, neo-liberal policy period and recent fiscal austerity phase). The analysis is guided by the question whether this development has shown convergence or divergence between phases, countries and service sectors. In conclusion, the question is raised whether, from the point of view of Asia-Pacific countries, lessons could be drawn from the European experience.