Best Value and the Market Orientation of UK Recreation Centres

This paper explores the similarities between the Best Value initiative and the well-established market orientation construct. It shows that many of the benefits that Best Value could bring to local authority recreation centres could have been achieved more easily by implementing the market orientation philosophy. A study of 67 recreation centres suggests that although market orientation will increase under Best Value, the benefits from this might be somewhat illusory and represent poor value for the administrative and operational burdens entailed.