Several new paradigms have emerged in the field of Public Administration and Management recently with different ideas about how the system of public organizations should look like and work. PPP is not automatically considered a part of this new world. Some of the new conceptions place conditions to be met should PPP fit into the new model of governance in the public sector. This research looks at how these ideological tensions have been reflected in the real structures of national institutional frameworks dealing with PPPs. West European countries – UK, Spain and Germany - are compared with the Central European countries – Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia and Hungary. Using a PPP ideal model with two dimensions - capacity to govern and partnerships' genuineness - based on the new paradigms' demands a progress towards PPP programme compatibility with the new regimes made by the countries concerned is assessed. Three levels of changes are distinguished - the highest of them meaning a paradigm shift has been accomplished. Interviews with representatives of all levels of the PPP institutional framework as well as questionnaires focused on two dimensions of the ideal model are utilized. Advantages and disadvantages of individual national PPP institutional designs are identified together with examples of best and worst practice.
