In an era of sweeping political and economic change, public institutions all over the world are feeling pressured to make their societies more open and competitive and, thus, to make themselves more responsive and efficient. In the United States, a Democratic president has proclaimed that "the era of big government is over." In Mexico, a process of major political and economic liberalisation, similar to those in many other countries around the globe today, is bringing about dramatic changes in the country's public sector.