While I agree with you completely, the argument for a counter-point would be that exactly because the private company should create as much profit for the owners as possible - it has to be as lean / efficient as possible.

That is not true for "the goverment" as profit is not an encentive to rationalize the work process.

What I find interesting are goverment agencies that operate on both levels. A great example is Ordenance Survey in UK. While they provide a public service, they also sell some of their products commercially to cover some operating costs (hiking maps etc.).

[–] mrcleanup@lemmy.world 9 points 1 year ago

because the private company should create as much profit for the owners as possible - it has to be as lean / efficient as possible.

Yeah but no. It would be if the owner/shareholders weren't skimming of the top. The process may be lean but the pricing is designed to maximize and take as much as the market will bear. Which undoes the benefit the efficiency could bring to a public service.