scholarly journals Civil service reforms in Hong Kong and Thailand: similar goals, different paths

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 111-123
Author(s):  
Ahmed Shafiqul Huque ◽  
Patamawadee Jongruck
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Civil Service ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Trends ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
New Public ◽  
Media Reports ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the strategies of civil service reforms in Hong Kong and Thailand. It seeks to identify the drivers of reforms in the two cases and explain the divergence in processes that were intended to achieve similar ends.Design/methodology/approachThis paper adopts a case study approach along with a thorough review of the literature. It is based on secondary materials, including academic studies, government publications and websites, and media reports. It compares approaches, strategies and outcomes of civil service reforms in Hong Kong and Thailand.FindingsCivil service reforms in Hong Kong focused on improving management through the implementation of New Public Management (NPM) principles, while governance values were prominent in civil service reforms in Thailand.Originality/valueThis paper compares civil service reforms in two dissimilar Asian cases. It highlights the impact of global trends on traditional bureaucratic organizations and reform strategies, and recognizes the impacts of traditions, culture and capacity on civil service reforms.

Human resource management under change in the Romanian civil service in an international context

2010 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 281-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozsef Poor ◽  
George Plesoianu
Keyword(s):  
Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource Management ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Civil Service ◽  
Labour Force ◽  
Good Practice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Public

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to present a number of initiatives which have been spearheaded by the Romanian government in the field of HRM in the civil service. A more specific purpose is to determine the modelling strategy which best reflects the reform programme of HRM in the civil service, the topic of our study.Design/methodology/approachThis paper attempts to supplement existing research into New Public Management (NPM) by outlining the modernisation of a range of public HR functions in the country, and it would like to explain how this special issue arose, to provide a historical perspective for the work undertaken by the Romanian National Civil Servant Agency (NACS) and to outline the context and significance of each of the attempts at modernisation in the HRM field.FindingsEmpirical evidence shows that the centralised Romanian civil service is in need of serious change if it is to deliver a more efficient and less politically driven level of practice. Many external and internal organisational forces such as the demographics of the labour‐force, technology and privatisation – as well as the erosion of confidence in government institutions have drastically altered the environment of the civil service in Romania. Consequently, traditional Human Resource Management (HRM) approaches no longer work.Practical implicationsAt this point, in the authors' opinion, the time has come to devote more attention to decentralisation and to formulating the terms of so‐called best or good practice.Originality/valueThe paper seeks to bridge the gap by reporting on the research and consulting work of the authors in the Romanian civil service.

scholarly journals Accounting and the enactment of power: municipal reform by Peter Leopold 1774–1775

2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 1146-1174
Author(s):  
Laura Maran ◽  
Warwick Funnell ◽  
Monia Castellini
Keyword(s):  
Eighteenth Century ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Financial Reports ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Comprehensive Collection ◽  
New Public ◽  
Tax Payments ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Decentralization Reforms

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the enduring, fundamental contributions of accounting practices in the pursuit of decentralization by governments, with an examination of Peter Leopold’s reform of the municipalities in the late eighteenth century in Italy. Design/methodology/approach An extensive textual analysis of the very comprehensive collection of primary sources of the Grand Duchy of Tuscany during the de’ Medici and Hapsburg-Lorraine’s rule identified the reasons for Peter Leopold’s decision to decentralize his government’s authority and responsibilities. A systemic comparison of the 1765–1766 and 1775–1776 financial reports of the Municipality of Castrocaro and Terra del Sole disclosed the importance of the micro-practices of accounting and reporting for the reform. Findings In the context of the eighteenth century enlightenment, Peter Leopold legitimized his reform by the introduction of a modern style of government based on the rationalization of the municipal administrative system and decentralization of central authority and responsibility. The reform was made feasible by the substitution of a birth right principle with an economic discourse which linked tax payments to property ownership. This had the unintended consequence of increased taxes, higher municipal expenditures and possible inequalities between municipalities. Research limitations/implications The findings of the study are dependent on the resources which have survived and are now preserved in the official archives of Galeata and Florence. This work contributes to the extant literature on administrative reforms in a crucial period for the redefinition of sovereignty by the ruling classes, with the rise of the modern State. It extends historical understanding of the public sector with a focus on local government in the eighteenth century in a non-Anglo-Saxon context. Practical implications The examination of the reform of Peter Leopold contributes to an enhanced understanding of present-day decentralization by governments in the context of the new public management (NPM). It provides to NPM advocates a broader temporal and contextual understanding of the impact of current decentralization reforms. Originality/value Few accounting studies have considered the micro-aspects of decentralization reforms at the municipal level and tried to identify their impact on the wealth of the population. Moreover, Peter Leopold’s reform is considered one of the most innovative and enlightened of the eighteenth century, while the remainder of Europe was still overwhelmingly committed to the centralization of administrative apparatuses. Finally, this study relates to the multi-disciplinary debate about the recognition, qualification and accountization of the impact of decentralization of responsibility for the delivery of government services.

The impact of new public management through outsourcing on the management of government information

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (1/2) ◽  
pp. 134-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Proscovia Svärd
Keyword(s):  
Information Management ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Government Information ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Content Type ◽  
New Public ◽  
The Impact ◽  
It Operations

PurposeUsing a case study method, the article investigates the impact New Public Management (NPM), through outsourcing has had on the management of government information at the Swedish Transport Agency. In April 2015 the Agency outsourced its IT-operations to IBM company. Some of the IBM sub-contractors had not been cleared by the Swedish Security Service. This exposed the Agency’s information to risk. By outsourcing the IT operations, the General Director of the Agency deviated from the laws governing government information such as the Swedish Security Protection Act, the Personal Data Act and the Publicity and Secrecy Act.Design/methodology/approachThe researcher has applied a case study method as the investigation focuses on a phenomenon in a real-life setting. The case study method entails the use of past studies, which facilitates the exploration and understanding of a complex issue. The phenomenon under investigation is NPM’s impact, through outsourcing, on the management of public information at the Swedish Transportation Agency.FindingsOutsourcing should be foregone by well-formulated contracts that should put into consideration the management of government information and the involvement of all stakeholders such as records managers/archivists, IT personnel, heads of departments, lawyers and business analysts. Outsourcing risks to compromise the two tenets of democracy that is, accountability and transparency which are central to Swedish public administrations’ operations.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited by the fact that it only presents the views of the archivists. This was, however, purposely done because their voice was missing during the discussions that followed after the data breach scandal had become public knowledge. Additionally, archivists are supposed to play a major role in the management of government information at Swedish institutions. Further research that will involve different categories of employees might give a deeper and better understanding of the impact that NPM, through outsourcing, is having on the management of government information and what implications this might have on issues of trust, transparency and accountability.Practical implicationsThe study demonstrates the need for well-formulated outsourcing contracts that will include information management clauses. It is of crucial importance in a democratic society that access to government information is not compromised as institutions endeavor to achieve efficiency and high-quality service delivery.Social implicationsIt is government information that gives citizens knowledge about the various processes of government institutions. It is therefore of paramount importance that government information is not left in the hands of unauthorized companies that are involved in the outsourcing activity but should be securely managed and guarded, as the opposite might pose privacy and national security challenges and hence undermine the trust that citizens have in government institutions.Originality/valueThe search that the author conducted confirmed paucity in research that discusses issues related to NPM, outsourcing and the management of government information. This paper is therefore a contribution to the discourse from an archives and information management perspective.

scholarly journals Dampak E-Learning terhadap Anggaran Pelatihan Kementerian Keuangan

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-32
Author(s):  
Dita Rakhmadina ◽  
Dyah Setyaningrum
Keyword(s):  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
New Public ◽  
E Learning ◽  
The Government ◽  
Standard Output ◽  
The Impact

This study aimed to analyze the impact of e-learning on training budgets, compare the standard costs of traditional training and e-learning, and formulate standard output costs of e-learning. This study was conducted to provide recommendations for improving budget efficiency in government organizations. This research uses a qualitative method with a case study approach by exploring phenomena in the government budget due to e-learning implementation. Data collection techniques were interviews, observation, and documentation. The results showed that e-learning implementation significantly saves the training budget and increases the number of training participants. However, the cost standard is less optimal because they do not cover all the costs needed to deliver e-learning. The standard costs should be differentiated for each type of e-learning. Also, the current organizational structure needs to be changed to achieve maximum efficiency in e-learning implementation.Keywords: Budget, Efficiency, E-Learning, New Public Management AbstrakPenelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis dampak e-learning terhadap anggaran pelatihan, perbandingan standar biaya keluaran pelatihan klasikal dan e-learning, dan penyusunan standar biaya keluaran sesuai dengan komponen pembentuk biaya yang diperlukan untuk menyelenggarakan e-learning. Penelitian ini diharapkan dapat memberikan rekomendasi  dalam rangka meningkatkan efisiensi anggaran  pada organisasi pemerintah penyelenggara pendidikan dan pelatihan. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode kualitatif dengan pendekatan studi kasus dengan menggali fenomena yang terjadi pada anggaran suatu instansi pemerintah sebagai akibat dari penyelenggaraan e-learning. Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan teknik wawancara, observasi, dan telaah dokumen. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa penyelenggaraan pelatihan e-learning secara signifikan dapat menghemat anggaran pelatihan dan meningkatkan jumlah peserta yang dapat dilatih. Namun, standar biaya yang disusun saat ini belum optimal karena belum mencerminkan seluruh biaya yang diperlukan untuk menyelenggarakan e-learning. Standar biaya yang disusun sebaiknya dibedakan sesuai jenis pelatihan e-learning. Selain itu, untuk meningkatkan efisiensi anggaran atas pelaksanaan e-learning diperlukan penyesuaian kebutuhan kompetensi SDM dan struktur organisasi yang ada saat ini yang lebih sesuai dengan proses bisnis pelatihan e-learning.Kata Kunci:  Anggaran, Standar Biaya, Efisiensi, E-Learning  

Implementing successful G2B initiatives in the HKSAR

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cecili Kwok
Keyword(s):  
Hong Kong ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
Success Factor ◽  
Is Success ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Success Model ◽  
The Impact

Purpose – The aim of this study is to study the implementation of G2B initiatives for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong, focusing on the underlying importance, benefits and challenges. Design/methodology/approach – The context of this study was initially established based on comparisons with B2B initiatives. However, it is also learned from the literature that the transformational aspect of e-Government development has not been materialized, whereas the extended web assessment method (EWAM), the three-ring model and DeLone and McLean’s IS success model were therefore identified to derive and build the theoretical G2B success model, thereby developing the online survey instrument of this study. Specifically, a positivist paradigm was adopted to investigate the impact of each G2B success factor on the overall satisfaction with using the G2B systems under examination from the perspective of SMEs, rather than simply placing emphasis on the number of electronic services provided and the investments spent. Findings – The research findings were compiled based on both the multiple regression analysis and EWAM analysis results, thus making the necessary improvements in the appropriate service aspects of the G2B systems concerned. Originality/value – The main study concluded that prevalent G2B initiatives in Hong Kong have been largely connected to pursuing conservative paradigms in public service provision. The new e-Government strategic agenda is therefore laid out for increasing the overall transparency of new public management based on the provision of resilient-based public services, thereby advancing the democratic empowerment of all the G2B stakeholders involved and also maximizing the multifold effects of value creations.

Strategic management in Swedish municipal housing

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lars Lindbergh ◽  
Timothy L. Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Public Management ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Early Date ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
New Public ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Municipal Housing ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – Present directives in municipal housing have been imposed by the Public Municipal Housing Companies Act, put into force on January 2011 in Sweden. The Act, states that public municipal housing companies (PMHCs) should run their operation on “businesslike principles,” e.g., commensurate with new public management. The purpose of this paper is to determine if forthcoming practices are apparent in the owner directives that govern operations of these companies. Design/methodology/approach – The research is both exploratory and qualitative in nature and utilizes in-depth case studies of 20 selected PMHCs. Observations for 2013 were compared with similar documents collected ten years prior (2004) using commercially available NVivo software to qualitatively analyze information. Findings – Results suggest that statistically significant changes in directives have occurred and adaptation to the new Act may already have started to take place at this relatively early date. Practical implications – Insofar as Sweden might be a model for other countries interested in extending their efforts in managing public housing, observations here provide some insights into possible results. Originality/value – This is the first attempt to determine the impact that complying with “businesslike principles” has on operations in Swedish housing, which tends to be a model of effectiveness in the global housing sector.

scholarly journals The Neoliberal University in Ireland: Institutional Bullying by Another Name?

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 52
Author(s):  
Margaret Hodgins ◽  
Patricia Mannix McNamara
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Academic Staff ◽  
Well Being ◽  
The United States ◽  
Decent Work ◽  
New Public ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

New managerialism and the pervasive neoliberalisation of universities is by now a well-established phenomenon. Commentaries explore the political and economic drivers and effects of neoliberal ideology, and critique the impact on higher education and academic work. The impact on the health and well-being of academic staff has had less attention, and it is to that we turn in this paper. Much academic interest in neoliberalism stems from the UK, Australia and the United States. We draw particularly on studies of public Irish universities, where neoliberalism, now well entrenched, but something of a late-comer to the new public management party, is making its presence felt. This conceptual paper explores the concept of neoliberalism in higher education, arguing that the policies and practices of new public management as exercised in universities are a form of bullying; what we term institutional bullying. The authors are researchers of workplace culture, workplace bullying and incivility. Irish universities are increasingly challenged in delivering the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principles of decent work, i.e., dignity, equity, fair income and safe working conditions. They have become exposed in terms of gender imbalance in senior positions, precariat workforce, excessive workload and diminishing levels of control. Irish universities are suffering in terms of both the health and well-being of staff and organisational vibrancy. The authors conclude by cautioning against potential neoliberal intensification as universities grapple with the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper reviews neoliberalism in higher education and concludes with insight as to how the current pandemic could act as a necessary catalyst to stem the tide and ‘call out’ bullying at the institutional level.

scholarly journals New public management and budgeting practices in Tanzanian Central Government

2016 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 340-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Goddard ◽  
Tausi Ally Mkasiwa
Keyword(s):  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Successful Implementation ◽  
Donor Funding ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Inductive Research ◽  
New Public ◽  
Research Findings

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the budgeting practices in the Tanzanian Central Government. New budgeting reforms were introduced following exhortations from the bodies such as the UN, the World Bank and the IMF and reflect the new public management (NPM). Design/methodology/approach A grounded theory methodology was used. This methodology is inductive, allowing phenomena to emerge from the participants rather than from prior theory. This ensures both relevance and depth of understanding. Findings The principal research findings from the data concern the central phenomenon of “struggling for conformance”. Tanzanian Central Government adopted innovations in order to ensure donor funding by demonstrating its ability to implement imposed budgetary changes. Organizational actors were committed to these reforms through necessity and struggled to implement them, rather than more overtly resisting them. Research limitations/implications The research is subject to the usual limitations of case study, inductive research. Practical implications This research has several implications for policy-makers of NPM and budgetary reforms. These include the recognition that the establishment of the rules and regulations alone is not adequate for the successful implementation of budgetary and NPM reforms and should involve a comprehensive view of the nature of the internal and external environment. Originality/value There are few empirical papers of NPM accounting practices being implemented in the public sector of developing countries and none at all based in Tanzania. The paper identifies the existence of struggling to conform to reforms rather than resistance identified in prior research.

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