scholarly journals The culture of modern public administration. The case of Greece.

2021 ◽  
Vol 23 ◽  
pp. 142-155
Author(s):  
M. Aspridis George ◽  
Pouliana Louisa

The period stretching from 1974 till now has been characterized as the most stable period of the political and administrative history of Greece. However, the appropriate organizational culture which can contribute to the creation of a strategic vision for Greek public administration has not yet been shaped. Therefore, the public sector is not efficient and productive. On the contrary, bureaucratic pathogenies are particularly prevalent. These pathogenies have been rendered even more intense during the economic crisis and the recent pandemic. It is necessary that the modern culture of public administration be focused on effective cooperation, the satisfaction of both citizens and administrative executives’ expectations, respect for the individuality and development of public sector executives, the enhancement of public services’ good reputation, assessment, communication and finally the implementation of the principles of ethics, integrity and legitimacy. The culture of a modern public administration should be based on the principles of new public management and electronic government. This article is based on the study of secondary sources, more specifically institutional texts, international and national organizations’ reports, studies, historical texts, as well as civil servants’ views. The conclusions are particularly significant and can spark off the change of the organizational culture in public administration.

Author(s):  
SM Abdul Quddus

Globalization started sometime ago and is an ongoing process. It is a diverse phenomenon, which has had tremendous impact on all aspects of human life. The spread of the culture of globalization can predominantly be attributed to the usage of modern electronic media such as the internet. As Islam is a global phenomenon, it becomes apparent that its principles should be held in the esteem befitting its status and not disregarded as irrelevant. Religious people of all age categories must agree to adapt their traditions to deal with the challenges of modernity. The end goal of globalization is thus to assess and integrate common ground into the world views of Islamic versus Western values rather than provoke bi-polarization and discord. As globalization in its current iteration predominantly stems from the influences of the West, it is paramount to scrutinize the differences in the Muslim interpretation of globalization in relation to its modern incarnation, to explore its differing definitions, the fluctuating goals of the educational systems, the sidelining of local traditions and languages, factors derived from the advent of “brain-drain” from certain nations, appropriate Muslim actions in response to globalization, and finally onto the question, how public sector management should be reformed in line with the reality of globalization and Islamic philosophy of government and administration in the contemporary era? However, following the example of the Western capitalist models and excluding religious public sector reform has produced varied reactions in MMCs. Such reactions include widespread social alienation and accelerated unhappiness and promotion of restless competition rather than cooperation. All these realities raise some unavoidable questions and debates that need to be properly addressed both from theoretical and practical perspectives. A refocused attention at the philosophy of public sector governance in light of the role of religion on the globalized and technology-driven world is an important endeavor to undertake. Thus the main objective of this paper is to explore an administrative model for public sector governance that will fulfil the socio-economic, technological and spiritual needs of a society. Data for this paper is collected mainly from secondary sources i.e. content analysis. ‘Islamic administrative model’ as suggested by Al-Buraey are used as the theoretical underpinning for this study. Keywords: Globalization, Heartware and software, Islam, New Public management, Islamic administrative model. Abstrak Globalisasi telah berlaku sejak dahulu lagi dan ia adalah proses yang berlaku secara berterusan. Ia adalah fenomena yang pelbagai, yang memberi kesan besar kepada manusia dari pelbagai aspek. Penyebaran globalisasi budaya di dominasi besar oleh penggunaan media elektronik moden seperti Internet. Oleh kerana Islam adalah fenomena global, jelaslah bahawa prinsipnya harus dipegang dengan harga yang sesuai dengan statusnya dan tidak sepatutnya dianggap sebagai tidak relevan. Orang yang beragama dari setiap lapisan umur mesti mengekalkan adat mereka walaupun mendepani arus kemodenan yang mencabar. Matlamat terulung globalisasi adalah untuk menilai dan mengintegrasikan titik persamaan tentang pandangan dunia pada nilai murni Islam atau nilai murni barat dan bukannya mencetuskan polarisasi dan perpecahan. Oleh kerana globalisasi pada hari ini didominasi sepenuhnya dari pengaruh Barat, adalah sangat penting untuk meneliti perbezaan dari sudut tafsiran Muslim juga tentang globalisasi berhubung dengan penjelmaan modennya, untuk meneroka definisi yang berbeza, matlamat yang berubah-ubah dalam sistem pendidikan, mengetepikan tradisi dan bahasa tempatan, faktor-faktor yang diperoleh daripada kemunculan "keberanian otak" dari negara-negara tertentu, tindakan Islam yang sesuai sebagai tindak balas kepada globalisasi, dan akhirnya kepada persoalan, bagaimana pengurusan sektor awam perlu diperbaharui selaras dengan realiti globalisasi dan falsafah Islam kerajaan dan pentadbiran dalam era kontemporari? Walaubagaimanapun, menuruti contoh model kapitalis barat dan meminggirkan sektor awam agama telah menghasilkan pelbagai tindak balas dalam MMCs. Reaksi sedemikian merangkumi pengasingan sosial yang meluas dan meningkatkan jurang ketidakpuasan dan menggalakkan persaingan yang tidak sihat berbanding untuk kerjasama. Kesemua realiti ini menimbulkan beberapa persoalan dan perdebatan yang tidak dapat dielakkan yang perlu ditangani dengan baik dari perspektif teori dan praktikal. Penelitian semula pada falsafah tadbir urus sektor awam yang dibantu oleh peranan agama terhadap dunia global yang serba berasaskan teknologi merupakan usaha penting untuk dilaksanakan. Oleh itu objektif utama penulisan ini adalah untuk meneroka model pentadbiran untuk tadbir urus sektor awam  yang akan memenuhi sosioekonomi, teknologi dan keperluan rohani daripada masyarakat. Data dari kertas ini dah dikumpulkan terutamanya dari sumber kedua iaitu analisis kandungan. ‘Model pentadbiran Islam’ seperti yang dicadangkan ole Al-Buraey dah digunakan sebagai asas teori bagi kajian ini. Kata Kunci:  Globalisasi, perkakasan dan perisian, Islam, Pengurusan Awam Baru, Model Pentadbiran Islam.  


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 255-279 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ileana Steccolini

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to reflect various pathways for public sector accounting and accountability research in a post-new public management (NPM) context. Design/methodology/approach The paper first discusses the relationship between NPM and public sector accounting research. It then explores the possible stimuli that inter-disciplinary accounting scholars may derive from recent public administration studies, public policy and societal trends, highlighting possible ways to extend public sector accounting research and strengthen dialogue with other disciplines. Findings NPM may have represented a golden age, but also a “golden cage,” for the development of public sector accounting research. The paper reflects possible ways out of this golden cage, discussing future avenues for public sector accounting research. In doing so, it highlights the opportunities offered by re-considering the “public” side of accounting research and shifting the attention from the public sector, seen as a context for public sector accounting research, to publicness, as a concept central to such research. Originality/value The paper calls for stronger engagement with contemporary developments in public administration and policy. This could be achieved by looking at how public sector accounting accounts for, but also impacts on, issues of wider societal relevance, such as co-production and hybridization of public services, austerity, crises and wicked problems, the creation and maintenance of public value and democratic participation.


2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 23
Author(s):  
Wael Omran Aly

Abstract:After the Second World War, the newly emerged independent third world countries faced immense problems such as poverty, illiteracy, poor health, low agriculture and industrial productivity and social instability. The idea of development administration was born with the above-stated pragmatic concern. Since then, third world countries strived to adopt development administration principles and techniques; in order to transform their conventional traditional public administration into modern development administration that can lead the prospective development.Such conventional public administration deals with regulatory aspects of administration such as law and order, judicial administration and revenue collection, development administration is concerned with the socio-economic developmental activities. Thus, traditional public administration is structure-oriented while developmental administration is action- oriented. Many third world countries failed in realizing such desired shift by converting its conventional public administration to effective development administration; able to achieve the intended national development via the formulation and the implementation of plans, policies, programs and projects necessary for sustainable development purposes. Such bad governance had led the people to go up against such government; as it happens lately in some Arab countries like Egypt and Tunisia.Therefore, the public sector in Egypt need to be deregulated, a new results-based management is a must; to hold managers accountable. This is a fundamental change: holding managers accountable for what they do, not how they do it. The public sector reform initiatives (especially the New Public management –NPM) have resulted in changing the accountability concept; from accountability in terms of procedural compliance to accountability in terms of efficiency and results (effectiveness and cost effectiveness).  


Author(s):  
Babak Sohrabi ◽  
Amir Khanlari

Public administration has been challenged by “new public management” and “government redesign” paradigms. In addition, the relationship between government and citizen has been changed dramatically based on the mentioned paradigm shift. Customer orientation in the public sector is one of the changes originated from the private sector’s principles and paradigms. Nowadays, scholars emphasize applying concepts and techniques of customer orientation in e-government. In this text, firstly, customer orientation and its importance in government activities, especially e-government, is described. Then, principles, applications, and experiences of citizen relationship management as a technique of customer-oriented governments are described.


2015 ◽  
pp. 2183-2199
Author(s):  
Babak Sohrabi ◽  
Amir Khanlari

Public administration has been challenged by “new public management” and “government redesign” paradigms. In addition, the relationship between government and citizen has been changed dramatically based on the mentioned paradigm shift. Customer orientation in the public sector is one of the changes originated from the private sector's principles and paradigms. Nowadays, scholars emphasize applying concepts and techniques of customer orientation in e-government. In this text, firstly, customer orientation and its importance in government activities, especially e-government, is described. Then, principles, applications, and experiences of citizen relationship management as a technique of customer-oriented governments are described.


2018 ◽  
Vol 189 (4) ◽  
pp. 116-127
Author(s):  
Joanna Drobiazgiewicz

Due to the need for public sector reforms, a number of actions are being undertaken to improve the delivery of public services. New Public Management is one of the concepts that assumes the introduction of management methods and techniques modelled on the private sector into the public sector. In line with this new concept of customer manage-ment, service recipients are perceived not as supplicants but as customers. The aim of the article is to present the directions of changes in information flows in relations between public administration and economic entities related to the implementation of new public management. The article presents the basic assumptions of the New Public Management concept. Subsequently, the attention is paid to the types of information and methods of communication in relations of public administration with business entities. Electronic means are becoming one of the most important channels of information flow. The imple-mentation of modern information and communication technologies enables electronic da-ta exchange, creation of electronic documents, e-services and electronic access to infor-mation.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (2) ◽  
pp. 290-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hyo Joo Lee ◽  
Hyun Gyu Oh ◽  
Sung Min Park

Ethical values and performance have gained importance in the Korean public sector because of the new public management wave and social issues such as corruption. This study examines how the effects of types of organizational culture, such as performance-driven culture and ethics-driven culture, serve as the antecedents of public service motivation (PSM) among central government agencies, public enterprises, and executive agencies in Korea. Furthermore, it investigates how trust in top management affects PSM and how organizational culture moderates this relationship. A survey of 1,216 Korean public employees and seven focus group interviews show that trust in management strongly predicts PSM. Performance-driven culture is positively and significantly associated with norm-based PSM and affective PSM, and ethics-driven culture predicts rational PSM. The moderating effects of organizational culture differ by PSM dimension.


2017 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Beata Glinka ◽  
Przemyslaw G. Hensel

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to show how the identities of the employees of Polish public administration are shaped in the process of public system reforms. Design/methodology/approach The findings are based on interviews with 40 employees of the Polish public administration. The authors have used open interviews as well as projective methods to discover and explore beliefs and attitudes of bureaucrats towards their work and the system of public administration. The selected sample was diversified both spatially and systematically to reflect the diversity of organisations that constitute the Polish public administration system. Grounded theory was used for data coding and interpretation. Findings The study indicates that organisational change initiatives designed to enhance the quality and efficiency of public administration may have negative impacts on the identities of public servants and may lead to their increased incapacity. Rather than sparking entrepreneurial behaviours and transforming bureaucrats into managers, introduction of the rhetoric of New Public Management and New Public Governance in the Polish public administration has contributed to strengthening of classical dysfunctions of bureaucracy. Research limitations/implications The results imply that the understanding of organisational changes in the Eastern European public sector – which are usually studied through the lenses of regulation and economy – would benefit from more sociologically and historically oriented studies. The limitations of our results are associated with the adopted qualitative subjective methodology. Practical implications Foreign-born templates of reforms may appear to be logical and coherent but they rest on certain assumptions about identities and value structures that are not necessarily congruent with the identities at the adoption site. For that reason, successful reform projects need to consider and problematise the content and shape of culturally conditioned identities. Social implications Understanding of public sector reforms’ implication should lead to the improvement of change programmes as well as to the evolution of public administration towards a form more desired by the society. It is especially important as Polish society considers public administration as one of factors influencing (in a negative way) the quality of life. Originality/value The paper provides insight into public administration reforms in Poland and their impact on public servants’ identities.


2016 ◽  
Vol 83 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 99-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alketa Peci ◽  
Marcelo Fornazin

Assessments of public administration research in the Global South are relatively scarce, although they are relevant in moving beyond a North–South dichotomy in understanding the knowledge-building process of public administration. In this article, we apply a content analysis to 592 Brazilian publications in order to assess the subjects of the studies, their cognitive orientations, their methodological strategies, and their institutional aspects, and compare these results with previous evaluations of North American publications. Our findings indicate that a “North American way of doing research” is gaining ground as the legitimate way of doing public administration research in Brazil, despite a research agenda that reflects subjects of practical relevance to the Brazilian public sector. Such intellectual mimesis, associated with the existence of a weak and unequal institutional network for academic research, may influence the “parochialism” of public administration research. Points for practitioners The research reveals that the subjects of public administration publications also reflect the dynamics of public administration as a field of practice, reflected in topics of empirical interest to the Brazilian public sector that are cognitively and, partly, methodologically discussed from a North American perspective. The similar trends in the cognitive dimensions that both regions share may also recursively reflect the diffusion of public sector reforms from developed to developing countries, particularly as a consequence of New Public Management, which has also taken place in countries like Brazil.


2015 ◽  
pp. 89-105
Author(s):  
Babak Sohrabi ◽  
Amir Khanlari

Public administration has been challenged by “new public management” and “government redesign” paradigms. In addition, the relationship between government and citizen has been changed dramatically based on the mentioned paradigm shift. Customer orientation in the public sector is one of the changes originated from the private sector's principles and paradigms. Nowadays, scholars emphasize applying concepts and techniques of customer orientation in e-government. In this text, firstly, customer orientation and its importance in government activities, especially e-government, is described. Then, principles, applications, and experiences of citizen relationship management as a technique of customer-oriented governments are described.


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