Download presentation
Presentation is loading. Please wait.
Published byMarilyn Hunter Modified over 8 years ago
2
RETHINKING PUBLIC SECTOR DEVELOPMENT: IS NEW PUBLIC MGT (NPM) A PANACEA OR DILEMMA? INTRODUCTION Definition Core Drivers Features Theoretical roots Selected application: New Zealand, African countries Nigeria and Zambia Strengths/Achievements of NPM Weaknesses of NPM Panacea of dilemma? Conclusion & Recommendation 17/06/20161
3
NPM MODEL Is NPM the answer to sustainable development? What is NPM? Re-organizing the public sector from a traditional Weberian bureaucratic model to a market –oriented public sector. Application of: institutional economics such as the public choice theory, Principal/Agent theory and Transactioncoststheory managerialism or private sector styles of management to the public sector such as focusing results and flexibility When? In the 1980’s, among OECD Countries 6/11/201 6 2
4
CORE DRIVERS OF NPM:WHY NPM? Economic and fiscal stress Inefficiency of the Weberian model of bureaucracy/traditional public Self-serving bureaucrats Political and ideological factors Enhanced civic awareness of citizens Change agents/think tanks Information technology Lending policies of the Breton Wood institutions - SAPs in developing countries 17/06/2016 3
5
COMMON FEATURES Customer focus, value for money, accountability Contracting-out/outsourcing, user fees, PPPs, privatization Downsizing, lean government, mean government Explicit targets, measurement of results/ performance mgt Results, output-outcome based budgets, accrual accounting Strategic approach Decentralization, disaggregation of units, Separation of purchaser (financial) from provider (organizational) Discipline in resource utilization (human resources/financial) 17/06/2016 4
6
THEORETICAL ROOTS OF NPM Institutional Economic theory Public choice theory – promote bureaucratic pluralism/curtail direct provision Principal/Agent theory –separate provider & purchaser, create contractual relationships Transaction cost theory - introduce market testing/competition to lower transaction costs Private sector principles Managerialism: results, flexibiity, trategic approach 17/06/2016 5
7
NPM IN NEW ZEALAND RADICAL REFORMS & BENEFITS: Creation of agencies – disaggregation of units Clarity of objectives Freedom to manage – managers responsible for results Accountability Effective assessment of performance Adequate information flows More efficiency, and fiscal control MAJOR CHALLENGE: lack of co-ordination. Fragmentation has occurred because of the creation of many different agencies INTERVENTION: Rebuild or reassert the centre - Whole-of- Government (WOG)- strengthening vertical and horizontal communication. Is this the return of the old model? 17/06/2016 6
8
NPM IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES Nigeria: Return of democratic governance in 1999 restructuring the civil service -down-sizing and right-sizing regime creation of autonomy in public organizations An attempt to incorporate modern technology - E-governance. budget implementation tie to specific goals, and objectives, or programme commercialization and privatization of SOEs 17/06/2016 7
9
NPM IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES ZAMBIA From the1990s PRIVATIZATION Commercialization of SOEs PSRP – Rationalization of structures, rightsizing/downsizing, decentralization Shift from input(line – item) budgets to (output/outcome) budgeting National Decentralization Policy Corporate governance/Board of Directors eg school Boards PPPs E-vouchers (FISP) Formulation of citizens’ charter - on-going 6/11/201 6 8
10
NPM IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES: MAJOR ACHIEVEMENTS Rationalization of structures, rightsizing/downsizing, decentralization Embracing e-governance Introduction of user fees /efficiency, customer orientation 6/11/201 6 9
11
NPM IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES: MAJOR WEAKNESSES Emphasis on professional management in public sector is yet to be achieved eg: recruitment practices Laying of explicit standards and measures of performance is not properly and regularly enhanced. Fixed jobs subsist A shift to greater emphasis on output controls /results is a challenge because a result of cultural affirmative practices in our administrative system eg centralized decision making A shift to disaggregation of units in the public sector organization has not been properly done (huge government depts)- political will A stress on greater discipline and parsimony in resource use has not been achieved: inflated costs of contracts/corruption Partial rather than strict application of NPM - ‘old wine in new bottles’ Developing institutional frameworks: political &legal framework 6/11/201 6 10
12
NPM: STRENGTHS AFRICAN SAPs led to efficiency but sustainability –a challenge Reduction of public deficits BUT retrenchment packages “reversed” the gains in efficiency Rightsizing Job losses, high unemployment levels from SAPs and e- government 6/11/201 6 11
13
NPM: DILEMMAS DILEMMAS: contention that contractual production is always more efficient than direct bureaucratic production is not borne out in evidence customers and citizens are not the same Public sector fundamentally different from the private sector NPM tends to challenge the very goal and core values/high ethical standards of public administration: equity, university, prestige of the public sector. Too much state vs too small state/lean government in developing states What happens when there is market failure? Government intervention through price controls, direct provision. E-government risks 6/11/201 6 12
14
CONCLUSION NPM MODEL: A PANACEA TO PUBLIC SECTOR PROBLEMs? It is a partial solution – efficiency, customer focus, democratic administration. However, There are dilemmas- lean state tends to undermine the development role of the state particularly in developing countries Core values of the public sector are challenged by NPM Recommendation: apply “softer version” of NPM BUT harsh measures like privatization should be applied cautiously and as a last resort 17/06/2016 13
15
THANK YOU 6/11/201 6 14
Similar presentations
© 2025 SlidePlayer.com. Inc.
All rights reserved.