1. CENTRALISATION AND DECENTRALISATION
OF HRM
SPAIN. CASE STUDY.
A DOUBLE EXPERIENCE
JOSÉ LÓPEZ CALVO
Human Resources Working Group
Vienna, 6/7 February 2006

2. DECENTRALISATION FROM STATE TO LOCAL AND REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION

3. 1. DISTRIBUTION OF THE STAFF
Prior political decision. Spain is a highly decentralised country. Staff allocation and HRM is a continuation to the transfer of competences to the Regional and Local Administrations.
A clear proof is the distribution of the staff among the different Administrations.
Nowadays State Administration is the smallest.
1983
2005
State Administration
(80%)
(23%)
Regional Administration
(Autonomous Communities)
( 6%)
(50%)
Local Administration
(14%)
(27%)
TOTAL
80% of the staff of the biggest Administration (Regional) is allocated in Health and non university education.

4. 2. “BASES”. KEYPOINT
The coordination in human resources between State Administration and the Local and Regional Administrations is based on the concept of “bases”.
The Spanish Constitution (art ) attributes to the State the competence on “elaboration of the bases refered to the legal frame of the civil servants”. Bases must be compulsory followed.

5. 3. CONTENT OF THE BASES
The Constitutional Court has ruled that “Bases” should prevail. Bases include, among others, principles concerning:
access
principles of promotion
administrative situations
incompatibilities
But it’s –in the conception of the Constitutional Court– an “open concept”.
Thus, State legislation on civil servants differentiates the content which is basic (affects to the three Administrations) and the content which refers only to the State Administration.

6. 4. THE CURRENT REFORM OF THE CONCEPT OF BASES
At the current stage, the Government is elaborating a new “basic statute” which will rule the concept of “bases” related to civil servants.
The tendency is to “reduce” the bases. The current definition was made 20 years ago and the decentralisation process has significantly developed since.

7. DECENTRALISATION.
WITHIN THE STATE ADMINISTRATION

8. Most of the decisions concerning structure and remunerations in the different bodies of the State Administration (including special Agencies) must pass through a Common Body composed of representatives of the Human Resources Department and Finance Department.
It’s a previous and centralised control.

9. ISSUES

10. Why issues decentralised:
the political structure of the State is very important. A decentralised country is followed by decentralisation of staff and HRM.
is centralization versus decentralization a new version of the typical dilemma between certainty (centralisation) and efficiency (decentralisation)?
Trends:
Why issues decentralised:
it may reflect the result of a political tension among central and periphery partners.
political and conceptual tendency.
performance related-pay, management by objectives (MBO)… only if the Direction has tools to implement the measures.

11. LESSONS ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES CENTRALISATION UNIFORMITY.
COMMON MODEL.
PREVIOUS CONTROL. EASY.
EASY CONTROL OF BUDGET.
EXCESIVE RIGIDITY.
TENSIONS DEPARTMENTS-CENTRAL BODIES.
PROBABLY LESS EFFICIENCY.
DECENTRALISATION
FLEXIBILITY.
MODERN MANAGEMENT (GOVERNANCE).
MOTIVATION.
MORE PARTICIPATIVE MANAGEMENT.
PROBABLY MORE EFFICIENCY.
DIFFICULTY OF EX-POST CONTROL. THE MISTAKE IS MADE. CAN BE DONE?
INEFFICIENCY OF THE JURISDICTIONAL CONTROL EX-POST.
TENDENCY TO TRANSFORM “RULES” INTO “ORIENTATIONS”.
DIFFERENCES.
DISCRIMINATIONS IN THE CONDITIONS OF CIVIL SERVANTS (e.g.: remunerations).