COMPARATIVE PUBLIC
ADMINISTRATION AND
MANAGEMENT
Brenna
BPM mast
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Table of contents
Table of contents .................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
PART 1: Differences between countries................................................................................................ 5
1.1 The 2 analytical dimensions ................................................................................................... 5
1) Administrative traditions & cultures ....................................................................................... 5
2) Political-institutional features ................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Determine 5 idealtypical models of public administration in Europe .................................. 7
I. The Continental European Napoleonic model ........................................................................ 7
II. The Continental European federal model ............................................................................... 7
III. The Nordic/Scandinavian model ......................................................................................... 8
IV. The Anglo-Saxon model ....................................................................................................... 8
V. The Central Eastern and South Eastern European model ....................................................... 8
1.3 Comparative dimension: civil service .................................................................................... 9
Size of civil service ........................................................................................................................... 9
Recruitment of people .................................................................................................................. 10
Entanglement/Influence of politics in civil service ........................................................................ 10
1.4 Comparing 3 countries from 3 models ................................................................................. 11
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT ................................................................................................................. 12
STATE STRUCTURE ......................................................................................................................... 14
CIVIL SERVICE COMPARED ............................................................................................................. 16
PART 2: Different public sector reform trajectories ........................................................................... 18
2.1 Introduction to administrative reforms and theory ............................................................ 18
A) Different types of administrative reforms ............................................................................ 18
B) Conceptual model of public management reform ................................................................ 20
C) Theory of neo-institutionalism .............................................................................................. 22
D) Explaining administrative reforms ........................................................................................ 25
2.2 (Vertical) inter-governmental reforms ................................................................................ 26
❖ Federalization & regionalization ........................................................................................... 26
❖ Decentralization & deconcentration ..................................................................................... 28
Cross-country comparison............................................................................................................. 31
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 31
2.3 Territorial reforms ................................................................................................................ 33
1
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Comparative local government ..................................................................................................... 33
Territorial reforms ......................................................................................................................... 36
Comparison between territorial models ....................................................................................... 37
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 38
2.4 Privatization .......................................................................................................................... 40
Concepts and definitions ............................................................................................................... 40
Organizational privatization .......................................................................................................... 42
Functional privatization ................................................................................................................. 43
Cross-country comparison............................................................................................................. 43
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 45
2.5 Modernization ...................................................................................................................... 47
Concepts and definitions ............................................................................................................... 47
Modernizing organizational structures ......................................................................................... 48
Modernizing organisational procedures ....................................................................................... 49
Convergence, divergence: explanatory factors ............................................................................. 51
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 51
2.6 Comparative summary ......................................................................................................... 54
Reform discourses – 4 slogans ...................................................................................................... 54
Reform implementation ................................................................................................................ 55
Explaining reform .......................................................................................................................... 56
Part 3: Research comparative public administration .......................................................................... 58
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 58
Position in the course .................................................................................................................... 58
3 reform paradigms ....................................................................................................................... 58
Many reforms, little knowledge about outcomes ......................................................................... 59
Two problems !.............................................................................................................................. 59
Understanding elites ..................................................................................................................... 59
3.2 Civil servants’ values and behaviour .................................................................................... 61
Values of public officials ................................................................................................................ 61
Behaviour of public officials .......................................................................................................... 63
3.3 Results and effects of reform ............................................................................................... 65
Public administration reforms and outcomes ............................................................................... 65
NPM reforms and effects .............................................................................................................. 66
2
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Part 4: Extra case lectures .................................................................................................................... 69
4.1 Participatory governance ..................................................................................................... 69
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 69
Participatory governance in UK ..................................................................................................... 70
Participatory governance in Ireland .............................................................................................. 70
4.2 Covid-19 and comparative public administration ............................................................... 72
The situation .................................................................................................................................. 72
Government responses ................................................................................................................. 73
Explanations for variation in responses ........................................................................................ 73
Federal states ................................................................................................................................ 74
Comparing performance ............................................................................................................... 74
3
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Introduction
Overview of course:
> Comparing, getting to know other systems, makes you understand your own system better
According to book: Kuhlmann and Wollmann (2019)
4
, All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
PART 1: Differences between countries
> How do countries differ according to some important variables?
Chapter 2.1.1
1.1 The 2 analytical dimensions
To compare administrative systems beyond national borders, different typologies and analytical
concepts have been proposed using yardsticks.
1) Traditions & cultures focusing on legal families and administrative cultures
2) Political-institutional features highlighting the multilevel macro-structure of public administration
1) Administrative traditions & cultures
→ 2 big distinctions in Europe
“The legal tradition of a country has a significant influence on the dominant values in administrative action and the way in
which policies are implemented or legal provisions executed, as well as the relationship between politics, citizens and
administration. This also applies vice versa.”
→ determines the context in which you work as a civil servant and thus your actions
Summary of most important distinguishing features:
5
ADMINISTRATION AND
MANAGEMENT
Brenna
BPM mast
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Table of contents
Table of contents .................................................................................................................................... 1
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
PART 1: Differences between countries................................................................................................ 5
1.1 The 2 analytical dimensions ................................................................................................... 5
1) Administrative traditions & cultures ....................................................................................... 5
2) Political-institutional features ................................................................................................. 6
1.2 Determine 5 idealtypical models of public administration in Europe .................................. 7
I. The Continental European Napoleonic model ........................................................................ 7
II. The Continental European federal model ............................................................................... 7
III. The Nordic/Scandinavian model ......................................................................................... 8
IV. The Anglo-Saxon model ....................................................................................................... 8
V. The Central Eastern and South Eastern European model ....................................................... 8
1.3 Comparative dimension: civil service .................................................................................... 9
Size of civil service ........................................................................................................................... 9
Recruitment of people .................................................................................................................. 10
Entanglement/Influence of politics in civil service ........................................................................ 10
1.4 Comparing 3 countries from 3 models ................................................................................. 11
TYPE OF GOVERNMENT ................................................................................................................. 12
STATE STRUCTURE ......................................................................................................................... 14
CIVIL SERVICE COMPARED ............................................................................................................. 16
PART 2: Different public sector reform trajectories ........................................................................... 18
2.1 Introduction to administrative reforms and theory ............................................................ 18
A) Different types of administrative reforms ............................................................................ 18
B) Conceptual model of public management reform ................................................................ 20
C) Theory of neo-institutionalism .............................................................................................. 22
D) Explaining administrative reforms ........................................................................................ 25
2.2 (Vertical) inter-governmental reforms ................................................................................ 26
❖ Federalization & regionalization ........................................................................................... 26
❖ Decentralization & deconcentration ..................................................................................... 28
Cross-country comparison............................................................................................................. 31
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 31
2.3 Territorial reforms ................................................................................................................ 33
1
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Comparative local government ..................................................................................................... 33
Territorial reforms ......................................................................................................................... 36
Comparison between territorial models ....................................................................................... 37
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 38
2.4 Privatization .......................................................................................................................... 40
Concepts and definitions ............................................................................................................... 40
Organizational privatization .......................................................................................................... 42
Functional privatization ................................................................................................................. 43
Cross-country comparison............................................................................................................. 43
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 45
2.5 Modernization ...................................................................................................................... 47
Concepts and definitions ............................................................................................................... 47
Modernizing organizational structures ......................................................................................... 48
Modernizing organisational procedures ....................................................................................... 49
Convergence, divergence: explanatory factors ............................................................................. 51
Scientific paper .............................................................................................................................. 51
2.6 Comparative summary ......................................................................................................... 54
Reform discourses – 4 slogans ...................................................................................................... 54
Reform implementation ................................................................................................................ 55
Explaining reform .......................................................................................................................... 56
Part 3: Research comparative public administration .......................................................................... 58
3.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 58
Position in the course .................................................................................................................... 58
3 reform paradigms ....................................................................................................................... 58
Many reforms, little knowledge about outcomes ......................................................................... 59
Two problems !.............................................................................................................................. 59
Understanding elites ..................................................................................................................... 59
3.2 Civil servants’ values and behaviour .................................................................................... 61
Values of public officials ................................................................................................................ 61
Behaviour of public officials .......................................................................................................... 63
3.3 Results and effects of reform ............................................................................................... 65
Public administration reforms and outcomes ............................................................................... 65
NPM reforms and effects .............................................................................................................. 66
2
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Part 4: Extra case lectures .................................................................................................................... 69
4.1 Participatory governance ..................................................................................................... 69
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 69
Participatory governance in UK ..................................................................................................... 70
Participatory governance in Ireland .............................................................................................. 70
4.2 Covid-19 and comparative public administration ............................................................... 72
The situation .................................................................................................................................. 72
Government responses ................................................................................................................. 73
Explanations for variation in responses ........................................................................................ 73
Federal states ................................................................................................................................ 74
Comparing performance ............................................................................................................... 74
3
,All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
Introduction
Overview of course:
> Comparing, getting to know other systems, makes you understand your own system better
According to book: Kuhlmann and Wollmann (2019)
4
, All rights reserved to Prof. Bram Verschuere Book by Kuhlmann S. & Wollmann H.: Introduction to
comparative public administration: administrative systems and reforms in Europe
PART 1: Differences between countries
> How do countries differ according to some important variables?
Chapter 2.1.1
1.1 The 2 analytical dimensions
To compare administrative systems beyond national borders, different typologies and analytical
concepts have been proposed using yardsticks.
1) Traditions & cultures focusing on legal families and administrative cultures
2) Political-institutional features highlighting the multilevel macro-structure of public administration
1) Administrative traditions & cultures
→ 2 big distinctions in Europe
“The legal tradition of a country has a significant influence on the dominant values in administrative action and the way in
which policies are implemented or legal provisions executed, as well as the relationship between politics, citizens and
administration. This also applies vice versa.”
→ determines the context in which you work as a civil servant and thus your actions
Summary of most important distinguishing features:
5
