Legitimization as Granted by the Client: Reflections on the Compatability of New Public Management and Direct Democracy
Series
Advances in international comparative management. a research annual.. SupplementÂ
ISBN
0-7623-0376-X
Type
book section
Date Issued
1997
Author(s)
Abstract
Whereas many industrialized nations, particularly among the English-speaking ones, have been working quite intensively on the development and implementation of new models of public management for some years, the German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) would appear to be lagging behind in this respect. Although efforts have been increased to reform the public administration systems in accordance with the criteria of the New Public Management in all these countries, they have met with substantial resistance, which is generated by the traditionally bureaucratic, input-based and higly legality-oriented politico-administrative system itself. The NPM movement in German-speaking countries only became topical in the early 1990s; concrete, comprehensive and consistent implementations may therefore hardly be expected before the end of the century. For some time, several public administrations in the German-speaking area - above all at the local level in Germany and Switzerland (Kommunen and Gemeinden) as well as at the state level (Länder and Kantone, respectively) - have been experimenting with models of public management which have their source in the philosophy of the New Public Management. For a comprehensive representation of the projects in Switzerland as at the end of June 1995, see Haldemann and Schedler (1995, pp. 99ff). The business-administrative discoveries that have resulted from these experiments are impressive even at this early stage of development and are gradually leading to a continuous increase in reform projects. The necessary changes in strategy, structure and culture are being recognized, initiated and implemented step by step even if this is not always done under the heading of the NPM but appears in the guise of management accounting, re-organization or general governmental reform. What is largely missing, however, is evidence of long-term compatibility between the model of NPM and systems of (half-)direct democracy. It is argued by critics of the NPM that the major tasks of the NPM are inconsistent with the traditional Rechtsstaat that takes its legitimation from (half-direct) democratic rules (see Knoepfel 1995, pp. 454 ff).
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
Refereed
No
Book title
International perspectives on the new public management
Publisher
Jai Press
Publisher place
Greenwich
Number
3
Start page
145
End page
168
Pages
24
Subject(s)
Eprints ID
13355
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Format
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