The Brits
had started this fashion in the 1970s – when it was only of interest to
oddities written off as “anoraks”, But
suddenly everyone wanted in on the act….
In the current
draft of How
did Admin Reform get to be so sexy? I suggest 15 questions as the best way
into the most interesting (and extensive) writing on the matter and note that
- Different parts of the world have their own very different approaches and ways of talking about the reform of public services. English language material has tended to dominate the literature; but
- Scandinavians, Germans and French let alone South Americans, Chinese and Indians have also developed important ideas and experience - of which English-speakers tend to be blithely unaware.
- We are overwhelmed by texts on reform experience but most written by academics – targeting their students and other academics. Where are the writers who can help the public make sense of it all?
- At least 8 very different groups have been active in shaping our thinking about “reform” efforts. These are - academics, politicians, think-tankers, global bodies, senior officials, consultants, journalists and an indeterminate group- each uses very different language and ideas
– with academics being the most prolific (but tending to talk in jargon amongst themselves; and therefore being ignored by the rest of us)- Some “old hands” have tried to summarise the experience for us in short and clear terms. The lesson, they suggest, is that little has changed…
- What is sad is how few “social justice” campaigners seem interested in this issue (Hilary Wainwright being an honourable exception….).
One of the
few groups positioned to act as a bridge between the public and the (extensive
but generally arcane) writing on the subject are journalists who choose, however, to titillate readers with tales of blunders
and corruption which – far from arousing protest and activism - only serves to develop cynicism and
fatalism
It’s
interesting that the book which helped spark off the global interest in what became known
as New Public Management – Reinventing
Government (1992) - was written by a consultant and journalist (David Osborne and Ted Graeber respectively).
It’s more than time for other journalists and consultants to get the finger out and follow suit
I've offered reading lists before on this subject - but this is my most up-to-date and considered shot yet....
It’s more than time for other journalists and consultants to get the finger out and follow suit
I've offered reading lists before on this subject - but this is my most up-to-date and considered shot yet....
The Best reading on the reform of public
services
It’s
remarkable how few titles are available to help the concerned citizen (or official)
make sense of the “reforms” which have deluged the public sector in the past
few decades – whether privatisation, restructuring or austerity. There are, of
course, thousands of academic books – but they have a weird focus on arcane and
incestuous matters and simply don’t ask the sort of questions most people are
interested in….
The
following may appear a long list – of the generalist books from the past 30 years I would recommend to
the activist - but the 15 books work out as one every 2 years!!
Dismembered – the ideological attack on the state; Polly Toynbee
and D Walker (2017) a clear analysis by two british journalists
“The
21st century public manager – challenges, people and strategies”;
Z van der Wal (2017) An interesting-looking book written by a Dutch academic and
consultant who has spent the past 7
years as a Prof at the University of Singapore
Reclaiming Public Services –
how cities and citizens are turning back privatisation; TNI (2017) An excellent
overview by the radical international think tank of this very welcome trend
How to Run a Government so
that Citizens Benefit and Taxpayers don’t go Crazy ; Michael Barber (2015). A
clearly written and rare book about the approaches favoured by a consultant who became Tony Blair’s favourite "go-to" fixer
The Fourth Revolution – the
global race to reinvent the state; J Micklewaithe and A Woolridge (2015) Editors of
no less a journal than The Economist give us a breathless neoliberal analysis
The Tragedy of the Private
– the potential of the public; Hilary Wainwright (PSI 2014) an important little
pamphlet
Public Sector Reform – but
not as we know it; Hilary Wainwright (Unison and TNI 2009) A rare readable
case study (Newcastle) of a bottom-up approach to
reform. We need much more of this.....
Leadership for the Common Good; Crosby and Bryson (2nd edition
2005) Probably the most comprehensive of the practical guides to getting the
public services working well. Clicking the title gives the entire 500 pages!
The Essential Public
Manager; Chris Pollitt (2003) A great and very practical analysis of the
political and technical aspects of the search for effective public services
“The Values of Bureaucracy”; Paul du Gay (2003) Proceedings of an academic conference on du Gay's 2000 book which was a rare attempt to rescue aspects od this all-too-easilymaligned institution. You should be able to access the full book by googling the title –
or try clicking this address blog.sciencenet.cn/home.php?mod=attachment&id=23845
“The Captive State – the corporate takeover of Britain; George Monbiot” (2000) A powerful
critique of the nature and scale of corporate involvement in our public
services which first alerted me to the nature of public-private partnerships
In
Praise of Bureaucracy; weber, organisation,
ethics; Paul du Gay (2000) It may be academic, but is clearly written and
has become a classic defence of a much maligned institution. Well reviewed
here
Change the World; Robert Quinn (2000) Simply the best analysis of the
process of social and organizational change
Creating
Public Value – strategic management in government; Mark Moore (1995) One of
the few books which actually looks at examples of effective leaders in
the public sector. Started a wave of (in-house) discussion which led to what
could be the third stage of public admin
Reinventing Government; David Osborne and
Graeber (1992) The book which started the New Public Management revolution.
More specialist recommended reads
Supporting small steps – a
rough guide for developmental professionals (Manning; OECD 2015)
A Governance Practitioner’s
Notebook – alternative ideas and approaches (Whaites et al OECD 2015)
Rethinking policy and
politics – reflections on contemporary debates in policy studies ed C Ayres (2014)
Reinventing Organisations; Frederic Laloux
(2014)
People,
Politics and Change - building communications strategy for governance reform (World Bank 2011)
The
21st Century Public Servant; C Needham and Mangham (undated)
Results of a British research project
The
Blacksburg Manifesto and the postmodern debate about PA; Marshall and White
(1990)
Public service trade unions
European Trade Unions (ETUC)
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