You are required to write a 1500-word essay that provides a detailed, critical analysis of a UK existing model of public management. undertake a review of the literature on that country’s system of public management. Drawing from public management theories and concepts, identify strengths and weaknesses in the model or models being used. Make recommendations, where appropriate, as to how limitations and challenges in the existing system of public management could be resolved. You are free to choose how you wish to structure the report. However, it recommended that your essay includes the following components:
Introduction – in which the structure of the report is laid out.
Analysis of existing system(s) in country – in which the existing system of public management in the country is described using key terms and concepts, that is, based on the traditional model or NPM or other approach(es), using evidence and examples to illustrate how certain practices and approaches fit with these concepts.
Critical reflection of approach(es) used in the country– in which the existing systems of public management in the country are critically assessed in terms of the theories and practical aspects, drawing on relevant academic sources of literature.
Recommendations – in which proposals for the use of other models, theories and tools are explored drawing on your wider reading.
Conclusions – in which the ideas are summarised. No new material should be included in a conclusion.
There is a wealth of information which will be of value in completing this report. This includes references to journal articles, books and other sources from the literature surrounding Public management.You are required to write a 1500-word essay which provides a detailed, critical analysis of a country’s existing model of public management. First, select a country of your choosing. Then, undertake a review of the literature on that country’s system of public management. Drawing from public management theories and concepts, identify strengths and weaknesses in the model or models being used. Make recommendations, where appropriate, as to how limitations and challenges in the existing system of public management could be resolved. You are free to choose how you wish to structure the report. However, it recommended that your essay includes the following components:
Introduction – in which the structure of the report is laid out.
Analysis of existing system(s) in country – in which the existing system of public management in the country is described using key terms and concepts, that is, based on the traditional model or NPM or other approach(es), using evidence and examples to illustrate how certain practices and approaches fit with these concepts.
Critical reflection of approach(es) used in the country– in which the existing systems of public management in the country are critically assessed in terms of the theories and practical aspects, drawing on relevant academic sources of literature.
Recommendations – in which proposals for the use of other models, theories and tools are explored drawing on your wider reading.
Conclusions – in which the ideas are summarised. No new material should be included in a conclusion.
There is a wealth of information which will be of value in completing this report. This includes references to journal articles, books and other sources from the literature surrounding Public management.
Example essay below !!!!!
Switzerland Public Management
In the early 1990s Switzerland introduced their New New public management model, Wirkungsorientierte Verwaltungsführung. Then in 1997 Switzerland developed this model by introducing the GMEB, Management by Performance and Global Budget Program. The GMEB focused on measuring the performance, of the 20 administration units it was implemented in, to maximise the results. By creating a performance mandate showing their objectives and how they will achieve these in the following years, building on approached used in NPM. The GMEB was however limited in terms of evaluating the performance and outcomes. To resolve the limitation Switzerland, in 2017, introduced the New Management Model, NMG. This model was used elements found in the GMEB and NPM models. Throughout this essay the unique public management model used in Switzerland will be reviewed. Firstly, an analysis of the model will be conducted, then the review will be built upon by developing a critical reflection of the model and identify some of the problems with the model, in which solutions will be provided.
Analysis of the New Management Model in Switzerland
Switzerland uses a three-tier system including the national, canton and local level. These different levels are assigned different tasks and responsibilities that are set put by principles included in the constitution. The local and regional level consists of communities and cities, who are usually the ones responsible for the public services. The public management at the local level shows evidence of NPM elements being used.
The New Management Model, NMG, was introduced in an attempt to encourage transparency, improve the management of federal administration, and facilitate steering at all levels. The introduction of NMG came along with the Integrated Task and Financing Plan (PITF), which required administrative units to provide their budgets in relation to the services they will be providing, along with their goals to be achieved in the coming years. By including the strategic aspect of the services provided and the performance contract including the operational aspect, it allows for parliament and the head of the department to have increased control.
The NMG works as follows, During the start of the parliamentary term, the priorities for the next 10 years are set out along with the financial plan, highlighting the budgetary expenditures. This is done by the federal council and the legislator. The PITF is then implemented in the annual federal budget for all administrative units. The use of PITF allows parliament to have better control gives them the right to amend upon submission. The head of the department and the head of the unit will then need to come to an agreement on the annual objectives and the projects listed in PITF which will result in a performance contract for the administrative units. The final step is used to control expenditures. This is achieved through
an analysis of the federal administrations accounting practices which results in transparency of the costs (Lander, S. Soguel, N. 2019).
The introduction of NMG has also improved the public services being provided, through a deeper analysis of the results the services are achieving. The model has also encouraged services to be produced in a more cost friendly manner, while ensuring that the services are of high quality. Administrative units are required to identify one to five of the groups it services, which allows administrative managers to know the activities being provided and monitor them. The services provided by the units are then analysed through the time, cost, and quantity, and satisfaction of the groups being served (Lander, S. Soguel, N. 2019).
Critical reflection of the NMG model
Switzerland uses a centralized electronic platform, ‘simap.ac’, that allows companies to bid and retain information on public contracts. The platform seeks to promote transparency, however it has been mentioned by numerous experts in interviews conducted by Mabillard, V. and Zumofen, R. that the website is ‘rigid and not agile enough’. Experts have also stated that government entities can be unwilling to release information and documents, making the ones attempting to retrieve this information seek legal action. This however can result in governmental entities appealing in an attempt to delay the process and make it more costly for the ones trying to obtain the information. This shows how some governmental entities are still not transparent. Sensitive information should be publicly shared, although business confidentiality should also be supported (Mabillard, V. Zumofen, R. 2020).
The use of Ltrans can be useful for people who want to access the information, however the entities can, again, refuse to release the information and try find a way around this or continue to appeal until the other party gives up. The limitation of language barriers between citizens can also be a factor affecting the transparency-accountability relationship as there are three national languages, however the information is not always translated, which can lead to low participation rates (Mabillard, V. Zumofen, R. 2020). In solution to this, every publication on the platform should be translated into each of the three languages to support transparency, equality, and increase participation.
It can be seen that the wide range of duties local authorities are expected to fulfil including education, social welfare, water and electricity supply, are too much for them to handle therefore, many of them turn to task agencies. With the introduction of NPM came helpful
reforms for this such as the participation from external experts and companies. Other reforms including citizen and customer surveys, and performance related pay were also introduced by NPM but have only had a small effect and usage (Schedler, K. 2003). There are also the main factors of right-wing vs left-wing conflict, and divides of different languages and cultures that restrain the NMG model from being successfully implemented throughout Switzerland (Schedler, K 2003).
Recommendations
In Switzerland’s constitution it sets out the elementary principles that will be divided between the three levels. The national level performs tasks that the cantons cannot, for example civil defence and public transportation. The fiscal equivalence principle is used, and it states that the body that benefits from the service will pay for it. This also means that the body that is paying for the service will be the one who has the most input on the decisions, although the services that are widely used may not be able to be paid for by the smaller cantons and therefore, they will not get their voice and inputs taken into account. The smallest cantons also sometimes get allocated tasks that exceeds their ability and therefore their costs. This also results in the small cantons paying for the tasks without gaining decision power (Giauque and Emery 2016). The introduction of a clear division of tasks and revenue sources between the different levels needs to be introduced to prevent cantons from having to finance tasks they do not have much input in. There also needs to be another change to the financial equalization scheme.
Switzerland may also benefit from the reorganization and division of public services. This can refer to their health care as it is currently provided by the cantons and communities. The introduction of a system similar to the one used in the United Kingdom, the National Health Service, may help to clearly identify the funding source and allocate more money to the necessary services. (Giauque and Emery 2016)
The distinction between public and private sectors is also unclear due to not all tasks needing to be performed by public administration bodies. This could be resolved through the introduction of a clear hierarchical structure. There is also the running of two systems, the
GMEB model in 20 units and the traditional model in 6 units. This should be abandoned and a model through which both the systems can run should be created in the federal administration, which would help improve transparency.
In conclusion the introduction of NMG has been beneficial for Switzerland’s public management as it has facilitated the evaluation of the performance of different tasks and services being provided, which the NPM model did not. It can also be seen that the NMG has encouraged transparency but a further push for accountability needs to occur and with that a higher level of transparency will come (Mabillard, V. Zumofen, R. 2020). The NMG also aimed to improve the management of federal administration and it did to a certain degree. There are some limitations identified such as the task allocations between the different levels, however this can be resolved through a clear division of task allocations and the financial equalization scheme being updated.
Bibliography
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Lander, S. Soguel, N. (2019) ‘Swiss Public Administration’ pp 159-185 [Online] Available at: https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-319-92381-9_9#citeas
Mabillard, V. Zumofen, R. (2020) ‘Transparency and Accountability – The Case of Public Procurement Practices in Switzerland’ [Online] Available at: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1087724X19898699
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