Changes seen by society have induced a fresh set of highly problematic and complex issues that have a bearing on the models of governance used in public administration. The global financial crisis, migration issues, rise of extremist right-wing parties, populism, ecological issues and others make it a requirement to review the efficiency and effectiveness of current governance models in order to ensure the needs of modern society are being met. Therefore, our paper aimed to perform a systematic review of public governance model research (PGM) with emphasis on governance principles of efficiency and effectiveness. This aim was achieved by following an original methodology that encompassed three consecutive research phases. In the first phase, based on 100 keywords, all possibly relevant scientific papers in relation to public governance models were downloaded from the Scopus database. This resulted in over 7,000 papers within a timespan from 1986 to 2016 being downloaded. In the 2nd phase, these papers were thoroughly evaluated with a view to narrowing the broad set of papers down to relevant ones. This was done by means of two complementary activities. First, a computer program was developed, enabling us to list the downloaded papers, based on the frequency of keywords used within the abstract, title and keywords. Consequently, papers with a focus on public governance model efficiency and effectiveness could easily be identified and separated from less relevant ones. Second, experts were asked to review the identified papers and provide information about any possible ones that were missing. The iterative process led to a final database of 435 papers, representing input for the 3rd research phase. This phase entailed application of the method of content analysis. The known QDA Miner 5.0.11 software package was selected as the main tool for the analysis. The following elements of analysis were primarily considered: (1) paper frequency over period of time; (2) the coverage and geographical occurance of governance models; (3) the coverage of model effectiveness and efficiency. The research results reveal growing research interest in the topic of public governance models: up until 1997, fewer than 5 Scopus papers a year were relevant, with the number rising to 22 units in 2008 and already to 52 in 2015. Interestingly, most of the papers focus on the New Public Management (NPM) public governance model and subsequent critical rethinking, as indicated by post-NPM reforms. The remaining papers mainly correspond to public governance models: Weberian model, the Digital-era governance model, Good governance, New public governance and alternative/hybrid models. As regards geographical coverage, evidence is shown of core Anglo-Australasian core NPM enthusiasts, the NWS – oriented continental European states, and the Northern European states, experiencing mainly a combination of the aforementioned models. Another important finding is that in Southeastern Europe, due to lacking statistical significance of the index, no reliable conclusions could be drawn about the dominant governance model(s). This underlines the importance of further governance model research in this region. As regards the investigated governance principles, it is noteworthy the principle of governance effectiveness has only recently gained significant momentum. Efforts should thus continue to investigate the methods and metrics of public governance model analysis to ensure the optimal scientific basis for efficient and effective governance.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 5197230The purpose of this paper is to develop a conceptual framework, which can act proactively as an enabler and driver of progress within the public administration. The originality of the framework is based on the following improvements, enabling an innovative evaluation of principles and public administration management/governance models, previously not achieved: 1) taking into account more than 100 elements of administrative organization as suggested by respected scientific and professional PA literature (components, representing institutional values and objectives, management and strategy, structure and processes, culture, cooperation with the environment, incentives, results, etc.); 2) looking beyond the traditional narrow NPM-led focus of performance measurement systems, consequently encompassing and linking the numerous administrative norms/principles (Accountability, Effectiveness and efficiency, Rule of law, Transparency, Participation, Equity and inclusiveness, Consensus, Responsiveness); 3) assigning adequate importance to these principles with regard to internationally recognized and emerging models of administrative (re)organization (NPM, (Neo)-Weberian state, Good governance, Collaborative governance, Interactive governance, Digital-Era Governance,…); 4) ensuring the adaptability of the framework to different PA segments (e.g. service-oriented and authoritative ones); 5) providing referential values, guiding systematic administrative improvement within the participating institutions, which can also be dynamically adjusted, thereby overcoming limitations of the existing finite-state model of public administration. The framework is operationalized, based on a systematic methodology, encompassing three phases. In the first phase, theoretical starting points were prepared, based on a literature review of over 1,000 WoS, Scopus & Google Scholar indexed publications, the team's inputs and other sources (existing measurement frameworks, questionnaires, experts, etc.). This served as a basis for a comprehensive empirical study, which followed in the second phase. Hence, a questionnaire was prepared, encompassing over 100 elements of administrative organization, tailored to the core principles of public administration, principle subforms and the linkages between the latter. The questionnaire was addressed at selected authoritative and service-oriented PA segments, so as to get information on current & optimum state of operation and governance. Next, a state-of-the art analysis followed, grouping the questionnaire items into administrative principles, and weighting the latter according to their statistically indicated importance for different models of administrative (re)organization. The preliminary results of a pilot study within the Slovenian PA clearly show the proposed conceptual framework’s usability as a tool for the identification of prevailing PA models and model optimisation within a wide range of PA institutions. Moreover, this optimisation can be systematically guided, ranging from the core PA principles, their (inter)relations and, finally, the underlying activities within an institution. A developed conceptual framework for evaluation can be an effective tool for both, decision makers and public managers to evaluate a current state within the public administration and to determine trajectories for further PA reforms.
B.03 Paper at an international scientific conference
COBISS.SI-ID: 5342638Special issue of the Central European Public Administration Review (CEPAR) with the title “From traditional to new governance models in public administration: General principles, regional practices and trends” contains 10 scientific articles that are closely related to the content of the project. The articles address various challenges in public administration at the state and local levels, where the authors present selected aspects in case studies from different countries.
C.03 Guest-associated editor
COBISS.SI-ID: 293849600Modernisation of public administration represents one of the key priorities of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the EU 2020 (post) EU development strategies and the EU Member States% national strategies. Meeting the growing demands for improving the efficiency, effectiveness, transparency and quality of services is thus of strategic importance for public administrations in many countries. Compared to good foreign practices of modernizing public administration, Slovenia lacks comprehensive interdisciplinary approaches, as activities in the past have often been at odds with one another due to a lack of evaluation and consensus on implementation. This is, among other things, reflected in complex regulation that brings lengthy administrative procedures and administrative barriers stemming from existing legislation and regulations. At the same time, the identification of more appropriate public administration models that would allow the whole process to be optimised from design to implementation itself is hampered by the lack of studies that would examine the problem with sufficient comprehensiveness. Especially in Slovenia and other Central and Eastern European countries. Consequently, the purpose of the article is to develop a holistic governance model (HGM) for the PA and to test with regard to institutions designing and implementing regulations in the Slovenian PA. The HGM is based on an original methodology, covering 5 complementary phases.
B.06 Other
COBISS.SI-ID: 5343662Regulations are not an end in themselves; they are a means of delivering tangible benefits to the state / citizens, to address common challenges. For a well-targeted, evidence-based, flexible, responsive, and simple or understandably written regulation that knows the context and the people in which and for whom it is implemented, there is a greater likelihood of proper implementation, response, and achievement of objectives on the ground. Rules corresponding to this purpose are essential for the rule of law, for the protection of common values and for the efficient functioning of public administration and the private sector. Quality regulations are those regulations that are well prepared, broadly socially acceptable and are properly implemented in practice. Improving the regulatory environment is also one of the priorities of the European Commission and Slovenia, which is presented in its recommendations of the European Commission and the World Bank annual analyses Doing Business and OECD documents. Contributions go beyond the usual understanding of better regulation and, in addition to design, link them to their effective enforcement. Since in today's society both the formulation and the implementation of regulations, are largely based on the state, public administration, this monograph should represent a piece in the direction of better, more responsive, systemic regulation.
C.02 Editorial board of a national monograph
COBISS.SI-ID: 301771776