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1010 Class 4: Accountability in the Public Sector

Part 1: What is Public Administration? ► Administration

in its simplest form is the art or effort of getting any job done. ► As humans we are limited in our accomplishment of tasks by our own physical and environmental restrictions. ► As organizational units we are better able to handle or administer tasks or goals.

Why has it grown as a practice? ► Cooperative

action has shorted our ability to accomplish goals and tasks that better society as a whole. ► The human capacity for wants is virtually unlimited whereas the resources to meet these needs is limited.

Role of the Civil Service ► While

the civil service is theoretically supposed to be concerned only with the administration of policy, in practice the vast majority of government initiatives originates within the civil service. ► This is because the civil service is a solution provider. While politicians are good at identifying problems they are not so good at fixing them.

Why separate administration from Politics? ► It

is important to separate administration from politics. ► Politics is about how to exercise power, carrying out the will of the electorate. ► Public Administration is about carrying out the will of the political decision maker to the best of your ability.

The Practice of Public Administration ► Up

until the 1950’s the concept of Management, regardless of it was public or business were viewed identically. ► During the great Depression, however, the idea of business administration had almost poisonous connotations. ► Public Administration therefore became a separate discipline.

What are those differences? ►

► ►

The concept of a career in the public service. Lifetime employment and high expectations. Security in tenure and rights in employment. Once past the initial probationary period, the employee could expect to remain in employment until his/her retirement.

What are those differences? ► Focus:

Business Administration the focus is primarily on the company. ► Focus: Public Administration the focus is more diverse. The Legislature, The Executive, The Judiciary and The Bureaucracy.

What are those differences? ► Unionization.

In the past the idea of public service going on strike was unheard of. ► The transfer of rights such as pension and tenure to the private sector through unionization led to further demands by the civil service.

Perception of the Civil Service ► While

the perception of civil servants in the past was of a loyal, noble and professional civil service, that is not perhaps the prevailing view today. ► During the 1970’s and 1980’s the Canadian economy was in a very difficult situation. The inability of the government to deal with this crisis and the growth of the welfare state led to broad mistrust and dissatisfaction.

Public Administration: Authority ► In

public administration, public law is the chief source of their authority. ► This is important because if a Ministry is seen to exceed their authority, the public may seek redress in Court.

Impartiality and Fairness ► Civil

servants must be seen to be impartial. Thus bureaucracies are rule based, acts left to discretion are frowned upon an difficult. ► Why? ► Because it may appear that ‘other’ factors are involved.

Legal Accountability ► While

legislators pass laws in Parliament it is up to the civil service to ensure they are upheld. ► Laws delegate power, public administrators enforce that power in a fair manner. ► Example: Regulation governs to whom a Canadian passport may be issued. If a citizen meets those requirements a passport MUST be issued. If not, the citizen has legal recourse.

Financial Accountability ► Since

the civil service is funded by tax dollars, rigid forms of accounting are observed. ► The Auditor General seeks out waste and reports on it regularly. ► This is unique to government.

Measuring Performance ► In

the private sector profit is the measure of a company’s performance ► In the public sector, profit, for the most part does not exist. Only expenditure. ► Public Sector Performance is hard to measure.

Measuring Performance ► Examples

of tools to measure public sector performance. ► Unemployment rate. ► Waiting lists in hospitals. ► Service delivery times. ► Numbers of complaints. ► Political pressure

Personnel Administration and Control

► In

the private sector human resources practices are based on the idea that the owner rules. ► In the public sector the ability to hire and fire is more fragmented and in turn, quite unwieldy ► Result?

Part 2: The Reform of the Public Service ► During

the 1970’s and 1980’s the Canadian economy was in crisis. ► Oil supply shocks created by OPEC led to ‘stagflation’. Rising prices and a deep recession. ► The inability of the government to deal with this crisis and the growth of the welfare state led to broad mistrust and dissatisfaction with the civil service. ► Great demands for reform.

The Rise of Keynesianism ► We

recall that the rise of the public service was created out of the demands of easing the Great Depression. ► Increases in business regulation. ► Increases in social welfare services.

The Rise of Keynesianism ► The

idea that government could solve every problem from unemployment to socialized medicine. ► The electorate voted in political parties who promised more government services.

The Fall of Keynesianism ► Unfortunately,

it was paid for with borrowed money. ► The impact of the recessions of the 1970’s and 80’s left governments broke. ► Governments turned from expenditure to inflation and budgetary control.

Neo-Conservatism ► The

welfare state is important but no longer affordable. Causes structural problems in the economy. ► The public sector is too large and too expensive. Reductions are needed. ► Too much red tape and regulation. ► Privatize crown corporations. ► Need to cut taxes and balance the books.

What was the effect of this? ► Reinventing

Government ► The effect was that a business sector model was applied to the public sector. ► Government in terms of clients, bench marking, and ‘best practices’.

What was the effect of this? ► New

Zealand led the way with its new model. ► Tony Blair “Create a

distinctive public service philosophy which borrows techniques from the private sector, while enforcing long standing public service values”

What was the effect of this? ►

►

►

In many countries government departments were mandated to have a new entrepreneurial vision. Many government functions were transformed into ‘semiautonomous’ agencies. SOP’s. Examples?

Deregulation ► Along

with entrepreneurship in the public service, the neo-conservative revolution also demanded a retreat from the over-regulation of business. ► The feeling was, the more you regulate, the greater the loopholes. As well the greater the cost of enforcement. ► Red Tape it was thought, should be cut.