2 - Fashion, Learning and Values in Public Management: Reflections on South African and International Experience
Africa Development,
Vol. 27 No. 3-4 (2002): Africa Development: Special Issue on •New Public Sector Management Approaches in Africa'
Abstract
New Public Management (NPM) has shaken up sleepy and self-serving public organisations. But it was spread like a religion: assumed to be modern, relevant and universally superior, despite having relatively little empirical backing. NPM has now lost much of its gloss, as experience of the massive transaction costs of radical reforms and of their often unfulfilled prerequisites mounts. An untried package was sold and bought. This paper looks for lessons. First, it discusses implications for the types of independent thinking and training required for public managers, including methods for thinking critically, caringly and creatively. Second, it takes a case study, a 1990s phenomenon parallel to but rather differ ent from NPM, South Africa's 'New Public Administration Initiative' (NPA1). The NPA1 made the move from rule-following 'administration' to outcomes oriented 'management', abolished the division between white-oriented 'Public Administration' and black-oriented 'Development Administration' and heavily invested in reforming educational infrastructure for public and development management, including for thinking independently, not swallowing packages from abroad. NPA1, however, has had to reflect on its intellectual identity for the longer-term, otherwise it may be sidelined or eaten by competitors, notably plain 'management'. This paper examines this rise of'management' and its threat to 'public' and 'development'. It argues the need to strengthen the 'public' ori entation by promoting a number of dimensions of that concept beyond merely 'State" and State-society interaction, and to keep alternative senses of'develop ment' and 'management' to the fore in order to prevent monopolisation of these terms by the ideas of the corporate world.
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- Cawthra, G, 2000, 'From Context to Competencies: Reflections on One School'sExperience and Emerging Challenge', in Theron and Schwella, eds., The State of Public and Development Management in South ,School of Public Management and Planning, University ofStellenbosch, pp. 59-68.
- Commonwealth Secretariat, 1995, From Problem to Solution: Commonwealth Strategiesfor Reform, Managing the Public Service, Strategies for lmprove ment Series, No.!. London: Commonwealth Secretariat.
- De Swaan, A., 1988, ln Care of the State: Health Care, Education and Welfare in Europe and the USA in the Modern Era, Cambridge: Polity Press.
- Diphofa, M., 2003, 'Contemporary ldeas on Leadership: SoundAdvice or Empty Slogans?', Service Delivery Review, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 68-73.
- Dreze, J. and Sen,A., 1989. Hunger and Public Action, Oxford: Clarendon Press. Dunn, W., 1994, Public Policy Ana ysis, Englewood Clitfs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
- Ferguson, J., 1990, The Anti-Politics Machine: 'Development ', Depoliticization and Bureaucratie Power in Lesotho, Cambridge:
- Cambridge University Press. Fitzgerald, P., 1995, 'Towards a Developmental Public Administration Paradigm', in Fitzgerald et al., eds., Managing Sustainable Development in South ,1frica,Cape Town: Oxford Univ. Press, pp. 511-522.
- Frederickson, H.G, 1996, 'Principles for South African Public Administration in the Transformation Decades: An American Perspective', in Burger et al., eds., Challenges in Change, Bellville: School of Public Management, University of Stellenbosch, pp. 298-323.
- Gasper, D., 1996, 'Essentialism in and about development discourse', European Journal of Development Research, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 149-176. ·
- Gasper, D., 2000a. 'Thoughts for the Next Phase in Education and Training for Public and Development Management', in Theron and Schwella, eds., The State of Public and Deve/opment Management in South ,1[,·ica, School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch, pp.165-188.
- Gasper, D., 2000b, 'Structures and Meanings: A Way To lntroduce Argumenta tion Analysis ln Policy Studies Education', ,1[,·icanus, vol. 30, no.!, pp. 49-72. Also Working Paper 317, lnstitute of Social Studies, The Hague, www.iss.nl. Gasper, D., 2001, 'Leaming in Public Management-thinking critically, thinking caringly, thinking creatively', Service Delive,y Review: A Learning Journal for Public Managers, Department of Public Service and Administration, Govemment of South Africa, pp. 5-9.
- Gasper, D., 2003, 'StudyingAid: Sorne Methods', Working Paper 382, lnstitute of Social Studies, The Hague, www.iss.nl.
- Gasper, D., Schwella, E. and Tangri, R., 2002, '"Healthy" Public Enterprises - Lessons for and from South Africa?', Se111ice Delive,y Review: A Learning Journal For Public Managers, pp. 25-28.
- Gray, J., 1993, Beyond the New Right- Markets, Government and The Common Environment, London: Routledge.
- Hodgkinson, C., 1978, Towards a Phi/osophy of Administration, Oxford: Blackwell.
- Horwitz, Robert B., 2001, Communication and Democratic Reform in South Aji-ica. Cambridge and Cape
- Town: Cambridge University Press.
- Kettl, D. and Milward, H.B., eds., 1996, The State of Public Management, Balti more: Johns Hopkins
- University Press.
- Khandwalla, P., 1988, Fo11rth Eve: Excellence thro11gh Creativity. Second edi tion, New Delhi:
- Wheeler Publishing.
- Khandwalla, P., 1999, Revitalizing the State - A Menu of Options, New Delhi: Sage.
- Lodge, T., 1999, South A.frican Politics Since 1994, Cape Town and Johannes burg: David Philip.
- Mackintosh, M., 1992, Introduction. ln Wuyts et al., Development Policy and Public Action, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-9.
- Manning, N., 2001, 'The Legacy of New Public Management in Developing Countries', international
- Review of Administrative Sciences, Vol. 67, No. 2,pp. 297-312.
- Ministry of Public Enterprise, 2000, Restructuring of State Owned Enterprises,Pretoria: Ministry of Public Enterprise.
- Mokgoro, T.J ., 2002. 'Finding An Appropriate Management Approach For Basic Social Services', Service Delive,y Review, pp. 12-16.
- Ngema, K., 2002, 'Globalisation and the State', Service Delivery Review. pp. 40-41.
- Ngema, K., 2003, 'The Making of a Parasitic State', Service Delivery Reviev.:Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 18-19.
- Parsons, W., 1995, Public Polic:v. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
- Peters, G., 1996, 'Models ofGovemance for the 1990s', in Kettl, D. and Milward, H.B., eds., The State of Public Management, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Uni versity Press, pp. 15-44.
- Pollitt, C., 1993, Managerialism and the Public Services. Second Edition, Ox ford: Blackwell.
- Pollitt, C., 1995, 'Justification by Works or by Faith?: Evaluating the New Public Management', Evaluation. Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 33-54.
- Ramaite, R., 2002, 'Public Service Leadership in an Age of Globalisation', Serv ice Delivery Reviel1: pp. 17-19.
- Schwella. E., 1999, 'The Paradigmatic Debate in South African Public Adminis tration: A Continuing Stmggle', in Wessels and Pauw, eds., Reflecti'e Public Administration: Vie1rsfi·om the South, Cape Town, Oxford: Oxford Univer sity Press, pp. 333-356.
- Scriven, M., 1976, Reasoning. New York: McGraw Hill.
- Stiglitz, J., 2002, Globalizatio11 and Jts Discontents, London: Penguin. Swilling, M. and Wooldridge, D., 1997, 'Governance, administrative transformation and development in South Africa: a normative approach·, Afi-ica1111s, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 8-33.
- Tapscott, C., 1995, 'Changing discourses of development in South Africa', in J.Crush, ed., Power of Development, London: Routledge.
- Tapscott, C., 1997, 'Current development discourses in South Africa', Africanus,Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 86-95.
- Theron, F. and Schwella, E., eds., 2000, The State of Public and Development Management in South Afi-ica, School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch.
- Weimer, D., and Yining, A., 1996, 'Economies', in Kettl, D. and Milward, H.B., eds., 1996, The
- State of Public Management. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Uni versity Press, pp. 92-117.
- Wessels, J.S. and Pauw, J.C., eds., 1999, Reflective Public Administration: Views ji-om the South, Cape Town: Oxford Univ. Press.
- White, L., 1990, /mplementing Policy Reforms in LDCs, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner.
- Wuyts, M., 1992, 'Deprivation and Public Need', in Wuyts, M., et al., Develop ment Policy and Public Action, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 13-37. Wuyts, M., et al., 1992, Development Policy and Public Action, Oxford: Oxford
- University Press.
References
Cawthra, G, 2000, 'From Context to Competencies: Reflections on One School'sExperience and Emerging Challenge', in Theron and Schwella, eds., The State of Public and Development Management in South ,School of Public Management and Planning, University ofStellenbosch, pp. 59-68.
Commonwealth Secretariat, 1995, From Problem to Solution: Commonwealth Strategiesfor Reform, Managing the Public Service, Strategies for lmprove ment Series, No.!. London: Commonwealth Secretariat.
De Swaan, A., 1988, ln Care of the State: Health Care, Education and Welfare in Europe and the USA in the Modern Era, Cambridge: Polity Press.
Diphofa, M., 2003, 'Contemporary ldeas on Leadership: SoundAdvice or Empty Slogans?', Service Delivery Review, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 68-73.
Dreze, J. and Sen,A., 1989. Hunger and Public Action, Oxford: Clarendon Press. Dunn, W., 1994, Public Policy Ana ysis, Englewood Clitfs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Ferguson, J., 1990, The Anti-Politics Machine: 'Development ', Depoliticization and Bureaucratie Power in Lesotho, Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press. Fitzgerald, P., 1995, 'Towards a Developmental Public Administration Paradigm', in Fitzgerald et al., eds., Managing Sustainable Development in South ,1frica,Cape Town: Oxford Univ. Press, pp. 511-522.
Frederickson, H.G, 1996, 'Principles for South African Public Administration in the Transformation Decades: An American Perspective', in Burger et al., eds., Challenges in Change, Bellville: School of Public Management, University of Stellenbosch, pp. 298-323.
Gasper, D., 1996, 'Essentialism in and about development discourse', European Journal of Development Research, Vol. 8, No. 2, pp. 149-176. ·
Gasper, D., 2000a. 'Thoughts for the Next Phase in Education and Training for Public and Development Management', in Theron and Schwella, eds., The State of Public and Deve/opment Management in South ,1[,·ica, School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch, pp.165-188.
Gasper, D., 2000b, 'Structures and Meanings: A Way To lntroduce Argumenta tion Analysis ln Policy Studies Education', ,1[,·icanus, vol. 30, no.!, pp. 49-72. Also Working Paper 317, lnstitute of Social Studies, The Hague, www.iss.nl. Gasper, D., 2001, 'Leaming in Public Management-thinking critically, thinking caringly, thinking creatively', Service Delive,y Review: A Learning Journal for Public Managers, Department of Public Service and Administration, Govemment of South Africa, pp. 5-9.
Gasper, D., 2003, 'StudyingAid: Sorne Methods', Working Paper 382, lnstitute of Social Studies, The Hague, www.iss.nl.
Gasper, D., Schwella, E. and Tangri, R., 2002, '"Healthy" Public Enterprises - Lessons for and from South Africa?', Se111ice Delive,y Review: A Learning Journal For Public Managers, pp. 25-28.
Gray, J., 1993, Beyond the New Right- Markets, Government and The Common Environment, London: Routledge.
Hodgkinson, C., 1978, Towards a Phi/osophy of Administration, Oxford: Blackwell.
Horwitz, Robert B., 2001, Communication and Democratic Reform in South Aji-ica. Cambridge and Cape
Town: Cambridge University Press.
Kettl, D. and Milward, H.B., eds., 1996, The State of Public Management, Balti more: Johns Hopkins
University Press.
Khandwalla, P., 1988, Fo11rth Eve: Excellence thro11gh Creativity. Second edi tion, New Delhi:
Wheeler Publishing.
Khandwalla, P., 1999, Revitalizing the State - A Menu of Options, New Delhi: Sage.
Lodge, T., 1999, South A.frican Politics Since 1994, Cape Town and Johannes burg: David Philip.
Mackintosh, M., 1992, Introduction. ln Wuyts et al., Development Policy and Public Action, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 1-9.
Manning, N., 2001, 'The Legacy of New Public Management in Developing Countries', international
Review of Administrative Sciences, Vol. 67, No. 2,pp. 297-312.
Ministry of Public Enterprise, 2000, Restructuring of State Owned Enterprises,Pretoria: Ministry of Public Enterprise.
Mokgoro, T.J ., 2002. 'Finding An Appropriate Management Approach For Basic Social Services', Service Delive,y Review, pp. 12-16.
Ngema, K., 2002, 'Globalisation and the State', Service Delivery Review. pp. 40-41.
Ngema, K., 2003, 'The Making of a Parasitic State', Service Delivery Reviev.:Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 18-19.
Parsons, W., 1995, Public Polic:v. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Peters, G., 1996, 'Models ofGovemance for the 1990s', in Kettl, D. and Milward, H.B., eds., The State of Public Management, Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Uni versity Press, pp. 15-44.
Pollitt, C., 1993, Managerialism and the Public Services. Second Edition, Ox ford: Blackwell.
Pollitt, C., 1995, 'Justification by Works or by Faith?: Evaluating the New Public Management', Evaluation. Vol. 1, No. 2, pp. 33-54.
Ramaite, R., 2002, 'Public Service Leadership in an Age of Globalisation', Serv ice Delivery Reviel1: pp. 17-19.
Schwella. E., 1999, 'The Paradigmatic Debate in South African Public Adminis tration: A Continuing Stmggle', in Wessels and Pauw, eds., Reflecti'e Public Administration: Vie1rsfi·om the South, Cape Town, Oxford: Oxford Univer sity Press, pp. 333-356.
Scriven, M., 1976, Reasoning. New York: McGraw Hill.
Stiglitz, J., 2002, Globalizatio11 and Jts Discontents, London: Penguin. Swilling, M. and Wooldridge, D., 1997, 'Governance, administrative transformation and development in South Africa: a normative approach·, Afi-ica1111s, Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 8-33.
Tapscott, C., 1995, 'Changing discourses of development in South Africa', in J.Crush, ed., Power of Development, London: Routledge.
Tapscott, C., 1997, 'Current development discourses in South Africa', Africanus,Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 86-95.
Theron, F. and Schwella, E., eds., 2000, The State of Public and Development Management in South Afi-ica, School of Public Management and Planning, University of Stellenbosch.
Weimer, D., and Yining, A., 1996, 'Economies', in Kettl, D. and Milward, H.B., eds., 1996, The
State of Public Management. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins Uni versity Press, pp. 92-117.
Wessels, J.S. and Pauw, J.C., eds., 1999, Reflective Public Administration: Views ji-om the South, Cape Town: Oxford Univ. Press.
White, L., 1990, /mplementing Policy Reforms in LDCs, Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner.
Wuyts, M., 1992, 'Deprivation and Public Need', in Wuyts, M., et al., Develop ment Policy and Public Action, Oxford: Oxford University Press, pp. 13-37. Wuyts, M., et al., 1992, Development Policy and Public Action, Oxford: Oxford
University Press.