SAMENVATTING COMPARATIVE PUBLIC ADMINI-
STRATION AND MANAGEMENT
COURSE 1: INTRODUCTION
COURSE GUIDING QUESTIONS
- What are the various administrative traditions in Europe and their defining features?
- How do public administration systems of European countries vary?
- Why is the EU a public administration system in its own right?
- What are the major types of administrative reforms in Europe?
- How have reform trajectories varied across countries and why?
- What are the effects of New Public Management and other reforms across countries and policy areas?
- What values guide and motivate civil servants?
WHY COMPARE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS AND REFORMS?
- You will gain appreciation of the diversity of PA systems and reforms in various parts of Europe,
including their strengths and weaknesses. This will allow you to see your own system from new angles.
- You will understand better the reasons behind specific reforms, as well as the convergence/divergence
of reform trajectories across countries and their potential explanations.
- You will learn from the successes and failures of PA systems and reforms, which can help you as future
public managers make more informed decisions about your own reforms.
- You will understand better the impact of cross-cultural and historical factors on PA and governance
reforms in Europe.
- You will acquire useful resources to carry on with comparative PA research in the future.
1. CONCEPTUAL BASIS FOR COMPARISON OF PA SYSTEMS
There is a cultural and historical dimension:
- Legal tradition
- Administrative culture
- Continuity (it is relevant for colonized countries)
Different basic features of government:
- Federal vs. unitary
- Centralized vs. decentralized
- Democracy type
- Parliament
- Electoral system
- …
Subnational (local) governance → territorial structure of intergovernmental relations
Civil service:
- Recruitment
- Politicization
- Performance management
1
,1.1 CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL DIMENSION
In Europe, there is a division/split in two parts: Angelo-Saxon and Continental European Rule of Law.
- Continental European Rule of Law: priority of the law in functioning of the public administration. Clear
separation between public en private sphere. Civil servants are seen as the more privileged class. Aims
to exactly legislate what is allowed and what not. (law is primacy)
- Angelo-Saxon: Public sphere is governed by civil law/ commercial law… They are part of the society.
Governments serves as a tool for policies. It is purely instrumental. (Efficiency is primacy)
1.2 BASIC FEATURES OF GOVERNMENT
1.2.1 FEDERAL AND UNITARY SYSTEMS
2
, 1.2.2 UNICAMERAL VS. BICAMERAL PARLIAMENTS
One chamber (unicameral)
Two chambers (bicameral)
- The elections come simultaneously (they are more dominant)
It could also be a reflection of the diversity of the countries.
1.2.3 FEDERALISM AND DECENTRALIZATION
(De)centralization, in the static sense of this term, refers to the distribution
of power between the central and local levels of government.
- (de)centralization is used for comparison.
1.2.4 ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION AND CABINET TYPES
Government cabinets: executive power concentration vs. sharing:
Competitive - Single party cabinets: where one party holds more than 50% of legislative seats.
- Minimal-winning coalition cabinets: where two or more parties have more than 50% of legislative
seats.
Consensus- - Oversized cabinets: where additional parties beyond the minimum are included in the coalition to form
oriented the government. (more parties jump on board)
- Minority cabinets: where the government is formed by a coalition of parties holding fewer than 50%
of seats in the legislature (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2017, p.53). (f.ex. Canada where the party who don’t
have the majority dominates)
For more consultative and consensus-oriented politics than do majoritarian systems → Depends partly on
electoral representation system: proportional systems allow.
Differences in terms of how the power is shared and the dynamics of decision-making → fast decision making
but less inclusive VS. slow decision making and more inclusive.
Systems of electoral representation:
There are three main parts:
- Majoritarian system
- Proportional system
- Hybrid system
3
, The number of coalition
governments in the OECD
countries → blue arrows are
more majoritarian countries and
red arrows are more consensus
based/proportional system.
1.2.5 DEMOCRACY TYPES
Classification of democratic systems:
Majoritarian system = Westminster model = tent to prefer single cabinets. The opposition has not much influence
to make changes.
Consensus model = Proportional system = strong constitutional court.
=> There are never pure types existing in the world, but it is easier to compare.
4
STRATION AND MANAGEMENT
COURSE 1: INTRODUCTION
COURSE GUIDING QUESTIONS
- What are the various administrative traditions in Europe and their defining features?
- How do public administration systems of European countries vary?
- Why is the EU a public administration system in its own right?
- What are the major types of administrative reforms in Europe?
- How have reform trajectories varied across countries and why?
- What are the effects of New Public Management and other reforms across countries and policy areas?
- What values guide and motivate civil servants?
WHY COMPARE ADMINISTRATIVE SYSTEMS AND REFORMS?
- You will gain appreciation of the diversity of PA systems and reforms in various parts of Europe,
including their strengths and weaknesses. This will allow you to see your own system from new angles.
- You will understand better the reasons behind specific reforms, as well as the convergence/divergence
of reform trajectories across countries and their potential explanations.
- You will learn from the successes and failures of PA systems and reforms, which can help you as future
public managers make more informed decisions about your own reforms.
- You will understand better the impact of cross-cultural and historical factors on PA and governance
reforms in Europe.
- You will acquire useful resources to carry on with comparative PA research in the future.
1. CONCEPTUAL BASIS FOR COMPARISON OF PA SYSTEMS
There is a cultural and historical dimension:
- Legal tradition
- Administrative culture
- Continuity (it is relevant for colonized countries)
Different basic features of government:
- Federal vs. unitary
- Centralized vs. decentralized
- Democracy type
- Parliament
- Electoral system
- …
Subnational (local) governance → territorial structure of intergovernmental relations
Civil service:
- Recruitment
- Politicization
- Performance management
1
,1.1 CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL DIMENSION
In Europe, there is a division/split in two parts: Angelo-Saxon and Continental European Rule of Law.
- Continental European Rule of Law: priority of the law in functioning of the public administration. Clear
separation between public en private sphere. Civil servants are seen as the more privileged class. Aims
to exactly legislate what is allowed and what not. (law is primacy)
- Angelo-Saxon: Public sphere is governed by civil law/ commercial law… They are part of the society.
Governments serves as a tool for policies. It is purely instrumental. (Efficiency is primacy)
1.2 BASIC FEATURES OF GOVERNMENT
1.2.1 FEDERAL AND UNITARY SYSTEMS
2
, 1.2.2 UNICAMERAL VS. BICAMERAL PARLIAMENTS
One chamber (unicameral)
Two chambers (bicameral)
- The elections come simultaneously (they are more dominant)
It could also be a reflection of the diversity of the countries.
1.2.3 FEDERALISM AND DECENTRALIZATION
(De)centralization, in the static sense of this term, refers to the distribution
of power between the central and local levels of government.
- (de)centralization is used for comparison.
1.2.4 ELECTORAL REPRESENTATION AND CABINET TYPES
Government cabinets: executive power concentration vs. sharing:
Competitive - Single party cabinets: where one party holds more than 50% of legislative seats.
- Minimal-winning coalition cabinets: where two or more parties have more than 50% of legislative
seats.
Consensus- - Oversized cabinets: where additional parties beyond the minimum are included in the coalition to form
oriented the government. (more parties jump on board)
- Minority cabinets: where the government is formed by a coalition of parties holding fewer than 50%
of seats in the legislature (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2017, p.53). (f.ex. Canada where the party who don’t
have the majority dominates)
For more consultative and consensus-oriented politics than do majoritarian systems → Depends partly on
electoral representation system: proportional systems allow.
Differences in terms of how the power is shared and the dynamics of decision-making → fast decision making
but less inclusive VS. slow decision making and more inclusive.
Systems of electoral representation:
There are three main parts:
- Majoritarian system
- Proportional system
- Hybrid system
3
, The number of coalition
governments in the OECD
countries → blue arrows are
more majoritarian countries and
red arrows are more consensus
based/proportional system.
1.2.5 DEMOCRACY TYPES
Classification of democratic systems:
Majoritarian system = Westminster model = tent to prefer single cabinets. The opposition has not much influence
to make changes.
Consensus model = Proportional system = strong constitutional court.
=> There are never pure types existing in the world, but it is easier to compare.
4
