PUBLIC MANAGEMENT: SAMENVATTING
INTRODUCTIE
public organisations
- core business model does not revolve on generating shareholder value & financial profit
→ delivering public services and generating public value
- funded (parts) with taxpayers money
- performance scrutinized (in)directly by political leaders
- runned by public managers: diverse educational and professional backgrounds
‣ Hammerschmid (2016): top public managers across Europe
- COCOPS project took place in 2010-2014, involving 11 European universities
- findings around public managers
most are higher educated: degrees in business, law, engineering, natural sciences
most have worked +5 years in private sector + non-profit sector
= not one mold for the ideal public manager, diverse backgrounds
importance of public managers
- responsible for organizing public service delivery so it can be delivered to the right people, at the right time, right
quality,..
- question:
which tools and systems are more relevant for their context?
what ‘good’ performance entails in their context?
which values do they need to uphold?
- understanding the public organization and its environment
+ set a strategy based on this
+ follow-up the achievements of this strategy
+ work with partners and other collaborations if and when needed
- manage their employees
= the people delivering the service, the political leaders, the people benefiting form their services,..
‣ Walker and Andrews (2015): Local Government Management and Performance
- systematic literature review + meta-analysis on quantitative studies:
relationship between public management and performance in local government
- conclusion: several management practices have a strong impact on performance in local government
→ recruitment a high-quality staff, ensuring stability in terms of personnel and planning for the future
! all activities performed by public manager
1
,1.1. DEFINING PUBLIC MANAGEMENT
intersection of activities that are all a part of PM:
1. manag-‘ing’: something public managers do
→ not only something public organizations have
= PM at the forefront of public management
2. core assumption that PM need to be capable of understanding core
PM theory and concepts
+ contextualize these based on the needs and characteristics of their own organization
Public management
= the practice of managing macro-, meso and micro-level activities that enable or constrain public organizations from
achieving their core purpose and creating public value.”
5 critical components of PM
1. the practice
= PM is something public managers do: how they do it is based on their own context & experience
→ not about having specific tools or systems in place, but about the activities underlying these tools and
systems
2. macro-, meso- and micro-level activities
= PM not only about public organizations, it’s also about
- broader reforms
- performance expectations
- values that cross organizational boundaries
- networks clustering several organizations
- individuals delivering, enjoying or steering public services
3. enable or constrain
= PM is about balancing enablers and constraints at different levels & across levels
→ stimulate macro-, meso- and micro-level activities that help the PO perform
+ inhibit macro-, meso- and micro-level activities that potentially reduce performance
4. public organizations
= not always clear what makes a PO but certain assumptions:
- rely at least partially on public funding
- don’t have financial profit as their core aim
- focus on creating public value
- serve a specific public purpose
- experience direct or indirect scrutiny from public leaders
2
, 5. core purpose and public value
= why it exists and why it does what it does
+ closely tied to public value by fulfilling the CP and so offering a specific service to the public = creating public
value
‣ IRSPM and PMRA – research associations on public management
- IRSPM: the International Research Society for Public Management
mission: to develop & support research about PM and public policy implementation amongst the
international research community
+ facilitate the creation and dissemination of new knowledge & understanding across this community
- PMRA: The Public Management Research Association
non-profit academic membership association
furthers research on PO
the PMRA Conference: foremost gathering in US and around the world
1.2. STRUCTURE OF MPOW
PM: multilevel, practice-based nature
→ incorporating the three levels of analysis
1st level: macro-level activities underlying PM
- important PM reforms and movements
- different levels & dimensions of public sector performance
as the main purpose driving PO
- adhering competing values and goals due to societal
& political expectations
- macro-level: the authorizing and institutional environment
of PO > managing this is crucial for legitimacy purpose
! focus on what is expected of PM and why
2nd level: meso-level
= the organizational activities underlying PM
- core characteristics of PO + their environment
- important organization-wide management processes
= strategic management, performance management, network management
- meso-level: most actual management > centring on capability of a PO
! understanding the PO and environment in which it operates
setting a strategy for the future + implementing it with core partners
3
, 3rd level: micro-level
- important considerations to acknowledge when managing the people: behavioural side of PM
- understanding who you are working for and with
1.3. CASE: NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO)
1) Is NATO a public organization?
- Public funding, core aim not financial profit, public purpose, scrutiny from political leaders.
- NATO: Funded by member states; focused on freedom and security of member states; promote democratic
values and peaceful resolutions (or military power); through member countries (North Atlantic Council).
- So yes, but very specific type of public organization: “alliance with member states” – international public
administration.
2) Who are the public managers at NATO?
- Top public manager(s): Jens Stoltenberg (Secretary General) – making sure decisions are implemented!
- Middle public manager(s): 8 divisions (Assistant Secretary General)
- Line public manager(s): heads of sub-divisions/teams within divisions
3) What is the core purpose of NATO and how does it create public value?
- Core purpose: Guarantee the freedom and security of its members.
- Public value: Prevent conflict in the long run; peaceful resolution of disputes; crisis-management. Political and
military means to do so.
4) What are macro-level activities influencing NATO (reforms, performance expectations, values)?
- NATO’s founding treaty as legislative framework
- United Nations mandate as authorizing environment
- Partnerships – working together with other entities
- Member countries – authorizing environment, consensus
5) What are meso-level activities influencing NATO (organization-wide management processes, organizational and
environmental characteristics)?
- Innovation and adaptation
- Ensuring policies, capabilities and structures meet threats
- NATO HQ: exchange info, share ideas, prepare decisions
- Organize/manage collaboration, “stewardship”
4
INTRODUCTIE
public organisations
- core business model does not revolve on generating shareholder value & financial profit
→ delivering public services and generating public value
- funded (parts) with taxpayers money
- performance scrutinized (in)directly by political leaders
- runned by public managers: diverse educational and professional backgrounds
‣ Hammerschmid (2016): top public managers across Europe
- COCOPS project took place in 2010-2014, involving 11 European universities
- findings around public managers
most are higher educated: degrees in business, law, engineering, natural sciences
most have worked +5 years in private sector + non-profit sector
= not one mold for the ideal public manager, diverse backgrounds
importance of public managers
- responsible for organizing public service delivery so it can be delivered to the right people, at the right time, right
quality,..
- question:
which tools and systems are more relevant for their context?
what ‘good’ performance entails in their context?
which values do they need to uphold?
- understanding the public organization and its environment
+ set a strategy based on this
+ follow-up the achievements of this strategy
+ work with partners and other collaborations if and when needed
- manage their employees
= the people delivering the service, the political leaders, the people benefiting form their services,..
‣ Walker and Andrews (2015): Local Government Management and Performance
- systematic literature review + meta-analysis on quantitative studies:
relationship between public management and performance in local government
- conclusion: several management practices have a strong impact on performance in local government
→ recruitment a high-quality staff, ensuring stability in terms of personnel and planning for the future
! all activities performed by public manager
1
,1.1. DEFINING PUBLIC MANAGEMENT
intersection of activities that are all a part of PM:
1. manag-‘ing’: something public managers do
→ not only something public organizations have
= PM at the forefront of public management
2. core assumption that PM need to be capable of understanding core
PM theory and concepts
+ contextualize these based on the needs and characteristics of their own organization
Public management
= the practice of managing macro-, meso and micro-level activities that enable or constrain public organizations from
achieving their core purpose and creating public value.”
5 critical components of PM
1. the practice
= PM is something public managers do: how they do it is based on their own context & experience
→ not about having specific tools or systems in place, but about the activities underlying these tools and
systems
2. macro-, meso- and micro-level activities
= PM not only about public organizations, it’s also about
- broader reforms
- performance expectations
- values that cross organizational boundaries
- networks clustering several organizations
- individuals delivering, enjoying or steering public services
3. enable or constrain
= PM is about balancing enablers and constraints at different levels & across levels
→ stimulate macro-, meso- and micro-level activities that help the PO perform
+ inhibit macro-, meso- and micro-level activities that potentially reduce performance
4. public organizations
= not always clear what makes a PO but certain assumptions:
- rely at least partially on public funding
- don’t have financial profit as their core aim
- focus on creating public value
- serve a specific public purpose
- experience direct or indirect scrutiny from public leaders
2
, 5. core purpose and public value
= why it exists and why it does what it does
+ closely tied to public value by fulfilling the CP and so offering a specific service to the public = creating public
value
‣ IRSPM and PMRA – research associations on public management
- IRSPM: the International Research Society for Public Management
mission: to develop & support research about PM and public policy implementation amongst the
international research community
+ facilitate the creation and dissemination of new knowledge & understanding across this community
- PMRA: The Public Management Research Association
non-profit academic membership association
furthers research on PO
the PMRA Conference: foremost gathering in US and around the world
1.2. STRUCTURE OF MPOW
PM: multilevel, practice-based nature
→ incorporating the three levels of analysis
1st level: macro-level activities underlying PM
- important PM reforms and movements
- different levels & dimensions of public sector performance
as the main purpose driving PO
- adhering competing values and goals due to societal
& political expectations
- macro-level: the authorizing and institutional environment
of PO > managing this is crucial for legitimacy purpose
! focus on what is expected of PM and why
2nd level: meso-level
= the organizational activities underlying PM
- core characteristics of PO + their environment
- important organization-wide management processes
= strategic management, performance management, network management
- meso-level: most actual management > centring on capability of a PO
! understanding the PO and environment in which it operates
setting a strategy for the future + implementing it with core partners
3
, 3rd level: micro-level
- important considerations to acknowledge when managing the people: behavioural side of PM
- understanding who you are working for and with
1.3. CASE: NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION (NATO)
1) Is NATO a public organization?
- Public funding, core aim not financial profit, public purpose, scrutiny from political leaders.
- NATO: Funded by member states; focused on freedom and security of member states; promote democratic
values and peaceful resolutions (or military power); through member countries (North Atlantic Council).
- So yes, but very specific type of public organization: “alliance with member states” – international public
administration.
2) Who are the public managers at NATO?
- Top public manager(s): Jens Stoltenberg (Secretary General) – making sure decisions are implemented!
- Middle public manager(s): 8 divisions (Assistant Secretary General)
- Line public manager(s): heads of sub-divisions/teams within divisions
3) What is the core purpose of NATO and how does it create public value?
- Core purpose: Guarantee the freedom and security of its members.
- Public value: Prevent conflict in the long run; peaceful resolution of disputes; crisis-management. Political and
military means to do so.
4) What are macro-level activities influencing NATO (reforms, performance expectations, values)?
- NATO’s founding treaty as legislative framework
- United Nations mandate as authorizing environment
- Partnerships – working together with other entities
- Member countries – authorizing environment, consensus
5) What are meso-level activities influencing NATO (organization-wide management processes, organizational and
environmental characteristics)?
- Innovation and adaptation
- Ensuring policies, capabilities and structures meet threats
- NATO HQ: exchange info, share ideas, prepare decisions
- Organize/manage collaboration, “stewardship”
4
