A New Synthesis Of Public Administration

A study of how public service has changed in this new era of interconnectedness

A study of how public service has changed in this new era of interconnectedness.

A New Synthesis in Public Administration sets out a theoretical framework that takes this new reality into account. It reveals how government forms part of a co-evolving system between people and society, where public results are a shared responsibility and citizens are respected as important creators of public value.

"NS is a conceptual framework that resonates with practitioners, but it is also a tool that can be used to expand the range of options open to government and bring coherence to problem solving and decision making. In the hands of practitioners, NS was becoming a process of discovery to create solutions to problems of concern to society and produce results of increasing public value. Chapter 1 explores what is different about serving in the 21st century compared to the previous century. Periodically, changes come about that transform the world we live in, and in the process, transform the role of government. This chapter argues that we live in such a time. Chapter 2 posits that conventional thinking about public administration and current practices are insufficient to guide the actions and decisions of government in a world characterized by deep uncertainty. Chapter 3 introduces the NS Framework and its concepts. The framework brings together the role played by government, multiple agents in society and citizens in a way that opens up a vast range of choices to government in its search for solutions to real life challenges. The framework offers a dynamic perspective of public administration where governments are able to learn, adapt to changing needs and circumstances, and co-evolve with society. Part II is an introduction to NS as an applied process of discovery. It describes the steps that public sector leaders have found most useful for discovering pathways to a better future. Chapter 4, 5, 6 and 7 present what has been learned from the practitioners who have used the NS Framework to lead public sector transformation initiatives. The NS Framework does not provide answers; it opens up new lines of inquiry and integrates findings in ways that generate coherent narratives of change. A number of consequences flow from a dynamic view of the role of government in society. This includes an adaptive view of the interaction between the public, private and civic spheres of life in society, a deeper appreciation of the importance of civic results and the role of citizens in building governable societies. The way we think about government or democratic governance influences the actions that will be taken for their improvement, and what results will be achieved. Part III poses difficult yet fundamental questions concerning how to re-conceptualise the responsibilities of the State in the 21st century. Chapter 8 broadens the conversation about public innovation. Chapter 9 reframes the discussion on public sector leadership, and Chapter 10 opens a conversation on the need to re-think, re-frame and re-invent the functioning of modern democratic societies. The book includes four case studies from four different countries that exemplify NS concepts in practice. Each of the cases highlights a dynamic process of discovery focussing on public purpose, building on the strength of others and empowering citizens as problem solvers. Appendix A examines the transformation of Singapore's prisons from correctional facilities to centres contributing to the successful reintegration of ex-offenders. Appendix B provides an example of leveraging to improve care to children with complex diseases in Canada. Appendix C explores how co-creation and co-production were used to respond to challenges facing elder care in Fredericia, Denmark. Appendix D provides an account of the Helsinki Cleaning Day initiative and how self-organisation with support from other actors, including the public sector, can spark new ways of doing things."--

Since the inception and design of Canada's Employment Insurance (EI) program, the Canadian economy and labour market have undergone dramatic changes. It is clear that EI has not kept pace with those changes, and experts and advocates agree that the program is no longer effective or equitable. Making EI Work is the result of a panel of distinguished scholars gathered by the Mowat Centre Employment Insurance Task Force to analyze the strengths, weaknesses, and future directions of EI. The authors identify the strengths and weaknesses of the system, and consider how it could be improved to better and more fairly support those in need. They make suggestions for facilitating a more efficient Canadian labour market, and meeting the human capital requirements of a dynamic economy for the present and the foreseeable future. The chapters that comprise Making EI Work informed the task force's final recommendations, and form an engaging dialogue that makes the case for, and defines the parameters of, a reformed support system for Canada's unemployed. Contributors include Ken Battle (Caledon Institute of Social Policy), Robin Boadway (Queen's University), Allison Bramwell (University of Toronto), Sujit Choudhry (New York University School of Law), Kathleen M. Day (University of Ottawa), Ross Finnie (University of Ottawa), Jean-Denis Garon (Queen's University), David Gray (University of Ottawa), Morley Gunderson (University of Toronto), Ian Irvine (Concordia University), Stephen Jones (McMaster University), Thomas R. Klassen (York University), Michael Mendelson (Caledon Institute of Social Policy), Alain Noël (Université de Montréal), Michael Pal (University of Toronto Faculty of Law), W. Craig Riddell (University of British Columbia), William Scarth (McMaster University), Luc Turgeon (University of Ottawa), Leah F. Vosko (York University), Stanley L. Winer (Carleton University), Donna E. Wood (University of Victoria), and Yan Zhang (Statistics Canada).

This book highlights the main factors determining the quality of public administration in conflict affected countries; and assesses to what extent the conflict determines and impacts on the performance of public administration in affected countries. The main value added by this book is confirming the general expectation that there is no direct and universal link between the conflict and public administration performance (and vice-versa). One may need to argue that each country situation differs and specific factors of internal and external environments determine the trends of public administration performance in conflict affected countries. To achieve the overarching goal of the book, sixteen country studies were developed from all relevant continents - America, Africa, Asia and Europe: Bangladesh, Colombia, Croatia, Egypt, Georgia, Iraq, Kosovo, Nigeria, Palestine, Paraguay, Philippines, Serbia, South Africa, Uganda, Ukraine, and Venezuela.

The large scale publicly funded system of postsecondary education in Ontario developed in the 1960s has been largely successful in fulfilling important societal needs in the areas of education, human resource development, and research. Existing approaches, however, are unlikely to be sufficient to address the challenges of the coming decade. Academic Transformation: The Forces Reshaping Higher Education in Ontario examines the developments that are re-shaping the province's post-secondary system, including higher enrollment, further development of a knowledge-based economy, increased demands for research focused on competitiveness and productivity, and Ontario's transition to a multicultural, internationally connected, urban, and aged society. Universities and colleges are also adjusting to internal changes in the composition of the student body and staff, faculty work profiles, and funding arrangements. The authors consider possible changes in the system's structure, policy, and governance that may be helpful in dealing with the anticipated changes in societal needs, and expectations related to post-secondary education.

The book examines the history and development of public administration, the study of the internal structure and functioning of government and its interaction with society and its citizens. It surveys different approaches to the field and the methodological and epistemological issues surrounding an interdisciplinary, applied social science.