A Profile Of The Public Service Of New Zealand

Practising bureaucrats, diplomats and political and academic audiences should find this a useful resource in seeking to benchmark best practice in public sector reform across Commonwealth member countries.

This book shares best practice in the design of better record management systems, including developing a Retention Schedule. Also covered is a manual used by ministries and departments as an example, and guideline formulas for using a schedule and indexing.

Economic realities have led governments to review their programmes. This work shows that any new approach must take into account a whole variety of factors. It sets out practices for better service provision which have emerged across the Commonwealth, emphasizing the choice available

Focusing on change as a constant factor in the management of any organization, this informative book helps the student and practitioner to develop the skills and knowledge they require to underpin the work of a modern service manager in rapidly-changing public sector organizations - whether publicly owned, privately managed or sub-contracted. Taking a distinctive approach, emphasizing management and organizational learning as keys to organizational success, this introductory text is solidly practical and is supported by strong pedagogical features including: case studies review questions illustrative vignettes. This comprehensive text has been specifically designed and developed to meet the needs of students studying public services management at undergraduate, certificate diploma and postgraduate level. It allows the reader to develop transferable skills in thinking and learning as they work through the book and gives greater awareness of the benefits of continuous learning for staff and managers.

Jane Kelsey’s exploration of the effects of globalisation on the New Zealand economy was eye-opening when published in 1999. She offered a trenchantly expressed response to the neoliberal slogan of the time, ‘There is no alternative.’ Kelsey’s analysis remains a critical yardstick for current policies and an alternative perspective on the development of global relationships. The recent global financial meltdown and subsequent recession give new relevance to her questions about globalisation’s consequences for sovereignty and democracy. Kelsey continues to offer a bold voice of challenge and critique, pointing the way for open-eyed engagement with the economic realities of the future.

Written by two authors with a wide range of experience in international affairs, this introductory text addresses both the commonalities and diversity of administrative practice around the world, including a succinct but thorough overview of PA in the United States. It combines solid conceptual foundations with strong coverage of nuts-and-bolts "how to" topics, such as personnel management, procurement, and budgeting, and covers both developed countries and developing and transitional economies.The book's chapters are organized into four major sections: government functions and organization; management of government activity; interaction between government and citizens; and prospects of administrative reform. Plentiful illustrations and examples throughout the book, and "What to Expect" sections and discussion questions in each chapter, make this an ideal text for any PA course that takes a global perspective.

Commonwealth Public Administration Reform is a comprehensive resource for all those in public and private sectors and civil society who are engaged in reforming public administration. It includes in one volume the principal documents of major reform initiatives in the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Commonwealth Association for Public Administration and Management. It draws on the richly diverse experience of the association's 54 member countries, large and small, developing and industrialised. The 2004 edition brings together the knowledge and experience of leading experts from around the Commonwealth and covers: Reform strategies; Democracy and Security; Public-Private Partnerships; Human Resources Management; Information Systems; Education and Leadership.

"Calls for reform of the public service are routinely heard from politicians, private sector interests, civil society organisations and public servants themselves. Public service reform programmes have become the norm in many countries, including Ireland. But the overheated rhetoric that usually accompanies the launch of such programmes is often rapidly followed by the disappointment of unfulfilled ambition and apparent failure." "This book looks at the realities of public service reform in Ireland today. It begins with the conviction that reform is an ongoing process of adaptation to the rapidly changing requirements of society, rather than anything that can be captured in a once-off programme. It recognises the achievements of recent reform efforts, and it sets out some key elements that the authors believe should be part of the next phase of reform. In particular it identifies specific actions that are needed to improve accountability for performance, to adapt organisational structures to contemporary needs, and to put in place the vital leadership capability. The authors recognise that other actions will also be required in the short term, and that the process of adaptation will rapidly move on to other challenges, but they insist that the next phase of reform must, as a priority, address at least these three areas." "The book draws on management theory, international best practice and, not least, the authors' own experience at the frontline of public service delivery. Its proposals are practical and immediate, but are also well grounded in a vision of a high-performance public service that can meet the most demanding expectations of today's citizens."--BOOK JACKET.