Public Administration Singapore Style

Singapore was ranked first for the competence of its public officials from 1999 to 2002 by "The Global Competitiveness Report". This book intends to provide a detailed study of public administration Singapore-style.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences and law, expertly written by the world’s leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. In this Advanced Introduction, Christopher Pollitt starts a penetrating account of the theories, methods and possible trajectories of the study of public management, also examining the academic community itself, and its relationship to the world of practice. There is no more authoritative – or lively – text of such scope and focus. This is a stimulating analysis by a leading international scholar. It includes: · a global overview · a critical and authoritative analysis of the current state of the field · the location of academic research firmly in the real world context of austerity, climate and demographic change, and technological transformation · an examination of the relationship between academic study and the practice of public management · a look inside the ‘ivory tower’, at the forces changing the way the subject is studied and practised This truly unique work will be of particular interest to graduate students, advanced scholars, lecturers and trainers in public administration, public management, government, public policy, political science and development administration. Middle level and senior practitioners in public administration and public management will also find this an invaluable and sophisticated introduction.

The four dragons of Asia - Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea - have achieved remarkable progress over the past decades. These newly industrialising countries (NICs) have emerged as major actors on the world economic scene. Their success can be attributed to a number of factors related to historical background, relationship with China, pattern of governance and performance of administrative, political and economic institutions. This book examines the role of public administration in the accomplishments of the NICs and identifies potential areas of challenge for the dragons.

This book has been written to explain some of the fundamental issues of public administration to a wide audience. The author, Emeritus Professor and former head of the Department of Political Science at The University of Hong Kong, has had many years experience in the study and teaching of public administration in both European and African states (in the 50s and 60s) and Asia (in the 70s and 80s).

This authoritative, up-to-date resource will become the standard reference on the theory and practice of public management around the world. Public management addresses strategy, policy processes, and governance as well as the bureaucratic concerns of public administration. Reflecting this diversity, the Dictionary incorporates concepts from various other fields including economics, political science, management, sociology, and psychology. The reference draws from an extensive literature base including books, journals, websites, research reports, government proceedings, legal documents, and international and organizational reports. As the primary source of ready information for students, researchers, scholars, and practitioners, it defines all the fundamental concepts of public management, their applications, and all relevant theories, complete with sources and references.

Swiss citizens approve of their government and the way democracy is practiced; they trust the authorities and are satisfied with the range of services Swiss governments provide. This is quite unusual when compared to other countries. This open access book provides insight into the organization and the functioning of the Swiss state. It claims that, beyond politics, institutions and public administration, there are other factors which make a country successful. The authors argue that Switzerland is an interesting case, from a theoretical, scientific and a more practice-oriented perspective. While confronted with the same challenges as other countries, Switzerland offers different solutions, some of which work astonishingly well.

A Profile of the Public Service of Singapore covers the following: - Current good practices and new developments - Public service for the 21st century - Making government and management more effective - Improving partnerships with organizations and agencies outside central government - Singapore’s philosophy of governance - Making the most of staff - Improving the quality of service - Improving the management of finance