The private sector,the public sector and the laws of nature

Abstract: The author analyses differences between the private and public sectors by assessing their compliance with several laws and principles considered to govern organisms and organizations in nature. Those laws and principles involve: niche overlap; types of competition; natural selection and survival of the fittest; symbiotic relationships; and maturation of ecosystems. Each biological principle is first described in layman's terms. Subsequently the ways in which the public and private sectors relate to and comply with the principles are compared and discussed. Although both sectors are found to contravene nature's laws, the public sector is found to be a frequent violator. The implications of this lack of compliance to individuals in the fields of public administration and management science are discussed. The author suggests that an understanding of biological laws is of considerable value to those attempting to explain differences between the private and public sectors as well as to public administrators in general. Sommaire: L'auteur analyse les différences entre les secteurs privé et public en évaluant la façon dont ils respectent plusieurs lois et principes qui régissent le comportement des organismes et organisations au sein de la nature: 1. chevauchement des créneaux; 2. types de concurrence; 3. sélection naturelle et survie du plus fort; 4. rapports de symbiose; 5. maturation des systèmes écologiques. Chaque principe biologique est d'abord dérit en termes vernaculaires, puis l'étude compare et discute les attitudes des secteurs public et privé face aux principes de référence. Bien que les deux secteurs enfreignent les lois de la nature, le secteur public semble le faire fréquem-ment. On évoque ensuite les répercussions de cette dérogation pour les personnes exerçant dans les domaines de l'administration publique et des sciences de gestion. L'auteur souligne que la compréhension des lois biologiques est extrêmement utile à quiconque veut expliquer la différence entre les secteurs privé et public, ainsi qu'aux administrateurs du secteur public en général.     

Toward a definition and taxonomy of public sector ombudsmen

The world‐wide diffusion of the ombudsman concept and the accompanying academic literature have failed to produce a universal definition of “ombudsman.” As a result, liberal interpretations of the concept have flourished, and the invention of technical terms has gone unchecked. This article examines the two most commonly cited definitions of an ombudsman and the wealth of technical terms for their conformity to the original concept. A definition for public sector ombudsmen congruent with primordial functions and recent conceptual extensions is proposed. The article concludes with a taxonomy of the different kinds of ombudsmen in place today.     

Pressman/Wildavsky and Bardach: Implementation in the public sector,past, present and future

Implementation: How Great Expectations in Washington are Dashed in Oakland: or, why it's amazing that federal programs work at all, this being the saga of the Economic Development Administration as told by two sympathetic observers who seek to build morals on a foundation of ruined hopes. By JEFFREY L. PRESSMAN and AARON WILDAVSKY. Berkeley: University of California Press. 1973, and subsequent editions. Pp. 182. The Implementation Game: What Happens after a Bill becomes a Law. By EUGENE BARDACH. Cambridge, Mass.: MIT Press. 1977. Pp. x, 323.     

公共部门人力资源战略环境变迁及其对策

公共部门人力资源的战略环境面临着急剧的变革。来自知识经济的挑战,要求公共部门人力资源管理战略从物本战略向人本距略转变,从传统型组织战略向学习型组织战略转变;来自市场化的冲击要求公共部门人力资源管理战略从保障就业结果平等战略向体障就业机会均等战略转变,从行政性统配战略向市场一体化配置战略转变,从固定用工战略向契约化管理战略转变,从单位保障战略向社会保障战略转变;来自政府再造的推动,要求公共部门人力资源战略从“划桨”转变为“掌舵”,坚持市场化,民营化、竞争性和弹性化取向。     

The state of talent management in Canada's public sector

For more than a decade, senior officials from across Canada's public sector have identified the capacity to “recruit and retain highly‐trained, qualified staff” as central to public service renewal and success in the 21^st century. And yet, despite the consensus behind this priority, students of Canadian public administration know little about the strategies and programs that are in place to attract, recruit, retain and transition key public servants in this country. This article tries to address this gap by describing talent management, one approach to getting “the right people in the right place at the right time” currently in use in British Columbia, Canada, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario and Saskatchewan. The article concludes with some observations about the present and future of talent management in Canada's public sector.     

Government aid to industry: a public sector perspective

Abstract: This paper, prepared for the 1982 annual conference of ipac, critically reviews the rationale for government aid to industry. the choice of policy instruments and the creation of the proposed new Department of Regional Industrial Expansion. The paper focuses upon the direct subsidization of specific industrial activities, most visibly through direct conditional grants, but also including tariff protection, loans or guarantees of loans at preferred rates. and direct ownership through crown corporations. Drawing upon the theoretical framework presented by Professor Albert Breton in his monograph “A Conceptual Basis for Industrial Stratea,” three broad rationales are identified and discussed, with examples. The first of these is aid to correct for distortions in the workings of the market economy, such as the existence of significant externalities. disproportionate risk aversion, oligopoly or monopoly, and, most prevalent but least analysed. the pervasive influence of policies of foreign governments, past governments, provincial governments and of the federal government in non-economic fields. The second rationale is the concentration of government policies. including direct assistance. to promote a purposeful industrial strategy, which in Canada must include a powerful commitment to reducing regional disparities. Finally, and of increasing importance, is the assistance designed to ease the burden of adjustment, by individuals and by communities. to changes in economic circumstances. The paper closes with a recapitulation of the government's announcement in January 1982 of its intention to create n new Department of Regional Industrial Expansion. Sommaire: Cet exposé, préparé pour la conférence annuelle de l'I.A.P.C. de 1982, étudie les raisons de l'aide gouvernerrrentale à l industrie, le choix des instruments de politique et le projet de créer un nouveau ministère de l'Expansion industrielle régionale. L'auteur traite du subventionnement direct d'activités industrielles particulitres, surtout évident dans les cas doctrois de subsides conditionnels, mais sans oublier la protection douanière, les prêts ou les garanties de prêt à des taux préférentiels et la propriétV elle-mêine par le truchernent des sociétés de la couronne. Utilisant le cadre théorique offert par le professeur Albert Breton dans sa monographie “Le Fondement Théorique d'une Stratégie Industrielle” l'auteur identifie et étudie trois raisons principales et donne des exemples. La première de ces raisons est d'aider à corriger les distortions dans le jeu de l‘économie du marché, telles qne l'existence d'importants fxteurs externes, le rejet de risques excessifs, l'oligopole ou le monopole et, ce qui est le plus fréquent rnais a été le moins analysé, l'influence envahissante des politiques des gouvernernents étrangers, des gouverne-ments précédents, des gouvernements provinciaux et du gouvernement fédéral lui-même dans d'autres domaines que l'econornie. La deuxième raison est la concertation des politiques gouvernementales, y compris l'assistance directe, pour promouvoir une “stratégie industrielle” solide qui, au Canada, doit inclure la ferme volonté de réduire les disparités regionales. La troisième raison, dont l'importance continue à croître, est d'alléger les difficultés d'adaptation à de nouvelles circons-tances des individus et des communautés. L'auteur conclut en récapitulant la déclaration du premier ministre Trudeau; celui-ci annonçait L'intention du gouvernement de créer un nouveau rninistère de l'Expansion industrielle régionale comme instrument principal d'aide directe aux investissements privés, contribuant à l'innovation en matière d'industrie, au développement régional et à l'adaptation de l'industrie.     

Fighting cutbacks: some issues for public sector administrators

AbstractAdministrators of many publicly funded organizations are facing the need to implement cutbacks in the light of current budgetary restrictions. An alternative or supplementary course of action to making cuts is to resist them. This article examines four organizations - a Montreal university, a Montreal social service centre and two British health authorities - to see how they dealt with this issue of resistance. Resisting cutbacks requires the use of political strategies which are effective in persuading funding agencies to increase or maintain budgets. The four case studies illustrate the components of a successful strategy in terms of identifying the relevant interest groups, building coalitions and creating legitimacy. In addition, the question of whether administrators should resist budget cuts is explored. The pitfalls of resistance that were encountered by the four organizations are identified, as are the advantages. It is shown that while resistance is a viable option for many public administrators, it is no simple matter. Those contemplating this course of action need to be aware of the issues involved so that they can assess and enhance their chances of success, while minimizing any detrimental effects that resistance may have on the organization and its employees.     

政治问责、问责政治与政治制度的稳定和变革——读《民主问责、政治秩序与变革》

以当今代议民主制国家日益见长的问责诉求,尤其是在政治秩序尚处于转变过程中的欧盟为研究背景,奥尔森重新审视主流的问责理论——委托代理理论和理性选择理论,并提出基于组织理论的制度视角探究民主问责、政治秩序和制度变革间的理论关系,这显要推进了问责理论的发展。奥尔森认为,在政治秩序稳定的国家,民主问责通常是非政治性的、技术性的、例行的政治问责,而在政治秩序尚不稳定的国家或政治秩序稳定的国家的例外和活跃时期,民主问责则易演变为操纵、形象经营、争权夺利的问责政治,这些反过来又会稳固或是动摇政治秩序的认知根本、规范根本和威权根本,从而引起制度的稳定或变革。此外,奥尔森在书中对制度、政治秩序、政治生活的不明确性和不确定性、政治言行分离、公民参与问责、人民主权等民主问责实情问题的探讨,不乏启迪意义。     

Business influence on government: A comparison of public and private sector perceptions

Abstract: Government-business relations has gained importance as a subject. Empirical research concerning the nature of the relationship, the extent of interactions and the attitudes and perceptions of managers on both sides has been relatively scarce in Canada. Survey data for this study were collected from 183 federal government officials and 132 business managers. Results indicate that the two groups seem to be fairly similar in terms of age, social class origin, academic training and personality profile. Government managers exhibited a greater degree of other-sector work experience than did the business managers, and the government sector tends to give more importance to the government-business relations function. In business this function tends to be the responsibility of upper levels of management rather than the middle level as in the government sector. Although contact with federal civil servants was viewed as satisfactory by business managers, this was not so at the provincial/municipal level. Greater contact was desired with politicians at all levels. Our data do not support the theory of a “personal and personnel” gap between the two sectors. A considerable difference exists in the perception each group has of the influence business exerts over government decision-making and this contributes to the feeling of alienation among business managers. Sommaire: En tant que sujet d'étude, les relations entre les gouvernements et le monde des affaires ont gagné de l'importance. Au Canada cependant, la recherche empirique sur la nature de ces rapports, sur le degré dinteraction ainsi que sur les attitudes et perceptions des gestionnaires des dew secteurs a été relativement rare. Cet article se base sur les données obtenues à la suite d'une enquête auprès de 183 fonctionnaires fédéraux et de 132 gestionnaires du secteur privé. Ces deux groupes semblent assez similaires du point de vue de l'âge, de la classe sociale d'origine, de la formation universitaire et du caractère. Les résultats indiquent cependant que les gestionnaires gouvernementaux ont eu une plus grande expérience dans d'autres occupations que leurs homologues du secteur privé et qu'ils semblent accorder une plus grande importance à l'interaction gouvernement-affaires. Dans le secteur privé, cette fonction semble être la responsabilité des cadres supérieurs plutôt que des cadres moyens comme dans le secteur gouvernemental. Par ailleurs, les grstionnaires privés consitèrent leurs rapports avec les fonctionnaires fédéraux satisfaisants, ce qui n'est pas le cas pour le niveau provincial/municipal. En général. ils souhaitent plus de contacts avec les hommes politiques à tous les niveaux. Nos données infirment donc la théorie d'un fossé entre personnrs et personnel des deux secteurs. Finalement il existe une différence considérable entre les deux groupes quant à la façon dont ils perçoivent l'influence qu'exerce le monde des affaires sur la prise de décision gouvernementale, ce qui contribue à donner aux gestionnaires privés un sentiment d'aliénation.     

Experimenting with public sector innovation: Revisiting Gow for the digital era

In 1988, James Iain Gow surveyed public servants across Canada on how they access and utilize research from various sources and how that is linked to policy innovation. He documented this research in his book Learning from Others (1994). Thirty years later, we replicate selected parts of the original survey conducted by Gow, but also add an experimental dimension that tests how subjects respond to public service innovations from around the world. We randomly alter key features of those innovations to examine if public servants reveal patterns in the way they process these innovations and make judgements about their suitability or promise.     

Before the father even acknowledges the child: public sector collective bargaining

Labour Relations in the Public Sector . By Richard C. Kearney . Collective Bargaining in the Public Service: The Federal Experience in Canada . By Jacob Finkelman and Shirley B. Goldenberg .     

行政责任:概念、性质及其视阈

在结构性的意义上,行政责任体现为政府行动者的角色或功能。功能界定了公共行政的限度和范围,角色表明了政府与其他行动者之间的关系。行政责任问题实际上可以看作是一系列解决有关以行政权力为轴心的紧张关系的问题。将这种基于不同角色、不同地位、不同利益、不同权力和义务的紧张关系纳入到责任问题的范畴中,就为分析各种利益诉求之间的复杂博弈关系提供了切入性的方法。