Making public sector reform work in Papua New Guinea

Abstract

What is public sector reform? Programs of public sector reform can be found in countries throughout the developing world. While there is a variety of definitions they contain common elements. First, public sector reform is deliberate,planned change to public bureaucracies. Second, it is mostly aimed at improving the efficiency and effectiveness of these organisations. Third, in order to achieve these goals, it is concerned with innovation. Finally, it is likely to run into resistance from groups in the state and society that feel threatened by the reforms. In recent years, the agenda for public sector reform has lengthened because of the rise of the New Public Management (NPM) and the promotion of ‘good governance’ initiatives by the donor community. Good governance incorporates improvements in public sector management as an essential element, while NPM seeks to bring private sector management practices and market discipline to the public sector (World Bank 1992; Asian Development Bank 1999; Manning 2002; Minogue 1998). Thus, the menu for public sector reform ranges from privatisation and deregulation to downsizing and delayering, and from performance management to strategic human resource management. There is a very long list of reforms from which countries can choose. Particular countries’ programs of public sector reform vary in scope but generally include some initiatives which are system-wide and others which are institution-specific. Many of the NPM-style reforms originated in Western countries and have been exported to the very different organisational environments and state structures of developing countries. Success has often been elusive.