Suchergebnisse

Background and aims of the survey The COCOPS project aims to assess the impact of New Public Management-style (NPM) reforms on public administrations in Europe, as well as, more particularly, on public services attending to citizens' service needs and on social cohesion. The research explores trends and development of future public sector reform strategies, especially given the context of the financial crisis, by drawing lessons from past experience, exploring trends and studying emerging public sector coordination practices. The research is comparative and evidence-based, drawing on both existing data and innovative new quantitative and qualitative data collection, at both national and policy sector levels. As one of the largest comparative public management research projects in Europe, the project therefore intends to provide a comprehensive picture of the challenges facing the European public sector of the future. The consortium implementing the research consists of a group of leading public administration scholars from eleven universities in ten countries. The project is funded through the European Commission's 7th Framework Programme as a Small or Medium-Scale Focused Research Project, and runs from January 2011 to June 2014. More information on the project is available at www.cocops.eu. The third phase of COCOPS (or its 'Work package 3') is a cornerstone of the project, as it produces an original, large-scale survey exploring the opinions and perceptions of public sector managers in ten Europe countries with regards to NPM reforms. The work package thus provides novel quantitative data regarding NPM reforms and their impacts in Europe, coming from the actors involved at close range in the conception and especially in the implementation of reforms: public sector executives across Europe active in the areas of (as delineated in the project's reference points) general government, employment and health. Moreover, the data resulting from the survey constitutes a building block for other project phases which, based on an analysis of trends and opinions identified by the civil servants surveyed, try to establish innovative practices in tackling unintended consequences of NPM reforms, effects of the financial crisis and also possible scenarios for the future of the public sector.

New Public Management has been around for a quarter of a century in European public sectors, yet despite the movement's emphasis on indicators and evidence, there have been surprisingly few encompassing evaluations. In this paper, we provide an overview of academic evaluation and impact studies of entire NPM-style reform programmes. We distinguish between two sets of NPM-style changes and reforms. One is that of specific managerial innovations within public organisations. The other consists of changes to the role of government and citizens as a result of NPM ideas. We conclude that a majority of academic research has focused on the first set of changes, while approaches to the second set has been mainly of a critical nature with relatively limited attention for empirical studies.

This first COCOPS Working Paper outlines the background to the COCOPS project. It introduces the concept of New Public Management (NPM) both as a set of managerial innovations in the public sector and as a set of new ideas about the role of government. The Paper presents an overview of the state of the art of evaluating the impact of NPM and we argue that there are a number of major gaps in current studies on the impact of NPM reforms. These include limited coverage of European countries and an overall lack of cross-national research, a limited empirical base in many assessments of NPM, and a tendency to focus on specific elements of NPM-style reforms or specific policy sectors rather than on public sector reforms in general. Furthermore, we identify two unintended effects of NPM-style reforms that severely impact the public sector of the future's ability to build and sustain social cohesion. One is the fragmentation of the public sector; the other consists of effects of the reforms on equity. Innovative practices have to provide an answer to these two challenges. We end this working paper by collating the first tentative empirical evidence of emerging models for the governance of public services beyond NPM, including outcome-based approaches and whole-of-government models, and reflect on the implications of the financial crisis for these developments.

__Abstract__ Performance management has permeated public sector organizations worldwide over the last decades. At its core is the idea of using such information for decision making in a systematic form. Externally, performance information can be used to showcase performance, to give account, or to compare and benchmark. Internally, it can be used to monitor internal developments or to improve operations. A link between performance measurement and the use of this information in decision making is often assumed. Yet, until recently, the actual use of performance information was not very high on the public management research agenda. It is now a common observation that governments have invested substantially in collecting data, yet know relatively little about what drives performance information use.

Management tools are often argued to ameliorate public service performance. Indeed, evidence has emerged to support positive outcomes related to the use of management tools in a variety of public sector settings. Despite these positive outcomes, there is wide variation in the extent to which public organizations use management tools. Drawing on normative isomorphism and contingency theory, this article investigates the determinants of both organization‐oriented and client‐oriented management tool use by top public sector executives. The hypotheses are tested using data from a large‐N survey of 4,533 central government executives in 18 European countries. Country and sector fixed‐effects ordinary least squares regression models indicate that contingency theory matters more than normative isomorphism. Public executives working in organizations that are bigger and have goal clarity and executive status are more likely to use management tools. The only normative pressure that has a positive impact on management tool use is whether public sector executives have a top hierarchical position.

Abstract. This paper analyses determinants of public managers´ internal and external use of performance information. Using a sample of over 3100 top public sector executives in six European countries, we find evidence for significant country variations, with a more limited use of performance information in France and Germany. It was also found that the use of performance information is mainly determined by organizational factors rather than managers' individual socio-demographic characteristics. The analysis also found considerable differences in patterns of use between policy fields and a lower use of performance indicators in central government ministries. Finally, the implementation of performance management instruments in an organization has an overall strong effect on the actual use of performance information.

__Abstract__ Like most other areas of the world, the public sector in Europe has undergone significant reform in the past two decades, shaped in part by a broader New Public Management (NPM) paradigm, but one that also introduces a unique European flavour to this form of public management. Whilst NPM and public administration in Europe shares similarities with other cases, the added complexity of differing starting points and the EU layer provide interesting insight into the nature of public administration. This chapter will draw on a large-scale survey of top European executives in central government, in order to develop a comprehensive picture of the perceptions of NPM reforms and their effects over the last five years. Focusing on a cross-selection of EU countries (plus Norway),2 the chapter will present findings about choice of policy instruments, relevance of different reform trends and their general success and impact within the case countries. The chapter will first provide a general overview of the state of the public sector in the European countries under study before turning to how the public sector and its reform are perceived by top executives. This will focus on key trends in the public sector in terms of both NPM and post-NPM reforms, including usage of different policy instruments and the prevalence of trends regarding issues such as transparency, cooperation, digital/e-government, downsizing, red tape, citizen participation, contracting out and others. The chapter will look at the importance of these trends in the various case countries and across Europe before examining the nature of these reforms. Finally, the perceived success and overall impact of these reforms will be assessed, along with a brief examination of the impacts of the fiscal crisis on reforms in Europe. Throughout, the chapter will explore convergences and divergences in these issues across the European countries under study, before providing some conclusions about the state of the public sector, its reform and prospects for its future.

__Abstract__ The COCOPS project takes a holistic approach to studying the present and future of public sector reform, coordination and cohesion in European public administrations. Through a meta-analysis of literature on New Public Management (NPM) reforms and an assessment of how these relate to the role and scope of the public sector, the project examines the state of the art in existing research. Large-scale surveys and interviews of different actors in the public sector – top public sector executives, academics, public sector trade unions and consultants – allowed COCOPS researchers to assess the current state of the public sector in selected countries and Europe as a whole. This was coupled with in-depth analyses of certain reform-related trends such as citizen choice, voice and satisfaction with public services, social cohesion and the effects of the financial crisis. Finally, these strands of research were brought together to paint a comprehensive picture of the public sector in Europe and to develop scenarios and opportunities for the future of the public sector.

__Abstract__ Coordinating for Cohesion in the Public Sector of the Future (COCOPS), as one of the largest comparative public management research projects in Europe, intends to provide a comprehensive picture of the challenges facing the European public sector of the future and to systematically explore the impact of New Public Management (NPM)-style reforms in Europe. The project brings together public administration scholars from eleven universities in ten countries1 and is funded as part of the European Union's 7th Framework Programme; it runs from January 2011 until June 2014.2 The research is comparative and evidence-based, drawing on both existing data and innovative new quantitative and qualitative data collection. A cornerstone of the project is the COCOPS Executive Survey on Public Sector Reform in Europe, an original survey of public sector senior executives in ten European countries, and currently the largest of its kind implemented in Europe. The survey explores the executives' perceptions, experiences and opinions with regard to their work context and public administrative reforms and the impact of these factors on public sector performance more generally; particular attention is given to the employment and health policy sectors.

__Abstract__ Coordinating for Cohesion in the Public Sector of the Future (COCOPS), as one of the largest comparative public management research projects in Europe, intends to provide a comprehensive picture of the challenges facing the European public sector of the future and to systematically explore the impact of New Public Management (NPM)-style reforms in Europe. The project brings together public administration scholars from eleven universities in ten countries1 and is funded as part of the European Union's 7th Framework Programme; it runs from January 2011 until June 2014. The research is comparative and evidence-based, drawing on both existing data and innovative new quantitative and qualitative data collection. A cornerstone of the project is the COCOPS Executive Survey on Public Sector Reform in Europe, an original survey of public sector senior executives in ten European countries, and currently the largest of its kind implemented in Europe. The survey explores the executives' perceptions, experiences and opinions with regard to their work context and public administrative reforms and the impact of these factors on public sector performance more generally; particular attention is given to the employment and health policy sectors.