Description
Book SynopsisWhile there is no universally accepted definition of civil servant and civil service, this authoritative and informative
Handbook compares and contrasts various approaches to organizing the structure and activities of different civil service systems.
The expert contributors consider the historical and theoretical context of public administration and public sector management, applying relevant theories and frameworks to provide a disciplinary perspective. Recurring topics and themes are explored, and international comparisons are made via case studies from Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe, and North and South America. Issues addressed in each country study include accountability, structure, processes and institutions, as well as the relationship to the broader political systems in a world becoming aware that it exists within a differentiated polity. The Weberian legacy, joined-up government and the hollowed-out state thesis and the debate between Anglo-American influenced systems versus the Continental European approach to organizing the civil service are also discussed in detail.
This systematic comparison of civil service systems and their political and theoretical foundations will prove essential reading for academics and students focusing on public policy and public sector management. Public service professionals will also find this book to be a crucial resource.
Contributors include: T.E.D. Anagnosen, P. Barberis, E. Borgonovi, F. Buick, M. Desbouvries, M. Duggett, O.P. Dwivedi, M. Evans, A. Ferraro, J. Halligan, S. Horton, J.-M. Kauzya, M. Kikuchi, A. Massey, D.S. Mishra, A. Nakamura, J. O'Flynn, E. Ongaro, R. Parry, R. Pyper, C. Sadleir
Trade ReviewThis
Handbook on civil service systems is truly international and comparative. It covers and compares countries from all continents. It also connects historical (Weberian) legacies to contemporary challenges such as coordination, the hollow state, and trust. Massey's
Handbook does not avoid difficult issues for civil service systems such as ruined reforms, fiscal retrenchment, and cultural and political system shocks. Therefore this book is exceptionally rich and stimulating.
--- Geert Bouckaert, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Belgium
Table of ContentsContents: PART I: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES 1. Civil Service Systems: Introduction and Scope of the Book Andrew Massey 2. The Weberian Legacy Peter Barberis 3. Contrasting Anglo-American and Continental European Civil Service Systems Sylvia Horton 4. Decentralization, Devolution and the Hollowing Out of the State Robert Pyper 5. Experiments with Joined-up, Horizontal and Whole-of-Government in Anglophone Countries John Halligan, Fiona Buick and Janine O’Flynn PART II: SYSTEM AND COUNTRY COMPARISONS 6. The Civil Service in Italy Elio Borgonovi and Edoardo Ongaro 7. The United States Civil Service J. Theodore Anagnoson 8. A Splendid Ruined Reform: The Creation and Destruction of a Civil Service in Argentina Agustín E. Ferraro 9. Comparative Perspectives of the Challenges and Prospects of Civil Service Reforms in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda John-Mary Kauzya 10. The Public Service of India: A Mapping Expedition O.P. Dwivedi and D.S. Mishra 11. Towards Public Service-oriented Governance? Administrative Reform with ‘Chinese Characteristics’ Mark Evans 12. Japanese Public Administration at the Crossroads: Declining Trust in Government and Civil Service Reform in the Age of Fiscal Retrenchment Akira Nakamura and Masao Kikuchi 13. The Australian Public Service System John Halligan and Chris Sadleir 14. The Civil Service in France: Contested Complacency? Michael Duggett with Manueline Desbouvries 15. The United Kingdom Civil Service: A Devolving System Richard Parry Index
