1. Global strategies
  2. Managing administrative change

Managing administrative change

  • Managing bureaucratic reform

Context

Attempts at bureaucratic reform have sometimes succeeded in establishing new administrative structures but have often failed to improve efficiency or change bureaucratic behaviour. This suggests that governments need to choose their candidates for reform carefully and then concentrate their efforts on them. Far from being mere tinkering, such an approach should be seen as the best way of achieving a longterm strategy for institutional development. It requires a political commitment to those strategic goals-a commitment that is difficult to sustain, particularly since it must contend with bureaucratic inertia and resistance. But in many countries this combination of selective radicalism and incremental change will achieve more than plunging into wholesale reform of the entire administration, and can gradually build support for change by showing results.

Persistence is fundamental to bureaucratic reform. This requires a permanent capacity, though not necessarily a single agency, to provide analysis and operational support for reforms. If that capacity exists, governments will be better placed to seize the occasional opportunity to make fundamental reforms because the preparatory and technical work will have been done. The experience of developing countries indicates that public service commissions, central personnel agencies, and the like are inappropriate overseers of administrative reform, being too limited in scope and preoccupied with detail. Institutes of public administration tend to be too remote from power, though they can help to diagnose the kind of reform that is needed. In several smaller developing countries, technical offices concerned with organization and methods or management services have been useful instruments of reform, but are rarely able to deal with the larger structural and performance issues.

Implementation

Experience has also shown how persistence can pay off. Countries have avoided dealing with all administrative problems and none of them would claim complete success. Instead, they have concentrate on a limited range of objectives and persist with them. It is probably wise to link reforms to the budgetary process so that leaders can impose their priorities on the administration and redirect its activities.

In many developing countries it makes sense to base reforms on two broad principles: first, reducing the management intensity of development, rather than adding new managerial burdens to an already overextended bureaucracy; second, instituting reforms that make the bureaucracy more responsive, both to political authority and to the public at large.

Claim

Managing administrative change is a critical issue that cannot be overlooked. Ineffective change management leads to confusion, decreased productivity, and employee dissatisfaction, ultimately jeopardizing organizational success. As industries evolve rapidly, the ability to adapt and implement changes smoothly is essential for survival. Organizations must prioritize strategic planning, clear communication, and robust training programs to navigate transitions effectively. Ignoring this vital aspect can result in costly setbacks and hinder growth, making it imperative for leaders to address it urgently.This information has been generated by artificial intelligence.

Counter-claim

Managing administrative change is often overstated as a critical issue. In reality, organizations thrive on adaptability and innovation, rendering the focus on administrative change unnecessary. Most employees are capable of navigating shifts without excessive oversight. Instead of fixating on management processes, resources should be directed toward fostering creativity and collaboration. The ability to embrace change organically is far more valuable than micromanaging administrative transitions, making this topic a trivial concern in the grand scheme of organizational success.This information has been generated by artificial intelligence.

Broader

Managing change
Yet to rate

Value

Reform
Yet to rate
Changeableness
Yet to rate
Change
Yet to rate
Bureaucratic
Yet to rate

SDG

Sustainable Development Goal #8: Decent Work and Economic GrowthSustainable Development Goal #17: Partnerships to achieve the Goal

Metadata

Database
Global strategies
Type
(D) Detailed strategies
Subject
  • Management » Administration
  • Management » Management
  • Development » Reform
  • Content quality
    Yet to rate
     Yet to rate
    Language
    English
    1A4N
    J4492
    DOCID
    12044920
    D7NID
    210783
    Last update
    Dec 3, 2024