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Readjusting Government: a Comparative Study of Copernicus

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Readjusting Government: a Comparative Study of Copernicus Readjusting Government: A comparative study of Copernicus and Andere Overheid Name: Jan-Jaap Harkema Student Number: 299510 Study: International Public Policy & Management Faculty of Social Sciences Erasmus University Rotterdam First reader and coach: Dr. F. K. M. van Nispen Co-reader: Prof.dr. W. J. M. Kickert September 14th, 2007 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface 3 Summary 4 Chapter 1: Introduction, Problem Analysis and Methodology 8 1.1 Introduction 8 1.2 Cross national comparison 10 1.3 Aim 19 1.4 Problem analysis 20 1.5 Theoretical framework 21 1.6 Methods of inquiry 26 Chapter 2: Theory and Practice of Administrative Reform 28 2.1 Introduction 28 2.2 Survey of recent reforms 30 2.3 Reform in practice 33 2.4 Additional difficulties with governmental bureaucracies 34 2.5 The public sector as a model for reform: a critical approach 35 2.6 Facilitators for reform 39 Chapter 3: Copernicus 41 3.1 Context 41 3.2 Content 44 3.3 Process 46 3.4 After Copernicus: from New Public Management to New Public Service? 49 3.5 Copernicus and ICT 50 3.6 Chapter conclusion 51 2 Chapter 4: Andere Overheid 54 4.1 Context 54 4.2 Content 55 4.3 Process 57 4.4 Looking back at PAO 63 4.5 Chapter summary 65 Chapter 5: Comparison & Conclusions 66 5.1 Introduction 66 5.2 Comparison 66 5.3 Conclusions 67 5.4 Lessons and recommendations 71 5.5 Recommendations & discussion 72 5.6 Other observations 75 5.7 Reflection 77 Literature 78 Appendices: Appendix I: Alphabetical list of interviewed persons 83 Appendix II: Copernicus survey questions 84 3 PREFACE This final thesis marks the end of my study of Public Administration at the Erasmus University. Already during my study of Economic History I got interested in the question how governments organize themselves vis-à-vis societal problems, adopting strategies varying from heavy intervention to a more extreme forms of laissez faire non-interventionism. The convictions of how state and society should interact not only differ geographically and culturally, but also over time. For instance, during the 1960s and 1970s optimism about the abilities for social engineering was dominant in most Western countries. These hopes were severely challenged during the 1980s and 1990s and (amongst other factors) called for a readjustment of the role of governments. Two of these reform operations are the subject of this thesis. The structure of this thesis as follows. Chapter 1 will provide an introduction, the problem analysis, the theoretical framework and the methods of inquiry. Chapter 2 is about the theory and practice of reform, examining some dominant trends in public administration reform and assessing the factors that can hamper and facilitate reform. Chapters 3 and 4 are the two case studies of this thesis; the Belgian Copernicus program and the Dutch Andere Overheid reform program. The final chapter, number 5, will provide a comparison between the programs and conclusions on the main and sub questions. It then moves on to lessons and recommendations and finally a reflection on the research as it was conducted. I would like to express my thanks to Dr. van Nispen for his support and assistance during the course of this project and the master as a whole. I would also express my appreciation for the people of NSOB where part of my research was conducted. The opportunities that were provided by them are much appreciated. Special thanks go to Martijn van der Steen, who accompanied me during my internship and Prof. dr. Kickert for his willingness to be the second reader. Finally I would like to thank everybody who gave me time and effort during interviews and with their comments. Jan-Jaap Harkema 4 SUMMARY The central question of this thesis is:‘How can the functioning of the public service be improved?. For this goal a comparative case study is conducted between the Belgian Copernicus and the Dutch Andere Overheid program. The following sub questions are answered in this thesis: 1. In which context (political, socio-economical etc.) were Copernicus and Andere Overheid launched? 2. What were the contents of the reform packages? 3. What was the trajectory of the processes? 4. To what degree were the programs successful in terms of the set goals? 5. What were the causes for successes and failures? 6. What (reciprocal) lessons and recommendations be drawn? The findings are summed up in table 0.1. Table 0.1 Comparison between Copernicus and Andere Overheid on various aspects Copernicus Andere Overheid Period 1999-2003 2003-2007 Aim • Transform • Less bureaucracy, government into a more own better service responsibility, more provider and civil society employer Ideological • New Public • Several, including inspiration Management NPM, the 'participatory state' and 'modern citizenship' Relevant • Bouillion paper • Cabinet vision Andere documents (1999), Overheid (2003), • Copernicus paper • Program Andere (2000) Overheid (2004) Main • New organizational • better service provision contents structure • less and different tasks • New HRM policy adopted • New ways of • better internal 5 Copernicus Andere Overheid operating organization of central • New management government culture • renewal of the relations with provinces and municipalities Political • Minister for • Minister for leadership Administrative Administrative Reform and the Renewal, sub projects Prime Minister delegated to other ministers Approach • Top down • Small project team, leadership by network building Vandenbossche and within central and Verhofstadt, decentral branches of ministerial cabinet government Succes • Holistic and • Network style factors coherent approach initiatives had a 'trickle towards reform down' through • Decisive IT decentral branches of management government • Connecting with existing projects Failure • Political • Fading political factors complexity and support lack of support in • Wide variety of politics, civil initiatives with little service and the prioritization unions • Small program team • Top down approach • Lack of coherent vision • Too much in a short time Reform • Move to a more • Continuation of the directions low profile, movement 'Andere after the incremental reform Overheid', especially program pace 'Neo- on the municipal level Weberian approach' • Continuation of many More focus on iniatives from the forging consensus program, e.g on the IT for reform instead level of a top down • No decisive process. breakthrough on the • Installation of a elements of tasks minister for debate and Administrative departmental redesign Simplification ('Q'), • Important reduction in success of Kafka staff announced on the 6 Copernicus Andere Overheid initative central level • Continuation of successful ICT initiatives ('authentic registrations') (Thijs& Pelgrims, 2006; own findings). Conclusion Analyzing both case studies has learned that administrative reform is never a managerial and political-neutral matter. Instead it is much more about political vision, determination and leadership. Improving the administrative sector should therefore move away from the 'easy' attempts to improve efficiency of the administration but requires also political reform. The recommendations section elaborates this statement. Lessons & best practices A first lesson that can be drawn from both reform operations is the need for a clear and consistent vision on how the reform needs to be designed, implemented and carried trough along the way. This calls for a strong actor such as a minister for Administrative Reform. The second lesson is that this person should enjoy a broad support base within the cabinet as well as in the administration itself. A third lesson is the need for realistic time frames. Especially in coalition governments such as in the researched countries terms in office usually last four year at the most, while major reform operations require far more time. Therefore announcing a radical reform that will be implemented in four years is likely to be counter productive. Recommendations For the past two decades criticism and subsequent reform has always targeted the administrative system. Real improvement however requires also changes for politicians and their relationships with the administration. This thesis provides recommendations for administrative reform on four levels: internal organization 7 of the civil service, the relationship with elected officials, the relationship with parliament and finally the relationship with society. The internal organization of the civil service requires a flexible and network like style to cope with societal variation and increasing differences. Therefore new modes of democratic control are necessary, with emphasis on horizontalization. Regarding elected officials strengthening the position of the prime minister is recommended, next to the installation of a Minister for Administrative Simplification. The challenge as well as the need for parliamentarians to leave the 'ancient' reflexes of the primacy of politics and the zero-sum game of power in favor of a more horizontal democratic control on main issues. With regard to society recommendations are two-fold; an (increased) investment in the analytical functions, including a structured approach on citizen initiatives an referenda. Secondly a (further) application of the 'law of requisite variety' would improve the working of government in present day society. Old monolithic and hierarchic structures and trichotomies between state, market and (civil) society should be replaced by innovative alliances and variable intervention in society. 8 Chapter 1: Introduction, Problem
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