Summary

The past two decades have seen a process of almost continuous reform in public management in developed countries and a renegotiation of traditional relationships between state, economy and society. These changes have been expressed through privatization, civil service reductions and restructuring, the introduction of market-type mechanisms to improve the delivery of public services, the construction of new forms of partnership between state and non-state organizations, and new types of regulation and accountability. In turn, these public management reforms have, in a variety of ways, been transferred to the state systems of developing and transitional economies.

The Internationalization of Public Management constitutes one of the first attempts to examine the conceptual and practical problems which attend such policy transfers, and to make preliminary judgements about the successes and failures of public management reform in developing countries. The distinguished group of contributors offers instructive insights into the complex reality of the development state.

Both academics and postgraduate students within the areas of politics and governance, public sector management and development studies will find this book essential reading. Practitioners in these fields, especially within aid agencies and research institutions, will also find the book contains valuable lessons and conclusions.