Österreich 2006 präsidentschaft der europäischen union austria 2006 presidency of the european...

Österreich 2006 Präsidentschaft der Europäischen UnionAustria 2006 Presidency of the European UnionAutriche 2006 Présidence de L‘Union européenne

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46th Meeting of Directors General 46th Meeting of Directors General responsible for Public Administrationresponsible for Public Administration

Vienna, 29th May 2006Vienna, 29th May 2006

Decentralisation and AccountabilityDecentralisation and Accountabilityas Focus of Public Administration Modernisationas Focus of Public Administration Modernisation

A Comparative European Perspective A Comparative European Perspective

Christoph DemmkeChristoph DemmkeGerhard Hammerschmid Gerhard Hammerschmid

Renate MeyerRenate Meyer

th Meeting of Directors General, Vienna 2006 slide [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Context and Relevance of the SurveyContext and Relevance of the Survey • Decentralisation and accountability as main trends

of PA modernisation• Central Survey Questions:

1. Is there a common reform agenda?2. Is there a trend towards HR decentralisation and

individualisation? 3. Which HR issues are centralised/ decentralised? 4. What is the role and involvement of different actors?5. Does decentralisation lead to accountability problems?6. What are the implications for the PAs?


Main Drivers for PA ModernisationMain Drivers for PA Modernisation

Considerable variations between public administration traditions Little relevance of country size and HR system

technological developmentscitizen demandsp.a. top executivesp.a. employeesstaff representatives / unionspolitical partiespublic in general /mediaprivate sectorother interest groupssupranational organisations

very low1 2 3 4very strong

economic situation / budgetEU legislation / integrationnational parliament / legislationsocio-demogr. developments

Scand.

Scand. Transition

Continental

TransitionContin./Transition

Mediterr.Mediterr.

Scand.Anglo.

Anglo.Anglo.

Mediterr.

Mediterr.Contin.

Transition

Mediterr.

technological developmentscitizen demandsp.a. top executivesp.a. employeesstaff representatives / unionspolitical partiespublic in general /mediaprivate sectorother interest groupssupranational organisations

very low1 2 3 4very strong

economic situation / budgetEU legislation / integrationnational parliament / legislationsocio-demogr. developments

Scand.

Scand. Transition

Continental

TransitionContin./Transition

Mediterr.Mediterr.Mediterr.Mediterr.

Scand.Anglo.

Anglo.Anglo.

Mediterr.Mediterr.

Mediterr.Mediterr.Contin.

Transition

Mediterr.

EC

EC


administrative decentralisationpolitical decentralisationstrengthening accountabilitystrengthening policy coherencequality managementaligning public-private employm.HR decentralisationbudget decentralisationperformance managementopen governmentcustomer orientationethics / codes of conducte-governmentpublic-public partnershipsprivate sector involvement

relativelylow influence1 2 3 4

very high influence

new public managementgood governanceuse of market-type mechanismsausterity/saving programmes

Anglo./Scand.

Scand./Anglo.Continental/Transition

Anglo. smallScand. small

Continental smallAnglo.

Scand. ContinentalScand. small/Anglo.Scand. small/Mediterr.

Scand. ContinentalContinental

Scand.Anglo.

Scand.Anglo. Continental

Mediterr./ContinentalAnglo.

Mediterr.

Transition

administrative decentralisationpolitical decentralisationstrengthening accountabilitystrengthening policy coherencequality managementaligning public-private employm.HR decentralisationbudget decentralisationperformance managementopen governmentcustomer orientationethics / codes of conducte-governmentpublic-public partnershipsprivate sector involvement

relativelylow influence1 2 3 4

very high influence

new public managementgood governanceuse of market-type mechanismsausterity/saving programmes

Anglo./Scand.

Scand./Anglo.Continental/Transition

Anglo. smallScand. small

Continental smallAnglo.

Scand. ContinentalScand. small/Anglo.Scand. small/Mediterr.

Scand. ContinentalContinental

Scand.Anglo.

Scand.Anglo. Continental

Mediterr./ContinentalAnglo.

Mediterr.

Transition

Diversity of PA Modernisation Diversity of PA Modernisation TopicsTopics


Decentralisation – A Multifaceted ConceptDecentralisation – A Multifaceted Concept• Organisational/managerial decentralisation (“agencies”)

eg. Austria, EC, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Malta, Netherlands, Sweden, UK

• Legal and political (multi-level) decentralisation eg. Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Slovakia, Spain

• Budgetary decentralisation eg. EC, France, Sweden

• HR decentralisation– from government-wide HR unit to single ministries/agencies

eg. Austria, EC, Hungary, Ireland, Malta, Poland, Spain, Sweden, UK– increasing amount of discretion given to line managers

eg. Belgium, Denmark, France, Italy, Sweden– regional eg. Greece, Ireland, Sweden

Many good practices proposed in the study allowing diverse solutions fitting best the specific context


Netherlands

Latvia

SlovakiaGreece

Sweden

UK

GermanyFrance

Slovenia

AustriaCyprusBelgium

Spain

Luxembourg

MaltaEstonia

Finland

HungaryDenmark

Ireland

Lithuania

EC

Portugal

Romania

Italy Czech Rep.

BulgariaPoland

0,0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

-1,0 -0,8 -0,6 -0,4 -0,2 0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0

highly central highly decentral

Higher Management Autonomy GoesHigher Management Autonomy GoesHand in Hand with Higher Multi-Actor InvolvementHand in Hand with Higher Multi-Actor Involvement

low multi-actor involvement

high multi-actor involvement


Scandinavian

Anglo-Saxonposition-based

mediumMediterranean

career-basedTransition

Continental

largesmall

Balticother Transition

0,0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

-1,0 -0,8 -0,6 -0,4 -0,2 0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0

highly decentral

HR System and PA Tradition MatterHR System and PA Tradition Matter Size Does NotSize Does Not

highly central low multi-actor involvement

high multi-actor involvement


Centralised and Decentralised HR IssuesCentralised and Decentralised HR Issuescentralised decentralised

-0,7 -0,6 -0,5 -0,4 -0,3 -0,2 -0,1 0,0

recruitment of a line manager

determination of fixed salaries

PRP

public procurement (25000 Euro)

training / development

performance management

codes of conduct and ethical norms

disciplinary procedure

employee dismissal

line manager promotion

changing working time

altering task responsibilities

teleworking

head count reduction

relocating staff due to structural changes


Involvement of Line/Agency Management andInvolvement of Line/Agency Management andTrade Unions/Staff Representatives Trade Unions/Staff Representatives

line / agency management trade unions / staff representatives

high level of involvement:• performance management• performance related pay• training and development• disciplinary decisions

high level of involvement: • fixed salaries • dismissal of employees• head count reductions• working time issues

Continental

Transition

Mediterranean

Anglo-Saxon

Scandinavian

other Transition

Baltic

position based

career based

0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0

low involvement high involvement

Continental

Transition

Mediterranean

Anglo-Saxon

Scandinavian

other Transition

Baltic

position based

career based

0,0 0,2 0,4 0,6 0,8 1,0

low involvement high involvement


0,0 0,1 0,2 0,3 0,4 0,5 0,6 0,7 0,8 0,9 1,0

AustriaBelgiumBulgariaCyprusCzechiaDenmarkEstoniaFinlandFrance

GermanyGreeceHungaryIreland

ItalyLatvia

LithuaniaLuxembourg

MaltaNetherlands

PolandPortugalRomaniaSlovakiaSlovenia

SpainSweden

UKEC

in % of questions answered

Degree of Involvement of Government-wide HR Units


• Central unit government-wide

generally strong:– codes of conduct/ethical norms– fixed salaries– head count reductions

generally low:– disciplinary procedures– teleworking – public procurement

lower in Scandinavian and Baltic countries

lower in position-based HR systems

Involvement of Central UnitsInvolvement of Central Units

• Central unit ministry-wide

generally strong:– new line manager recruitment– training and development – disciplinary procedures– employee dismissal – altering task responsibilities– teleworking – headcount reductions – relocating staff

stronger in Continental, Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian Countries

stronger in position-based HR systems


Interrelationship between Interrelationship between Decentralisation and Accountability Decentralisation and Accountability

• General agreement on positive impact of (HR)decentralisation

• Broad spectrum of tools to balance possible side-effects• Decentralisation requires creation of new coordination

and accountability structures • Performance and external accountability on the rise• Traditional forms of political, hierarchical and ministerial

accountability are still the dominating forms • A broad spectrum of reform initiatives to strengthen

accountability


Reform Initiatives to Strengthen Accountability and Policy Coherence

• Performance Management eg. Austria, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Portugal, UK

• Changes in Legislation eg. Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Latvia, Poland, Romania, Slovakia

• Budget Management and IT eg. Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, EC, Finland, France

• Soft Coordination and Networking eg. Belgium, Cyprus, EC, Germany, Ireland, Lativa, Poland

• Increased Transparency eg. EC, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Romania, Sweden

Different emphasis depending on HR system, type of accountability and PA tradition


Consequences and Challenges Consequences and Challenges • Ongoing challenge to balance

– Decentralisation and centralisation– (De)centralisation and accountability

• Increasingly strategic role of central HR units• Need to strengthen both management competencies and

responsibility/accountability • Need to design strategies how to equip managers with

the necessary skills and to enable them to carry out new responsibilities (leadership training)

• Exchanging good practices concerning the involvement of different actors in HR decisions

• Need to avoid additional bureaucracy and burden close observation of relationship between HR decentralisation, accountability and a new performance management bureaucracy

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