Running the government : public administration and governance in global context

Public administration and governance in a competitive world -- Policy-making machinery and the structure of central government -- Decentralization and the organizational architecture of subnational government -- Managing government finances -- Government employment and wage policy -- Managing government personnel -- Managing public procurement -- Government regulation -- Accountability: protecting resources, encouraging performance -- The rule of law and public corruption -- Transparency, information and communication technology, and the media -- Participation and interaction with civil society -- Providing public services and interacting with private business -- Public administration reform: lessons of experience and broad directions.

"Sound management of the machinery of government is at the core of a well-functioning state. Written by an author with a wide range of experience in international affairs, this introductory text addresses both the commonalities and diversity of administrative practice around the world. Exploring developed countries as well as developing and transitional economies, it provides strong conceptual foundations combined with nuts-and-bolts "how to" topics, such as public personnel management, public procurement, and public budgeting, supported by data and concrete illustrations. The book is organized around three important themes: the roles, size, and organizational architecture of government; the management of public finances, personnel, and procurement; and the interface between government and society, including the delivery of public services. A concluding chapter summarizes lessons learned and offers possible paths to improve the management of the public sector in sustainable ways. Running the Government will serve as a core text for graduate courses in public administration and as a supplementary text for undergraduate and graduate courses in political science, public economics, and international affairs. It may also serve as an accessible reference for civil service training courses around the globe"-- Provided by publisher.