Review article
Administrative Reforms in Post-Communist Countries: Similarities and Differences
Petra Goran
orcid.org/0000-0002-0695-0280
; 1.Ferenščica 57, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Administrative reforms in post-communist countries are often researched as
one-country case studies and with a legal focus. In this article, the author uses
a comparative approach to identify the main features of administrative reform
policy in post-communist countries, as opposed to such reforms in Western
democracies, as well as to point out the elements and actors in these processes
that may lead to differences among the post-communist administrations. The
article focuses on the civil service systems as key elements of administrative
change, stressing the importance of the relationship between the political officials
and the top civil servants. These “insiders” to the reform are crucial to
the successful policy transfer of administrative reforms, which depends on the
development of their competences and results in better administrative capacity.
Elite circulation and level of corruption are noted as additional intervening
factors. On the basis of existing comparative studies and the identified elements
and actors in administrative reforms in post-communist countries, the
author indicates potential areas for further research in this field.
Keywords
administrative reforms; post-communist countries; EU accession; civil service; policy transfer; elites
Hrčak ID:
55634
URI
Publication date:
5.5.2010.
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