Administrative convergence in the United Nations system? Patterns of administrative reform in four United Nations organizations over time

AuthorStephan Grohs,Daniel Rasch
Date01 December 2021
DOI10.1177/00208523211018781
Published date01 December 2021
Subject MatterSpecial Issue Articles
Article
International
Review of
Administrative
Sciences
Administrative
convergence in the
United Nations
system? Patterns of
administrative reform
in four United Nations
organizations over time
Stephan Grohs
German University of Administrative Sciences
Speyer and German Research Institute for Public
Administration, Germany
Daniel Rasch
FernUniversit
at Hagen, Institute of Political Science,
Germany
Abstract
This article asks how and why United Nations organizations reform their administrative
structure and processes over time. It explores whether we can obser ve a convergence
towards a coherent administrative model in the United Nations system. Like in most
nation states, reform discussions according to models like New Public Management or
post-New Public Management have permeated international public administrations.
Against this background, the question of administrative convergence discussed for
national administrative systems also arises for United Nations international public
administrations. On the one hand, similar challenges, common reform ‘fashions’ and
an increasing exchange within the United Nations system make convergence likely. Yet,
on the other hand, distinct tasks, administrative styles and path dependencies might
support divergent reform trajectories. This question of convergence is addressed by
Corresponding author:
Stephan Grohs, German University of Administrative Sciences Speyer/German Research Institute for Public
Administration, Freiherr-vom-Stein-Straße 2, 67346 Speyer, Germany.
Email: grohs@uni-speyer.de
International Review of Administrative
Sciences
!The Author(s) 2021
Article reuse guidelines:
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DOI: 10.1177/00208523211018781
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2021, Vol. 87(4) 755–774
measuring the frequency, direction and rationales for reforms, using a sample of four
international public administrations from the United Nations’ specialized agencies (the
Food and Agriculture Organization, International Labour Organization, International
Monetary Fund and World Bank). We find that convergence depends on the area of
reform (human resources or organizational matters are more harmonized than others)
and time (some international public administrations are faster or earlier than others).
Points for practitioners
This article identifies different drivers of reforms, as well as several supporting con-
ditions, and obstacles to reform in international public administration, which is useful
for understanding and planning change management. It highlights the issues policy-
makers should consider when implementing reform measures, especially institutional
context, administrative styles and relevant actor constellations. Among other things, it
shows that: the establishment of coordination bodies clearly leads to more homoge-
neous administrative practices; executive heads have a decisive role in the shaping of
administrative reforms and have a specific interest to foster coordination and control in
public organizations; and autonomy enables organizations to pursue reform policies apt
to their individual challenges.
Keywords
administrative reform, convergence, international organizations, international public
administration, New Public Management
Introduction
1
The United Nations (UN) system brings together several quite heterogeneous
organizations under its roof. Alongside the General Secretariat and its pro-
grammes, each of the specialized agencies and related organizations has a different
history, style and internal dynamics. Nonetheless, notorious management prob-
lems and ‘pathologies’ (Barnett and Finnemore, 2004; Dijkzeul and Beigbeder,
2003) gave rise to a constant debate on the reform of both the UN system as a
whole and its many component parts regarding their mission, structure, financing
and operations, including the need for administrative and management reforms.
Partly in response to these debates, a number of coordination bodies (e.g. the
International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and the High Level Committee
on Management (HLCM)) were established (McLaren, 1987; Reymond, 1982).
Although these mechanisms for the coordination of management and other
administrative matters may exist, the question still arises as to whether we can
identify a tendency towards a shared administrative pattern in the UN system. This
article asks how and why UN specialized agencies reform their administrative
organization and processes over time, and what role can be attributed to these
756 International Review of Administrative Sciences 87(4)

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