Selected experiences of good practice in Commonwealth public management: a symposium
| Published date | 01 October 1996 |
| Author | EDWARD WARRINGTON,PAUL COLLINS |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1099-162X(199610)16:4<291::AID-PAD898>3.0.CO;2-E |
| Date | 01 October 1996 |
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AND DEVELOPMENT, VOL. 16, 291-293 (1996)
Editorial Introduction
Selected experiences
of
good practice in Commonwealth
public management:
a
symposium
PAUL COLLINS
London, UK
EDWARD WARRINGTON
University
of
Malta. Malta
Ideas often have a life and power of their own. Unexceptional in this regard is the
increasing reference to the term ‘good practice’. The term has been used in assessing
the experiences of public management reform across a variety of Commonwealth
and non-Commonwealth countries (Commonwealth Secretariat, 1996). The term is
both attractive and at times elusive. It is necessary therefore to harness the language
of change in the interests of reform.
A key concern in the ‘transfer of success’ debate is and should be with what is
working (and not working) and the reasons why in each case and wider context. One
feature frequently referred to is that of diversity-particularly at the national level
where the range of conditions may be quite different, requiring a judicious application
of local solutions. Put as a proposition: good ideas are simple but implemented
through sophisticated approaches which are carefully planned and even elaborate.
With such issues on the agenda, the second 1996 Biennial Conference
of
CAPAM
took place in Malta, April 24-26 on the theme: The New Public Administration:
Global Challenges-Local Solutions. ‘The Commonwealth, through CAPAM,
occupies a unique place in relation to the public service. ‘The common
administrative heritage, coupled with informed linkages that exist between
member states, provides an ideal opportunity for reading across and examining
developments in public service management in different settings. The particular
situation of the Commonwealth does not only make it
possible
to examine
possibilities for drawing lessons, its diversity makes these at the lessons uniquely
interesting.’
Furthermore, ‘the Commonwealth provides
a
test bed
of
diverse
approaches
to
public service reform . . . and an unusual ability to assess practitioner
experiences’ and avoid ‘rather abstract debate’. (Manning, 1996:
1).
In this connection, CAPAM’s leading contribution (both academic and practical)
to administrative reform is as follows. Through PAD, for example, CAPAM can
Paul Collins is Editor,
Public
Administration and Development,
c/o Management Services and Training
Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, Pall Mall, London
SWl
and Edward Warrington is in the Dept.
of
Public Policy, University of Malta. Dr Collins was a member
of
the 1996 CAPAM Conference Planning
Committee and Edward Warrington Co-Rapporteur (with Sandy Borins).
CCC
027
1-2075/96/040291-03
0
1996
by
John
Wiley
&
Sons,
Ltd.
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