Showing posts with label Administration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Administration. Show all posts

Problems and Prospects for Management of Public Services

Public service is an essential service or commodity linked to the livelihood or existence of the society or the general people. Public service is a means of connecting the government and the general public. Such services are provided by the government through its administrative channels. In order to meet the needs of the people as a whole, the work performed by the state and the goods and services provided are public services.

The flow of public services is the process by which the government or the state provides services to the citizens in a fast, economical and effective manner, which can be guaranteed by the general public. It is the responsibility of the state to provide public services.

In Nepal, all the essential, basic, infrastructure-based, commercial and other services are provided from the public (government) level. Various policies, legal, institutional and procedural arrangements have also been put in place to make the basic service delivery systematic and effective. However, the service delivery does not seem to be as systematic and effective.

The public sector, civil society and the private sector are involved in running the state or providing services to the people. Through the collaboration of these three sectors, people get services and facilities. The public sector includes the following two sub-sectors:
  1. Political Subsector
  2. Public Administration Subsector

1. Problems of Political Subsector

(A) Rise of unconstitutional power

If a leader or a person becomes a minister or a leader of higher level, all his relatives will be powerful, which will greatly affect to the transfer, promotion, appointment and so on.

(B) Emergence of Vicious Politicians to Enhance the Financial Status of the Party

There is a situation where a certain ministry i.e. a powerful ministry is needed and the party has a habit of supporting such.

(C) Critical situation of party operation

There is a crisis of confidence between the government and the party. Even if one's own party joins the government, there will be disputes. There was a lot of undisciplined work even within the party. All the parties started splitting. Leaders had zero vision. The tendency to try to join the government by removing one's own party government is emerging. The political sector is not right and other sectors cannot be right, so this is a very important sector. Such defects need to be rectified.

Problems of Civil Society
  • Civil society should be fair and non-profitable, not as sister organizations of political parties.
  • They are morally corrupt and unaccountable to the people.
  • They have not been able to represent the voice of the people.

Problems of Private Sector
  • Less responsible towards the society due to profit motives.
  • The latent syndicate system is still prevalent.
  • Trade unions have made the private sector unhealthy.
  • Salary facility is very low.
  • There is a situation of extreme labor exploitation.
  • The private sector is becoming more cities centered.

2. Problems of Public Administration
  • Extremely politicized and non-professional.
  • Lack of work culture in the public sector and insensitivity to the problems, demands and needs of the people.
  • Basic public service delivery to the general public has not been guaranteed.
  • Extreme abundance of nepotism, favoritism and violation of merit system.
  • The performance of public services is not satisfactory.
  • The voice of the people is least reflected in public administration. People are given what we think is right. The public administration has ignored the demands of the people.
  • Salary facility is very low and overall people with sharp intellect have not entered the administration. Average people run administration.
  • Not enough attention has been paid to transparency and accountability regarding the availability of public services. Also, corruption in service delivery could not be controlled.
  • Lack of clear demarcation between politics and administration.
  • Representation of some castes is still low i.e. public administration is not inclusive and representative.

Some more problems:
  • There is a situation where the right person in the civil service is not in the right place at the right time. When a person is not in the right place, then the overall capacity of the nation is weakened. Proper planning has never been done.
  • The approach of conducting public service management activities in a systematic manner has not been followed.
  • The role of fair and neutral civil society in the management of public services has not been enhanced.
  • Lack of sustainable system. There is no sustainable system in transfers, promotions, postings, scholarships, foreign trips, etc.
  • Our governance reform is fragmented, ad-hoc and without overall reform; Only focus on structural change.
  • The qualitative and regulatory role of the government is weak. There is lack of monitoring in areas like education, transport, health etc.
  • There is a complete lack of concept and use of human resource development. There is nothing greater than wisdom and knowledge, but wisdom is despised.
  • Local bodies could not function properly.
  • Economic and social development works have not been able to move forward in the required proportion, which has created obstacles in expanding the flow of public services.
  • It seems that attention has not been paid to those who perform less work.
  • Low status and situation of public institutions and authorities.

Prospect to solve the aforementioned problems

Measures to solve the problems of the political sector
  • There should be timely improvement in politics.
  • There should be development of good political culture.
  • There should be political will and commitment.
  • The best brain should go in the political sector.
  • Minimum educational qualification should be determined in the political sector as well.
  • Politicians should be sent on study visits time and again.

Measures to Solve the Problems of Civil Society
  • There should be a fair civil society.
  • The registration of the backward civil society should be revoked.

Measures to Solve the Problems of Private Sector 
  • There should be effective monitoring. The consumer committee should be more active. Consumers should be aware. The private sector must be punished for wrong doings. The bureaucracy should be stronger. 

Measures to Solve the Problems of Public Administration
  • Government should be responsive, sensitive.
  • The government should take the lead in meeting the demands of the people.
  • The immediate problems of the citizens should be solved.
  • Every organization should monitor time and again by forming a team.
  • Quality should be regulated.
  • To resolve the situation of impunity.
  • The government should be strong in anyway.
  • Measures should be taken to increase the morale of the employees who are doing a good job.
  • Steps against corruption should be made stronger.
  • There should be dynamic pay policy.
  • Bodies such as the CIAA and the Vigilance Center need to be strengthened.
  • Multi-staffed staff should be arranged.
  • There should be a result oriented public sector rather than a procedural one.
  • A predictable promotion system should be developed.
Finally,
  • Political will and commitment;
  • Professional will and
  • Public wills lead to the development of the country.

These three wills are collectively called national wills. In order to make the availability of public services effective, the management of the public sector must be strengthened as a whole. For the management of Nepal 's public sector which is surrounded by problems and challenges, there is a lot to be done. In the view of the various efforts being made by other nations of the world to achieve the new Millennium Development Goals, Nepal's public administration also needs to move forward with a concrete vision for the future. There is a need to give special emphasis on other aspects such as good governance and transparency, demarcation between politics and administration, innovative public management, public accountability, favorable public service policy, strong and effective staff, simplification of procedures, public grievance management, information management, increasing participation of local bodies, economic discipline, effective monitoring and evaluation.

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Result Oriented Administration / Result Oriented Management

Every action has a mission, vision or goal. The mission or goal must be determined before taking action. Then strategies are formulated on how to get there and work is done according to the strategy. 

All the people or organization requires inputs to reach the mission or goal. No output can be obtained without input. Automatic output is expected when input is invested. Result or output is also the objective effect of public action. Result-oriented management is when the input is invested in it, what is the outcome, what is the quality maintained, whether the consumer or service recipient is satisfied with the return received or not. Therefore, managerial activities that are aimed at achieving concrete results with an emphasis on outcome and not on input are called result-oriented management. Effective management also requires competent bureaucracy. 

In the view of the public, the reality of the government is the bureaucracy or administration for the citizens to get services and facilities. Administration is also called permanent government which helps in making the activities of running the state effective and result oriented. In fact, result-oriented management is a new dimension of public management. It emphasizes result-oriented rather than procedural action. The emphasis of result-oriented management is not on how the work was done and who did it or whether the policy rules were not fulfilled, but on what was done, how much was done, who went and what was achieved.

Similarly, in result-oriented management, the goals and objectives of each activity are determined and necessary strategies and programs are prepared and implemented towards reaching the goal. In which result oriented efforts / measures are adopted in every action and process from goal setting to accomplishing the set goal.

Result oriented management is not a separate administration but a means of achieving real results through administrative management. It expects excellent performance and pays special attention to both quantitative and qualitative aspects of managerial activities. In particular, it plays an important role in achieving goals. Effective management also plays a role in materializing abstract managerial activities. 

Some Glaring examples are; 
  • If money is given to a training center, it should be given on the basis of how many people have been trained and got job rather than on the basis of number of trainees.
  • Educational institutions in Arkansas and Florida in the USA stopped giving training funds because they got less than 70 percent work.
  • The funding should be done on the durability of road rather than the length of road to be constructed.
  • School funding should be based on pass out rate and high rank percentage.

Indicators to Measure Results
  • Efficiency criteria: - To increase the return by keeping the budget stable.
  • Criteria of economy: - Minimizing the input but the output remains the same.
  • Criteria of effectiveness: - The difference between what was expected and what was achieved is the criterion of effectiveness.
  • Criteria of service: - Criteria of service is the measurement of citizen's satisfaction in the goods and services provided.
  • Output measure: - It measures services and facilities made avail from the specified expenditure.
  • Impact measure: - Measuring the level of impact, i.e. the final impact on the society from the amount expenditure.
  • SMART: - Criteria should be SMART i.e. SMART objective. SMART means specified, measurable, achievable, reliable / reasonable representative, time bound.

Techniques / Process for Result Orientation
  • Clearly defining mission, vision or goal or objective
  • Determining strategies / tactics
  • Preparation of outline of plans and programs
  • Management of necessary resources including budget
  • Determining work and working procedures
  • Determining the schedule
  • Implementation of programs or activities
  • Effective monitoring and evaluation
  • Analysis of results
  • Backing up

Some tips of Result Orientation
  • Think of what can be measured and what can be done.
  • If we can't measure results, failure can't be separated from success.
  • If you can't see success, you can't reward it.
  • If you can't reward success, have you rewarded failure? Think of it.
  • If you don't see success, you can't learn from it.
  • If you don't recognize failure, you can't improve.
  • If you can demonstrate the results, you will be with the people.

Significance of Result Oriented Management
  • To achieve materialistic achievement
  • Benefit to the target group
  • Proper use of resources
  • Administrative commitment
  • Increasing the level of public participation
  • Increase in productivity
  • Increasing levels of motivation
  • Increase the capacity of the working class
  • Cost-per-unit return can be measured
  • Developing administrative professionalism
  • Promoting work culture
  • Increase the reputation of the organization
  • Increase people's trust in the organization, etc.

Issue / challenges of Result Oriented Management
  • Traditional organizational structure
  • Domination of politics in the administration
  • Lack of modern management
  • Lack of professionalism in administration
  • Centralized management system
  • Excessive government involvement
  • Procedural legal complications
  • Lack of capacity to use resources
  • Lack of administrative responsibility and accountability
  • Uncertain Terms of Service
  • Corruption
  • Lack of managerial values ​​and recognition
  • Unbalanced public participation
  • Lack of easy access to public services
  • Uncertainty in the availability of public services
  • Not paying attention to institutional development and expansion
  • Public grievance management is not effective
  • Lack of guarantee of good governance etc.

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New Public Service (NPS): An innovative concept of public management

New Public Service (NPS) is an innovative concept of public management. This concept was developed by Danhardt and Danhardt in 2003 to provide public services to the citizens in a new way. This is a strong critique and alternative to the New Public Management (NPM). The main objective of new public service is to learn from the theory of democratic system rather than from the theory of the private sector. 

Related Topic:

New Public Management: Meaning and Concept


This concept was originally developed from the Scandinavian countries and is considered a new form of public management (NPM) and improved governance. In the study of public management, the new public service is considered as a concept that sensitively prioritizes not only facts but also values, makes the administration feel responsible and accountable towards the citizens, and characterizes administrative professionalism, creativity, discipline and people-oriented administration. This NPS criticizes the for-profit and city-oriented private sector and deepens the responsibilities and obligations of public management in a democratic manner. The importance of NPS introduced in administration / management with the objective of promoting improved public service flow is increasing day by day. In a state system with unlimited responsibilities, the NPS carries the spirit of service-friendliness, not only by serving the people, but also by making the people feel at ease. NPS makes public management action-oriented, results-oriented, people-oriented, change-oriented, accountable, participatory and exploratory. 

New public service (NPS) has not been effectively implemented in Nepal's public management. Among the policy, structural, procedural and practical dimensions in this regard, the practical dimension is very weak. It has become imperative to make the administration customer-friendly as well as participatory, transparent, accountable, change-oriented and exploratory, while some rules and regulations need to be amended and changed in a timely manner.

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Public Service Delivery System and ways to make delivery system effective

Meaning of Public Service

Public service is an essential service facility or commodity linked to the livelihood or existence of the society or the common man. Public service is a bridge connecting the government and the general public. Such services are provided by the government through its administrative channels. Similarly, a public service is a service provided to the general public or citizen or organizations. Such as security, defense, rule of law, community service, essential services, employment, communication and technology services and other service. As a whole, the work performed by the state and the goods and services provided to fulfill the needs and wants of public are public services. 

It seems appropriate to present Adam Smith's views on public service. According to Smith, "all those public institutions and public works that are characterized by the fact that their profits can never be repaid by investment or it is a public function, which is the kind that cannot be repaid by investment." Therefore, individuals or groups of individuals cannot build or maintain it. ” We can also say that public service is the service provided by the service provider i.e. government or state to the service recipient i.e. public or general people. 

Meaning of Public Service Delivery System

The flow of public service is the process by which the government or the state provides services to the citizens in a fast, economical and effective manner, which can be guaranteed by the common man. It is the responsibility of the state to provide public services. In this context, the technology / method / mechanism to provide services, facilities, goods to the general public is called delivery system. The delivery system is the mechanism for distributing the beneficial goods, services and facilities received from any organization.

In Nepal, all the essential, basic, infrastructure-based, commercial and other services are provided from the public (government) level. There are various policy, legal, institutional and procedural arrangements to make the basic service delivery systematic and effective. However, there is not much effectiveness in service delivery.

The government has put great efforts in administrative reform for a long period of time to make the flow of services to the general public effective. Although efforts have been made to simplify and streamline government work, decentralize services, provide adequate and capable manpower in service centers, and streamline service delivery, its implementation has been weak and even the basic foundations for ensuring public services have not been strengthened. Due to traditional thinking and lack of positive perceptions in the administration; limited means and resources; lack of transparency, accountability, responsibility; lack of highest utilization of information technology; lack of awareness of the client; lack of pressure groups; lack of simple and clear procedures etc., public service has not been effective.

Features and Characteristics of Public Services
  • Public services are provided by government and governmental body.
  • It is the responsibility of government or state to deliver public services.
  • The state never aims for profit while providing public services.
  • Receiving public services from the state is a civil right. It is also linked to human rights.
  • Public services are theoretically fair.
  • Public service is related to the life of a citizen.
  • Public service flows in accordance with the law and prescribed guidelines.
  • The service recipient or the consumer of the service can also participate in the distribution of public service.
  • Public service investment cannot be paid as profit.
  • Public service is a means of connecting the government and the common man.

Importance of Public Services
  • Related to the existence of community or citizen.
  • As the main responsibility of the state.
  • The main basis for increasing the trust of the people towards the government.
  • Helps to increase the legitimacy of the government in state power.
  • Good public service is also a sign of good governance. Accountable and forward-looking government.
  • The most important task or objective of any government is to provide necessary services to the people.
  • Adequacy, timeliness, equity, equality, quality, economy, efficiency, relevance, etc. are important elements of the flow of growth.

Strengths and Weakness of Public Service Delivery System in Nepal

Strengths:
  • Citizen centered service delivery system has been adopted.
  • Citizens' charter has been provided to make the service effective, fast and economical and charter with compensation has also been introduced in the offices.
  • Mobile service has been operated from time to time with the objective of providing door-to-door service to the people.
  • An integrated service center has been started to provide various services.
  • Complaints of citizens have been heard, public hearing system has been adopted, arrangements have been made for "Hello Government", etc.
  • Double shifts services are delivered.
  • Monitoring work related to service delivery has been started expeditiously.

Weakness / Problems in Public Service Delivery
  • The service has become more traditional and more process oriented.
  • The service could not be mapped.
  • No priority in service.
  • Inadequacy and low quality of service
  • No attention has been paid to increase the capacity and efficiency of service providers.
  • Could not provide appropriate incentive to service provider.
  • The service flow could not be linked to the employee merit system.
  • Insufficiency of resources and failure to make maximum use of available resources.
  • The relationship between the service provider and the client has not been reliable and smooth.
  • Lack of social inclusion in service delivery.
  • Citizens' charter has not been used properly.
  • There have been irregularities in the service flow.
  • Lack of client-friendly physical infrastructure.
  • Lack of tendency for service providers to hear complaints responsibly.
  • Lack of social responsibility in the private sector.
  • Improper use of power.
  • Lack of transparency, accountability and responsibility.
  • Lack of effective monitoring.

How to make Delivery System Effective?
  • The focus of the delivery system should be the citizen not the producers or suppliers. The demands of the people must be addressed.
  • Citizens' satisfaction should be the focal point while providing goods, services and facilities.
  • There should be mass involvement of the people or it is necessary, as far as possible.
  • Government officials should pay attention to the results that will serve the people, rather than flirting or reacting to small things.
  • The needs of the people should be met rather than providing easy service.
  • The needs, demands and concerns of the people should be looked at carefully and such needs and demands should be adjusted in the system.
  • Citizens' grievance redressal system should be established and the system should be easy and simplified and when there is no need for results or achievement should be provided instead.
  • As much as possible, other potential participants should be involved so that various needs and demands can be met and efficiency can be achieved.
  • Public bodies providing services should be made fully accountable with resources and rights.
  • Adopt holistic or integrated method to get maximum opportunity.
  • There should always be enthusiasm or morale for continuous improvement.


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Strategic Management: Meaning, Features and Significance of Strategic Management

Meaning of Strategy and Strategic Management


The word strategy derives from military administration. The term strategy refers to the tactics and tactics adopted during the war to mobilize the army. Whether they are soldiers or administrators or businessmen, the purpose of all these is to achieve the objectives of the organization. Strategy is the crucial method to prepare the organization to face the growing uncertain future. Strategy is a perfect way to achieve the goals and objectives of the organization. When the New Public Management (NPM) is introduced in the administration, strategy became associated with long-term. The main objective of New Public Management (NPM) is to achieve result. So, if there is no strategy, the organization is without direction. According to Nutt and Back Off, the strategy focuses on where the emphasis should be given. Similarly, strategic activities also focuses on the objectives by formulating plan, structure, situations, movement and the perspectives.

Initially, it was developed as strategic planning and later on strategic planning was replaced by strategic management in the 1980s.

Strategic Management refers to managing strategically. That is, the act of strategically identifying a situation and using knowledge strategically is called strategic management. Due to globalization and economic liberalization and open market environment, the use of strategic management has become more widespread to meet the challenges faced by the management of any sector.

Strategic thinking is assimilated in the method adopted for the effective management of any organization. The tactical approach adopted as a tactic to mobilize the army during the war is widely used in modern times in the management of the private and public sectors. 

According to Michael Armstrong, “Strategic management is the visionary management that is concerned with creating ideas and maintaining concepts about where the organization should go. But it is also an experience-based management that will decide how to get the organization to that point in practice. ” 

Similarly, in the words of V. P. Michael, "Strategic management is the systematic and justified management process that is adopted to achieve certain long-term objectives in a way that suits the existing and expected forces and elements."

In strategic management, there is a plan but even if there is a plan, attention should be paid to the implementation because there is a human factor. Human is a factor that influences the culture and management of an organization.

Strategic Management deals with the following topics like bringing results, new marketing, new products, new technology, etc. In this sense, strategic management is very broad. It integrates the plan with every component of the organization. It expands the future strategic format through each unit of the organization. It is not mechanical, it recognizes the central role of the individuals and groups present in the organization, it influences the culture of the organization. 

Features of Strategic Management
  • Dealing with basic queries related to the organization
  • Situation based
  • To root out the main problem
  • Predicting the impact
  • Utilization of different opportunities
  • Determining priorities
  • Realistic plans
  • Us of the best experience
  • Ensuring the availability of resources
  • Arrangement of practical management structure
  • Flexibility
  • Top management activeness
  • Collective guidance, etc.

Significance of Strategic Management
  • Long-term vision
  • Oriented towards strategic success
  • Motivated managers and employees
  • Assist towards environmental needs
  • Assist in the formulation of objective plan and its implementation
  • More effective decision making process
  • Arrangements for procedural monitoring and adjustment
  • Strategy in Public Sector

This trend is started in the early 1980s in the public sector. It was introduced in later period in the private sector. The public sector should have the following:
  • There should be a statement of overall mission and objectives.
  • There should be environmental analysis or scanning.
  • There should be an audit of the internal profile and resources of the organization.
  • Strategies should be formulated, evaluated and selected.
  • Strategic plan should be implemented and controlled.

According to the scholars Osborne and Gaebler, strategic planning is the current and future projection of an organization or community, setting and measuring goals. It should include the following:
  • Analysis of external and internal situation
  • Identification of important issues faced by the organization
  • Basic mission of the organization
  • Presentation and adjustment of basic goals of the organization
  • Creation of the future form of the organization
  • Imagine the success of the organization
  • Development of strategies for realizing vision, mission and goals
  • Development of time table for measuring strategy and evaluating results

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Reinventing Government: Concept, Achievement and Features of Reinventing Government

Concept / Introduction

In the early 1990s, when American governments were plagued by a series of shortcomings, some innovative and exemplary institutions emerged outside the public sector. Those organizations were fast, decentralized, up-to-date and work-oriented. They were also flexible and adaptable (able to adapt to new changes). They also used competitive, customer-oriented and non-staffed mechanisms to get the job done. 

Versalia, California, etc. had a clear impact on this entrepreneurship. The product of these things began to be applied in the public sector as a Reinventing Government. As this method and procedure leads to annual budget lapse, it also eliminates the need to spend budget money anyway at the end of the year and encourages managers to save budget. This budget money is ours and the feeling of spending it like this was awakened.

Budget system related to expenditure control was implemented. At the same time, with the change in the environment, the management has started to provide the facility to change. The line item budget system was removed and administrators were given the right to spend where required. The saved budget amount was also given the right to be spent next year, even in new priorities. Many such examples (Versalia, California) began to be found in the USA and ideas regarding Reinventing developed.

Reflecting on such things, after various studies, researches and investigations in 1992, the scholarly authors Osborne and Gaebler published a practical book with the idea that Reinventing should be done. According to these writers, the government can still do better than the market system and the government or the bureaucracy is neither necessary nor efficient, so the government (administration) must be Reinventing.

The book contains time-relevant chapters and introduces it as an American Perestroika. Other chapters include Reinventing Government as Anticipatory Government, Catalytical Government, Community-owned Government, Competitive Government, Customer-driven Government, Enterprising Government, Mission -driven Government, Decentralized Government, Result-oriented Government, Market-oriented Government etc.

10 points of Reinventing Government
  1. Entrepreneurial government will also implement and encourage competition among service providers.
  2. To bring the powers of government to the people or to empower the people. Empower rather than serve.
  3. Performance should not be input -oriented but result - oriented i.e. result should be good.
  4. Entrepreneurial government should move from process oriented administration to its mission.
  5. Entrepreneurial government meets the needs of customers and not bureaucracy. Therefore, with the choice, the public was called customer instead of client.
  6. Providing service before arising any problems.
  7. Entrepreneurial government should focus on earning rather than spending.
  8. They decentralized authority; Embrace simple management and team work system.
  9. In the process of providing services and facilities to the people, the market mechanism has been promoted rather than the bureaucracy. This is an attempt to bring change in the market.
  10. The government will play a catalytic role among the private, public and voluntary organizations in the society to solve the problems of the people's community. 

These 10 principles are an inseparable collective concept. The authors seem to have the idea that they do something even if they do not solve many problems.

Achievements / Features of Reinventing Government
  • Expenditure controlled budget system has been implemented.
  • The management has provided the facility to change with the change in the environment.
  • Line item budget system was removed and administrators were given the right to spend where required.
  • The saved budget amount was carried towards next year and given right to be spent on new priorities.

Some Examples for Reinventing Government
  • America has the worst public school even the world is so developed.
  • Courts and prisons are overcrowded.
  • Formerly worth doing or proud states and cities have actually gone bankrupt. In addition, millions of employees were laid off and billions of budget deficits or those states started running deficit budgets.
  • Accused persons / criminals started walking openly.
  • Very good and enterprising people do not want to come into government service. According to a survey conducted in the late 1980s, only 5% of people want to come into government service.
  • Thousands of Americans are homeless.
  • Millions of American children do not have health insurance, meaning they are deprived of health care.

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Government: Roles and Functions of Government

Concept of Government

The government is the body that rules independently through the state system to fulfill the wishes of the people within the specified territory. The government is the main mechanism or representative of the sovereign state and is the body that exercises the executive power of the state in accordance with the law. Similarly, the government is the legal entity or body responsible for mobilizing the state, protecting and promoting it, and developing and expanding it in all respects. 

In short, the government is the statutory body established by the people to govern the country. It is guided by the method and system of government. Its main function is to develop the country and provide services to the people. 

According to Prof. Garner's words, "Government is the mechanism by which the general policies of the state are determined, the general affairs are regulated and the general interest is promoted. In the absence of a government, the population will be disorganized, unorganized, anarchic and it will not be possible to take any collective action. ” 

Functions of Government

The main task of the government is to ensure the living standards of the people as the government does the following:
  • Maintenance of peace, security and law and order
  • Function of health and quality environment
  • Community and social security
  • Arrangement of quality education and transportation
  • Supply of essential goods and services
  • Maintenance of national integrity and unity
  • Public policy formulation, implementation and evaluation
  • Addressing national level planning issue and program formulation, implementation and evaluation
  • Development of infrastructure of development
  • Development of water resources, tourism and agricultural sectors
  • Urban planning and welfare
  • Technology and methodological development and research work
  • Functions that cannot be operated and handled by non-government and private sector
  • Maintenance of minimum quality of goods and services 

Due to the above arrangements, the role of the government became even stronger. In particular, if the private sector is to make good progress in the world market, it should be able to provide the following inputs: - to provide the best knowledge and skilled workers, to do more valuable research, to provide the cheapest capital possible, to form the best foundations and policies. 

Roles of Government

1. In the Context of Development:
  • Strategic role
  • Protector
  • Facilitator
  • Regulatory
  • Promoter
  • Investigator
  • Evaluator and Monitor
  • Coordinator
  • Negotiator
  • Resource mobilize
  • Planner
  • Partner etc.

2. According to Anderson, 
  • Providing diverse economic infrastructure
  • Make avail public goods and services
  • Resolve and adjust the differences / conflicts / conflicts in the pluralistic society or between the groups
  • Ensuring and maintaining competition
  • Protection and Conservation of natural resources
  • Ensuring public access to existing public goods and services in the economy
  • Stabilization of economy

3. According to Osborne and Gaebler,
  • Anticipatory Government
  • Catalytical Government
  • Community-owned Government
  • Customer-driven Government
  • Competitive Government
  • Decentralized Government
  • Enterprising Government
  • Mission-driver Government
  • Market-oriented Government
  • Result-oriented Government, etc.

4. Plan Specified
  • Maintenance of peace, security and fair justice in the country
  • Improvement of quality of goods and services
  • Formulation of plan, policy and programs
  • Protection and promotion of human rights
  • Social activities such as poverty alleviation, inclusive development, women's development, social empowerment, upliftment of backward castes, etc.
  • Creation of competitive environment
  • Practice of local autonomy
  • Policy and action initiatives to maintain social justice and regional balance
  • Expansion of industry and trade, etc.

5. Unforgotten Roles of Government while Governing
  • Promotion of national interest in which sovereignty, integrity, protection of national identity, national honor and pride are intact
  • Guarantee of constitutional essence including democratic and democratic system, constitutional supremacy, civil rights, human rights, etc.
  • Peace and stability
  • Poverty alleviation 
  • Ensuring rule of law
  • Emphasis on good governance
  • Inclusion, social justice and development
  • Development of economic, social and physical infrastructure
  • Effective delivery of public services
  • Rural and urban development
  • Strengthening and development of international relations
  • Values ​​and principles guided by the constitution

6. In the context of changing environment of the world
  • New approach and role
  • Globalization, economic liberalization and privatization
  • Decentralization and localization
  • Use of science and technology and information technology
  • Carriers and catalysts of change
  • Private sector and civil society etc.

In conclusion, Government is an alternative to failure in other areas. Government efforts alone may not be enough for economic and social upliftment, but the government must create a strong presence and a conducive environment. For the public, the reality of government is bureaucracy. Administration is also called permanent government. Therefore, even if the market is very powerful, the government has to intervene from time to time because the market can fail at any time. In any case, the government is the government, that is, the last weapon is the government.
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New Public Management : Meaning and concept (NPM)

Meaning and Concept of New Public Management (NPM)

New public management (NPM) is the managerial process in which administrative activities are led to improve the administrative ability to make the function of the government or the state as successful and significant as in the management of the private sector. In this, efforts have been made to increase administrative efficiency, effectiveness and efficiency by introducing good managerial aspects invented and developed in the private sector in public administration and to make managerial transformation. In this sense, NPM is the practice of using management principles, models and tools to make the role of the state effective and meaningful. The NPM focuses more on outcomes than on processes, on accountability rather than on irresponsibility, and on management rather than administration. At the same time, the NPM believes that the traditional shortcomings in the administration should be removed and transformed into a competitive, efficient, effective and result-oriented management. 

In fact, NPM has been conceptually developed to meet and manage the challenges posed by globalization, economic liberalization, privatization, increasing international competition and rapid changes in technology in the late 1980's and early 1990's. It encourages the adoption of the good aspects developed by the private sector in the public sector as well as helps to make public administration / management efficient, productive, effective and accountable. It is also able to achieve qualitative improvement in the flow of public services. NPM also adopts flexible, effective and useful and market-oriented policies.

NPM concept has led to a wide-ranging change in the role of government as well as following the good aspects of private sector management, emphasizing the relationship between government and civil society. Apart from NPM, it is also known as New Managerialism or Managerialism or New Taylorism, Entrepreneurial government, Market-based Public Administration etc. 

Reasons for Development of New Public Management (NPM)

1. Aggression and Criticism in the Public Sector

There are too much criticism and aggression on the size, scope and methods of government and bureaucracy in the 1980s and 1990s. At the same time, many hopes and demands were made from this system. In addition, the world's most prominent critics of the government or the public sector were the head of government. For example, Margaret Thatcher ruled the United Kingdom in 1979 and Ronald Reagan ruled the United States in 1980. They were the ones who were the most criticized for their administrative actions. The most frequently criticized topics are: 
  • The impact on the state along with the large size of the government 
  • Expansion of scope of government and its impact
  • The traditional procedures of the government and the bureaucracy. 

2. Emerging Economic Theories

Some principles were established financially. The government becomes the ultimate obstacle to national economic growth, prosperity, progress and independence. Only a limited government can work for the welfare of the people and the market system was much better than the bureaucracy. With this belief, the new public management has been directed for governance based on the famous principles related to the economic sector like Public Choice Theory and Principle Agent Theory. 

3. Globalization and Competitiveness

The rapid development in the private sector through globalization and economic liberalization have made compulsion to transform public administration into a New Public Management in terms of capacity building, making it competitive and people-oriented in the administrative sector. The public sector must be as efficient, competitive and effective as the private sector for the good economy. The efficient operation of the government sector can also make the private sector more effective. These two are interdependent with each other. Similarly, due to expansion of the functional role of the government, the development of new public management concept had taken place. 

Features of New Public Management (NPM)
  1. Fast and Quick Government: NPM replaces the large and multi-purpose bureaucracy with a fast and quick government.
  2. Achievement and Results Oriented: NPM is a management system that emphasizes achievement and results rather than process.
  3. Under NPM, a mechanism based on market economy is promoted for the flow of services or availability of goods by the public sector.
  4. Cooperation between public sector and private sector is an important feature of NPM. Emphasis is placed on the government to play a coordinating and facilitating role by making the private sector more active.
  5. There is maximum use of information technology to make the public sector management effective.
  6. The development of NPM has changed the values of public sector. It emphasizes institutional economy, efficiency and effectiveness.
  7. NPM guarantees the right of consumers to make their own choice while using goods and services.
  8. NPM ensures personal and institutional accountability.
  9. NPM provides flexibility as per the needs of public sector management. 

Limitations of New Public Management (NPM)
  • Repetition of traditional principles
  • Limitations of public choice theory
  • Problems of ethics and accountability
  • The problem of politicization
  • Difficulty in applying market principles 

Uses and Practices of New Public Management (NPM)
  • Its use varies from country to country.
  • The use of NPM is very low in Japan.
  • Partial use in China.
  • Relations between Japan and China have a hierarchy-based strong culture, whether official or personal.
  • Due to differ from policy execution, it is partially used in Australia.
  • However, the use of NPM is increasing with the modern global change. 

What should be done to align the administration of Nepal with the concept of NPM?
  • Clarify the areas of work to be done by the government.
  • Arrangements will be made to receive public services from the lower unit.
  • Make the administration small, efficient and empowered.
  • Make development programs based on program budget.
  • Control unnecessary and distribution oriented expenditure.
  • Provide ICT based online services.
  • Provide business related training to the service providers.
  • Increase the physical, technical and economic capacity institutionally.
  • Make employees to study and research new topics.
  • Effectiveness in administrative work will be increased by involving the private sector as a partner in good and achievable work.
  • Follow the best practices around the world.
  • Implement performance based incentive system.
  • Increase the participation of citizens in service delivery and development work.
  • Commercialize the bureaucracy instead of politicizing it.
  • NPM is a powerful means of connecting the government, the private sector and the general public. It is effective in providing services through it. 

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Collective Bargaining and Importance of Collective Bargaining

Collective bargaining is one of the efficient ways of resolving industrial disputes. It is concerned with the relations between trade unions representing workers and the management representing employers. It is the distinct feature of modern industrial era. Industrial peace and harmony can be achieved only if there are healthy industrial relations in the country.

Collective bargaining is defined to cover the negotiation, administration, interpretation, application and enforcement of written agreement between employers and unions representing their employees settling for the joint understanding as to policies and procedures governing wages, rates of pay, hours of work and other condition of employment, so the collective bargaining is the technique of solving an industrial disputes. The term collective bargaining can be defined as;

According to E. B. Flippo,“Collective bargaining are a process in which the representatives of a labour organization and the representatives of the business organization meet and attend to negotiate a contract or agreement which specifies the nature of the employee-employer union relationship.”

Thus, the collective bargaining is the process of voluntary agreement. It is an agreement under which employees jointly or collectively undertake to resolve their existing or future conflicts or differences through negotiation usually between interested parties and if necessary, with the assistance of the third party. The agreement is known as labour contract or a union contract or labour management agreement. It gives the mutually agreed terms and conditions of services and represents voluntary arbitration and never a compulsory adjustment.

Importance of Collective Bargaining


Collective bargaining is considered as important for shaping better labour relation because of the following reasons.
  • It is flexible means of adjusting wages and conditions of employment to changing economic, social, political, technological and other factors. Both the parties can meet whenever they desire and can adopt the term and conditions suited to the changing environment.
  • It is an effective method of regulating the conditions of employment of the worker by trade unions.
  • Collective bargaining is helpful in fixing standards of every worker and establishing a code of conduct defining rights, duties and obligations of each party. In other words, through collective bargaining some kinds of industrial jurisprudence is created.
  • Collective bargaining results in better understanding and empathy between employer and workers. When issues regarding wages, incentives, grievances and complaints are discusses at the bargaining table, there is absolutely no room for misunderstanding between workers and management.

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