Change management in public reforms - Det Danske ...

Change Management in Public Reforms 2006change management models could be seen as resistance to change models at large or assimple excuses stemming from the ‘not invented here syndrome’ or for simply avoiding thedifficult reflections and decisions which change management tends to impose onmanagers. Rather than seeing the criticism as global truths and thereby rejecting the valueof change management as a management discipline for the public sector or simplyrefusing the criticism, this paper inquires into the content of the criticism in regards topublic management reform by asking; what are the implications of the differences betweenchange management in public and private organizations – and what are their implicationsfor public management reform.The paper concludes that traditional perceptions in theory as well as in practice of theroles of managers and employees may lead to stigmatization. By shifting theseperceptions the roles of managers and employees may be clarified and even broadenedthereby inviting reflection into the role of the other and into one’s own role. Thisbroadening may in turn lead to erosion of the stigmatization of managers and employees.The aim of this paper is to add to the development of research based perspectives andinsights into public management reform based on lessons from the Danish police reform.The paper shows how change management models can be used in public sector reformsto help overcome management challenges that emerge from the reorganization. Illustratedby the case of the Danish police reform, it is shown how change management models canpinpoint relevant management challenges which are often neglected. Descriptions ofpractice in the police force are based on participant observation field studies in theNational police and in local police districts.This paper is part of a three year PhD project which was initiated early this year. Thus it iswork in progress which will be supported by a strengthened theoretical foundation and byfurther empirical studies to provide a larger base of lessons from the police reform.Rex Degnegaard Page 3 of 14