Change management in public reforms - Det Danske ...
Change management in public reforms - Det Danske ... Change management in public reforms - Det Danske ...
Change Management in Public Reforms 2006In the job function as police officer where one’s one safety potentially is at stake to a greatextent, social capital is not only an outcome of the function but also a precondition. This isstressed by Sennett in reference to military organizations:Loyalty is a prime test of this version of social capital. Military organizations havehigh social capital, evinced when people are willing to sacrifice their lives out ofloyalty to the institution or to the network of solders within an army. (Sennett, 2005, p.64)The example of the military organization, which in many aspects is parallel to the police,gives a clear picture of why social capital is necessary in public organizations. Even whentransferred to other public organizations in which the safety aspects are not of relevance,the importance of social capital is evident. Though lacking the potentially dramaticconsequences as for military and police organizations, absence of loyalty and trust in otherpublic organizations may result in undesirable consequences resulting unpredictabledecisions by administration. Thus, these characteristics illustrate dynamics of the logicbehind public organizations which provide specific challenges to public management – andto public management reform. Essential for management in daily operations as well as inand serve as specific challenges to public management reform.In conclusion to this inquiry into challenges of public management reform, it appears thatthe primary premise for public function to be managed rests upon stability which is aprecondition for sustaining and enhancing democratic awareness and function. To ensurethis predictability, a central management challenge is to foster organizational andindividual stability for which trust and loyalty are essential.When concluding that the essential premise of management challenge to publicmanagement reforms is democratic awareness and function, it is not to neglect theimportance of efficiency and economic orientation. In the case of the Danish police reform,the organization is better off regarding economic strain than for example other Danishreforms and other police reforms such as the Norwegian reform. The differentorganizational orientations are interconnected as described by Pollitt and Bouckaert intheir views of in public management reform in their comparative studies of reforms acrosscountries throughout the world:Rex Degnegaard Page 8 of 14
Change Management in Public Reforms 2006Public management reform is usually thought of as a means to an end, not an end initself. To be more precise we should perhaps say that it is potentially a means tomultiply ends. These include making savings (economies) in public expenditure,improving the quality of public services, making the operations of government moreefficient, and increasing the chances that the policies which are chosen andimplemented will be effective. (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2004, p. 6)Thus there are many demands set forward to managers in public management which isalso seen in the case of the police reform which entails all of the above. Demands whichare parallel to the demands of reorganization in private sector organization. Savings,quality, efficiency, and effectiveness are all overlapping components of rationales whichare evident in both public and private sector reorganizations. However, within the logic ofpublic organization, the primary management premise remains democratic awareness andfunction which in the quote above would mainly refer to quality and effectiveness.As shown in the inquiry into challenges of public and private sector management, themanagement challenges in times of reorganization are generally consistent. However, witha significant difference in what can be viewed as the primary premise of reorganization. Inprivate sector reorganization the primary premise rests on maximizing profits, and in publicsector reorganization the primary premise rests on democratic awareness and function.This concludes that there are elements of change management which are of particularimportance to public organization and that change management in public reforms shouldreflect the management challenges of stability which are specifically vital to publicmanagement reform.Moral order in public management reformTo reform an organization is like moving a cemetery – you get no help from below.(Police Union 2006, author’s translation)The quote above was published in the Police Union’s first reform periodical. The quote isfrom a speech for shop stewards in the police by a professor who was invited to talk ofchange management. The quote reflects the predominant perception of the roles ofmanagement and employees – and of the differences between the two. The perceptionsrest on the notion that managers are progressive and constructive and employees areresistant to change and destructive. The perception is closely linked to expectationsRex Degnegaard Page 9 of 14
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<strong>Change</strong> Management <strong>in</strong> Public Reforms 2006Public <strong>management</strong> reform is usually thought of as a means to an end, not an end <strong>in</strong>itself. To be more precise we should perhaps say that it is potentially a means tomultiply ends. These <strong>in</strong>clude mak<strong>in</strong>g sav<strong>in</strong>gs (economies) <strong>in</strong> <strong>public</strong> expenditure,improv<strong>in</strong>g the quality of <strong>public</strong> services, mak<strong>in</strong>g the operations of government moreefficient, and <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>g the chances that the policies which are chosen andimplemented will be effective. (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2004, p. 6)Thus there are many demands set forward to managers <strong>in</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>management</strong> which isalso seen <strong>in</strong> the case of the police reform which entails all of the above. Demands whichare parallel to the demands of reorganization <strong>in</strong> private sector organization. Sav<strong>in</strong>gs,quality, efficiency, and effectiveness are all overlapp<strong>in</strong>g components of rationales whichare evident <strong>in</strong> both <strong>public</strong> and private sector reorganizations. However, with<strong>in</strong> the logic of<strong>public</strong> organization, the primary <strong>management</strong> premise rema<strong>in</strong>s democratic awareness andfunction which <strong>in</strong> the quote above would ma<strong>in</strong>ly refer to quality and effectiveness.As shown <strong>in</strong> the <strong>in</strong>quiry <strong>in</strong>to challenges of <strong>public</strong> and private sector <strong>management</strong>, the<strong>management</strong> challenges <strong>in</strong> times of reorganization are generally consistent. However, witha significant difference <strong>in</strong> what can be viewed as the primary premise of reorganization. Inprivate sector reorganization the primary premise rests on maximiz<strong>in</strong>g profits, and <strong>in</strong> <strong>public</strong>sector reorganization the primary premise rests on democratic awareness and function.This concludes that there are elements of change <strong>management</strong> which are of particularimportance to <strong>public</strong> organization and that change <strong>management</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>reforms</strong> shouldreflect the <strong>management</strong> challenges of stability which are specifically vital to <strong>public</strong><strong>management</strong> reform.Moral order <strong>in</strong> <strong>public</strong> <strong>management</strong> reformTo reform an organization is like mov<strong>in</strong>g a cemetery – you get no help from below.(Police Union 2006, author’s translation)The quote above was published <strong>in</strong> the Police Union’s first reform periodical. The quote isfrom a speech for shop stewards <strong>in</strong> the police by a professor who was <strong>in</strong>vited to talk ofchange <strong>management</strong>. The quote reflects the predom<strong>in</strong>ant perception of the roles of<strong>management</strong> and employees – and of the differences between the two. The perceptionsrest on the notion that managers are progressive and constructive and employees areresistant to change and destructive. The perception is closely l<strong>in</strong>ked to expectationsRex Degnegaard Page 9 of 14
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