Dubnick, Melvin J. “Some Brief Comments on Global Trends Impacting on American Public Administration .” Submitted to the Strategic Plan Task Force of the National Council of the American Society for Public Administration, November 15, 2002.
AI-Generated Summary:
The document explores how globalization influences American public administration, emphasizing the expanding role of accountability in governance.
Historical Context and Parochialism
- Public administration’s development often viewed as waves of reform, with American focus ignoring international perspectives.
- The field has been largely isolated, influenced mainly by British models, and self-contained.
Globalization and Public Administration
- Globalization introduces complex challenges beyond managerial reforms, emphasizing democratization, human rights, and governance.
- The U.S. has adopted global models like New Public Management (NPM), but often in a limited form.
- American assumptions of centrality are challenged by international developments and comparative insights.
Four Promises of Accountability
- Justice: Ensuring legal remedies and truth commissions for past injustices.
- Performance: Holding entities accountable to improve efficiency and outcomes.
- Democracy: Creating transparent mechanisms to foster citizen participation and institutional checks.
- Ethical Behavior: Reducing corruption through norms, reporting, and transparency efforts.
Implications
- Accountability now carries global promises of justice, performance, democracy, and ethics.
- These promises shape reforms and expectations worldwide, influencing American practices.
- The globalized rhetoric of accountability emphasizes justice and ethical standards, extending beyond U.S.-centric models.