The importance of civil servant
education in delivering quality
government’
Dr Karl O’Connor
Institute for Research in the Social Sciences
University of Ulster
ulster.ac.uk
Overview
Research Topic:
Civil servant education and the policy process
Why? It is not enough to understand what policy/ies to implement but we need
to know how good policy can be implemented
Key points:
1. Bureaucrats have discretion in certain policy areas
2. This discretion is exercised differently by different bureaucrats: typologies
of behaviour emerge
Implications for the region:
We must work with, not against the existing public administration if we are to
achieve the ultimate goal of good governance
Studying public administration is important – we need to invest in administrative
capacity
Controls on Discretion
Vertical and Horizontal control on behaviours
Top–Down
•
•
•
•
•
organisational accountability
professional accountability
political accountability
legal accountability: Standard operating procedures
administrative accountability
Bottom-up
– Society
– Participatory citizenship: Community
What happens when accountabilities are in conflict?
Typologies
Case studies: Belfast and Brussels
Active representation
5 types of bureaucrat
Do you recognise these?
Summary so far:
Given: Discretion exists
To prove: How discretion is exercised
Conceptual Framework
Efficiency
Political
responsiveness
Pro state
provision
.
Professional
responsiveness
Pro market
provision
Personal
responsiveness
Neutrality
Values
Equality
Factor One (Belfast)
Administrators are not neutral. They should be committed to good
management and social equity as values
I recommend positions that I perceive represent the needs and interests of
the entire urban public
As I am involved in policy-making, it is my role to advance the needs of those
less well off in society, regardless of their background
I take initiative in proposing policies, mobilising support for these policies
and questioning policies that may run counter to the general public interest
The best way to ensure efficient public service to the entire urban public is
through public sector reform so that services may be provided equitably and
efficiently by the public sector
In my daily work I value the views of international organisations such as the
OECD, EU, World Bank, Policy-specific think tanks and NGOs etc
6
Factor One (Belfast)
7
Factor One (Belfast)
8
Factor Two (Belfast)
In my daily work, I represent the elected government of the city
My role is to carry out the wishes of the urban government
My decisions are legitimate as I follow procedures established by law and/or
secondary legislation
Bureaucracies should be staffed by professionally trained, technically competent
individuals. The most qualified person should always get the job.
When there is a conflict of interest arises between the wishes of the urban
government and my own expert beliefs, I automatically and unquestionably follow the
wishes of the government.
I recommend or actively activate in favour of policy positions that I perceive represent
the needs of the entire urban public.
9
Factor Two (Belfast)
10
Factor Two (Belfast)
11
Factor Three (Brussels)
When a conflict of interest arises between the wishes of the political level and my
personal expert beliefs, I pursue my expert beliefs for as long as politically possible
Public employees should aim for governance that works better and costs less
My decisions are legitimate as I follow procedures established by law and/or
secondary legislation
My decisions are legitimate on the basis of my technical expertise and by the fact that
I provide technically feasible solutions
I know what is legal, not what is right. I stick to what is legal
In contemporary social and economic affairs, technical considerations should be given
more weight than political factors
I represent the elected government of the city
12
Factor Three (Brussels)
13
Factor Three (Brussels)
14
Factor Four (Brussels)
Administrators are not neutral: they should be committed to good management
and social equity as values
I recommend, or actively advocate, in favour of positions that I perceive
represent the needs and interests of the entire urban public
I take the initiative in proposing policies, mobilising support for them and
questioning policies that may run counter to the general public interest
When a conflict of interest arises between the wishes of the political level and
my personal expert beliefs, I pursue my expert beliefs for as long as politically
possible.
15
Factor Four (Brussels)
16
Factor Four (Brussels)
17
Factor Five (Brussels)
I know what is legal, not what is right, I stick to what is legal
Bureaucracies should be staffed by professionally trained, technically competent
individuals. The most qualified person should always get the job.
My role is to carry out the wishes of the urban government
I believe that citizens needs are best advanced through directly putting their needs first
When a conflict of interest arises between the wishes of the urban government and my
own technical beliefs, I automatically and unquestionably follow the wishes of
government.
My role is to follow the rules of the bureaucracy no matter what the circumstances
When a conflict of interests arises between the wishes of the political level and my
personal expert beliefs, I pursue my expert beliefs for as long as politically possible
Resources should be allocated according to the will of the political elite, regardless of my
opinions
18
Factor Five (Brussels)
19
Factor Five (Brussels)
20
Summary of the findings
‘Bureaucracy [are] acting consistently with [their] own
values rather than being directed by electoral institutions’.
However, their own values are not necessarily their primary
identities. While indeed our factors are found to be involved
in active representation, this active representation is
grounded not necessarily in primary identities but active
representation is found to exist on behalf of a secondary
learned identity.
The results also demonstrate that not all bureaucrats are
inclined to actively represent. Factors two and five indicated
high levels of political responsiveness.
Policy contribution
The importance of civil servant education in
delivering quality government
Insight into decision-making
Discretion is available to officials
High level of competence
General types of official within the societies under study
Why are these findings relevant?
As values guide behaviour, we can now tailor policy
programmes that work with, as opposed to against, those
charged with implementing policy
Further questions
Concluding remarks
National level
To what extent does bureaucrat discretion exist in your
country?
How is that discretion exercised in your country?
Has education generated reform-minded civil servants?
Region level
Why are you here? Why do you cooperate with each other?
Do you have the ability to embed peer-learning at home?
Further reading
Journals
O’Connor, Karl (2013) ‘Belfast revisited: Everyday
policy making in a contested environment’, Irish
Political Studies Vol. 28(1) 58-77
O’Connor, Karl(2013) Q Methodology as a tool for
committee governance research; West European
Politics Vol. 36(5) 1073-1087
O’Connor, Karl(2015-forthcoming) What are the
ideas and motivations of bureaucrats within a
religiously contested society? International Review
of Administrative Sciences
Book
O’Connor, Karl (2014) Public administration in
contested societies; Palgrave