Mussie T. Tessema

Public management in developing countries : Some notes on Eritrea

A system of adequately performing public bureaucracies is a basic requirement for developing countries to progress and prosper. However, public management in developing countries is often threatened by politicization and ineffective human resource management policies. In this article, we analyse public management in Eritrea, one of the world’s poorest countries that gained independence in the early 1990s. In this analysis, we use general (western) theoretical frames of reference, including pre-modern, weberian and new public management lines of thinking. It will show that, in current Eritrea, all known styles of public management concur and collide and that this situation is related to the cultural, educational and political background of the various population groups that strive for job opportunities in the public sector’s strategic apex. This collision of styles may lead to frustration and ineffectiveness among the people involved. Only a managerial policy stressing practical wisdom and intelligence may satisfy all the groups of people engaged in Eritrea’s public management, in fact in all developing countries’ public organizations.

Decentralization of HR Functions: Lessons From the Singapore Civil Service

In the past two decades, nearly every country in the world has felt the urge to decentralize some of its human resource (HR) functions. This article uses Singapore as a case study to illustrate how this urge has been addressed in civil service reforms during the past two decades. In so doing, the article also highlights the necessity as well as the theoretical and practical implications of the decentralization process to the organizational arrangement of HR functions in the civil service of Singapore. The article concludes that, as countries seek to decentralize HR functions in the civil service, understanding how this process works is cardinal to enhancing coordination and the efficient delivery of public services. For without this understanding, it is not possible to determine which functions must be decentralized and which ones must not be. Some popular myths and misconceptions about decentralization are also explored.

Managing civil service training institutions: what lessons can countries learn from Singapore?

A large number and variety of civil service training institutions are devoted to training at all levels all over the world, which in turn depict the visible symbols of their importance. However, in spite of their increasing number in many developing countries, these institutions are still unable to make significant visible contributions to solving manpower problems. This study argues that the most important question is not how many civil servants are trained, but how they are trained and utilised. This study discusses the way Singapores civil service training institutions are managed. Based on the findings, it suggests how developing countries can improve the impact of their civil service training.

Staffing System Management: Evidences from Singapore

This paper uses Singapore as a case study to illustrate how staffing policies and practices affect the quality of the workforce which ultimately influence performance at employee and organization level. It reveals that Singapore public service has been able to put in place most of the ‘critical factors’ for an effective staffing system management. The presence of those critical factors have played an important role in making Singapore to be one of the most effective public services in the world. Finally, it forwards theoretical and practical implications of the study and future research direction.