Title: Reforming public administration in Slovenia: between theory and practice of good governance and good administration

Authors: Polonca Kovač; Nina Tomaževič; Anamarija Leben; Aleksander Aristovnik

Addresses: Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Gosarjevaulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ' Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Gosarjevaulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ' Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Gosarjevaulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia ' Faculty of Public Administration, University of Ljubljana, Gosarjevaulica 5, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia

Abstract: Good administration has evolved in administrative theory and practice differently but within the concept of good governance, incorporating efficient and democratic authority with simultaneous implementation of public interest and guaranteed rights of defence to parties in administrative matters. In view of the above, a theoretical analysis of good administration in relation to good governance was conducted in 2015, with special research on the Slovene practices in various types of administrative agencies. Findings of the analysis based on views of heads of administrative units and regional financial and police offices, compared to statistical data, prove that Slovene administration consider good administration more as a compliance to formal requirements instead of proactive support of a party and public benefit. Hence, policy makers should consider in future public administration reforms the fact that value-based rather than purely structural and normative changes are needed.

Keywords: good governance; good administration; administrative procedures; empirical analysis; Slovenia; administrative reforms; public administration; public interest; rights of defence; compliance; public benefit; value based reform.

DOI: 10.1504/IJPP.2016.079732

International Journal of Public Policy, 2016 Vol.12 No.3/4/5/6, pp.130 - 148

Received: 19 Nov 2015
Accepted: 03 Mar 2016
Published online: 13 Oct 2016 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article