New Public Service

‘SERVING, NOT STEERING’

Public servants do
not deliver customer service; they deliver democracy.
 “New Public Service,”
• A movement built on work in areas such as..
– Democratic citizenship- Democratic ideals
– Community and civil society,
– Organizational humanism
– Discourse theory.

– The NPS asserts that the primary role of the public

servant is to help citizens articulate and meet their
shared interests rather than to attempt to control or
steer society.
The Roots of the New Public Service
• we will focus on more contemporary thoughts
of the New Public Service, including;

– (1) Theories Of Democratic Citizenship,

– (2) Models Of Community And Civil Society,
– (3) Organizational Humanism, And
– (4) Postmodern Public Administration.
 1.Democratic Citizenship
• citizenship and democracy are particularly
important and visible in political and social
theory and practice.

• Both stress on more active and involved

citizenship in political (Policy making)and
administrative processes (policy
implementation).
 What is citizenship?
• Various definitions/aspects of citizenship….

• citizenship is concerned with the individual’s

capacity to influence the political system;

• it implies active involvement in political life.

• what is involved in democratic
citizenship…? (is it public interest?)
– What public interest actually is……
– For example, one argument may be that
government exists to advance the economic
interests of the community and individuals within
the community.
• In this case, the state-citizen relationship
should be based on the idea of
– self-interest.
 According to Sandel (1996)
• The relationship between state and citizens is
based on the idea that government exists to
ensure that citizens can make choices
consistent with their self-interest.
– For which, the governments guarantee certain
procedures (such as voting) and individual rights.
– The role of government is to make sure that the
individual self-interests operates freely and fairly.
– This perspective is consistent with public choice
economics and the New Public Management
• Sandel’s alternative view of democratic
citizenship in which;
– individuals are much more actively engaged in
governance.
– Citizens look beyond their self-interest to the
larger public interest
– It requires a knowledge of public affairs and a
sense of belonging with the community.
• a concern for the whole, and a moral bond with the
community
• This level of public spirit can be promoted by constant
attention to principles of;
– justice,
– public participation, and
– Deliberation

• The NPS emphasizes on restoration of a citizenship

based on civic interests rather than self-interest.

• theories of citizenship and civic engagement, have

contributed to what is called the New Public Service.
2.Models of Community and Civil Society
• The roots of the New Public Service can be
traced in discussions about community and
civil society.
• Gardner writes
– “In our system, the ‘common good’ is first of all
preservation of a system in which all kinds of
people can—within the law—pursue their various
visions (interests) of the common good, and
– Accomplish mutual accommodation that makes a
social system livable and workable”.
• there must be a philosophy of
– pluralism,
– an open climate for dissent, and
– an opportunity for sub-communities to retain their identity

• For this, there must be institutional arrangements for;

– Diminishing polarization,
– Community Sensitization
• Teaching diverse groups to know one another,
– Coalition-building,
– Dispute resolution,
– Negotiation and mediation.
• democracy is dependent on the existence of
civically engaged citizens

• Collectively, these small groups constitute a

“civil society”

• It can be done through community building

• While interacting with these civic society
groups, public administrators can build
stronger networks, and educate citizens with
respect to matters of democratic governance.
 3. Organizational Humanism

• A third important theoretical root of the New

Public Service is organizational humanism.

• Rationality Vs Organizational Humanism

• social equity as a guiding principle in

administrative and political decision making
• providing equitable solutions to public problems
involves not just offering the same services to all but
greater levels of service to those in greater need.

• public administration is not neutral and certainly

should not be judged by the criterion of efficiency
alone.

• Rather, concepts such as equality, equity, and

responsiveness should also come into play.
 4. Postmodernism
• A fourth important theoretical root of New Public Service is
postmodernism.

• Public administration theorists employing the postmodern

perspective of public administration attacks bureaucratic
rationalism and technocratic expertise.

• In contrast, postmodern public administration theorists have a

central commitment to the idea of “discourse,” (dialogue)..

– the notion that public problems are more likely resolved through
discourse, community engagement and dialogue among key
stakeholders.
 The New Public Service
• Theorists of citizenship, community and civil
society, organizational humanism and the new
public administration, and postmodernism
have helped to establish a climate in which it
makes sense today to talk about a New Public
Service.
 7-Principles of NPS
1. Serve Citizens, Not Customers
2. Seek the Public Interest
3. Value Citizenship over Entrepreneurship
4. Think Strategically, Act Democratically-
5. Recognize that Accountability Isn’t Simple
6. Serve Rather than Steer
7. Value People, Not Just Productivity
 1. Serve Citizens, Not Customers
• The public interest is the result of a dialogue
about shared values rather than the aggregation
of individual self-interests.

• Therefore, public servants do not merely respond

to the demands of “customers,”

• Rather focus on building relationships of trust

and collaboration with and among citizens
 Building Relationships through Democratic
Participation
• Democratic participation enhances the legitimacy of
government.

• People who are involved in decision making are more likely to

support those decisions and the institutions involved in
making and implementing those decisions.

• A shared responsibility of governmental actions by the

community and the public managers.
• participation may take various forms;
(1) access to information;
(2) access, direct or indirect, to governmental forums of
decision;
(3) ability to open any issue to public discussion;
(4) ability to assert one’s claims without fear of coercive
retaliation from the public administrators;
(5) consideration of all claims asserted”
 2. Seek the Public Interest:

• Public administrators must contribute to building a

collective, shared notion of the public interest.

• The goal is not to find quick solutions driven by

individual choices.

• Rather, it is the creation of shared interests and

shared responsibility
 3. Value Citizenship over Entrepreneurship:
• The public interest is better advanced by public
servants and citizens together rather than by
entrepreneurial managers acting as if public money
were their own.

• Profitability is not required in government operations

rather public service for enhancement of public value

• Public servants do not deliver customer service; they

deliver democracy.
 4. Think Strategically, Act Democratically
• Public Policies and programs meeting public
needs can be most effectively and responsibly
achieved through collective efforts and
collaborative processes
• Public servants should be not only visionary but
also democratic in their conduct of official
duties.
• Public servants lead the nation/community by
engaging it through formulating strategic goals
for common welfare
5. Recognize that Accountability Isn’t Simple

• Public servants should be attentive to more than the

market;
• they should also attend to statutory and
constitutional law, community values, political
norms, professional standards, and citizen interests
• The accountability is not just performance based
judged on 3 Es, or profitability
• In NPS, the concept of accountability is based on
both professionalism and democratic pluralism.
 6. Serve Rather than Steer
• It is increasingly important for public servants
to use shared, value-based leadership in
helping citizens articulate and meet their
shared interests rather than attempting to
control or steer society in new directions.
 7. Value People, Not Just Productivity

• Public organizations and the networks in

which they participate are more likely to be
successful in the long run if they are operated
through processes of collaboration and shared
leadership based on respect for all people
 How can the principles of the New
Public Service be put into practice?
• The answer is, that practicing public
administrators in particular jurisdictions and
organizations are in the best position to
consider the ways in which the principles of
citizen engagement and democratic values can
be instilled and enhanced in the governance
process.
 Conclusion
• As opposed to Woodrow Wilson, government
shouldn’t be run like a business; it should be
run like a democracy.