New Public Management and Developmental State: Revisiting the Institutional Imperatives in Nigeria

Jide Ibietan,Segun Joshua

doi:10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s2p58

Abstract

The main objective of this paper is to highlight that the effective application of the New Public Management (NPM) reform initiatives can galvanise the actualisation of the developmental state aspiration of the Nigerian state. The dysfunctions of the traditional paradigm of public administration/bureaucracy which made it grossly inadequate in realising the developmental drives in Nigeria were identified. The utilisation of secondary data which were textually analysed and logically validated, together with the adoption of public choice theory as framework of analysis informed the position of the paper that pragmatic reform initiatives and effective institutions are required to bifurcate the routine public service reform exercises which Nigeria has been grappling with since 1934. A radical departure from bureau-pathologies must be purposely contemplated and the reform orientation of the New Public Management has the potency of redressing this challenge. The combination of this with the appropriate institutional imperatives can catalyse and capacitate the Nigerian Public Service as effective agent of development in Nigeria. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n3s2p58

Highlights

Emerging views from contemporary literature in the field of public administration have crystallised into a conclusion that the traditional paradigm of public administration has proved quite inadequate in transforming post-colonial states into development-oriented states
Juxtaposing Nigeria with indicators of developmental state highlighted earlier brings to the fore, the fact that Nigeria cannot be classified among the developmental states
The central argument of this paper is that the Nigerian public bureaucracy can be positioned for effective service delivery and be proactive agent of development for the Nigerian state

Summary

Introduction

Emerging views from contemporary literature in the field of public administration have crystallised into a conclusion that the traditional paradigm of public administration has proved quite inadequate in transforming post-colonial states into development-oriented states. Olaopa (2008: 55) documented the features of the old bureaucratic paradigm as follows: Emphasis is placed on the need of the organisation, making it an end in itself; hierarchical with emphasis on control and compliance; authority and control are centralised; emphasis is on continuity and stability; programmes are budget-driven (and) financed largely by appropriation; it is based on the idea of government monopoly on service delivery. It is perhaps based on the above that some scholars canvassed the need for development-oriented public bureaucracy and effective institutions to play crucial roles. This forms the essence of the New Public Management (NPM) as reform initiative that can bolster public service effectiveness in Nigeria, and lead to a developmental state with the public bureaucracy in Nigeria as an agent and catalyst of development

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion