New Public Personnel Management Reforms at Work in Sri Lanka: A Waddling Effort of Transforming Civil Service?

Abstract

During the last two decades, Sri Lanka has embarked upon a set of comprehensive Public Sector Management Reforms (PSMRs). Many of them were introduced recently following the guidance of the New Public Management (NPM) initiatives that have been driven by a combination of economic, political, social and technological factors. In looking at whether these reforms worked in the Sri Lankan context, a number of challenges emerged either externally or internally, worked against their implementation. These challenges have limited the scope, speed, quality and the overall outcome of the NPM reforms in the country. The aim of this study is to explore the bureaucratic challenges of implementing NPM reforms in Sri Lanka. Under the doctrine of NPM, central focus of present study is to examine the implementation of human resource management innovations in the context of Sri Lankan civil service. The basic underlying hypothesis in the study is that the extent of implementing NPM reforms is depended on the committed and competent bureaucratic environment. To test this, data was collected through open-ended interviews, informal discussions and also texts and other relevant documents. Within the Ministry of Public Administration and Home Affairs, 30 Civil Service Officers, and the Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs were interviewed. The results show some support for the substantive argument; the extent of implementing NPM reforms depended on a number of factors. Based on the findings, one conclusion is that absent situation of necessary support and compliance of implementers, reform implementation might lead to an unproductive project. In addition, there should be a capable institutional structure with flexible and protective legal provisions, sufficient resources and compatible inter-organizational communication for successful NPM reforms implementation.