The Emergence and Resilience of New Public Management (NPM)

Abstract

Abstract New Public Management (NPM) has been the most significant public policy reform in decades. Despite its widespread use, it has been a contested policy from its initial adoption. There has been a succession of replacement policies which have been proposed over its life to date. Yet NPM is still in evidence. The expression NPM was coined by Hood (1991). It referred to the mimicry of private sector practices (on management structures and styles, on ownership models and the focus on accounting practices, and quantification and performance management within private sector organisations). Writings on New Public Management (NPM) have been extremely influential, even if it can no longer be described as ‘new’. It is often described as a set of management techniques and practices, which have now achieved global significance. The attractiveness of NPM to policy makers is evident. The NPM focus on results coincides with political imperatives. NPM has the appearance of ready-made answers to policy proposals. Many management consultants have become adept at advancing the case for NPM, generally, and as a solution to specific problems. However, many academic commentators have criticised NPM implementation programmes. Despite such criticism, the adherence of policymakers to NPM has ensured its prominent role in public life. This chapter outlines four dimensions of NPM, which focus on understanding both the pervasive nature of NPM and the challenges to the prevailing logic of NPM in public policy: mature NPM, NPM in action, alternative models to NPM, and NPM’s role in contemporary society.