Civil Service College Research Articles

‘Singapore-West’ hybridization: policy learning in the development of leadership training in the Singapore Public Service

ABSTRACT An assumption by Rose and Dolowitz and Marsh was that policy-makers looked overseas for solutions when faced with policy problems. In setting up the first leadership training scheme in the Singapore Public Service in 1959, policymakers eschewed learning from abroad. Instead, the new centre for training the Administrative Service leadership corps was grounded in the Singapore context without reference to foreign exemplars. The local context continued to loom large at each phase in the development of leadership training in th Singapore bureaucracy over the years leading to the 1993 establishment to the Civil Service College (CSC). The pre-eminent consideration accorded to rooting lessons from abroad to suit the practicalities of the local context ultimately meant a very ‘Singapore-West’ hybridization.

The Impact of In-Service Training on Employee Performance in the Uganda Public Service: A Case of Civil Service College Uganda Alumni

This study assessed the impact of in-service training programmes on employee performance in the Uganda Public Service, using Civil Service College Uganda Alumni as a case study. The study employed a cross sectional research design. The instrument was emailed for self-administration to a randomly selected population of 159 respondents, with 91 questionnaires filled and returned making an overall response rate of 57% as this is a COVID-19 period where the country is still under Lockdown. Data generated were analyzed to generate descriptive statistics such as tables and graphs while the hypothesis was tested using a Multiple Regression Analysis at 0.05 level of significance. The findings showed that Civil Service College Uganda’s various in-service training programmes were pertinent to the transformation and development of public servants in Uganda’s Ministries, Department and Agencies (MDAs) and Local Governments (LGs) for improved public service delivery. Findings further revealed that in-service training programmes does have significant affect employee (Alumni) performance (F =32.390; p ˃ 0.05) as the significance value of 0.001 was less than the probability value of 0.05. The independent variable (in-house training programmes measured using induction (IND), Team building (TB), Strategic Leadership (SL), Impact Assessment (IA), Performance Enhancement (PE) and Voluntary Retirement (VR) , statistically significantly predicted the dependent variable (employee performance), F (6, 94) = 32.390, p < .005, R 2 = .577 and all the six variables added, were statistically significantly to the prediction, p < .05. The study therefore recommended that the Uganda government through her Ministry of Public Service-Civil Service College Uganda undertakes training needs assessment for different cadres (public employees) before administering in-service training, that in-service training opportunities lead to individuals’ success and probably to institutional goal achievement and that institutional managements should allow employees some degree of autonomy in the use of their ideas to ensure they contribute positively to organization effectiveness and performance.

Schools of Government: a comparative study

The Schools of Government perform a central role to the public service of many countries. Despite being a disseminated and well-established phenomenon, the functions and even the concept of Schools of Government vary. Aiming to portray the functions and characteristics of Schools of Government around the world and offer a better understanding of them, this paper presents a comparative study of Schools of Government located across five continents. Based on purposive sampling, eight Schools of Government were selected to be part of this in depth study: École Nationale d'Administration, ENA – France; Canada School of Public Service, CSPS – Canada; Instituto Nacional de la Administración Pública, INAP – Argentina; Australia and New Zealand School of Government, ANZSOG – Australia and New Zealand; Civil Service College, CSC – Singapore; National School of Government, NSG – South Africa; Direcção Geral da Qualificação dos Trabalhadores em Funções Públicas, INA – Portugal; and Escuela Superior de Administración Pública, ESAP – Colombia. Data collection procedures included interviews and document analysis. Data was analyzed using content and comparative analysis. This study highlights some important dimensions of Schools of Government including the position within the government, funding, main activities, organizational structure and personnel. Other similarities (e.g. among members of Commonwealth) and possible common trends and innovation challenges are also discussed. Finally, we discuss the results comparing them to previous studies findings.

Risk perception, HIV/AIDS related knowledge, attitude and practice of the university community: The case of Ethiopian Civil Service College

BackgroundThough HIV/AIDS is one of the worst health crises in recorded history of the world, it has moved beyond being primarily a health issue, to developmental crisis. More than 83% of all new infections in many African countries are among young people. Higher learning institutions need to seriously address HIV/AIDS in their mandate. This study sought to assess risk perception, HIV/AIDS related knowledge, attitude and behaviors of the ECSC community. Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted between January and June 2011.Mixed methods of combining structured questionnaire, focus group discussion and key informants interviews were conducted. ResultsOut of 250 respondents, 238 returned the questionnaire. The majority of respondents know about the risk, ways of transmission and prevention about HIV and AIDS. All respondents never perceive they are at risk for HIV. Unsafe sex and multiple concurrent sexual partnerships were found among all religious groups, married staff and students. Qualitative data support this finding. ConclusionsPositive changes in awareness and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS were noted, yet comprehensive knowledge is lacking. An improved strategy to promote comprehensive knowledge and behavioral change interventions is needed in ECSC. Implications from these finding suggest that other institutions may benefit from similar changes.

Exploration of HIV/AIDS Related Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of University Community: The Case of Ethiopian Civil Service College

Background: Even though HIV/AIDS is the worst health crisis in recorded history in the world, it has clearly moved beyond being primarily a health issue, to developmental crisis. More than 83% of all new infections in many African countries are among young and productive people in which females are outnumbering males. Higher learning institutions such as the Ethiopian Civil Service College (ECSC), as knowledge generation sources, and with perceived skills contributing to the generation of business leaders, need to seriously address HIV/AIDS as a cross-cutting issue in their mandate. There is lack of adequate documentation on HIV/AIDS related knowledge and behaviors among the university community. The study sought to assess HIV/AIDS related knowledge, attitude and behaviors of ECSC community, and contribute to the literature in the field. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted between January-June 2011 by using mixed methods where structured questionnaire was administered for 250 systematically selected respondents while purposively selected key informants were interviewed. Results: Out of 250 respondents, 238( with 95% response rate ) returned the questionnaire. Eight key informants and observations were used for triangulating data. The study found that the majority of (students and staff) respondents know about HIV&AIDS. The study found no correlation between being postgraduate and undergraduate student; being married or no. It was found that all respondents (married or unmarried, those who use or not use condoms) never perceive they are at risk for HIV. Unsafe sex, multiple concurrent sexual partnerships were found among all religious groups, married staff and students. However, compared to female respondents, males were found more exposed to unsafe sex. Qualitative data supports this finding. Significant number of respondents was willing to take and few actually took HIV counseling and testing to know their status. Conclusions: There were positive changes on awareness and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS, yet comprehensive knowledge is lacking, even those who have knowledge did not practically apply it in using HIV prevention services like consistent condom use. There is a need for improved strategies of promoting comprehensive knowledge and behavioral change interventions of the college, which could also be scaled up to other institutions.

Counseling in Thailand: Development From a Buddhist Perspective

The authors present historical and current accounts of the counseling profession in Thailand. In addition to the influences of Buddhism on counselor training and practices, professional issues such as licensure, professional organizations, and the relationship between counselors and other mental health professionals are summarized. The role of counselors in recent political and natural disasters is highlighted, along with the importance of adapting Western counselor training and service practices to better meet the needs of the Thai population.

Developing Public Service Leaders

How can we develop leaders for public service? Are there experiences that would prepare them? And what lessons would they need to learn to become effective public servants? To address this issue, we present relevant research findings and implications for leadership development from the Lessons of Experience – Singapore Public Service research project. This research was initiated in July 2007, and jointly undertaken by the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL®) with support from the Civil Service College and Public Service Division. We interviewed a total of 36 public service leaders from the levels of Director to Permanent Secretary. The interviewees represented a total of 12 ministries and 18 statutory boards across the various functions of government. The research methodology adapts the critical incident technique and has been replicated over the years in the U.S, the Netherlands, and Japan. With the launch of the Lessons of Experience – Asia project in 2006, this core knowledge is being extended to include how business leaders learn, grow, and develop in India, Singapore, and China. The Singapore project breaks new ground by including public service leaders.

Good Governance: A Step towards Promoting Positive Attitude and Enhancing Productivity in the Civil Service

This is a research about good governance in the civil service. Five federal organizations served as research population: Ministry for Capacity Building, Ministry of Revenue, Federal Civil Service Agency, Ethiopian Civil Service College, and Ethiopian Management Institute. Fifty-six (56) respondents served as research sample. The research was conducted through the use of a research instrument (opinionnaire). Percentage (%) and Chi square (X2) were used as statistical tools. It was found out that reform program pays equal attention to all citizens; financial regulations are violated in Government expenditure; service delivery is poor in the Civil Service; unethical practices do exist in Civil Service; top management system is poor; and Civil Service (HR) is ineffective. Based on the research findings it was recommended that Civil servants need a lot more of education, training and development. African Research Review Vol. 2 (1) 2008: pp. 19-47

Formulating a Communication Strategy for Effective Knowledge Sharing

Overcoming cultural resistance from a workforce and gaining sufficient buy-in from senior management are both critical to the successful implementation of Knowledge Management (KM) initiatives in any organization. The main purpose of this study is to identify an effective communication strategy at the onset of the implementation process, aimed at helping the workforce to comprehend the need for KM in the organization and to solicit maximum support from the senior management and staff alike. It is based on a case study of the KM initiatives in Singapore’s Civil Service College, a training school for public officials. The strategy will also facilitate effective communication between staff so that effective knowledge sharing can take place and provide proactive and reactive communication, to achieve acceptance of and commitment to KM in the organization. The communication strategy was formulated using inputs collected from focus group discussions and observational field work.

Cross Channel Perspectives on British Civil Service Training, 1980-2000: Fit For Business: Fit For Change

This study analyses the evolution of the British premier civil service training institute - the Civil Service College in Sunningdale-over the period 1970-2000 through a perspective derived from looking at its nearest French equivalent, the Ecole Nationale d’.dministration in Paris. The four periods are variously described as ‘professionalisation’ in the 1970s, ‘managerialisation’ in the 1980s, ‘service-orientation’ in the 1990s and ‘modernisation’ now. The author was for much of the period a civil servant and a practitioner and he concludes that, whereas the ENA has been very close to and in many ways is the establishment in France, the Civil Service College has been more distant from but equally influenced by and indicative of ministerial policies and Whitehall trends

La coopération administrative au Royaume-Uni et la formation

Administrative Cooperation in the United Kingdom and Training Programs Governmental organizations in charge of defining training policies in the United Kingdom, and especially the Civil Service College, have conducted numerous programs in different countries of Central Europe, Africa and Asia, aiming to promote the British conception of civil service on the international level. The civil servant exchange programs and specific training programs developed in this framework stress the reality of British governance rather than administrative theory, which the British civil service is known to despise.

Policy planning in HM Customs and Excise Customs Policy Directorate. A trainer's perspective

Following the creation of flatter management structure, HM Customs and Excise reviewed the way they carried out the development of policy advice to decision takers. They wished to create a procedure to give an assurance of the quality of the work in the development of policy. With the aid of consultants, they identified a set of management tools and techniques to ensure that planning for policy development is carried out efficiently and effectively. These tools are: stakeholder analysis, to identify the key players and their interests in the policy to be developed; a policy family tree analysis to establish where a policy fits within wider government policy objectives; a project management checklist to enable decisions to be taken on resource allocation; an assessment of the priority to be assigned to the policy and its development; a high level assessment of the cost implications for business of complying with the policy; and the development of an evaluation plan to assess the success of the policy in delivering the policy objectives. HM C and E commissioned a successful training programme with the Civil Service College to help them deliver the quality in policy work they sought. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Public Admin. Dev. Vol. 17: 223–234 (1997). No. of Figures: 4. No. of Tables: 0. No. of Refs: 0.

Management in government: the future

Comprises a speech given by Sir Robin Butler, Secretary to the Cabinet and head of the Home Civil Service, at a conference held in London in November 1995 to celebrate the twenty‐fifth anniversary of the Civil Service College. Draws from the speaker’s own experiences of working in the Civil Service and details the changes leading to the opening of the college in 1970, which provides high quality training and consultancy in management and policy issues, and has gained international recognition. Considers the main themes of the reforms in the management of the Civil Service, not just in the UK, but also in the USA and New Zealand, and highlights the Civil Service’s emphasis on well‐trained, knowledgeable and professional staff.

Book reviews

Local Government in the 1990s. Edited by J. Stewart and G. Stoker. Macmillan, 1995. Pp.276. £37.50 hb; £11.99 pb. The Changing Organisation and Management of Local Government. By S. Leach, J. Stewart and K. Walsh. Macmillan, 1994. Pp.276. £37.50 hb;£11.99 pb. Management for the Public Domain: Enabling the Learning Society. By S. Ranson and J. Stewart. Macmillan, 1994. Pp.300. £40.00 hb; £12.99 pb. Values and Public Policy. Edited by Henry J. Aaron, Thomas E. Mann and Timothy Taylor. The Brookings Institute, Washington DC, 1994. Pp.xiv + 216. $34.95. Where Race Counts: The Morality of Racial Preference in Britain and America. By John Edwards. Routledge, 1995. Pp.260. £40.00 hb; £13.99 pb. An Introduction to the Voluntary Sector. Edited by Justin Davis Smith, Colin Rochester and Rodney Headley. Routledge, 1994. Pp.260. £13.99 pb. The European Union and the Regions. Edited by Barry Jones and Michael Keating. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1995. Pp.xiii + 306. £35. Politics of Decentralisation: Revitalising Local Democracy. By Danny Burns, Robin Hambleton and Paul Hoggett. Macmillan, 1994. Pp.xxiv + 282. £40.00 hb; £12.50 pb. Analysing Community Work: Its Theory and Practice. By Keith Popple. Open University Press, 1995. Pp.131. £37.50 hb; £12.99 pb. Greening Your Local Authority. By Tony Hams, Michael Jacobs, Roger Levett, Helmut Lusser, Janice Morphet, and Derek Taylor. Longman, 1994. Pp.131. £32.50 pb. Sustainable Cities. By Graham Haughton and Colin Hunter. Regional Studies Association/Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 1994. Pp.357. £14.95. Building the Public City: The Politics, Governance, and Finance of Public Infrastructure. Edited by David C. Perry. Sage, 1995. Pp.247. £19.95 pb. Urban Tourism: Attracting Visitors to Large Cities. By Christopher M. Law. Mansell, 1994. Pp.189. £14.99 pb. Urban Policy Evaluation: Challenge and Change. Edited by. Robin Hambleton and Huw Thomas. Paul Chapman, 1995. Pp.238. £17.95 pb. The State, Young People and Youth Training ‐ In and Against the Training State. By Phil Mizen. London: Mansell, 1995. Pp.224. £40 hb; £16.99 pb. Cost Management in the Public Sector. By Irvine Lapsley, Sue Llewellyn and Falconer Mitchell. Longman, 1994. Pp.vi + 145. £19.95. Accruals Accounting in the Public Sector. By Valerie Archibald. Longman in association with the Civil Service College, 1994. Pp.ix + 175. £19.95. Local Economic Development: Analysis and Practice. By John P. Blair. Sage, 1995. Pp.320. £44.95.

Telescope: the Career and Retirement of a Civil Service College Training Exercise

Telescope: the Career and Retirement of a Civil Service College Training Exercise

Training Civil Servants: Some Reflections after 17 Years

This article outlines the development of training in the Civil Service; describes the work of the Civil Service College in familiarising its course members (particularly specialists) with rapid changes in political, social, economic, and technological aspects of British Government, and offers some thoughts on current training at a time when the Civil Service is itself undergoing fundamental changes. The author recently retired after serving at the Civil Service College for most of the years 1973 to 1991.

Allemagne fédérale. Formation des hauts fonctionnaires et «flexibilité» de la gestion : vers une nouvelle politique du personnel ?

The Federal Republic of Germany Training of Top Civil Servants and Flexible Management : Towards a New Policy for Civil Service The move towards the modernization of public services in the Federal Republic of Germany stems less from a common strategy than from a variety of experiments, the progress of which differs according to the sectors. This effort to modernize tends to replace the negative view of the Civil Service (as a cost factor), with a positive view based on the «Human Resource Development» concept. There should be greater flexibility when recruiting as well as when managing staff. The creation of the Civil Service Academy in Baden-Wurttemberg and of a Civil Service College in Rhineland-Palatinate shows that there is a reform movement in the field of training civil service managers.

Making Things Happen in Government Report of a One-Day Seminar at the Civil Service College

[On 4 November, 1988 the Civil Service College organised, for members of the Public Administration Committee, a seminar on recent developments within Government. The list of guests is at Annex 1. Speakers came from the Next Steps Project Team in the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service, the Vehicle Inspectorate Agency, the Civil Service College and the Enterprise Initiative Unit of the Department of Trade and Industry. We offer below a summary of the main points made and issues discussed.]

The civil service college of the united kingdom: Training for the “fast stream”

A description and analysis o f the training program offered by the Civil Service College in England to all Recruits in the Administration Trainee Scheme, most of whom subsequently rise to positions of prominence in the British civil service, The objectives, modular approach to training, and learning methods of the program are discussed and comparisons are made to corresponding national programs such as that of the National School of Administration (Ecole National d' Administration or ENA) in France. Among the conclusions of the author, who spent time in London and Sunnindale studying the program in 1984, are: the training is characterized by flexibility in the sense that modules may be taken by the individual recruit over a period of up to six years depending on the exigencies of the service: the program offers many innovative features even though, in terms of content, with the exception of modules that can be skipped by recruits having sufficient knowledge of the subject, it is the same for all; in the t...

Careers:

Negotiations, handling meetings, inter‐viewing are just a few of the management skills that students of the Open Business School aim to perfect at a series of residential study weekends held as part of the School's first courses. More than 2,300 people have now applied to join, including managers with little or no formal training and some relatively new to the management field. They have attended residential schools at 14 locations including the Civil Service College, AA National Training Centre, Manchester Business School, National Coal Board Staff College, and South West Regional Management Centre. The first courses are The Effective Manager and Personnel Selection and Interviewing. The study mix includes face‐to‐face tutorials in small groups, marked assignments, television and audio‐centred tutorials, and distance learning at home: reading, set book work, exercises and activities.