New Public Management in a Scandinavian context

Summary, in English

This chapter gives an overview of the main NPM reforms and trends in the Nordic countries. The idea of a uniform Scandinavian model of NPM is discussed - the chapter presents the different countries as members of a shared public administration tradition, albeit with different traits and particular reforms. The Swedish constitution and the organization of the public sector in a centralized and a two-part local government structure are presented, both as a backdrop to the subsequent chapters and for a reflection about whether there is a uniqueness to be found in the Swedish NPM initiatives. The long history of decentralized public decision-making and its ramifications on the structure of the Swedish public-sector organization is given special attention. From a Scandinavian perspective, the public-sector structures and characteristics in Norway, Denmark and Finland are presented, by which the idea of a single Scandinavian model for all is discussed and contested.

• Author: Hans Knutsson; Ola Mattisson; Salme Näsi; Kari Nyland; Peter Skaerbaek
• Editor: Irvine Lapsley; Hans Knutsson
• Department/s: Department of Business Administration
• Publishing year: 2017-01-02
• Language: English
• Pages: 18-34
• Publication/Series: Routledge Critical Studies in Public Management
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.4324/9781315560328
• Document type: Book chapter
• Publisher: Routledge
• Topic: Public Administration Studies
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISBN: 9781138675940; ISBN: 9781315560328