Methodological approach applied to the establishment of public administration development scenarios provides that:
1. Scenarios have been developed within the scope of organizational development theory and system theory;
2. Several conditional dimensions have been used for setting the development course of scenarios (see Figure 5.1);
3. Organizational efficiency model has been used for description of development prognosis (see Figure 5.2).
Public administration development scenarios are elaborated within the scope of organizational development theory and system theory. Organizational development theory is theoretical and practical discipline that provides improvement of performance of organizational activity and change management, developing knowledge and effi ciency of the employees of organization. This theory403 support the idea that achieving organizational objectives and development of the organization itself is closely connected with the issues of organizational human resources management and culture development.
403 Argyris, C. & Schon, D. (1978). Organizational Learning: A theory of action perspective. Addison-Wesley; Argyris, C. &
Schon, D. (1995). “Organizational Learning II: Theory, Method, and Practice”. FT Press; Bradford, D.L. & Burke, W.W. eds, (2005). Organization Development. San Francisco: Pfeiff er; Schein, E. (1988). Process Consultation: Its Role in Organization Development, Volume 1. Prentice Hall Organizational Development Series.
Organizational development theory is based on several factors:
¡ Both scenarios deal with human resources management solutions;
¡ Challenges that public administration organizations face not only in Latvia, but also in other EU countries, encourage public administration organizations to gradually perform considerable and signifi cant changes within the culture of public administration, institutional structure, processes, etc., however organizational development theory off ers the vision, how to manage changes;
¡ Systemic perspective on development of public administration is being used at development of scenarios, e.g., substantive issues analysed within scenarios are being examined in correlations, providing their mutual interaction and impact. System theory provides that organizations are:
• open systems: their boundaries are not strict and they constantly exchange information, various resources with the external environment, etc.;
• system that is more than a sum of its separate elements. Its gains or losses arise of mutual relation between the elements of the system and the interaction of elements with other systems404;
¡ The organizational effi ciency model applied at development of the content of scenarios is being elaborated within the scope of organizational development theory and system theory.
Scenarios were made using time perspective “from present to past” that means possibility to achieve diff erent results in future, if various action strategies and diff erent course of action are being implemented. In order to draw a general course of action in each of the scenarios, several conditional dimensions have been used in their development. The choice of dimensions was determined by analysis of public administration development tendencies (see Chapter 1).
Application of conditional dimensions for setting course of action of both scenarios is shown in Figure 5.1., where the initial or exit position of both scenarios is being shown in the centre, while a set course of action is provided within the scope of each scenario.
Figure 5.1. Conditional dimensions for setting development courses within scenarios
Conditional dimensions for setting development courses.
Implementation of human resources policy
Policy-making approach
Character of changes
Role of managers in human resources management
Solutions
Organizational culture
Centralized Decentralized
Reactive Proactive
Adaptation Transformation
Non-essential Crucial
Standardized Flexible
Closed, position-oriented Open, people oriented
Exit position
404 Bolman, L.G.& Deal, T.E. (1991). Reframing organizations. Jossey – Bass Publishers.
Organizational effi ciency model (hereinafter – OEM)405 that is used within both public administration development scenarios for characterization of the most signifi cant development tendencies is shown in Figure 5.2. This model was chosen, because it covers the most current spheres that are related to the development of public administration.
As Figure 5.2. demonstrates, the most signifi cant elements within the model forming organization are arranged in four groups or dimensions:
¡ Strategy,
¡ Organizational design,
¡ People,
¡ Organizational culture.
Three of the dimensions, except strategy that forms the basis of any organizational operation, are subdivided in three more organizational elements. Structure, processes, positions form the organizational design. Competences, motivation, loyalty towards organization form human dimension. Values, leadership style and relationship in the organization and in interaction with the outside world form organizational culture.
Figure 5.2. Organizational effi ciency model (author G. Davidsone, registered as design pattern of European Community)
PEOPLE
RESULTS
loyalty Motivation Competences
Relations Management style Values
Jobs Processes Structure
STRATEGY
CULTURE
DESIGN
Table 5.1. demonstrates how the most signifi cant substantive issues of the tendencies of public administration and human resources development that form also the structure of the theoretical overview on public administration development tendencies within public sector in the EU countries and on the roles and competences of managers and leaders, fall within OEM dimensions and elements.
OEM model forms the following guidelines in elaboration of scenarios:
¡ According to the requirements established for the study, scenarios are being made for modelling of future situation in public administration, basing on human resources policy of public administration. Upon applying OEM approach within elaboration of scenarios, it means that human resources policy described in the Concept on human resources development in public administration406 and in the document “Public administration policy development
405 G. Dāvidsone. Organizāciju efektivitātes modelis. O.D.A., 2008.
406 Available: http://polsis.mk.gov.lv/view.do?id=4231 (accessed 25.01.2015.)
guidelines for 2014 – 2020”407 forms the initial basis for the strategy of modelling scenarios, while human and organizational culture dimension and processes connected with human resources management within organizational design dimension form totality of the main instruments that are described in more detail in the section of each scenario “Projected development of the situation”.
¡ Changes that are purposefully implemented or arise in a result of external conditions in one of the elements or dimensions of OEM as a system, aff ect also other dimensions and their elements. This feature has been used in making of public administration development scenarios, projecting diff erent development focuses and changes connected with them in both development scenarios. In the fi rst case dimension of organizational design is in focus, while in the other – dimension of organizational culture.
¡ Both scenarios are made upon initially similar strategic provisions of public administration development, defi ned by the average term strategy Latvia 2030 and Public administration development guidelines for 2014 – 2020.
¡ Although all the organizations are formed by one and the same OEM elements, their content and combination within various organizations diff er. Thus the potential and solutions of each organization, on how to reach results and work effi ciency, diff er.408
Table 5.1. Substantive scope of OEM of development tendencies of public administration and human resources development
OEM
dimension OEM elements Issues on public administration and human resources development
Strategy
-Human resources development policy and strategies, strategic course and strategic courses of action, planning
and implementation of policy.
Organizational design
Organizational structure
Institutional model of public administration and human resources management, division of functions and level of specialization, centralization and decentralization, forms of structure, impact of structure on adoption of decisions.
Processes
Changes within organizational processes, personnel management processes, work organization, for example, fl exible working hours and distant work. Disappearing and new processes.
Positions Content of work, division of responsibilities, disappearing and new positions.
People
Competences Required and available competences that will be topical in future, competences of managers.
Motivation
Motivation of employees of diff erent generations, motivation system for keeping highly qualifi ed employees and attraction of new specialists.
Loyalty Satisfaction of employees with job, involvement of employees, public administration as attractive employer.
Organizational
culture Values Values of public administration, values of public administration as employer.
Leadership style
Roles and functions of the managers, leadership style, personnel management skills of managers, leader competences.
Relationship Collaboration of generations, internal collaboration, expected changes in relationship between managers and employees.
407 Available: http://tap.mk.gov.lv/mk/tap/?pid=40328566 (accessed 25.01.2015.) 408 G. Dāvidsone. Organizāciju efektivitātes modelis. O.D.A., 2008., p. 22.
Restrictions for development of scenarios:
¡ Application of OEM in development of scenarios puts forward the internal issues of public administration as organization: structure, processes, competences, etc. The external factors (for example, ongoing and prospective changes within the public structure, decrease of population, progress of technologies, etc.) are taken into consideration at development of those scenarios, however, they are not analysed in detail during their elaboration pace and description;
¡ Scenarios are elaborated in accordance with the basic directions of scenarios set by the customer, therefore alternatives of another scenarios were not considered;
¡ The central place in elaboration of scenarios according to the initial requirements has been provided to the possible directions of human resources policy and practice development in public administration in future. Other public administration development issues have secondary importance in both scenarios.