Knowledge Base

The focus group, that has been conducted with domain experts in the fields social security and institutional question on local and regional level has proven one more time, that strategic planning is fundamental important. For its success, the focus group advised to fund long-term digitisations strategies adequately, as this is essential for the implementation of new tasks.

Evaluation represents a separate stage in the policy cycle, but has to be pointed out as an own need in public administration. Evaluation decides whether a policy will be finished, modified and/or continued. At the same time, it can inform about results and consequences (intended and not intended). Only if policies are evaluated, potential improvement will be identified and at best implemented. In this context, it should be emphasised that a policy is never completed and is always evolving. This makes a qualitative and regular evaluation essential.

Public management has to react to changes in national and global contexts. A current key driver for changes can be seen in the Europeanisation, which affects the level of member states, caused by EU integration processes. Successful administrative action in the multilevel European system requires adjustments, ensuring efficient dealing with European objectives.

It is most important to take into account the state-specific circumstances, as well as local and regional specificities. For example, the German public administration differs fundamentally from public administration in other countries. Solutions that were identified as right and expedient for one country are not automatically useful in another. The possibilities of implementation will vary due to diverse traditions and organisational cultures.

A relevant but also critical factor in public management is the staff. It is important to recruit junior staff and specialists, which can manage the given challenges and have the necessary skills and technical knowledge to promote the digital transformation. Particularly in view of the demographic developments, it seems essential to recruit new staff and retain them in the long term.[1]

Public sector has to deliver services to citizens despite resource constraints and budgetary pressures. Because of this personnel and financial limitations, available resources must be used as cost saving and valuable as possible.

This need is primarily about developing and understanding of the technical processes in the administration. Technological potential has to be identified and understood, thereby reducing employees´ fears of technology and possible consequences. A basic understanding of technology in administration can help make the benefits of technology fully available.

Similar to the standardisation of processes, standardising data management can also provide significant benefits to the public administration, such as time savings and efficiency gains. It is important for the public administration to know what data is available and where it is located. For this purpose, a data monitoring should be established. The need for standardised data management has been confirmed in almost all conducted interviews.
 

Taking into account the complexities and importance of policy making, scientists and policy makers should be collaborating to improve outcomes of public administration. Insofar, policy makers and researchers have different mentalities, languages, time horizons and imperatives. Ways of bridging the gap between both of them are necessary. Organisational changes, knowledge sharing and new platforms for cooperation can be helpful to close the gap and support collaboration between science and administration.

Stable rules enable continuous and reliable control of public administration, which acts within a legal framework. Therefore, public administrations’ work requires stability, consistency, precision and unambiguity of legal regulation. [1]