Innovations in Government:International perspectives on civil service reform

Article

Today, as the pace of change quickens, civil service systems, and the civil servants who work in them, must continue to adapt if they are to have the right skills, knowledge, and capabilities needed to meet the challenges of 21st-century government.

Over the past few decades, civil services across the world have been subjected to significant bouts of reform. Reform has been driven by a number of social, economic and technological developments that have altered the environment within which government operates. Today, as the pace of change quickens, civil service systems, and the civil servants who work in them, must continue to adapt if they are to have the right skills, knowledge, and capabilities needed to meet the challenges of 21st-century government.

The aim of this report is to:

  • Analyse international trends in civil service reform
  • Identify and understand the new challenges and problems confronting civil services
  • Highlight a number of innovative case studies that offer possible ways forward
  • Suggest promising new directions for future civil service reform.

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