IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/padxxx/v41y2021i5p257-266.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Relationship between public sector reforms and culture: The implementation of NPM‐related performance management reforms in a collectivist and risk averse culture

Author

Listed:
  • Lhawang Ugyel

Abstract

As performance management reforms gain traction worldwide, their implementation, however, has demonstrated mixed results. This trend is visible in the manner countries have adopted and implemented New Public Management (NPM)‐related public sector reforms that are based on the neo‐classical and business models of organisation and management. Experiences in various countries demonstrate that the inherent individualistic aspects of NPM‐related performance management do not suit the context of countries with a collective culture. The introduction of a series of NPM‐related performance management reforms introduced to Bhutan’s civil service over the last 15 years explores the relationship between public sector reforms and culture. This article highlights the challenges faced in the implementation of performance management reforms in Bhutan’s collectivist and risk averse culture. Bhutan’s experience in the implementation of NPM‐related reforms provide an insightful lesson for other countries with similar culture and context.

Suggested Citation

  • Lhawang Ugyel, 2021. "Relationship between public sector reforms and culture: The implementation of NPM‐related performance management reforms in a collectivist and risk averse culture," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 41(5), pages 257-266, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:padxxx:v:41:y:2021:i:5:p:257-266
    DOI: 10.1002/pad.1962
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/pad.1962
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/pad.1962?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Taras, Vas & Steel, Piers & Kirkman, Bradley L., 2012. "Improving national cultural indices using a longitudinal meta-analysis of Hofstede's dimensions," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 329-341.
    2. Henri, Jean-Francois, 2006. "Organizational culture and performance measurement systems," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(1), pages 77-103, January.
    3. Schick, Allen, 1998. "Why Most Developing Countries Should Not Try New Zealand's Reforms," The World Bank Research Observer, World Bank, vol. 13(1), pages 123-131, February.
    4. Rosalie L Tung & Alain Verbeke, 2010. "Beyond Hofstede and GLOBE: Improving the quality of cross-cultural research," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 41(8), pages 1259-1274, October.
    5. M. Shamsul Haque & Mark Turner & M. Shamsul Haque, 2013. "Public Administration In A Globalized Asia: Intellectual Identities, Challenges, And Prospects," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 33(4), pages 262-274, October.
    6. Grindle, Merilee S., 1997. "Divergent cultures? When public organizations perform well in developing countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 25(4), pages 481-495, January.
    7. Lhawang Ugyel, 2014. "Explaining Hybridity In Public Administration: An Empirical Case Of Bhutan'S Civil Service," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 34(2), pages 109-122, May.
    8. Frank L.K. Ohemeng & Emelia Amoako†Asiedu & Theresa Obuobisa†Darko, 2018. "The impact of employee perception on the successful institutionalisation and implementation of performance management systems in developing countries: The perspective from Ghana's public service," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 38(2), pages 75-86, May.
    9. Jose A. Puppim De Oliveira & Yijia Jing & Paul Collins & Jie Gao, 2015. "Performance Measurement and Management in the Public Sector: Some Lessons from Research Evidence," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 35(2), pages 86-96, May.
    10. Aisha J Ali & Javier Fuenzalida & Margarita Gómez & Martin J Williams, 2021. "Four lenses on people management in the public sector: an evidence review and synthesis," Oxford Review of Economic Policy, Oxford University Press and Oxford Review of Economic Policy Limited, vol. 37(2), pages 335-366.
    11. Harrison, Graeme L., 1993. "Reliance on accounting performance measures in superior evaluative style -- The influence of national culture and personality," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 18(4), pages 319-339, May.
    12. Sorin Dan & Christopher Pollitt, 2015. "NPM Can Work: An optimistic review of the impact of New Public Management reforms in central and eastern Europe," Public Management Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(9), pages 1305-1332, October.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Rosalie L Tung & Günter K Stahl, 2018. "The tortuous evolution of the role of culture in IB research: What we know, what we don’t know, and where we are headed," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(9), pages 1167-1189, December.
    2. Bernard H.J. Verstegen, 2011. "A socio‐economic view on management control," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 38(2), pages 114-127, January.
    3. Khaleghian, Peyvand & Gupta, Monica Das, 2005. "Public management and the essential public health functions," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 33(7), pages 1083-1099, July.
    4. Willy McCourt, 2018. "Towards “cognitively complex” problem‐solving: Six models of public service reform," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S2), pages 748-768, September.
    5. López-Duarte, Cristina & González-Loureiro, Miguel & Vidal-Suárez, Marta M. & González-Díaz, Belén, 2016. "International strategic alliances and national culture: Mapping the field and developing a research agenda," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 51(4), pages 511-524.
    6. David Ralston & Carolyn Egri & Olivier Furrer & Min-Hsun Kuo & Yongjuan Li & Florian Wangenheim & Marina Dabic & Irina Naoumova & Katsuhiko Shimizu & María Garza Carranza & Ping Fu & Vojko Potocan & A, 2014. "Societal-Level Versus Individual-Level Predictions of Ethical Behavior: A 48-Society Study of Collectivism and Individualism," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 122(2), pages 283-306, June.
    7. Venkateswaran, Ramya Tarakad & George, Rejie, 2020. "When does culture matter? A multilevel study on the role of situational moderators," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 99-122.
    8. Knein, Ernesto & Greven, Andrea & Bendig, David & Brettel, Malte, 2020. "Culture and cross-functional coopetition: The interplay of organizational and national culture," Journal of International Management, Elsevier, vol. 26(2).
    9. David A. Ralston & Carolyn P. Egri & Irina Naoumova & Len J. Treviño & Katsuhiko Shimizu & Yongjuan Li, 2020. "An empirical test of the trichotomy of values crossvergence theory," Asia Pacific Journal of Management, Springer, vol. 37(1), pages 65-90, March.
    10. Ofer Mintz & Imran S Currim & Jan-Benedict E M Steenkamp & Martijn Jong, 2021. "Managerial metric use in marketing decisions across 16 countries: A cultural perspective," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 52(8), pages 1474-1500, October.
    11. Hauff, Sven & Richter, Nicole Franziska & Tressin, Tabea, 2015. "Situational job characteristics and job satisfaction: The moderating role of national culture," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 710-723.
    12. Chimenson, Dina & Tung, Rosalie L. & Panibratov, Andrei & Fang, Tony, 2022. "The paradox and change of Russian cultural values," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(3).
    13. Thomas Rockstuhl & Robert Eisenberger & Lynn M. Shore & James N. Kurtessis & Michael T. Ford & Louis C. Buffardi & Salar Mesdaghinia, 2020. "Perceived organizational support (POS) across 54 nations: A cross-cultural meta-analysis of POS effects," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 51(6), pages 933-962, August.
    14. Sjoerd Beugelsdijk & Tatiana Kostova & Vincent E. Kunst & Ettore Spadafora & Marc van Essen, 2018. "Cultural Distance and Firm Internationalization," Post-Print hal-02312065, HAL.
    15. Sasaki, Innan & Yoshikawa, Katsuhiko, 2014. "Going beyond national cultures – Dynamic interaction between intra-national, regional, and organizational realities," Journal of World Business, Elsevier, vol. 49(3), pages 455-464.
    16. Mark F Peterson & Tais S Barreto, 2018. "Interpreting societal culture value dimensions," Journal of International Business Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Academy of International Business, vol. 49(9), pages 1190-1207, December.
    17. David Lewis & Anthony J. Bebbington & Simon P. J. Batterbury & Alpa Shah & Elizabeth Olson & M. Shameem Siddiqi & Sandra Duvall, 2003. "Practice, power and meaning: frameworks for studying organizational culture in multi-agency rural development projects," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 15(5), pages 541-557.
    18. Utz Schäffer & Matthias D. Mahlendorf & Jochen Rehring, 2014. "Does the Interactive Use of Headquarter Performance Measurement Systems in Foreign Subsidiaries Endanger the Potential to Profit from Local Relationships?," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 24(1), pages 21-38, March.
    19. Nebojša Janićijević, 2013. "Matching Compensation System With The Type Of Organizational Culture," Serbian Association of Economists Journal, SAE - Serbian Association of Economists, issue 5-6, pages 309-324, September.
    20. Smith, Julia A. & England, Claire, 2019. "An ethnographic study of culture and performance in the UK lingerie industry," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(3), pages 241-258.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:padxxx:v:41:y:2021:i:5:p:257-266. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/journal.asp?ref=0271-2075 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.