The New Public Management: Emergence and Content[Le New Public Management : Emergence et portée]

This article sets out, in broad outline, the notion of New Public Management (NPM). While it is broadly defined as the transposition of management techniques specific to the private sector to public sector organizations, it would seem that this concept is much deeper and more fleshed out theoretically. We think that it is legitimate to question this concept in a theoretical framework in order to find its foundations and identify its emergence context. Once this context identified, it is necessary to encircle the outlines of NPM so we can assimilate its content. Our work permitted to output three principal findings: Firstly, we can fairly identify its mergence in the process of reflection on public management. Secondly, NPM has solid conceptual foundations. Thirdly, it has principles and values that differentiate it from other currents of public managerial thought. Taken together, we can say that this is a concept with a substantial body of theory that requires study. Of course, a second research work would aim to analyze empirically the NPM concept and its configuration in the Moroccan public administration.