Which one of the following concepts favours market-friendly and business process engineering, apart from continuing with old principles of public administration ? 

The correct answer is - New Public Management

Key Points

• New Public Management (NPM)
  • NPM is a reform-oriented concept that aims to make public administration more market-friendly and efficient.
  • It incorporates principles of business process re-engineering to improve public service delivery.
  • Unlike traditional public administration, NPM emphasizes results, accountability, and customer satisfaction.
  • It blends the efficiency of private sector practices with public sector values.
• Key Features of NPM
  • Decentralization: Delegating decision-making authority to lower levels of government for better responsiveness.
  • Performance Measurement: Focus on outcomes and efficiency rather than just processes.
  • Market Mechanisms: Emphasis on competition and privatization to enhance service quality.
  • Customer Orientation: Citizens are treated as customers, and public services are tailored to meet their needs.

Additional Information

• Scientific Management
  • Developed by Frederick Taylor, this focuses on improving worker efficiency through scientific methods.
  • It emphasizes standardization, time studies, and task specialization, which are more relevant to industrial settings than public administration.
• Science of Administration
  • Proposed by thinkers like Gulick and Urwick, this concept focuses on organizational principles like hierarchy, span of control, and unity of command.
  • It is a traditional approach and does not incorporate market-friendly reforms like NPM.
• New Public Administration (NPA)
  • NPA emerged in the 1960s and 1970s, focusing on social equity and responsiveness to societal needs.
  • It emphasizes addressing inequality and enhancing citizen participation but does not emphasize business process re-engineering like NPM.