Festive hand-over of first copy new book by Frits van der Meer
In celebration of the release of his new book on changes in public administration, Prof. dr. Frits van der Meer, professor by special appointment of the CAOP chair: Comparative Public Sector and Civil Service Reform, handed the first copy to Gert-Jan Buitendijk, Secretary General of Ministry of General Affairs, last week.
The book is entitled: ‘Openbaar bestuur en het ambtelijk apparaat. De gevolgen van een voorwaardescheppende staat voor de publieke dienst in een multilevel governance systeem.‘ (Public administration and the civil service. The resulting consequences an enabling state for the public service in a multilevel governance system.)
About the book
The book provides an account of the research into the changes in the public administration, with special emphasis on the relationship with the civil service. It highlights the resulting consequences and challenges of an enabling state for the civil service in a multilevel governance system with a multitude of both public and private parties involved, most importantly civilians.
The book presents new empirical data on the public service in areas such as the organisation and functioning of the public sector, the scale, composition and functioning of the civil service. In the book there is also a connection made between preserving and improving the quality of the public service. In order to place this information into context, the book provides numerous international and historical comparisons. Given the current challenges and crisisses politics, public administration, and society are faced with, recommendations have been formulated for a continual well-functioning administration that can count on support from society.