The Thinning of Administrative Institutions in the Hollow State

TLDR

Over the past two decades, governments worldwide have pursued New Public Management reforms to boost performance, but emerging evidence suggests these changes may have unintended negative effects. The author contends that New Public Management practices have not only contributed to a hollow state but also to the thinning of administrative institutions. Thin institutions are weak and lack the capacity for effective administration, eroding public confidence in government.

Abstract

During the past 20 years or so, governments worldwide have embarked on an ambitious journey to improve government performance. Relying on a multitude of administrative technologies broadly classified under the heading of the New Public Management (NPM), reformers have sought to radically change the manner in which the public's business is conducted. Although the verdict is still out, evidence is accumulating that NPM philosophy and practices may have produced unintended consequences. The author argues that in addition to contributing to an increasingly hollow state, NPM philosophy and practices have contributed to a phenomenon described as the thinning of administrative institutions. Thin institutions are weak; they lack the capacity for good administration—a requirement for maintaining the American people's confidence in government.