Revised and updated second edition of a text first published in 1992. Includes recent empirical research and a new section on management in practice. Addresses issues relating to the design and structure of governmental bodies, the utility and impact of alternative management techniques and public sector ethics and accountability. Includes references and an index. The authors have senior positions at the Centre for Australian Public Sector Management and have published extensively in their field.

The product of one of the world's most comprehensive research projects on whistleblowing, evidence from over 8,000 public servants in over 100 federal, state and local government agencies shows that whistleblowers can and do survive, and that often their role is highly valued. Public sector managers face significant challenges in better managing and protecting whistleblowers. There is great variation between the many public agencies making the effort, and the many agencies where the outcomes - for managers and whistleblowers alike - are still likely to be grim. This book is compulsory reading for all public sector managers who wish to turn this negative trend around, and for anyone interested in public accountability generally.

Amidst growing dissatisfaction with the state of government performance and an erosion of trust in our political class, Competing for Influence asks: what sort of public service do we want in Australia? Drawing on his experience in both the public and private sectors – and citing academic research across the fields of public sector management, industrial organisation, and corporate strategy – Barry Ferguson argues the case for the careful selection and application of private sector management concepts to the public service, both for their ability to strengthen the public service and inform public policy. These include competitive advantage, competitive positioning, horizontal strategy and organisational design, and innovation as an all-encompassing organisational adjustment mechanism to a changeable environment. But these are not presented as a silver bullet, and Ferguson addresses other approaches to reform, including the need to rebuild the Public Sector Act, the need to reconsider the interface between political and administrative arms of government (and determine what is in the ‘public interest’), and the need for greater independence for the public service within a clarified role. This approach, and its implications for public sector reform, is contrasted with the straitjacket of path dependency that presently constricts the field.

'This is an excellent 'do-it-yourself' introductory study to public sector management, covering a wide range of issues, including recent public service reforms. I recommend it to anyone interested in the practice and study of public sector management.' - Tony Ayers, National President, Institute of Public Administration Australia The traditional view of public sector management is under challenge. The shifting boundaries of the public-private sector are transforming the nature of the public sector in the 21st century and placing increasing demands on managers. This user-friendly handbook examines the changes that have taken place over the last twenty years and addresses the practical issues faced by public servants today. It makes abundant use of exhibits, case studies and real world examples to illustrate key concepts in public sector management. By including many 'points for reference', the authors challenge readers to apply both theory and practice to those public services situations with which they are familiar. Australian Handbook of Public Sector Management is a unique blend of academic and practical approaches to current management practices in the public sector. It has been designed to assist students and those new to the public sector to develop the knowledge and skills they require to provide high quality public services.

Accountability as it concerns the Commonwealth Government; the obligation of governments to be financially accountable; ways in which governments answer for the use of resources taken from the public to implement social and economic policies; defining the public sector; the significance of government; the cycle of accountability in government; the structure of Australian government.

Tackling the key topics of reform and modernization, this important new book systematically examines performance in public management systems. The authors present this seminal subject in an informative and accessible manner, tackling some of the most important themes. Performance Management in the Public Sector takes as its point of departure a broad definition of performance to redefine major and basic mechanisms in public administration, both theoretically and in practice. The book: situates performance in some of the current public management debates; discusses the many definitions of ‘performance’ and how it has become one of the contested agendas of public management; examines measurement, incorporation and use of performance information; and explores the challenges and future directions of performance management. A must-read for any student or practitioner of public management, this core text will prove invaluable to anyone wanting to improve their understanding of performance management in the public sector.

How do Australian governments budget? How well do they spend and manage our money? Governments seem to be locked in a constant struggle with the problems of budgeting. Cabinet never has enough resources to go around, and while some agencies 'guard' public expenditure, others find endless ways to make new claims on budgets. Managing Public Expenditure in Australia provides the first systematic analysis of government budgeting and the politics of the budgetary process. Drawing on extensive original sources, the authors examine debates and reforms in public finance from Whitlam and Fraser to Hawke, Keating and Howard, and assess their impacts on policy development. In tracking the way governments actually spend money, Managing Public Expenditure in Australia provides an alternate and complementary political history of federal government over the past forty years. This book also includes accessible discussions on topics such as budget theory, financial management in government, and debt and deficit reduction. An explanation of new resource management techniques and initiatives help to illuminate the ongoing changes to budget and expenditure management practices. This is an essential purchase for students, teachers and practitioners of public finance, and for anyone involved in the continuing debate over the nature and role of the public sector.