Institutionalization of civil service systems for comparative analysis

• Main Author: Van Beek, Monique
• Other Authors: Burger, A. P. J.
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2012
• Subjects: Civil service; Public administration; Dissertations > Public management and planning; Theses > Public management and planning
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/52891

Thesis (MPA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2002 === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The primary focus of this study is the civil service system as an organization and the extent to which it is institutionalized within a specific society. Within the ambit of organizational science the emphasis is on the concept of institutionalization, more specifically the institutionalization of the civil service system. Several aspects pertain to the field of Public Administration; these include the study of public organization structures and processes, the formulation and execution of public policy and the general administration and management of the public organization. Civil service systems form an integral part of public administration. The civil service is viewed as the focal point in this study as it represents a collective organization that incorporates the different public organizations within the system. This study focuses on four concepts identified by Bekke, Perry, & Toonen (1996) in their book Civil Service Systems - In Comparative Perspective. These concepts act as indicators of institutionalization within civil service organizations. The concepts are briefly explained as: boundedness (the influence of the boundaries between civil service system and society), exchange (the interaction that occurs externally between the civil service and society, and internally within the system), routinization (the extent to which the organizations within the system are rule and routine-bound) and connectedness (the extent to which the different components of the system are connected). Each of the indicators is developed within a theoretical framework that supports scientific operationilization. With operationilization each of the indicators are explored according to a set of questions. The answers to the questionnaires developed for a specific indicator represents the extent to which the civil service is institutionalized. The information supplied by all the different questionnaires provide for the creation of a profile that indicates to the level of institutionalization of the civil service system. This information can be utilized within a comparative analysis of civil service systems. These questionnaires and the information they provide can also be utilized in the identification of key concepts, they can improve understanding concerning relationships among concepts and the underlying logic or dynamic of different organizational relations within civil service organizations. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die primêre fokus van hierdie studie is die staatsdiensstelsel as 'n organisasie en die mate waartoe dit geinstitusionaliseerd is binne 'n bepaalde samelewing. Die doel van die studie behels die ontwikkeling van 'n navorsingsinstrument wat gebruik kan word binne 'n vergelykende studie aangaande die institusionalisering van staatsdienssteiseis. Verskeie akademiese dissiplines dra by tot die aard van vergelykende studies. Die primêre fokus van hierdie studie omvat twee van hierdie dissiplines, naamlik Publieke Administrasie en Organisasiekunde Wetenskap. Verskeie aspekte hou verband met Publieke Administrasie as "n studieveld, insluitend die bestudering van openbare organisasiestrukture en prosesse, die formulering en die uitvoering van openbare beleid asook die algemene administrasie en bestuur van "n openbare instelling. Staatsdiensstelsels vorm 'n integrale deel van publieke administrasie. Hierdie studie fokus hoofsaaklik op die staatsdiens as "n kollektiewe organisasie wat die verskillende openbare instellings inkorporeer en verteenwoordig. Binne die strekking van die organisasiewetenskap is die klem op die konsep institusionalisering en meer spesifiek die institusionalisering van die staatsdiens. Die klem val veralop die vier konsepte wat deur Bekke, Perry & Toonen (1996) in hulle boek Civil Service Systems - In Comparative Perspective geidentifiseer is. Hierdie konsepte word gebruik as indikatore om die mate van institusionalisering van die staatsdiens aan te dui. Die konsepte kan kortliks beskryf word as begrensing (die invloed van instellingsgrense of afbakenings tussen die staatsdienssisteem en die samelewing), uitruiling (die interaksie wat plaasvind tussen die staatsdiens en die samelewing asook die interaksie binne die staatsdiens), roetineering (die mate waartoe instellings binne die staatsdiens verbonde is tot reëls en roetine) en verbondenheid (die mate waartoe die verskillende komponente van die stelsel aan mekaar verbind is). Elkeen van hierdie komponente word omskryf deur middel van "n teoretiese raamwerk wat die wetenskaplike operasionalisering van elke komponent ondersteun. Met die operasionalisasie word die verskillende konsepte toegepas binne "n bepaalde vraelys. Die antwoorde op die vrae bied 'n aanduiding van die mate waartoe die instelling geinstitusionaliseerd is. Die inligting wat verskaf word deur die verskillende vraelyste gee aanleiding tot die samestelling van 'n profiel wat die vlak van institusionalisering binne "n bepaalde staatdiensstelsel aandui. Sulke profiele kan gebruik word binne 'n vergelykende studie van verskillende staatsdienssteiseis. Die vraelys inligting kan ook gebruik word vir die identifikasie van sleutel konstepte binne staatsdienssteiseis, asook die verklaring van bepaalde verhoudings en onderliggende logika of dinamika tussen die verskillende instellings binne die staatsdiens.