Modernisation of Public Administration

Course type

Study programme and level

Masters and PhD, Postgraduate, Law

Language

slovenščina

Lectures	Seminar	Tutorial	Druge oblike študija	Individual Work	ECTS
40				160	8

Study programme and level	Study field	Academic year	Semester
II. level	Law	1	1

Course Type

Compulsory

Workload	Lectures (h/semester)	Seminar (h/semester)	Tutorial (h/semester)	Individual Work (h/semester)	ECTS
	40			160	8

Lecturer

prof. dr. Slobodan Dujić

Language

English

Prerequisites

Knowledge of complex legal concepts (within the curricula of high schools and/or faculties);
High level of general knowledge and ability to understand complex social phenomena and concepts.

Content (Syllabus outline)

INTRODUCTION – GENERAL PART

THE OPERATING PRINCIPLES OF MODERN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The importance of the principles in the law. Legal principles and legal rules. Classical and contemporary principles in the field of public administration. Constitutional principles relevant to the field of administration. The function of principles in law and the application of legal principles in the process of administrative and judicial decision-making. The principle of legality. The principle of constitutionality. The principle of proportionality. The principle of the obligation to make a decision within a reasonable time. The principle of the openness and transparency of administration operation. Other relevant principles.

 GOALS AND PRINCIPLES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN SLOVENIA

The objectives of the development of the public administration system in the first period (1997-2002). The objectives of the further development of the public administration system (2003-2005). The concept of modernization or public administration reform.  

ASSUMPTION FOR THE SUCCESSFUL REFORM AND MODERNIZATION OF THE PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM

The political will for the implementation of reform or for the modernization of the public administration system. Appropriate strategy for administrative reform or permanent modernization of the public administration system. Material resources for the implementation of the reform or modernization. The right time or timing to carry out the most difficult measures in the reform process. Appropriate (new) institutions. The universality of assumptions. Foreign experience (Great Britain, New Zealand, the ongoing processes of administrative reform in the Balkans).

THE STRUCTURE OF THE PUBLIC SECTOR IN SLOVENIA AND THE POSITION OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

The concept of the public sector. The concept of public administration. The concept of state administration. Relations between the public sector, public administration and state administration. Different normative definitions of the public sector concept. The legal arrangement of public sector regulation. Privatization, deregulation and liberalization in the public sector. Reform processes or the modernization of individual integral elements of the public sector. 

IN MEDIA RES – CHANGES IN SPECIFIC PARTS OF THE SYSTEM

GOVERNMENT – STRUCTURE AND DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES

The position of the government in the system of the division of state power. The position of the state executive in the system of unity of state power. The position of the government in various models of the organization of state power (in the presidential, semi-presidential and parliamentary system of the organization of state power). The government as part of the so-called bicefal executive authority. The head of the state as the so-called monocefal executive authority. The relationship between government and parliament. The relationship between government and the president of the state. The relationship between government and justice. Constitutional foundations for the functioning of the government in Slovenia. Legal basis for the government in Slovenia. Certain comparative aspects. Government as the top of the state administration system. Government structure as a result of the process of differentiation of modern administrative systems. Decision-making processes within the government. The modernization of government activities in Slovenia (the modernization of modes of operation and decision-making, e-government, the provision of public work and decision-making).

STATE ADMINISTRATION – FUNCTIONS AND ORGANISATION

The concept of state administration. State administration as a system for the exercise of power (“ius imperium”) and as a system for the provision of public goods and public services (“service role of the state administration”). The regulatory, service and accelerating function of modern state administration. From classical to modern state administration. Five classic state-building departments and the process of their systemic differentiation. The new legal system of the state administration system in Slovenia (the most important novelties or reforms in the light of the construction of a unitary state and in the light of EU accession). The functions and tasks of the state administration. The organization of state administration at the central level (macro-organization of the state administration system). Internal organization of the state administration system (micro-organization of the state administration system).

THE TERRITORIAL ORGANISATION OF THE STATE ADMINISTRATION SYSTEM

The deconcentration of administrative tasks. The concept of administrative territorialisation. Different models of the territorial organization of the state administration or state administrative bodies. The system of general administrative districts. The system of functional districts. The combination of both models of “deconcentrated” organization of state administration. Administrative units. New legal regulation of the territorial structure of the state administration in the Republic of Slovenia (reform). Relations between the local management system and local self-governing communities. Forms and methods of coordination. One and two-tier models of public management organization at the local level. Advantages and disadvantages of each model. The territorial structure of the state administration system in Slovenia de lege ferenda.

PARA-PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION AT THE CENTRAL AND LOCAL LEVEL

The concept of “para-state” or “para-statal” organizations. The development of para-state organizations as a result of the modern differentiation of the state administration system. The relationship between the state and “para-state” administration. Reasons for establishing para-state organizations. Forms of para-state organizations (public agencies, public funds, commissions, committees, etc.). Public regulatory, development and professional agencies. The concept of the “independent regulatory body“. Aspects of “independence”. The concept of a public fund: dedicated assets. Other forms of para-state organizations. New regulation in this area. European aspects of the development of “independent regulatory bodies” and globalization.

LOCAL SELF-GOVERNMENT – STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

The development of the system of local self-government in the development of the state administration system (the process of systemic differentiation). The concept of local self-government. The structure of different models or systems of local self-government. Comparison between the previous and the current system of local self-government in Slovenia (one-tier and two-tier public management at the local level). Functions of the local self-government system. the constitutional foundations of the local self-government system. New legal regulation of the local self-government system in Slovenia. The relationship between the state administration and local self-government systems in Slovenia (control and cooperation). Frequent interventions of the Constitutional Court in the field of the legal regulation of the new system of local self-government. Local self-government de lege ferenda (provinces, regionalization).

PUBLIC SERVICES

The concept of public service. Leon Duguit and French legal theory and public services. The difference between the French and the Slovenian public service concepts. Development of the idea of ​​the state service function. Development of the process of state interventionism in the economic and social sphere. State and local public services. Compulsory and optional public services. Public utility service and non-commercial public service. Forms of implementation of public utility services. Forms of implementation of non-commercial public services. New legal regulation of the functioning of the public service system in Slovenia. Public services in Slovenia de lege ferenda.

PERFORMERS OF FUNCTIONS GOVERNED BY PUBLIC LAW

The concept of public authority. The constitutional basis for granting public authorizations. Legal regulation on the granting of public authorizations in certain areas. Providers of public authority as an integral part of the public administration system. Public authorization granting areas. Granting public authority by law and based on the law. Public authorities in Slovenia and comparative. Public authorities de lege ferenda.

PRIVATISATION IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

The concept of privatization. Actual and apparent privatization in the public sector. The concept of privatization and liberalization. The concept of deregulation. Public-private partnership as a modern form of introducing privatization models in the public sector. New legal regulation of this area in Slovenia.

MEASURES TO ENHANCE MANAGEMENT ORIENTATION TOWARDS USERS AND TO REMOVE ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS

The concept of a service role for modern administration. Ways of introducing modern models for the greater orientation of administration towards users. the measurement and monitoring of customer satisfaction in administrative procedures. The concept of “administrative barriers”. Methods of eliminating administrative barriers: eliminating administrative barriers “ex ante” and “ex post” (“the guillotine of regulations and procedures). Ensuring the participation of individuals and stakeholders in public management processes. Experience from abroad and Slovenian experience in this field.

THE INTRODUCTION OF QUALITY MODELS INTO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The process of developing quality models. Starting models and private sector experience. The development of different models in the US and Western Europe. EFQM and ISO standards. Processes for the development of quality models tailored to the needs of the public sector (Spayer, IPA Maastricht). The role of the European Union in the development of the new model – i.e. the C.A.F. model for public administration. The introduction of quality models into the practice of the Slovenian public administration.

E-ADMINISTRATION

The concept of “e-government” and “e-administration” (G2C, G2B, G2G). Conditions for the development of this area. The goals of “e-administration” implementation projects. Implementation projects. E-administration and the renewal of administrative operations (control over business processes in administrative organizations). Perspectives.

PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION OPENNESS AND TRANSPARENCY 

The concept of transparency. Access to public information. Protection of information privacy and access to public information. Public involvement in public administration processes: participation or »Partner administration«. New legal regulation of this area in Slovenia (constitutional starting points, new regulations). The openness and transparency of the administration’s performance – comparatively. The openness and transparency of the administration, de lege ferenda.

CIVIL SERVANTS SYSTEM

The most important novelties in the civil servant system in Slovenia. The concept of a civil servant. Public servants in Slovenia and comparatively. Officials and professional civil servants. New personnel management in the Slovenian administration. New regulation in this area. Constitutional standpoints. The instability of the normative system. The civil servant system in Slovenia de lege ferenda.

THE WAGE SYSTEM IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

The most important novelties in the wage system in the Republic of Slovenia. The concept of the wage system. Elements of the new wage system. New regulation in this area. Constitutional standpoints. New legislation. The instability of the normative system. Perspectives.

Study Literature

• Jos C. N. Raadschelders, Public Administration: The Interdisciplinary Study of Government, Oxford University Press, Oxford 2013.
• G. Frederickson, K. B. Smith, The Public Administration Theory Primer, Westview Press, 2015.
• Hughes, Public Management and Administration, Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.
• B. G. Peters, J. Pierre, The SAGE Handbook of Public Administration; SAGE Publications, 2014.

The compulsory study literature also includes the applicable laws governing the subject areas.

Recommendations:

Books and textbooks

• Bučar, France: Uvod v javno upravo, Ljubljana 1969, str. 11-351.;
• Čebulj, Janez: Oblike izvajanja javnih služb in koncesionirana javna služba, Nova ureditev javnih služb, Bled junija 1991;
• Dujić, Slobodan: Preobrazba sistema javne uprave v Sloveniji – izhodišča, cilji in nekateri pričakovani problemi, Javna uprava, let. 33, št. 2 (1997), str. 211-232 (COBISS-ID 934062, UDK, 342.723, ISSN: 1318-2277;
• Dujić, Slobodan: Položaj izvršilne funkcije oblasti v novi pravni ureditvi, zbornik referatov, VIII. dnevi javnega prava, Portorož, 2002, št. 3 (2002), str. 105-142; ISSN 1408-0427;
• Dujić, Slobodan, Razvoj ideje in delitev oblasti po slovenski ustavni ureditvi, Zbornik referatov II. srečanja upravnih delavcev Slovenije, Visoka upravna šola, Portorož 1995;
• Grad, Franc: Parlament in vlada, Založba Uradni list Republike Slovenije, Ljubljana 2000;
• Pavčnik, Marijan, Teorija prava, Prispevek k razumevanju prava, Cankarjeva založba, Ljubljana 1997;
• Pirnat, Rajko: Konkurenca in gospodarske javne službe, III. Strokovno srečanje pravnikov javnega prava, Inštitut za javno upravo pri Pravni fakulteti v Ljubljani, Portorož 1997;
• Pirnat, Rajko: Problematika pravne ureditve koncesij. Javna uprava, 1999, let. 35, št. 1, str. 7-26;
• Pirnat, Rajko: Neodvisne upravne institucije. Javna uprava, 1999, let. 35, št. 3, str. 449-466;
• Pirnat, Rajko: Upravna pogodba, VI. Dnevi javnega prava, Inštitut za javno upravo pri Pravni fakulteti v Ljubljani, Portorož 2000;
• Pirnat, Rajko: Poskus materialne opredelitve javne službe, članek v zborniku Prestrukturiranje javnega sektorja v Sloveniji, Bled, november 1992, str. 67-74;
• Pirnat, Rajko: Liberalizacija gospodarskih javnih služb, Zbornik posveta X. Dnevi javnega prava, Portorož 2004, str. 115-131.;
• Pitamic, Leonid, Država, Cankarjeva založba, Zbirka Pravna obzorja, Ljubljana 1996;
• Pličanič, Senko: Javne službe, Javna uprava, 1995, letnik 31, št. 4, str. 493-512.;
• Pličanič, Senko: Vloga države v gospodarskih družbah, ki opravljajo gospodarske javne službe, Zbornik posvetovanja VI. dnevi javnega prava, Inštitut za javno upravo pri PF, Ljubljana 2000, str. 121-136.;
• Pličanič, Senko: Pravni položaj premoženja Republike Slovenije – upravnopravni vidik, Javna uprava, 1996, let. 32, str. 493-498.;
• Pličanič, Senko: Razvoj pravnih razmerij med upravnimi in zasebnopravnimi subjekti, Javna uprava, št. 3-4/93, str. 225-251.;
• Pusić, Eugen: Upravni sistemi I, Zagreb Grafički zavod Hrvatske, Zagreb 1985, knjiga I in II;
• Pusić, Eugen: Nauka o upravi, Zagreb 1986, knjiga I in II;
• Rousseau, Jean Jacques: Družbena pogodba (Ali načela državnega prava), Cankarjeva založba, Ljubljana 1960;
• Sokol, Smiljko, Smerdel, Branko: Organizacija vlasti, Založba Narodne novine, Zagreb 1988;
• Spektorskij, Evgenij Vasilevič: Zgodovina socialne filozofije, Založba Slovenska matica, Ljubljana 1932-1933,
• Šarkić, Srđan (Malenica, Antun): Pravne teorije i institucije antike, tom I, Pravni fakultet u Novom Sadu, Novi Sad, 1994;
• Šmidovnik, Janez: Teoretične osnove upravljanja, DDU Univerzum, Ljubljana 1985,
• Šmidovnik, Janez: Lokalna samouprava, Ljubljana 1995.;
• Šturm, Lovro: Omejitev oblasti, Nova revija, Ljubljana 1998;
• Šturm, Lovro (ured.): Upravni zbornik 1996, Ljubljana 1996, str. 9-70, 87- 339;
• Trpin, Gorazd: Nekateri problemi reorganizacije državne uprave ter uvajanje lokalne samouprave v Sloveniji, Javna uprava 1-2/1993, str. 15-40.;
• Vilfan, Sergej: Pravna zgodovina Slovencev, Ljubljana 1961, str. 425-477.
• Virant, Gregor: Lastninski koncept javnega dobra v primerjalnem pravu in pri nas, Javna uprava, 1995, letnik 31, št. 3, str. 353-364.

Objectives and competences

The subject deals with the complex issues of the development and operation of the public administration system in Slovenia and comparatively, mainly through the presentation of the reform and modernization of the normative system of public administration in Slovenia over the past 20 years, and through the presentation of some of the most important public administration reform projects (in particular: e-administration, the elimination of administrative barriers, the introduction of quality and business excellence models in the functioning of the state administration, etc.).

The learning goal is to enable students to understand the complex processes and concepts of the reform or modernization of the public administration system in Slovenia and comparatively. This also establishes a connection between the content of this subject and some of the other most important areas in the curriculum of this faculty (at the undergraduate level, mainly with the following subjects: Public Administration, Administrative Material and Administrative Procedural Law, and at the post-graduate level with Civil Servant Law).

Intended learning outcomes

• Comprehensive, critical thinking, the ability to analyse, synthesize and anticipate solutions in the field of the modernization of the public administration system and other social sciences (interdisciplinarity);
• The ability to creatively use knowledge in the legal and business environments;
• Knowledge and understanding of the history of public administration development and contemporary processes and tendencies of the reform or modernization of the public administration system;
• The ability to solve concrete problems using scientific methods and procedures in the field of public administration;
• The ability to place new information and interpretations into the context of the public administration system and administrative law.

Students will develop subject-specific knowledge and understanding:

• Understand the public administration system and its integral parts and the reform or processes of system modernization as a whole, as well as its individual integral parts;
• The ability to solve complex professional problems in the field of public administration;
• Understand the Slovenian public administration system, as well as the latest processes of the development (modernization) of this system in Slovenia and comparatively.

Learning and teaching methods

• Frontal form of teaching;
• Explanation;
• Talk / discussion / debate;
• Work with text;
• Other types of student performances;
• Use of the PowerPoint projector for presentations.

Assessment

Written examination (100%)

Lecturer’s references

Defined in the habilitation documentation.