Answer to Question #272288 in Management for Tyty

Question

Discuss two accountability mechanisms (incl. statutory bodies) under TPA and two under NPM, what are their rationale(s) and expected benefits (why they are in place), and how they are a response to the previous state of practice (i.e. what issue are they trying to address). (Each example is worth 5 points) 

Answer 1

The full meaning of TPA is Transparency, Participation, and Accountability. It has been designed to make information available to the public on service delivery. It increases government responsiveness so that public services better meet the needs of the citizens. The mechanisms established under TPA include;

·        SAI (Supreme Audit Institutions)

These are very critical components of any government accountability system. They are generally aimed at promoting transparency, efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability in public sector management in a way that limits the opportunity for corruption. They strengthen institutional frameworks and limit the arbitrary application of laws and regulations. They were established with the sole purpose of focusing on government compliance and to fulfill a financial auditing function.

·        Open Government Partnership

This is a multilateral initiative that aims to secure concrete commitments from national and subnational governments to promote open government, empower citizens, fight corruption, and harness new technologies to strengthen governance.

NPM means New Public Management. It is an approach to running public services organizations that are used in government and public service institutions and agencies. It can also be defined as conducting managerial activities in public organizations. It is a strong focus on financial control, value for money, and increasing efficiency. It is also a command and control mode of functioning identifying and setting targets and continuous monitoring of performance, handing over the power to senior management. It was established to solve the issues associated with the traditional public Administration system.

The mechanisms established may include;

·        Decentralization

This is the creation of more fragmented or loosely contracted public sector organizations at the local level setting in a change from the management of hierarchy to the management of the contract.

·        Citizen empowerment

Citizens are referred to as consumers under this framework. They are empowered in the market through information and choice through complaints procedures.