Are existing administrative paradigms capable of producing the tools to resolve the contemporary administrative crisis?

Abstract

The hypothesis of the article is that the basic administrative paradigms (Weberian and neo-Weberian; NPM; New Public Governance) are not capable of providing tools and procedures (sets of administrative mechanisms, attributed to the basic administrative paradigms) for governance which are suitable for overcoming the global administrative crisis. Th e arguments in support of this hypothesis are outlined according to an analysis of scenarios of using such administrative mechanisms under the conditions of administrative crisis: (a) to use each set of administrative mechanism (or to limit their usage through some "good mechanisms") in the practice of governance despite their attribution to diff erent basic administrative paradigms; (b) to select the "best" basic administrative paradigm and to only follow this particular vision with recommendations on how to shape the administration and its work. In the final part of the article the possible principles of a new administrative paradigm that could be relevant to the fast-changing contemporary situation and current instability are discussed.