Sheet 30
DIRECTION OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE
The environment surrounding the public service is changing rapidly. If the government is to continue operating in an effective and efficient manner, each public employee must adapt their work methods accordingly in the direction most appropriate. Features of present government operations and how it copes with change are outlined as follows.
1 The Information Age and Accountability
Today is said to be the information age. An enormous quantity of information, be it of varying standards of quality, is currently ubiquitous. The reason behind this flood of information is that everyone has become aware of value of information and with advancements in technology it has become easy to provide and retrieve it. In the information age, the ability to collect, collate, analyze and make appropriate decisions based on the information accessed will affect the quality and productivity of the public service.
In the information age, the general public are supplied with various information through the mass media and form their own opinions in response. People ask governments to explain how decisions have been reached and the process or information on which they were based. People want an opportunity to judge for themselves whether or not decisions are appropriate. To meet these expectations, governments must explain the legitimacy of their decisions and present the statistics referred to in the decision making process. By doing this, governments will strengthen public confidence.
2 Specialization and Cooperation
In addition to being the age of information, today is also said to be the age of segmentation. The advancement of science which clarifies phenomena previously undetected is a major cause behind this. People now seek to understand the smallest detail of each new piece of information.
Segmentation requires specialists who can analyze and understand every detail behind very complex new concepts and ideas. Specialization and segmentation, however, creates sectionalism within an organization. There is danger that sectionalism will have a negative impact on the quality of communication or the ability to make comprehensive plans. Each segment will be further fragmented in the future. Without an intensive effort to promote good communication and cooperation between staff of different sections, the organization will not be able to demonstrate its full power.
