Skip to main content

Human Resource Management Reforms and Change Management in European City Administrations from a Comparative Perspective

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Local Public Sector Reforms in Times of Crisis

Part of the book series: Governance and Public Management ((GPM))

Abstract

The reform of Human Resource Management (HRM) is only one approach in reforming local governments but a very important one. As recent studies showed, there is still a lack of empirical evidence linking HRM reforms with results. By analyzing three European cities of “presumed” excellence in their local administrative reform and change management approaches (e.g. Bilbao in Spain, Tampere in Finland, and Mannheim in Germany), this chapter tries to establish whether or not there are major commonalities or differences in the reform approaches of the cities and whether the institutional change (organizational, personnel, and instrumental) implemented has affected organizational performance. Correlations between change management and HRM reforms and their (presumed) effects are highlighted, along with the ambiguities, tensions, and problems inherent within the processes of change.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Benz, A. 2004. Institutionentheorie und Institutionenpolitik. In Institutionenwandel in Regierung und Verwaltung, ed. A. Benz, H. Siedentopf, and K.-P. Sommermann, 19–31. Berlin: Duncker & Humblot.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogumil, J., S. Grohs, S. Kuhlmann, and A. Ohm. 2007. Zehn Jahre Neues Steuerungsmodell. Eine Bilanz kommunaler Verwaltungsmodernisierung. Berlin: Edition Sigma.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bosse, J., A. Heichlinger, E. Padovani, and J.O. Vanebo. 2013. In search of local public management excellence: Seven journeys to success. Maastricht: EIPA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christensen, T., and P. Laegreid. 2007. Transcending new public management: The transformation of public sector reforms. Aldershot: Ashgate.

    Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. 2011. Challenges, Visions, Way Forward. European Commission, Directorate General for regional Policy. Brussels: doi:10.2776/41803. Eymeri-Douzans, J.-M., and J. Pierre. 2010. Administrative reforms and democratic governance. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Färber, G., M. Salm, and C. Schwab. 2014. Evaluation des Verwaltungs- modernisierungs-prozesses CHANGE2 der Stadt Mannheim. Speyrer Forschungsbericht 276.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gannon, J.M., L. Doherty, and A. Roper. 2012. The role of strategic groups in understanding strategic human resource management. Personnel Review 41(4): 513–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hall, P.A., and R.C.R. Taylor. 1996. Political science and the three new institutionalisms. Political Studies 96(5): 936–957.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holtkamp, L. 2012. Verwaltungsreformen—Problemorientierte Einführung in die Verwaltungswissenschaft. Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huerta Melchor, O. 2008. Managing change in OECD governments: An introductory framework, OECD working papers on public governance No. 12. Paris: OECD publishing.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Immerguth, E. 1998. The theoretical core of the new institutionalism. Politics and Society 26: 5–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jann, W. 2006. Die skandinavische Schule der Verwaltungswissenschaft: Neo-Institutionalismus und die Renaissance der Bürokratie. In Politik und Verwaltung, ed. J. Bogumil, W. Jann and F. Nullmeier, 121–148. Wiesbaden: VS-Verlag.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jordan, T., and R.P. Battaglio. 2013. Are we there yet? The state of public human resource management research. Public Personnel Management 2014 43(1): 25–57.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, S., and H. Wollmann. 2011. The evaluation of institutional reforms at sub-national government levels: A still neglected research agenda. Local Government Studies 37(5): 479–494.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, S., and H. Wollmann. 2014. Introduction to comparative public administration—Administrative systems and reforms in Europe. Cheltenham/Northampton: Edward Elgar Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kuhlmann, S., J. Bogumil, and S. Grohs. 2008. Evaluating administrative modernization in German local governments: Success or failure of the “new steering model”? Public Administration Review 68(5): 851–863.Kuhlmann, S., S. Grohs, and J. Bogumil. 2014. Reforming public administration in multilevel systems: an evaluation of performance changes in European local governments. In Public administration and the modern state: assessing trends and impact, ed. E. Bohne, 205-222. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lowndes, V., and L. Pratchett. 2012. Local governance under the coalition government: Austerity, localism and the ‘big society’. Local Government Studies 38(1): 21–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mayntz, R., and F.W. Scharpf. 1995. Gesellschaftliche Selbstregelung und politische Steuerung. Frankfurt/New York: Campus Verlag.OECD. 2011. Government at a Glance 2011. Paris: OECD Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD. 2012. Human resources management: Country profiles. Paris: OECD Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • OECD. 2015. Impact of budgetary constraints on HR reforms (forthcoming). Paris: OECD Publishing.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ostrom, E. 2007. Institutional rational choice: An assessment of the institutional analysis and development framework. In Theories of the policy process, 2nd ed, ed. P.A. Sabatier, 21–64. Boulder: Westview Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peters, G.B. 2007. Institutional theory in political science: The new institutionalism. London/New York: Continuum.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rackow, M. 2011. Personalmarketing in der öffentlichen Verwaltung: Analyse und Implikationen eines Best Practice-Ansatzes. KWI Potsdam, Schriftenreihe für Public and Nonprofit Management, Band 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Salm, M., and C. Schwab. 2015, forthcoming. Die Bedeutung von Führung, Kommunikation und Zusammenarbeit: Teilergebnisse der Evaluation des Verwaltungsmodernisierungsprozesses CHANGE 2 der Stadt Mannheim. Schriftenreihe der Deutschen Sektion des Internationalen Instituts für Verwaltungswissenschaften, Band 39. Baden-Baden: Nomos.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sedlack, B. 2010. Change management—Veränderungsprozesse aus der Sicht des Personal managements. Düsseldorf: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Personalführung.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wollmann, H. 2003. Evaluation and public-sector reform in Germany: Leaps and lags. In Evaluation in public-sector reform: Concepts and practice in international perspective, ed. H. Wollmann, 118–139. Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Annexes

Annexes

Table 9.A.1 HRM-related instruments on leadership: implementation and importance
Table 9.A.2 HRM-related instruments on communication and cooperation: implementation and importance
Table 9.A.3 HRM-related instruments on performance/economic incentives: implementation and importance

Copyright information

© 2016 The Author(s)

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Salm, M., Schwab, C. (2016). Human Resource Management Reforms and Change Management in European City Administrations from a Comparative Perspective. In: Kuhlmann, S., Bouckaert, G. (eds) Local Public Sector Reforms in Times of Crisis. Governance and Public Management. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-52548-2_9

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics