Abstract
Public HRM in developing countries in Latin America and the Caribbean is different than in the United States because the development of administrative systems in general (and public personnel systems in particular) in less developed countries tend to evolve along a single track toward the model of increased rationality and transparency valued by international lenders as indicators of effective government and economic development. With respect to public HRM systems, this generally involves a sequential transition from statehood to patronage, from patronage to civil service, and from civil service to a range of alternative personnel systems. Development is a complex process affected more by economic, political and social conditions within each country, and their impact on civic culture, government and public administration. Examination of five examples from Latin America and the Caribbean shows that developing public HRM capacity can be done rightly or wrongly, depending on decision-makers' willingness to remember and learn from history and development management experience.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cabrero Mendoza, Enrique. (2000). ''Mexican Local Governance in Transition: Fleeting Change or Permanent Transformation?'' American Review of Public Administration 30(4), 374-388.
Chaudhry, Shahid A., Gary J. Reid, and Waleed H. Malik. (1994). Civil Service Reform in Latin America and the Caribbean: Proceedings of a Conference. Technical Paper No. 259. Washington, D.C.: The World Bank.
Germán Pérez, Donatila. (Spring, 2001). ''Public Personnel Management in the Caribbean: A Comparative Analysis of Trends in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and Granada.'' Public Personnel Management 30(1), 27-36.
Glade, William (ed.) (1996). Bigger Economies, Smaller Governments: The Role of Privatization in Latin America. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 247-275
Gunter Nagel, S. (1997). ''Developments in Social Security Systems: Reflections on the Work of the Council of Europe in this Field.'' International Review of Administrative Sciences 63(2), 225+.
Harrison-Rockey, Samantha. (1999). ''What State has been Reached in the Reform and Transformation of the Structures and Systems of Government? The Case of South Africa.'' International Review of Administrative Sciences 65(2), 169+.
Heady, Ferrel. (1996). Public Administration in Comparative Perspective. 5th Edition, New York: Marcel Dekker.
Kiggundu, Moses. (1989). Managing Organizations in Developing Countries: An Operational and Strategic Approach. West Hartford, CN: Kumarian Press.
Kearney, Richard C. (1986). ''Spoils in the Caribbean: The Struggle for Merit-Based Civil Service in the Dominican Republic.'' Public Administration Review 46(2), 66-80.
Kettl, Donald. (1997). ''The Global Revolution in Public Management: Driving Themes, Missing Links.'' Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 16(3), 446-462.
Klingner, Donald E. (1996). ''Public Personnel Management and Democratization: A View from Three Central American Republics.'' Public Administration Review 56(1), July/August, 390-399.
Klingner, Donald E. (December 2000). ''South of the Border: Problems and Progress in Implementing New Public Management Reforms in Mexico Today.'' American Review of Public Administration 30(4), 365-373.
Klingner, Donald E., and John Nalbandian. (1998). Public Personnel Management: Contexts and Strategies. 4th Edition. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, Simon & Schuster.
Klingner, Donald E., and Mohamed G. Sabet., in press. ''Contemporary Public Human Resource Management: Patronage, Civil Service, Privatization, and Service Contracting.'' In Krishna Tummala (ed.), Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems. New York: UNESCO.
Klingner, Donald E., and Charles W. Washington. (2000). ''Through the Looking Glass: Realizing the Advantages of an International and Comparative Approach for Teaching Public Administration.'' Journal of Public Affairs Education 6(1), 35-43.
Lee Ching, Guillermo. (2001). ''Costa Rica's Civil Service and its Historical Responsibility for Organizational Change.'' Public Personnel Management 30(1), 37-44.
Mazarr, M. (1999). Mexico 2000: The Challenges of the New Millennium. Washington, D.C.: Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) Press.
Mesa-Lago, Carmelo. (1996). ''Pension Reform in Latin America: Importance and Evaluation of Privatization Approaches.'' In Glade, William (ed.) (1996). Bigger Economies, Smaller Governments: The Role of Privatization in Latin America Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 89-134.
Perkins, Edward J. (1990). ''New Dimensions in Foreign Affairs: Public Administration Theory in Practice.'' Public Administration Review 50(4), 490-493.
Ruffing-Hilliard, Karen, in Ali Farazmand (1991). ''Merit Reform in Latin America: A Comparative Perspective.'' Handbook of Comparative and Development Public Administration. New York: Marcel Dekker, 301-312
Salgado, Rene. (1997). Public Administration for Results: Choice, Design and Sustainability in Institutional Development and Civil Service Reform. DPP Working Paper Series No. 106. Washington, D.C.: Interamerican Development Bank.
Savas, E.S. (Winter, 1989-1990). ''A Taxonomy of Privatization Strategies.'' Policy Studies Journal 18(2), 343-355.
Savoie, Donald J. (1990). ''Public Management Development: A Comparative Perspective.'' International Journal of Public Sector Management 3, 40-52.
Siegel, Gilbert B. (1999). ''Where Are We on Local Government Service Contracting?'' Public Productivity and Management Review 22(3), March, 365-388.
Sigmund, Paul, in Howard J. Wiarda and Harvey F. Kline (eds.) (1990). Latin American Politics and Development. Boulder: Westview Press, 3rd Edition, 201-230.
Welch, Eric. (1998). ''Public Administration in a Global Context: Bridging the Gaps of Theory and Practice between Western and non-Western Nations.'' Public Administration Review 58(1), 40-50.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Klingner, D.E., Campos, V.P. Building Public HRM Capacity in Latin America and the Caribbean: What Works and What Doesn't. Public Organization Review 2, 349–364 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020666013721
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1020666013721