Policy Alienation of Public Professionals: Application in a New Public Management Context

Public Management Review, Vol.11, No. 5, pp. 685-706, 2009

27 Pages Posted: 23 Dec 2012

See all articles by Lars Tummers

Lars Tummers

Utrecht University

V.J.J.M. Bekkers

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Department of Public Administration

Bram Steijn

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Faculty of Social Sciences

Date Written: 2009

Abstract

Today, many public professionals feel estranged from the policy programmes they implement; that is, they experience ‘policy alienation’. This is of concern as, for satisfactory implementation, some identification with the policy is required. We conceptualize policy alienation based on the sociological concept of work alienation, and show how this can be used in policy implementation research. Studying a Dutch case of professionals implementing a new work disability decree, we observe how NPM practices increase policy alienation because of a perceived dysfunctional focus on efficiency and results. A large number of policy changes and stricter implementation rules further increased policy alienation.

Keywords: policy alienation, public professionals, new public management, discretion, policy implementation

JEL Classification: D73, H53, L3, E61, I18

Suggested Citation

Tummers, Lars and Bekkers, V.J.J.M. and Steijn, Bram, Policy Alienation of Public Professionals: Application in a New Public Management Context (2009). Public Management Review, Vol.11, No. 5, pp. 685-706, 2009, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2193251

Lars Tummers (Contact Author)

Utrecht University ( email )

Vredenburg 138
Utrecht, 3511 BG
Netherlands

V.J.J.M. Bekkers

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Department of Public Administration ( email )

Burgemeester Oudlaan 50
Rotterdam, 3062
Netherlands

Bram Steijn

Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR) - Faculty of Social Sciences ( email )

3000 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands
+31 10 4082634 (Phone)
+31 10 4089099 (Fax)

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