## Are Laws Needed for Public Management Reforms? An International Comparison

_IMF Working Papers, March 1, 2005_

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## Bibliographic details
- Authors: Ian Lienert
- Published: March 1, 2005
- Series: IMF Working Papers
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451860818.001

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### Summary
- There has been widespread adoption of new laws to support new public management.
- In many countries that have implemented comprehensive and deep reforms, new or amended laws have fundamentally changed the role of the state and the budget processes supporting it.
- Paradoxically, far-reaching modifications to the legal framework for public management have been strongest in countries that often rely on executive decrees for introducing reforms.
- This reflects the fundamental nature of the changes, including introducing performanceoriented budgeting and enhancing fiscal transparency and accountability.
- Differences in political systems, policy preoccupations, administrative arrangements and legal cultures will prevent globalization of the legal framework for public management.

### Major Findings
- New or amended laws have been central to implementing comprehensive and deep public management reforms.
- Countries relying on executive decrees nonetheless display some of the most extensive legal changes to public management frameworks.
- Reforms commonly focus on:
  - introducing performanceoriented budgeting
  - enhancing fiscal transparency
  - strengthening accountability
- Heterogeneity across countries (political systems, policy preoccupations, administrative arrangements, legal cultures) limits the standardization or globalization of a single legal framework for public management.

### Subject Areas and Keywords
- Subject: Budget planning and preparation, Civil service, Fiscal law, Legal support in revenue administration, Public sector
- Keywords: budget systems law, management authority, NPM reform, State administration, state secretary, WP

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/are-laws-needed-for-public-management-reforms-an-international-comparison-17928_