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Ethos Issue 7, Jan 2010
Serving Beyond the Predictable
Jocelyne Bourgon
The public sector needs a unifying framework to reconcile the
efficiency gains of the past with the participative, explorative and
adaptive strategies needed to address tomorrow’s complex challenges,
argues Jocelyne Bourgon, President of Public Governance International and
President Emeritus of the Canada School of Public Service.
Even though the reforms they
have undertaken since the 1980s
are strikingly similar, public
administrations vary from country to
country, reflecting different histories,
circumstances and philosophies on the
role of government in society. Generally
speaking, public administration lacks a
unifying framework to help practitioners
reconcile what was and integrate what
is, as they forge what might be. Public
organisations are not yet aligned with
the complex issues they have to address1
or with the unpredictable nature of the
global economy, networked society and
fragile biosphere.2 This article outlines
some potential directions for reform to
help address this misalignment.
ACHIEVING PUBLIC RESULTS
To serve "beyond the predictable",
public organisations must embrace a
broader definition of public results, an
expanded understanding of the role of government and a dynamic view
of public administration. Their role is
to achieve public policy results and civic
results. To do this, public administrators
must explore how to move results up the
value-added chain and balance better
policy results in the short term, with the
need to engage citizens to achieve better
results in the long term.
© J Bourgon 2009. Reproduced with permission.
SERVING BEYOND THE PREDICTABLE
The work of government extends beyond
achieving public results in a relatively
stable environment, to dealing with
complex issues in a volatile environment.
The term "emergence" reflects the
fact that new patterns arise from a vast
array of interactions, and seemingly out
of nowhere.3-5 Conventional government
approaches were conceived to break
down difficult undertakings into simpler
tasks,6 not to deal with complexity and
uncertainties. This linear approach leaves
government in a reactive position,
unable to detect emerging trends or intervene ahead of time.
Governments need alternatives.
Complex problems cannot be solved
by breaking them apart. They require
a systemic or holistic approach.7 More
knowledge does not resolve complex
issues since problem definitions and the
solutions are contested, and positions
entrenched.8,9 Complex issues call for a
participative approach to create a shared
view of a given issue, opening up
the possibility of concerted actions.10
Complex problems cannot be solved by
replicating standardised actions of the
past.9 New, emergent solutions must be
grown to address them.
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