Administrative Reform in Guilan Province, Iran: An Analysis of Advantages and Shortcomings

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to explore administrative reform outcomes in state organisations in terms of public managers’ perspective as reform executives in Guilan Province of Iran. Guilan Province has been selected as research site of this study because it is one of a few successful provinces in Iran that participated in administrative Reform Program, and productivity movement. This study was conducted from 2005 to 2008. The assessment was completed using a multi scale survey based on the Second and the Third Development Plan of Iran. A total of 314 public managers stated their perspective about reform efforts during the Plans. As reform executives managers in different level rated the extent of reform objectives’ performance. The objectives such as the role of Development and Planning Council in Guilan province, public participation in public activities, and attraction and retaining the experts and professionals did not fare well in the Development Plans. Managers believe that the objectives of human resources development and structural Reorganisation have been generally achieved. Nevertheless, there is a considerable gap between actual results and stated objectives of the Plans. Furthermore, public managers pointed out that programs associated with the structural reform dimension has been more successful than plans implemented within human resources development dimension.

Keywords: administrative reform, development plans, public managers, Human Resource Development, Iran

ABSTRAK

Makalah ini bertujuan mengkaji keberhasilan reformasi pentadbiran dari perspektif pengurus yang berkhidmat di agensi kerajaan di Daerah Guilan, Iran. Agensi di daerah menjadi pilihan kerana mempunyai kadar kejayaan yang agak membanggakan dalam usaha reformasi pentadbiran ke arah peningkatan produktiviti. Jangka masa kajian ialah di antara 2005-2008. Kajian dijalankan dengan menggunakan instrumen survei yang meliputi Pelan Pembangunan Iran yang Kedua dan Ketiga. Seramai 314 pengurus agensi awam telah memberi maklumbalas tentang pencapaian objektif reformasi Pentadbiran tersebut. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa peranan yang dimainkan oleh Majlis Perancangan dan Pembangunan Guilan, penyertaan awam dalam aktiviti awam serta kebolehan untuk mengekalkan pekerjaan tidak mencapai tahap yang membanggakan. Walau bagaimanapun, objektif reformasi struktural dan pembangunan sumber manusia mencapai tahap yang memuaskan. Umumnya pencapaian reformasi struktural berbanding pembangunan sumber manusia lebih memberangsangkan kerana jangka masa yang lebih lama diperlukan untuk merealisasikan objektifnya.

Kata kunci: reformasi pentadbiran, pelan pembangunan, pengurus awam, Pembangunan Sumber Manusia, Iran