Public Sector HR Management in the Caribbean

Public Sector Human Resource Management in the Commonwealth Caribbean

• The development of bureaucracies in the Commonwealth Caribbean is rooted in colonialism.
• The role, function, and structure of the public sector under colonial administration are examined; this includes the requirements of the public sector after independence and the changes in personnel policies.
• Traditional Model: Personnel Management model
• Contemporary Model: The Rise of New Public Management (NPM) and Human Resource Management

HR Activities

• Recruitment: ascription vs. merit
• Promotion: seniority vs. performance or merit
• Classification: ranking
• Compensation: pay, rewards/benefits
• Training & evaluation
• Discipline

Definition of Bureaucracy

• Large organizations made up of many departments and levels of management.
• Formal systems of large organizations, organized into defined levels of hierarchy of bureaus/offices (each with a specified role and mission to maintain efficiency and effectiveness).

Development of Bureaucracy

• Closely linked to industrialization, capitalism, economic efficiency, and larger-scale business units.
• Max Weber developed a theory of "ideal type of bureaucracy" to reflect the characteristics of human organizations.
• Weber's bureaucratic model focuses on rationality, sound judgment, reason, and proper understanding.

Types of Leadership/Authority

• Weber identified three types: traditional, charismatic, and rational/legal.
• Pre-Public Sector Management: Rational/legal authority, minimal charisma.
• After Public Sector Management: Leadership styles such as authoritative, participative, democratic, or laissez-faire.

Criticisms of the Bureaucratic Model

• Dehumanizing of workers (treating them as machines).
• Weber's claim that bureaucratic organizations are based on rational-legal authority.
• Over-centralized structure.

Development of Caribbean Bureaucracies

• Commonwealth Caribbean countries' major changes to public services occurred after independence.

Historical Perspective

• Public bureaucracies in the Caribbean are understood within the context of their British origins.
• Weberian hierarchical structures were established.
• Public administration in CARICOM member states was shaped by British colonial government during colonial rule. The period extended from the 1600s to the late 1950s to 'Self-Government' (1950s-early 1960s), and then to independence.

Paths to Development

• Countries adopted the Westminster-based parliamentary system, evolving from Crown Colony to ministerial, to full cabinet systems, and through internal self-government (early 1960s) and post-independence (1962-beyond) systems.

Crown Colony Government (1600s - 1950s)

• Day-to-day administration was carried out by various departments, each managed by a chief professional officer, responsible to a Colonial Secretary or Governor, who in turn reported to the imperial government.
• The Governor held extensive power, including making laws, administering laws, appointing judges, and determining membership of the Legislative and Executive Councils.
• Main responsibilities included: law and order, infrastructure, collecting revenue, health services, justice delivery, and security.
• Personnel functions (appointments, promotions, discipline, compensations) were entirely under the Governor's control.
• Senior employees were British with recommendations from the Governor.
• Policies and practices favored British officers over locals.
• Colored stratification existed in the public service with whites dominating higher positions, near-whites in mid-level ranges and African descendents at the lower levels.
• The civil service comprised over 200,000 employees managing roughly 50 million people. Hierarchical administration was established on Weberian rule-based structures. Three functional areas/structures were the secretariat (coordinating unit), departments (subordinate unit), and district administration (subordinate unit).

Changing Structures and Reporting Relationships in Public Administration (Colonial Period - 1600s - 1950s)

• Key relationships include: Imperial Government (Britain) to Secretary of State/Governor and then to departments administered by Chief Professional Officer.

Power and Conflict (Crown Colony Government Period)

• Conflict existed between assemblies and the governor.
• Governors were all-powerful.
• Governors held absolute power in lawmaking, administration, judicial appointments, and council membership.

Public Bureaucracies (Crown Colony 1600s - 1950s)

• Responsibilities: basic law and order; infrastructure; tax collection; minimal, basic social services such as health care, and security.

Civil Service Structure

• Detailed structure (color-coded pyramidal structure, functional areas/structures. Examples: The Secretariat, Departments, and District Administration, Personnel Management, Performance Management, and Disciplinary Procedures

Self-Government (1950s - early 1960s)

• Transition from colonial rule to self-government

• Changes in decision-making and executive oversight transferred from the Governor/Colonial Secretary

• Increased authority of locally elected ministers/politicians

• Decreased powers and scope of the Governor

• Top-down management continued from the Crown Colony structure

• In internal Self-government, there was increase among elected members in governor’s executive council

• There was a decrease in the power of the Governor

• The top-down management structure of the Crown Colony system persisted

Contemporary Model: New Public Management (NPM)

• Emerged in the early 1980s in advanced countries and was adopted by many Caribbean countries.
• Redefined the role of government using ideas from the private sector (entrepreneurial dynamism).
• Focus on managing techniques and strategies.
• Key Elements: flatter structure; decentralized decision-making; increased autonomy among individuals/departments; move away from heavy regulation.

NPM: Characteristics

• Performance measurement
• Management style changes
• Contracting out
• Freedom to manage
• Improved accounting methods
• Personnel management reforms (incentives)
• Introduction of user charges
• Separation of politics and administration
• Improvement in financial administration
• Greater use of information technology

Comparing Models (Traditional Personnel Management vs. NPM)

• Differences in structures (centralized vs. decentralized, pyramidal vs. flat); communication (top-down vs. vertical and horizontal); focus on personnel (low degree vs high degree of emphasis); focus on input/procedures/rules (high vs. low); decision making (centralized at top vs dispersed).

HRM in the Public Sector: Contemporary Model

• Focuses on people-centered philosophy
• Achieving competitive advantage via employee knowledge, skills, and abilities
• Strategic role and importance of HR Departments within organization

HRM in the Caribbean Public Sector

• Reform efforts focused on Decentralization of HRM, and Delegated HRM responsibility.

HRM in the Caribbean Public Sector: Objectives

• Increased Flexibility in employment, payment, recruiting systems
• More Training and Development
• Reduced Costs by downsizing and improved efficiency
• Manage external pressures to reduce government spending
• Manage internal demands for accountability and responsiveness
• Decentralization and privatization of some services

Forces That Led to NPM

• Increased personalism contributing to corruption
• Political loyalties limiting anonymity and confidentiality aspects
• Culture of the public service (class, racial, and ethnic divides).
• Work attitude (reticence to delegate, reluctance to take responsibility, poor ethics expressed via low achievement and high absenteeism)
• External forces like economic crises (1980s) and Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP).
• Reforms in the public service were deemed needed.

Differences Between Private and Public Sectors

• Authority to alter organizational positions
• Leadership continuity
• Use of excess funds
• Objectives measured by results (profit) – versus objectives measured by processes/programs
• Anonymity and media access
• Cost-cutting practices
• Rewards for achievements
• Selecting "expert" boards setting up general operating policies
• Operations geared to effectiveness
• top Management evaluated

Introduction of HRM in Caribbean Public Sectors

• HRM reflected in public sector reform proposals of various countries (e.g., Barbados, St. Lucia, Jamaica)
• Specific chapters or sections in national plans addressed HRM.
• Three Caribbean states noted in this context are: Barbados in 1998, St.Lucia (2000) and Jamaica (2003).

Role of the Public Service Commission (PSC)

• According to Mills, the PSC protects public servants, provides equal opportunities based on merit, and avoids patronage.

Trinidad and Tobago Experience (Introduction of HRM)

• First country to appoint a specific minister (Gordon Draper) for public service in 1991.
• Mr. Drape presented his vision & public sector reform to the Trinidad Senate in 1992.
• One of the central elements (HRM & Human resource development) were initiated in 1995, and a performance appraisal system was implemented in 1992, a job evaluation exercise in 1993.
• Decentralization of personnel to individual ministries
• Initiated training programs for various levels of public sector employees to promote reforms.
• HRM initiatives were coordinated with individual ministries via implementation teams.

Trinidad and Tobago HRM Outcomes

• Despite efforts, the reform was not successful
• Communication problems;
• Loss of political will (change in ministers' focus/priorities)
• Persistence of nepotism
• Maintenance of existing structures
• Perceived cosmetic nature of HRM reforms.

Explore the evolution of human resource management in the Commonwealth Caribbean, examining the impact of colonialism on bureaucratic structures. This quiz covers key HR activities, models of personnel management, and the definition of bureaucracy, suitable for understanding public sector dynamics.