An Examination of the New Public Management Approach from the Perspective of Bureaucratic Ethics

Vollständiger Abstract

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This study aims to establish a relationship and make a comparison between Max Weber's concept of bureaucracy and bureaucratic ethics and the New Public Management (NPM) approach. Weber's model of bureaucracy, based on rational authority, forms the ethical framework of both institutional structures and management culture as a determinant of modern public management. According to Weber, merit, adherence to rules, hierarchical responsibility, and professional ethics are fundamental norms in the functioning of bureaucracy. However, these norms constitute only the formal dimension of ethical behavior in the individual-institution relationship. In this context, bureaucratic ethics means not only the technical execution of the task but also the protection of higher-level principles such as impartiality, public interest, and accountability in the use of public authority. The new public management approach is a management understanding that emerged towards the end of the 20th century, developed in opposition to traditional and rule-based bureaucracy. Highlighting the increasing inefficiency of the public sector due to its excessive centralization, the study proposes a participatory approach similar to private sector management. This approach is generally characterized by democratic governance, accountability, transparency, and participation. The study examines Weber's typology of authority, his understanding of rationality, and especially his ethical understanding, expressing the fundamental characteristics of the new public management approach. The final sections of the study compare and evaluate the key differences of the new public management approach within the context of Weberian bureaucratic ethical principles. On one hand, a rational, centralized, and rigid bureaucracy and bureaucratic ethical rules are compared with a transparent and market-oriented new public management approach.