Shaping bureaucratic reform down-under

Abstract

This article tests the capacity of Dunleavy's bureau-shaping model to explain a specific set of reforms in the New Zealand public service. It finds that the model accounts for certain features of the changes, including the motives of some senior bureaucrats and the structural reforms made to several government departments. However, it fails to explain the diverse motives of officials and the influence of ministers. The article concludes that the model could be strengthened by incorporating an analysis of (a) the political dimensions of decision making, (b) motivational diversity amongst bureaucrats and (c) the importance of institutional context to political outcomes. © 2004 Taylor & Francis Ltd.