Paper/Speech Details of Conference Program for the 18th NISPAcee Annual Conference Program Overview VI. WG on Internationalization and Networking of PA Studies Author(s) Egle Gaule Kaunas University of Technology Kaunas Lithuania Title Human resource development within the framework of decentralized governance File Paper files are available only for conference participants, please login first. Presenter Abstract It’s general recognition of the spread of changes in the architecture of public governance within the globe in the end of XX century. Public management reforms were under way by seeking for more democratization accompanied with economical, social, political and technical changes, and the impact of activities’ of international organizations. As part of the efforts to structure governments to promote good governance and effective public administration with participation of the people in the decision making processes as well as in development activities, decentralization is increasingly adopted and applied in many countries. Decentralized governance is sequential process of empowering of individuals or organizations by the devolution of authority in resource management and decision making, the development of capacities’ for completing devolved responsibilities, establishing accountability for performance results, by using participatory management mechanisms in the public governance system. Decentralized governance system is composed of elements of administrative, political and fiscal decentralization. Capacities of civil servants are one of the crucial factors for the success of decentralization processes. Decentralization means the transformation of governance system requiring for new skills and capacities of employees of public sector for working in decentralized system and for reform process management. Civil service reform is usually a supporting strategy for more general decentralization in government operations or service delivery. The main objective of the research is the analysis of integration of human resource development within decentralization reforms. There are two main research questions: what skills and capacities should be developed for working in the decentralized governance system, as well as, for the management of decentralization reform processes; what and how human resource management development activities should be integrated into decentralization reform processes. The scientific literature analysis, synthesis and logical generation are used as methods for this research. In the context of decentralization (when civil service functions and structures are decentralized), civil service at all levels of government need a capable, motivated, and efficient staff in order to deliver quality services to its citizens. Decentralization reform strategies require a thoroughly systematic approach to capacity-building as a means to desirable public governance system change. Capacity-building means a planned and systematic effort to develop or modify the knowledge, skills and character traits of civil servants and support staff through a learning experience, thereby achieving effectiveness in a range of activities. A systematic capacity-building program must be firmly connected to the general framework of the decentralization reform process.
