Academic studies as well as practical attention often target generalized tendencies and patterns characterizing the field of Public Management. Set in the cultural, historical and political arena of Central and Eastern Europe, the conference theme will focus on the ways in which the ‘soft’ contextual features such as the cultural and historical conditions mediate, modify, limit or possibly even revert these general patterns. Attention to these and other related issues may help the academic community to detect the limits of our concepts and theories, and to develop ones that better fit the individual contexts in which they are put to use.
Recent and current developments in the European Union and elsewhere too exposed, with great clarity, dilemmas and issues related to such topics as: prospects and possible distortions of democratic and effective governance, the possibilities and limitations of accountable, integrity-based and effective policy making and implementation, the interplay between formal and informal institutions and so forth. These issues deserve attention not only from a regional perspective, but are intriguing and highly topical from a broad theoretical and practical perspective too.