Public Personnel Administration Reform: Effect on Civil Service Management and Innovation in Lao People Democratic Republic

Abstract

Public Administration reform has been a key development within the Lao civil service since the early 1990s. Against the backdrop of a demanding internal and external environment, the civil service is implementing widespread reform and modernizing activities in an innovative mode while facing internal human resource-related challenges that include a low level of capacity across the civil service. Government’s vision of an efficient and effective civil service, there is a requirement to continue to engage in the public service strategic planning to increase the level of civil servant capacity to deliver high-quality service to personnel administration. Addressing this critical issue has required new approaches that ensure that the inherent challenges have met with solutions that have real potential to impact successfully at a fundamental level. Recognition of the importance of improved Public Administration Reform has resulted in the creation of a Civil Service Management Strategic Framework which draws on Lao and international best practice and provides agencies with an enabling tool for reform. Within this framework, many innovative and far-reaching public personnel activities have been initiated and improved in Public Personnel Administration. These are ongoing in accordance with the legislative framework, guided by the Civil Service Management Framework, and evidenced by the wide range of reform activities. While Public Personnel Administration reform activities are ambitious, they are also firmly grounded in focused, but innovative, outcomes which support the continued development. This article explores two such examples of innovation, highlighting how they act as critical drivers in the process of civil service modernization and reform through the short, medium and long-term development of civil service capacity. The draft National Training and Development Framework and the Personnel Information Management System incorporates the systematic allocation and alignment of resources with implementation coordination, quality control mechanisms, and the application of modern technology. Such an approach addresses not only potential training delivery and knowledge management. However, this approach also provides for the critical linkages to job descriptions, an effective performance appraisal system, and the provision of pertinent management information to support timely decision making and future manpower planning.

Keywords: Civil service management, Public administration reform, Capacity development, and Innovation