New Public Management: A Tribute to Margaret Thatcher

Abstract

As the world bids farewell to Margaret Thatcher, it is time to recount for the iron lady’s contribution to the developed and developing world, on how to reform public institutions and become accountable to their citizen. To that effect, this article presents main features of New Public Management (NPM) model developed by hard-core scholars from Western Countries using the tenets of Thatcherism. The features have helped the Great Britain and other countries to molest state controlled economy and the resultant inefficient and ineffective public sector. Now in the new world order, the shift from the inefficient traditional public management and the need for governance reform is justified. Its proponents are fanning the paradigm shift for improved economic efficiency and effectiveness. Although the founder of the model, Margaret Thatcher has died, the features and elements of NPM remain key and instrumental for the developing countries. The author argues with examples that the uptake of NPM model, as an instrument of governance reform, provides clear benefits in developing countries.

Key words: Margaret Thatcher, New Public Management Model, governance reform, public good.