Implementing organizational change – the case of the Kinnock reforms

Bibliographic Data

ID6290792
AuthorsEmmanuelle Schön-Quinlivan, Emmanuelle Schön‐quinlivan (0000-0001-9639-9084, corresponding author)
Year2008
Volume15
Issue5
Pages726-742
Publication date2008-08-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of European Public Policy (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1350-1763 • E-ISSN: 1466-4429
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13501760802133229
OpenAlexW2101843669
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited17

This article furthers Kassim's analysis of change in the Commission as a result of the Kinnock administrative reforms. Delving into the innermost parts of the organization, it takes the analysis to a meso-level in order to give a more fine-tuned account of the scope of change in two functionally distinct Directorates-General (DGs), DG TREN and DG REGIO. Based on official documents and a series of 32 semi-structured qualitative interviews with Heads of Units, this paper aims to tell the story of reform in action. Using the lens of translation of policy into action, it looks at the dynamic of change and explains why the implementation of the Commission-wide Kinnock reforms has produced varying degrees of change in DG REGIO and DG TREN. It concludes that supportive leadership is the key element which explains ownership of the reform by officials and therefore effective change. Keywords: Administrative reformchangeEuropean Commissiontranslation Acknowledgements I would like to thank the Commission officials who agreed to be interviewed and insightfully discussed the Kinnock reforms. I am greatly indebted to my supervisor, Brigid Laffan, the peer reviewers, Michael W. Bauer as well as Aodh Quinlivan for their comments on earlier versions of this paper. Notes 1. Interview done on 20 July 2006. 2. Interview done on 13 July 2006. 3. Interview done on 15 March 2007. 4. Interview done on 22 March 2006. 5. For a detailed description of the ability-based management cycle, please refer to Kassim (2004a) Kassim, H. 2004a. “‘An historic achievement. Administrative reform under the Prodi Commission’”. In The Changing Commission, Edited by: Dimitrakopoulos, D. 33–62. Manchester: Manchester University Press. [Google Scholar]. 6. Interview done on 21 March 2007. 7. Interview done on 18 July 2006. 8. Interview done on 17 July 2006. 9. The European Court of Auditors' DAS looks at the legality and regularity of the underlying transactions and at the reliability of the Community accounts. For more details, see http://ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/kallas/positive_declaration_en.htm 10. See CIE (1999 Committee of Independent Experts (CIE). 1999. Second Report on Reform of the Commission: Analysis of Current Practice and Proposals for Tackling Mismanagement, Irregularities and Fraud, 10 September 1999 [Google Scholar]: 3.2.2) for a detailed definition of shared financial management. 11. Interview done on 22 November 2006. 12. Interview done on 19 July 2006. 13. Interview done on 19 July 2006. 14. Interview done on 18 July 2006. 15. Interview done on 21 March 2007

Business · Economic system · Economics · Organizational change · Political science · Process management · Public relations · European Union Policy and Governance · Public Administration

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