| Within the last twenty years, many states have been using quasi-market principles such as those expounded by New Public Management and the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) to reshape their administration. This is often perceived as a 'one-size-fits-all approach' to administrative reforms.;The study shows that countries face different institutional and capacity constraints. In addition (a) their histories; (b) levels of socio-economic and political development; (c) their governance systems; (d) the extent of external influence; and (e) their culture play a key role in the success of policies developed to change the administrative state. It suggests that in order to tailor the reforms to a country's environment, these variables must be taken into consideration when administrative reforms are being planned.;In conclusion, the dissertation confirms the argument that due to environmental differences 'one-size-does-not fit all.' It shows that policies that have worked in a particular country will not necessarily work in another, especially when the countries in question of transfer are developed and developing ones with markedly different cultural heritages.;This dissertation utilises contingency theory to evaluate the implementation of administrative reform policies by comparing Ghana and Ontario in order to analyze whether the 'one-size-fits-all' approach to administrative reforms is, in fact, the case. In particular, the dissertation examines privatisation and performance management systems as policy options for changing the administrative state. |
