Abstract

An efficient, responsive, transparent and accountable public administration is not only of paramount importance for the proper functioning of a nation, it is a central part of democratic governance and also the basic means through which government strategies to achieve the integration goals can be implemented. The capacity of a state to deliver public goods and services in an effective and reliable way constitutes one of the key variables for distinguishing between ―successful‖ and ―unsuccessful‖ societies. Public administration reform, aiming at good citizen centric governance and modernisation of the state, is not an original goal, while its implementation differs from country to country. The term ―good governance is widely being discussed and also used in drafting and implementing public reforms and strategies. It is a broad term that includes values and practices such as legality, justice, trust of laws and institutions, efficiency, responsible budgeting, management of human resources and crisis management. The digital transformation of public administrations is a way to provide faster, cheaper and better services. E-government improves efficiency and increases user-friendliness and accessibility. It also helps promote ethical practices and reduce the risks of corruption. The notion of good governance started to be used when, in the mid-1980s, the World Bank studied the conditions of success and failure of adjustment programs. The concept of good governance has been measured, studied and defined by numerous agents, international organisations and academics around the world, who have developed an array of theories as well as multiple and diverse standards for outlining what constitutes good governance. The function of governance is to ensure that an organisation or partnership fulfill its purpose, achieves its intended outcomes for citizens and service users, and operates in an effective, efficient and ethical manner. This principle should guide all governance activity. Each organisation has its own purpose. There are also some general purposes that are fundamental to all public governance, including providing good quality services and achieving value for money. This paper discusses the role of civil services and judiciary in promoting good governance and also highlights the challenges in ushering in good citizen-centric governance.

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