Andersen, Daniel Ginge

Hansen, Matilde Emilie

Jensen, Malthe Birger

The influence senior administration officials have on political decisions at the municipal level in Denmark is the focus for this paper. The study is based on research on how three different dimensions - paradigms, the effects of governmental regulations and the relationship between senior administration officials and politicians – affect the role and job of the senior administration official. The project concludes that three paradigms, Traditional Bureaucracy, New Public Management (NPM) and New Public Governance (NPG) is present and affects the municipal level but that the emergence of NPM and later NPG has increased the “zone” in which senior administration officials and politicians both act. This has resulted in a bigger influence on the political level for the senior administration official. Furthermore, it’s concluded that the governmental regulations have more of an effect on the politicians than the senior administration official; however, if any effect it’s to the benefit of the senior administration official in the dialog with the politician. Lastly, it’s concluded that the politician appears more dependent on the senior administration official than the reverse. In addition, any possibility of influence the senior administration official may have on political decisions is mostly related to the way in which the senior administration official recommends the decisions, and therefore, as an indirect power. Despite this fact, the senior administration official seemingly attempts to recommend decisions in a way they believe corresponds to the wishes of the politicians. There are also indications, in some cases, that the official’s personal beliefs do play a role when recommending decisions. This indicates that the official do have significant influence on political decisions.The influence senior administration officials have on political decisions at the municipal level in Denmark is the focus for this paper. The study is based on research on how three different dimensions - paradigms, the effects of governmental regulations and the relationship between senior administration officials and politicians – affect the role and job of the senior administration official. The project concludes that three paradigms, Traditional Bureaucracy, New Public Management (NPM) and New Public Governance (NPG) is present and affects the municipal level but that the emergence of NPM and later NPG has increased the “zone” in which senior administration officials and politicians both act. This has resulted in a bigger influence on the political level for the senior administration official. Furthermore, it’s concluded that the governmental regulations have more of an effect on the politicians than the senior administration official; however, if any effect it’s to the benefit of the senior administration official in the dialog with the politician. Lastly, it’s concluded that the politician appears more dependent on the senior administration official than the reverse. In addition, any possibility of influence the senior administration official may have on political decisions is mostly related to the way in which the senior administration official recommends the decisions, and therefore, as an indirect power. Despite this fact, the senior administration official seemingly attempts to recommend decisions in a way they believe corresponds to the wishes of the politicians. There are also indications, in some cases, that the official’s personal beliefs do play a role when recommending decisions. This indicates that the official do have significant influence on political decisions

Den kommunale embedsmand anno 2014 - en undersøgelse af en kommunaldirektørs indflydelsesmuligheder på kommunalpolitiske beslutninger

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Roskilde Universitet