Civil Service Commission 1855-1991: A Bureau Biography

ISBN-13: 9781138970786 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 308 str.

Richard A. Chapman

Opis

The Civil Service Commision was created in 1855 and became the key institution in the development of the British civil service. Its work was primarily the recruitment of civil servants by fair methods, treating all qualified applicants equally, and using open competitions wherever practicable. It was held in high esteem not only in the United Kingdom but also in the many other countries throughout the world which, in many places, modelled their methods of public service recruitment on its pioneering work. It continued until 1991, when most of its work was devolved to over 3,000 government departments and executive agencies.
This book describes the gestation, growth, development and eventual demise of the Commision and includes a number of in-depth case studies. Using source material such as official files, many only recently available for research, together with other records and evidence to official committees, the book provides a biography of an institution. It shows how the department was formally organised and there is a particular focus on how it actually worked on a day-to-day basis. With three in-depth chapters on the chronological development of the Commision and seven case studies of themes or issues that reveal methods of work and influences on its activities, this book uses file-based research more extensively than any other history of a British government department.
The Civil Service Commision, 1855-1991 reveals insights into civil service recruitment and makes a major original contribution to our understanding of the practice and politics of public administration.

Recenzje

'In writing this valuable book, Richard Chapman has been an eager customer for Sarah Tyacke at the National Archives ... his devilling in the archives has uncovered some gems.' - Guardian, September 2004

Spis treści

1. The Civil Service Commision Part One: The Rise and Fall of the Civil Service Commision2. The Period from 1855-19203. The Period from 1921-19514. The Period from 1952-1991Part Two: Competition, Confidentiality, Complacency5. The Growth of Working Relationships6. Setting Standards in a New Organisation7. The Case of Arthur Creech Jones: Clerk in the Civil Service Commision8. Centenary Celebrations9. The Effects of Fulton10. Administrative Culture11. 'Bias' in SelectionPart Three: The Civil Service Commision in British Public Administration12. The Civil Service Commision: A Bureau Biography

O autorze

Richard A. Chapman is Emeritus Professor of Politics in the Durham Business School. He previously taught at Carleton University, Canada and the universities of Leicester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Durham. He is foundation Academician of the Academy of Learned Societies for the Social Sciences. His previous books include Ethics in the British Civil Service (1988), The Treasury in Public Policy-Making (1997) and Leadership in the British Civil Service (1984)