Steering Public Administration Reforms: Toward a Neo-Weberian State in Egypt

Authors

  • Wael Omran Aly High Institute for Management Sciences image/svg+xml Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.56830/IJAMS01202605

Keywords:

public administration, reforming, new public management, neo-Weberian

Abstract

Egypt's public administration has seen a number of horizontal and vertical reforms during the last few decades, which have altered the nation's conventional paradigm. The problem is that these changes' practical and theoretical paths have diverged. The study reveals a historical pattern characterized by inconsistent logic, weak institutions, and limited capabilities by tracking the evolution of Egypt's public administration. Recent changes that have strengthened the executive branch's authority, militarized the government, and raised concerns about democratic regression have exacerbated these issues. The paper emphasizes how Egypt must improve democratic governance and state capability because these problems are enduring and getting worse. The results advance knowledge of the Neo-Weberian State (NWS) model's relevance and preparedness for nations like Egypt. Inspired by the NWS framework, the study also presents a broad agenda for achieving a more democratic and cogent approach to public sector change, providing scholars and policymakers with strategic insights.

References

Abdel-Latif, A., & Schmitz, H. (2010). The politics of investment and growth in Egypt. Towards a new approach (p. (Working Paper 546)). Cairo, EG: American University of Cairo, Economic Research Forum: Retrieved from http://www2.ids.ac.uk/future state/pdfs/Politics of Investment & Growth in Egypt [1].pdf.

Al-Araby, A. (2014). Vision for administrative reform in Egypt. (Presentation by the Minister, June). Cairo. EG:. Ministry of Planning, Monitoring and Administrative Reform:

Retrieved fromhttp://www.ad.gov.eg/Admin/EditorDocs/Governance/ Public%20Administration%20Reform%20Plan%20.pdf.

Aly, O. W. (2023). Nanomanagement networking: Organizational resilience to COVID-19 surge capacity in Egypt. J Bus Contin Emer Plan. Jan 1, 16(3):266-285. PMID: 36765438. DOI: https://doi.org/10.69554/JXRZ5492

Aly, Wael. (2014). Bad Governance and Failure of Development Progress in Egypt Causes, Consequences and Remedies. Journal of Public Administration and Governance, 3. 39. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5296/jpag.v3i4.4340

10.5296/jpag. v3i4.4340.

Aly, Wael. (2020). The institutional layering arrangements of the Egyptian government's epayment system: An analytical case study. Journal of Payments Strategy & Systems, 14. 61-74. 10.69554/FSAU9316. DOI: https://doi.org/10.69554/FSAU9316

APRM. (2021). The Country Review Report of the Arab Republic of Egypt. African Peer Review Mechanism.

Barsoum, G. (2016). The public sector as the employer of choice among youth in Egypt: The relevance of public service motivation theory. International Journal of Public Administration, 39 (3), 205–215. doi:10.1080/01900692.2015.1004082. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2015.1004082

Barsoum, Ghada,. (2017). Egypt’s Many Public Administration Transitions: Reform Vision and Implementation Challenges. International Journal of Public Administration, DOI: 10.1080/01900692.2017.1387145. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/01900692.2017.1387145

Boex, J. (2011). Democratization in Egypt: The potential role of decentralization. (Policy Brief, February, 3). Washington, DC: Urban Institute Center on International Development and Governance. Retrieved from http://www.urban.org/

sites/default/files/alfresco/publication-pdfs/412301 Democratization-in-Egypt-ThePotential-Role-of Decentralization.PDF.

Bouckaert, G. (2023). The neo-Weberian State: From ideal type model to reality? Max Weber Studies, 23(1), 13–59. https://doi.org/10.1353/max.2023.0002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/max.2023.0002

Bouckaert, G.; Im, T. (2024). Neo Weberian State: From Theory to Practice? Journal of Policy Studies, 39(2), 1–3. https://doi.org/10.52372/jps39201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52372/jps39201

Bouckaert, Geert; Galego, Diego. (2024). System‐quake proof ‘systemic resilience governance’: Six measures for readiness. Global Policy, 15. 97-105. 10.1111/1758-5899.13433. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.13433

Byrkjeflot, H., du Gay, P., & Greve, C. (2018). What is the “Neo-Weberian State” as a Regime of Public Administration? In the Palgrave Handbook of Public Administration and Management in Europe, (pp. 991–1009). https://doi.org/10.1057/ 978-1-137-55269-3_50. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-55269-3_50

Drechsler, W., & Kattel, R. (2008). Towards the Neo Weberian State? Perhaps, but Certainly Adieu, NPM! The NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, 1(2), 95–99.

El Baradei, L. (2004). Toward rightsizing the public administration (in Arabic). (Papers of the administrative component of the joint research project: Al Dawla Fi Alam Moutagheir,

No. 4). Cairo University: Public Administration Research and Consultation Center.

Retrieved from

http://www.academia.edu/26731677/Parallel_Structures_in_the_Egyptian_Governme nt_Bureaucracy_A_Problematic_Quick_Fix.

El Baradei, L. (2011). Parallel structures in the Egyptian government bureaucracy: A problematic quick fix. Public Administration, 89(4), 1351–1366. doi:10.1111/padm.2011.89. issue-4. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.2011.01941.x

El-Baradei, L. (2013). Overstaffing the Egyptian bureaucracy: Whose interest are we serving, the Egyptian citizen or the Egyptian bureaucrat? A paper presented at the International Institute of Administrative Sciences (IIAS) African Forum. Yaounde Cameroon.

Galego, D., & Nieto-Morales, F. (2024). Navigating Public Administration Reforms and Democracy: Toward a Neo-Weberian State in Mexico. Journal of Policy Studies, 39(2).

https://doi.org/10.52372/jps39204. DOI: https://doi.org/10.52372/jps39204

Gobba, R. (2020). “Administrative simplification strategy with reference to the Egyptian case”. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/JHASS-05-2020-0069

Journal of Humanities and Applied Social Sciences,

https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JHASS-05-20200069/full/html.

Grindle, M. S. (2012). Jobs for the Boys. Patronage and the State in Comparative Perspective. Harvard University Press, https://doi.org/10.4159/ harvard.9780674065185. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4159/harvard.9780674065185

Handoussa, H. A., & El Oraby, N. (2004). Civil service wages and reform. The case of Egypt (Working Paper No. 98). Cairo, EG: Egyptian Center for Economic Studies: Retrieved from http://www.eces.org.eg/MediaFiles/ Uploaded Files/%7B652708C2-C309-4BBFB0E5 013B91FB347B%7D_ECESWP98e.pdf.

Handoussa, H.; Hay, M. A.; Osman, M.; Kandil, R. (2004). Egypt Human Development Report 2004: Choosing Decentralization for Good Governance. United Nations Development Program (UNDP). Cairo, EG:: United Nations Development Program and The Institute of National Planning, Egypt. Retrieved from http://hdr. undp.org/en/content/Egypthuman-development-report decentralization, P.9.

Igrioglu, G., Ostry, A., & Allam, M. (2020). “Integrated Governance for Coherent Implementation of the SDGs in Egypt”. OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, No. 35, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/524b2c85-en. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/524b2c85-en

Kuhlmann, S.; al., et. (2021). Opportunity management of the COVID-19 pandemic: Testing the crisis from a global perspective. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 87(3), 497–517. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852321992102. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852321992102

Labib, A. A. (2022). Good Governance and Civil Service Reform in Egypt. [Master's Thesis, the

American University in Cairo], AUC Knowledge Fountain. https://fount.aucegypt.edu/etds/1873.

Lynn, L. (2008). What is a neo-Weberian state? Reflections on a concept and its implications. NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, 1(2), 17–30.

MCIT. (2023). Egypt ICT Strategy, Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. https://mcit.gov.eg/en/ICT_Strategy.

MPED. (2021). Egypt’s 2021 Voluntary National Review. Ministry of Planning and Economic Development,

https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/279512021_VNR_Report_ Egypt.p df.

MPED. (2023). Egypt Vision 2030, updated version. Ministry of Planning and Economic Development, https://mped.gov.eg/DynamicPage?id=115&lang=en.

Nations, U. (2014). Department of Economics and Social Affairs (UNDESA). (2014). United Nations E-Government Survey 2014 E-Government for the Future We Want, New York, USA: UNDESA.

Nef, J. (2012). Public Administration and Public Sector Reform in Latin America. In B. G. Peters & J. Pierre (Eds.), The Sage Handbook of Public Administration., Sage. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4135/9781446200506.n42

OECD. (2023). Public Employment and Management 2023. Towards a More Flexible Public Service, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/5b378e11-en. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/5b378e11-en

OECD. (2024). OECD Public Governance Reviews: Egypt: Strengthening the Foundations for More Efficient and Effective Public Governance Reforms. OECD Public Governance Reviews, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/d5a42670-en. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1787/d5a42670-en

Omran, M. (2009). Post-privatization corporate governance and firm performance: The role of private ownership con centration, identity and board composition. Journal of Comparative Economics, 37(4), 658–673. doi:10.1016/j. jce.2009.02.002. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jce.2009.02.002

Pardo, M. C. (2021). Mexico’s Public Administration: Huge Problems, Partial Solutions. In B. G. Peters, C. A. Tercedor, & C. Ramos (Eds.), The Emerald Handbook of Public Administration in Latin America (pp. 217–256). Emerald Publishing Limited. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/978-1-83982-676-420201008

Peeters, R., & Campos, S. A. (2023). Street-level bureaucracy in weak state institutions: a systematic review of the literature. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 89, 977–995. https://doi.org/ 10.1177/00208523221103196. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/00208523221103196

Pollitt, C., & Bouckaert, G. (2017). Public Management Reform, A Comparative Analysis – Into the Age of Austerity. (n.d.). 20.

Pollitt, C., & Bouckaert, G. (2017). Public Management Reform, A Comparative Analysis – Into the Age of Austerity . (4th ed.). Oxford University Press.

Pollitt, C.; Bouckaert, G. (2004). Public Management Reform: A Comparative Analysis (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press, https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/ 9780199268481.001.0001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/oso/9780199268481.001.0001

Ramos, C., & Milanesi, A. (2017). Public Management Models, Latin America. In A. Farazmand (Ed.), Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration. Springer, Public Policy, and Governance. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_2692-1

Ramos, C.; Milanesi, A. (2020). The neo-Weberian State and the neo developmentalist strategies in Latin America: the case of Uruguay. International Review of Administrative Sciences, 86(2), 261–277. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852318763525. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0020852318763525

Saylor, R. (2014). State Building in Boom Times: Commodities and Coalitions in Latin America and Africa. Oxford University Press, https://doi.org/

10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199364954.001.0001. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199364954.001.0001

Torfing, J., Andersen, L., Greve, C., & Klausen, K. (2020). Public governance paradigms: DOI: https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788971225

competing and co-existing. Edward Elgar Publishing, https://doi.org/

10.4337/9781788971225, p.77.

UNDP. (2021). “Governance: Towards an effective ecosystem for managing the affairs of the State and society”. in Egypt Human Development Report 2021 - Development, a Right for All: Egypt’s Pathways and Prospects, United Nations Development Program.

World Bank. (2022). Egypt Country Climate and Development Report. World Bank,

Washington, DC,

https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/099510011012235419/pdf/P177292007 25ff017 0ba05031a8d4ac26d7.pdf.

Downloads

Published

2026-03-10