Background

The end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century witnessed global tides of public administration/management reform.  As early as the 1980s, scholars and think-tanks were focusing on governance reform in the public sector. After the benign years at the start of this century, the global financial crises of 2008-2009 returned to the fore the discussion of global challenges in public administration. The questions are: Why did decades of public administration reform around the world not stave off the latest governance crisis? Why did efforts in public management innovation not deliver what we expected that movement to deliver? Have we been on the right track?  What more could we do to make a difference?  What new tools and new knowledge can assist public managers to run their governments? How should public administration scholars around the world cooperate to face the new challenges? How to make our cities more livable and affordable? As a fast developing country, Russia's top leaders have also concluded that in order for Russia to further its reforms, it needs to build a strong and robust modern public governance system.

This conference, with all these questions in mind, calls for papers and panels to address issues of public sector and governance reform in the global setting. Problems of effective management and governance at regional and local levels, including urban development issues, as well as in the public sector of economy and public services are in focus of the conference. It promotes development in the public administration (at all levels) of substantial University research processes and innovation, understanding of research practices and their results, solving problems related to personnel provision in public administration, the expansion of international dialogue and the development of international business cooperation. Retrospective research on the reform lessons and experiences, and forward looking studies on ideas, methods, tools and strategies are all welcome.