Quality management tools in CEE candidate countries. Current practice, needs and expectations

Book abstract:

'Quality management' has become an industry in itself and to many has manifestations of a religion. Like many modern day religions, it owes little to the philosophies of earlier times when quality was defined in terms of correctness, adherence to rules and procedures laid down from within an organisation. Modern day quality is defined more by external disciplines of customer satisfaction, global competition, and concepts such as the 'internal customer'. The evangelists of quality management have spread the word from the private sector to the public sector, introducing market-based mechanisms into the public sector. Public administrations are moving from a producer-oriented approach towards a 'customer' oriented style intent on providing better quality services to 'customers'. It may not be surprising therefore to see the public administrations of CEE countries emerging from their previous supply command structures of communism as prime targets for the EU quality management gurus.

This work is aimed at improving the understanding of the status of quality management in the CEE countries, specifically the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Poland and Slovenia. It explores the strategic approach adopted towards quality management in public administration policies and the main objectives underlying those policies. The implementation and promotion of quality policies, initiatives and tools are also examined, including the use of quality award contests. The book also studies the extent to which internationally accepted management tools such as ISO 9000, EFQM Excellence model and the CAF (Common Assessment Framework) have actually been used in the CEE countries. The influence of the accession process in the promotion of these quality management issues is also evaluated and it is concluded that to date it has proved to be little more than a background and reference framework.

The work will interest all those engaged in public administration management and particularly those involved in EU enlargement issues.

Christian Engel is a Senior Lecturer, 'Public Management and Comparative Public Administration' Unit, European Institute of Public Administration (EIPA), Maastricht, The Netherlands.