Since independence in 1980, Zimbabwe's radical socialist government has struggled to steer the nation into development and prosperity. The engine for that drive has been public administration - but one inherited from a distinctly different, and antagonistic, colonial past. How can the interests of the « keepers of the past » ever coincide with those of the « engineers of change? » This book lifts the lid on the contradictions, constraints and difficulties in pursuing policies for change within a rusting and out-of-date administration system. Conflicts and competition between politicians and civil servants easily erode well-intentioned policies. Production of vital resources are regulated by the state. Globalisation and technological change cannot be addressed let alone manipulated without a responsive public sector. How the private sector meshes with state industry is dependent on the skills of public administration. Several writers also look into public administration itself - staff morale, gender policy, pay and conditions. Drawing on the specifically Zimbabwean experience of researchers, academics, policy makers and administrators, the book explores several critical issues about the historical and current development of public administration as an instrument of the state.
