Convergence and transfer: a review of the globalisation of new public management

Abstract

There is much talk about a new global paradigm in public administration. However, many claims surrounding the existence of this new paradigm remain largely unsubstantiated. This article reviews some of these claims by attempting to explain how new public management (NPM) could be said to be globalised. The article then questions whether or not we are talking about policy convergence rather than globalisation in the case of NPM. Policy transfer analysis is then introduced as an explanatory concept for the appearance of different NPM techniques around the world. The article argues that because of the weaknesses of the new paradigm, its globalisation is extremely questionable and the convergence argument does little to advance its cause. Instead, policy transfer activity appears to be on the increase but this is confined to piece‐meal copying and adaptation, or even imposition. The article concludes by declaring globalisation a misnomer for the scattering of management techniques around the world.

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