Since the mid-1980s, the public sectors of Western countries have undergone major change as governments try to respond to the challenges of technological change, globalization, and international competitiveness. This book provides an introduction to, and assessment of, the theories and principles of the new public management and compares and contrasts these with the traditional model of public administration. The second edition maintains the same essential argument as the first edition but updates it in several areas. Events since the writing of the first edition have shown even more clearly that a major shift has been underway in the management of the public sectors around the world, although the pace of change is greater in some countries than in others. Also, a new chapter has been added to discuss the particular problems of public management in developing countries.