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The western model of administration. The author delineates a model of western administration through the concept of relative integration (regarding the European countries and the United States) by analyzing the modalities thereof by different countries. Relative integration designates a certain type of relations between the factors composing the model under a double aspect : political and administrative agencies on one part and administrative and economie agencies on the other. The relations of subordination/separation, while bringing about subordination of agencies, and the cohesion and unity of the System, prevent by maintaining the separation of agencies a total subordination of administrative agencies to political bodies, as well as of administrative agencies among themselves. In this sense, relative integration shows a clear distinction with absolute integration (cf. socialist countries) and with disintegration (cf. developing countries). From the general characteristics of the western model of administration, two variants may be distinguished : — restricted relative integration designating a strongly centralized and hierarchicized type of administration, as exemplifled by the case of France ; — generalized relative integration linking up with administrations characterized on the contrary by decentralization, dispersion, and a pronounced autonomy of their administrative structures.

The time of administration, towards a chrono-administration ? The author presents a series of reflexions which might be preliminary to what could and or should be a new chapter of administrative science : chrono-administration, dedicated to the study of relations between administration and time. The current image of administration is that it is always behind time. By showing how administration is also linked up with its present time, if it does not anticipate on its time, the author stresses the fact that this current image has to admit of shades of meaning. Striking an analogy with human beings, the author shows that administration is rooted in the past, while acting in the present and looking forward to the future. Like human beings, administrative Systems are multifold and variant. Each System has its own clock and its own pace.

State policy with regard to the commons (1884-1933). Why do French local govemmental bodies depend so strongly on the State ? State intervention is it a historie or cultural fatality, the result of Parisian tyrants or perverted bureaucrats ? In fact, the first falling back upon the State goes back to the beginnings of the 20th century as a resuit of workers' unions within the framework of the defence of the interests of local govemmental employees : local representative, local govemmental employees and the govemment came to a deal during the first part of this century. Two periods may be distinguished : a first larger controlling policy of the State with respect to mayors up to the years 1934/35 and thereafter up to the end of the Third Republic, when increasing centralization is being felt, the State tightening its grip, directive policy turning constrictive.

The training of civil servants in India. After Independence the concept of training of civil servants was seriously questioned. What was the aim of training ? Indeed, the role of administration now is fundamentally different from what is used to be before Independence. Its main attributes then concentrated on taxes and the maintenance of order ; civil servants kept aloof, and the people feared them. Things have changed considerably ever since. Civil servants are expected more and more to take on responsibilities in the field of social and economie change and development. They are now doser to the people ; they take part in promoting plans and development projects applied down to the farthest away villages inside the country.

Adjusting the training of african civil servants to the socio-cultural environment. The need for African administrations to better adjust, if not simply adjust, to the spécifies of their socio-cultural environment appears now as one of the main conclusions from studies on how to improve the efficiency of Civil Services in particular within the framework of development. This article tends to show the conséquences of this target in terms of civil servants' training, and it is asked whether the training given at present in the various Training Centres is meant or not towards its realization. Truly the training of civil servants is a main factor in this adjustment process ; however the author shows that despite attempts so far training programmes remain conspicuously closed towards intimating a better knowledge of African socio-cultural environment and the understanding of spécifie problems which resuit therefrom for the activity of public administration.