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Political environment and administrative reform in Europe The author discusses exclusively induced and controlled changes in central administration with main emphasis on the role of political environment in the process of administrative reform. Problems arise from interaction between reform and — mainly political — environment. The concept of political environment has to be defined more specifically by listing through objective and comparative assessment its main ingredients, whose respective weightage is tentatively measured in the light of circumstances or politico-administrative Systems. A first attempt tries to assess the constituent elements of political environment, i.e. constitutional regime, politico-administrative machinery with relevant implications on the governmental or ministerial plane, political assemblies, political parties and pressure groups, etc., and finally the press and public opinion. This leads to a second stage, where the main questions can be sorted out and first answers provided. To what extent is administrative reform caused by political environment ? What main factors account for changes in the administrative machinery ? Do structures and administrative procedures adjust in line with changes in legal and societal requirements, or is it rather the administrative machinery that spearheads political and social change ? Finally, how does the civil service's normal adjustment to changing times — disregarding any reform movement — affect administrative reform and political environment ?

Reforms and efficiency of administrative action Compétition for rare économie resources has become keener between the private and public sectors of the economy of most European countries. Hence the need for reform of central administration. On the other hand, the citizens' dependence on administration implies improved contacts and information. New methods need to be developed in the field of personnel policy and forms of participation need to be introduced without prejudice to the role played by politicians in the decision process. Administrative reforms should constitute a continuons process rather than occasional stitches in time.

The administrative reform : obstacles, constraints and general resistance While assessing the obstacles to administrative reform, the author brings them down to two main categories : constraints and general resistance. Apart from this overall distinction, he adds another one between behavioural problems and structural problems. Hence constraints may just like general resistance be due to either behavioural or structural problems. The author applies this distinction to different types of obstacles which administrative reforms have to cope with, i.e. political, economie, social, organizational, and psychological obstacles. Economic obstacles to reform are mainly structural constraints. Psychological obstacles are rather behavioural constraints. Political obstacles result from structural resistance. Social obstacles are due to behavioural resistance. The conclusion that can be drawn from this analysis is that administrative reform has to watch out for the specific types of obstacles and allow for constraints and resistance arising from structure or attitudes. A reformer has to resemble a helmsman who knows how to assess the type, variety and size of obstacles to cope with ; he sets the targets and fixes the ways and means of reform which he negotiates along the lines of least resistance.

The reform of decentralization in Belgium Recent developments of the Belgian territorial administration reflect the constitutional problems that have arisen in Belgium since the 1970 reform which reorganized the State by setting up three autonomous regions according to the cultural duality of the country, viz Flanders, Wallonia, and the bilingual region of Brussels. The regionalization of the State is followed up by another reform movement which aims at strengthening the local administrative level of municipalities : the association and federation of communes. There are hence at present five administrative levels : State, region, province, association-federation of communes, commune. This reform, which is still provisional, allows for a complex administrative organization, at times rather incoherent, comprising too many levels of decision-making with often rather vague or ill-defined terms of reference. This has brought about a trend towards simplification of institutions leading some critics to advocate an increase in powers, according to relevant matters, either at the central (State or region) or at the local level. Without contesting the good reasons for such a criticism, the author is neverthe-less reluctant to endorse such a position which would imply that the existence of the intermediary administrative level (the traditional provinces) would be open to question, whereas he feels that it has a role to play in that this is the adequate level to handle a number of managerial tasks.

Planning and administrative reform in France Planning, just like administrative reform, is a rationalization exercice, a purposeful action. Hence administrative reform and planning have things in common although no relationship has so far been established between them. Planning in France has resulted from considerations that have nothing to do with administrative reform. Its targets and its responsible bodies are therefore rather specific, yet its scope of action overlaps in many instances with that of administrative reform. Since planning is implemented through administrative channels, it acts upon this machinery and therefore contributes to its reform. Planning has to rely on a well-adjusted administrative machinery to become effective. Planning intervenes to transform administration on various levels : it contributes to reorganization, coordination, and adjustment of administration to its environment. By introducing various and important changes into administration, planning could have played a vital part in administrative reform. That this did not happen is mainly due to the fact that planning itself, despite its initial basic intent, remained quite limited in scope and unable to develop ail its potentialities.

Civil service reform in Europe Both in Western and Socialist countries, important reform movements are under way. Among the most discussed questions are those concerning the structures and the status of civil service, and participatory, staff management and staff training issues. As a decision-making process, civil service reform has to be viewed in the light of its pertaining politico-administrative System, and its social, economic and political environment. In addition, the part played by reform-oriented forces (in particular the civil service unions) calls for specific attention.