International Trend of Civil Service Reform and Implication for Taiwan
Thomas Ching-Peng Peng*
Abstract
The New Public Management movement that emphasizes private management principles in the 1980s fosters the position-based civil service systems in many OECD countries. Along with the position-based civil service system, human resources management of OECD countries mostly concentrates on the following reforms: decentralized human resource management, flexible methods of selection, changing civil servant status, rigorous performance management, planning future workforce and competency, and establishing senior civil service.
After reviewing international trends and the current situation of civil service in Taiwan, this paper proposes reform recommendations. First, review the workforce structure and the quota limit of public employees set by Central Government Agency Personnel Quota Law. Second, carry out examination reform including staged examination, oral tests for all, streamlining professional subjects of the examination and examination categories and levels. Third, legalize the proposed amendment of articles on Civil Service Performance Evaluation Act. Fourth, build a senior civil service team for the Executive Yuan.
Keywords: civil service, senior civil service, recruitment, selection, pay, performance review, workforce planning, competency, retirement
* Thomas Ching-Peng Peng, Associate Research Fellow of Institute of European and American
Studies, Academia Sinica (Taiwan), and Associate Professor of Department of Political Science,
National Taiwan University, email: tpeng@sinica.edu.tw.