Public administration

Lesson 4
Globalization, Nationalism and Public
Administration:
 Intro.
• One word which has elicited a wide range of conflicting
reactions is globalization. Another word is nationalism.
National, regional and global conferences are
continually held on the implications of globalization for
the inhabitants of this fragile planet.
• Globalization is not just an abstract concept which
makes for interesting global debate. It is a reality which
shapes and directs the lives of people in nearly all
counties, whether as active players or objects, and as
winners or losers. At the same time, the extent of the
impact of globalization in different countries is
determined by its interaction with nationalism.
 Concepts of Globalization
• Mainstream Concepts:
• View globalization as a primarily an economic, particularly
trade and business phenomenon. Globalization did not
descent on national economies in one fell swoop.
• The process has been going on for at least two decades. In
recent times, globalization was accelerated by spectacular
advances in science, technology and information.
• Another dimension to globalization, according to Alburo, is
the firm or microeconomic agents.
• Globalization means firms have differently in terms of
suppliers and markets. Different parts of a particular are
produced in different counties and are then in still another
country.
• Suppliers come from one set of countries while financing is
generated from still another courtiers.
 Characteristics of Globalization
• Global firms are both large and small, and
nimble.
• Changes in nature of investments beyond
simple equity purchases.
• Change of location of international
production.
• Changes in the nature of production processes
and organization.
• Changes in international governance
 Challenge to Policy Makers
• Government should formulate policies which
would result in maximum benefits for the
country.
• Choices have to be made among priority
concerns.
• Policy responses to trends in globalization can
range from carefully calibrated but complex
policy choices to simple and administratively
easy policy decision.
 Emerging Concepts of Globalization
• This does not limit the globalization process to
macro and microeconomics phenomena. UNDP
views international movements, actions and
initiatives on democracy, human rights,
environmental and social development as part of
globalization.
• Pro-democracy movements and human rights
have become global concerns. The cause of
environment as part of our “common future” is
recognized in all countries.
• Problems of social development-poverty,
unemployment, social disintegration and gender
issues-are also subject of worldwide campaigns.
 The Challenges and Opportunities of
Globalization
• Globalization, especially in the mainstream sense,
is the most visible in the economy. It started as a
macro and microeconomics process primarily in
business, trade and investment.
• Trade liberalization and structural adjustment. In
the Philippines, structural adjustment which
started during the last years of Marcos
administration, accelerated the opening up of the
economy to the winds of globalization. This
included trade liberalization, reforms in financial
sectors, privatization, fiscal and monetary
measures and other globalization-friendly
economic policies.
 The Challenges and Opportunities of
Globalization
• The measures were part of structural adjustment
packages which the government implemented as
conditionalities for loans from multilateral
institutions (IMF, WB and the ADB). The same
measures were also supported by country creditors
(Japan and the USA) as well as private international
banks.
• Structural adjustment program were implemented
amidst bitter public debate, numerous public
hearings and people’s actions raging from pickets to
mammoth rallies and demonstrations.
 Political Institutions and Governance
• It is accepted that globalization does not only
transform economies; political institutions
also undergo profound changes, with
consequent implications for governance.
• Level of governance can be perceived in three
levels.
– Global governance as exemplified by multilateral
institutions like UN, WB and the IMF whose
policies regulate relationships among member
countries and bind them to commitments and
conditionalities. WTO supreme arbiter when it
comes to trade.
Political Institutions and Governance
– Second level is regional governance where countries
commit themselves to regional organizations which
are created for political and trade purposes
– Third level is national governance of which local
governance is still another level.

The forces of globalization are so compelling that

national policies are largely responses to external rather
than internal stimuli. In the case of the Philippines,
hundreds of laws on agriculture need amendment or
repeal. Amendment of the Constitution is necessary to
provide appropriate legal framework for the numerous
commitments which the government submitted to the
APEC Summit.
 The Role of the State
• The role of the state should be limited to that
of a facilitator-the leveller of the playing field,
the provider of basic services and the
formulator of globalization-friendly
policies…minimalist government.
• Administrative and structure of the
government must transform to deal with the
complex problems, demands and
consequences of the globalization
Challenges to Philippine Administration
• Globalization is not mere theoretical
possibility. It is transforming not only the
economy, but also political, social and cultural
institutions. The theory and practice of public
admiration in the Philippines is profoundly
affected by globalization.
 Redefining the Borders of Public Administration in a
borderless, Globalizing World
• Public administration is not limited to national
administration. Agreements and commitments
crafted at the global and regional levels
oftentimes provide the policy framework for the
national public administration. The commitment
made during the APEC Summit are well known
examples of global and regional commitment
which are translated into national policies.
Existing laws and policies must be overhauled to
comply of such commitment.
 Reestablishing the Locus and Focus of Public
Administration
• Theories of public administration tell us that
through the years. The locus and focus and public
administration have bee changing. These changes
were shaped by development which transformed
the location of public administration as well as
the focus of both theory and practice.
• In light of rapid global, regional and national
changes, it is time to determine once more the
locus and focus of the field of public admiration.
Is it possible that both are in danger of
disappearing under the onslaught of
globalization?
• Cariño, L. V. (2003). Introduction to Public
Administration in the Philippines (The Concept
of Governance). Quezon City: University of the
Philippines.