(1) Comparative method in the study of public administration Comparative method in social sciences. Neo-institutional approach and comparative method. Case studies, focused comparisons, truth tables, statistical analysis. Advantages i weaknesses of the comparative method. Selection and classification of countries for comparison. Western European countries and transition countries. Models of public administration. EU standards, harmonization of administrative systems and application of comparative analysis. Global convergence of administrative systems. (2) Public administration and political system Democratic/non-democratic type of political system and public administration. Democratic variants political systems (parliamentary, presidential, parliamentary) and the position of public administration in them. The formal and real relationship between government and administration in certain countries. Powers of the representative body i of the head of state to the administration. Government: composition, position in the system, responsibilities and powers, center of government. (3) State administration The structure of state administration in major European countries. Differentiation of state administration, types and the number of administrative bodies. Principles of organization of administrative bodies and distribution of work among them. Horizontal demarcation of administrative tasks (scope), modalities of vertical differentiation i territorial organizations within individual administrative bodies. Ways and instruments of coordination state administration, supervision of administration by representative, executive and judicial bodies. (4) Local self-government European Charter on Local Self-Government. Local self-government reforms. Political decentralization of administrative systems. Localization and globalization. Decentralization of management in large cities in Western European countries. City managers. (5) Administrative staff Categories of administrative personnel with numerical indicators. Official legislation i official systems. Application of European standards regarding personnel. Types of classification system and advancement system. Models of salaries and evaluation of officials. Wages based on work execution. Systems of education, training and professional development. Depoliticization and professionalization of staff. Leading staff, public managers, Senior Civil Services. (6) Administrative reforms Differentiation of administrative reforms in transition countries and Western European countries. Managerial reforms and classical administrative reforms. Areas and intensity of reforms. Principles, measures and the course of reforms. Results of administrative reforms. Application of new methods of administrative action, multi-level governance, assessment of the effects of new regulations, quality management of public services. Innovations in the performance of public services and in management human resources in public administration. New organizational solutions.

After completing the course, the student will be able to: 1. define the basic concepts of public administration (administrative reforms, administrative doctrines, administrative systems, European administrative area, public services, official system, salary system, classification system, system advancements), 2. to identify key countries for comparison with regard to the selected thematic area of ​​analysis (state administration, local and regional (regional) self-government, public services), 3. use appropriate comparative methods in the study of public administration, i.e. all its essential aspects segments, 4. analyze the key variants of democratic political systems and the delimitation of administrative tasks, 5. to propose appropriate instruments of state administration coordination while devising new solutions, 6. choose a country of your choice and analyze the selected thematic area in a comparative way perspective, 8. compare the selected models according to pre-set criteria with the application of appropriate ones legal regulations and evaluate whether and to what extent they are applicable to the Croatian public administration system.,