THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT SERVICE AND
Date
2011-04-12
Authors
GENESS, SUNIL
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Abstract
The Senior Management Service (SMS) is in its fifth year of existence. This
study explores the perceptions of SMS members in terms of their policy and
management role, motivations and incentives, performance evaluation,
accountability and the future of the SMS in the overall transformation
process of the public service. The research data was obtained using a
questionnaire and interviews, whilst both qualitative and quantitative
methods were used to analyse the data. The perceived policy advice role of
the SMS is to identify policy gaps and advise in policy development,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation. Despite contrary viewpoints, the
findings show that the SMS is seen as lucrative for private sector candidates.
Job satisfaction is generally high while SMS members are motivated by the
opportunity to perform public service, the opportunity to impact on policy and
the intellectual challenge that the public service provides. Pay for
performance is deemed to be appropriate for the SMS whilst the most critical
issues for the future are the impact of HIV/AIDS, the use of information
technology, combating fraud and corruption, policy implementation and
capacity building. The findings in this study compare favourably with other
studies conducted on SMS members in other countries regardless that
South Africa is at a different position on the public service reform continuum.
Description
MM - P&DM
Keywords
Public service reform, Public service, South Africa, Transformation