NPM Under Pressure: An Inquiry in Theory

This theoretical inquiry is undertaken on the basis of the problematization methodology proposed by Alvesson et Sandberg (2011) and deriving from a critical approach to management studies. In this paper, problematization is adopted not only to question the fundamental assumptions of New Public Management (NPM) theory, but also to develop alternative assumptions to be explored in order to highlight a new way of approaching the managerial practices of public organizations. Starting from the in-house level of assumptions, NPM theoretical body has been gradually deconstructed by progressively increasing the level of abstraction and reaching the field level of assumption. The assumption’s content at each level of abstraction has been determined thanks to a continuum comparison between NPM and the Public Value Theory (PVT) school of thought. Because of its status of challenging theory, PVT has played the role of a theoretical reagent added to NPM system of thought in order to bring about a theoretical reaction enabling to spotlight problematic assumptions and generate further research questions. Such a “theoretical reaction” has shown that NPM is a functionalist theory based on a rationalistic approach to public organizations which are conceived as machines whose proper functioning depends on efficiency improvements to be achieved by means of a planning mode of management.