10. The Nordic Model Revisited: Active Reformers and High Performing Public Administrations

This chapter outline three generations of reforms and examines to what extent the reforms have increased the performance of public administration in the Nordic countries. The overall perceived performance is good in the Nordic countries, but to what degree this is due to successful reforms is more uncertain. Another conclusion is that it is not easy to pin down a specific Nordic model partly due to a complex reform pattern. The Nordic countries come out as active, motivated and rather satisfied reformers and management reforms are at the forefront. There is a North-South divide in Europe when it comes to administrative reforms. The traditional East-Nordic and West-Nordic model needs to be modified. But overall the country differences are the most significant when understanding variations in the administrative reform pattern.