The Process of Formation of Meritocracy in Transforming Public Services 1 year project

1. The Process of Formation of Meritocracy in Transforming Public Services1 year project Ilia State University

2. Presentation Plan • The Project Team • The main aim of the research • The research hypothesis • Sociological Research Methodology • The Analysis of the Results • The main problems and difficulties encountered in the process of research • Expected Results

3. The Project TeamConsists of members of Philosophy and Social Sciences Faculty ofIlia State University • Charkviani Tamar The Project leader PhD candidate • Chelidze Ana Senior researcher PhD candidate • JgerenaiaEmzarSenior researcher Full Professor • Kitoshvili Ana BAstudent • Khinikadze Salome BA student • MargvelashviliSophoBA student • Tabagari Nino BA Main Staff Students

4. The aims and objectives of our research relate to: • Patterns/practices of transformation of management strategies and the adaptation of civil servants in public services; • The role of informal relationships in institutionalisation of meritocratic principles in the public service management system; • Factors determining success in public services (social origin, level of education, loyalty to the ruling party, contribution to the Rose Revolution, etc.) • What the formal norms are for selecting personnel and promotion in public services and how much they coincide with common practice there. The study of strategies for public service management and analyses of factors assisting/hindering the formation of the new type of management – meritocracy. The main aim of the research:

5. This research presents the hypothesis: The informal relationships prevail over meritocratic principles in the system of public service management, which hinders the process of institutionalisation of meritocracy

6. Sociological Research Methodology • Analysis oftheories related to our subject such as theories of bureaucracy, transformation, informal relationships etc. • Analysis of documents administrative documents, documents connected with the job market, CVs, HR department materials, etc. • In-depth interviews • Narrative interviews The interviews were conducted in different public institutions: ministries and the parliament of Georgia. The selection of public servants included public servants of different ranks. The necessary material has already been identified. 52 from planed 55 interviews have been conducted.

7. The Analysis of the Results • Qualitative Discourse analysis • Quantitative Traditional content analysis The documentation sources and interview transcripts will be processed using the computer program ‘QDA Miner’ - both approaches will be used: The analysis will be based mainly on a descriptive procedure, methods such as interpretation, conceptualisation, grouping of data, typology, correlation analysis, etc. as well as SWOT analysis will also be used.

8. The main problems and difficulties encountered in the process of research The ministries and the parliament of Georgia are difficult to access • The decision to participate in the interviews is taken with caution. In one case we had to compromise and have a ‘rehearsal’ interview with an official, as this was their condition for allowing us to conduct and record the interview the second time round. • The provision of consent to give interviews and the selection of respondents is carried out under the supervision of high rank officials, and the process takes a long time. • Heads of ministries prefer to designate higher rank officials as respondents. In one case we had to conduct an interview with a deputy minister, despite the fact that political public servants are not included in our target group; the ministry had insisted on this.

9. The main problems and difficulties encountered in the process of research The ministries and the parliament of Georgia are difficult to access • In some ministries it has been impossible to contact respondents using official contact mechanisms, so we had to use personal contacts to get in touch with them. • 4 ministries have refused to participate in the research. The reason for the refusal in one case was lack of time, in another our letter was refused immediately, and in two other cases it has been impossible to establish any contact. The problem has been overcome by replacing the ministries with other public institutions. • Interviewers encountered problems with making audio recordings of the interviews in the ministries. The problem has been overcome by numerous telephone requests made by the leader of the project.

10. Expected Results • The empirical sociological research will fill in the gaps in scientific knowledge about the functioning of public services in post-Soviet Georgia. • The results will be valuable for the state, as they will make information –relevant and topical for the process of reformation of public services –available for practical reflection; • The results will help social researchers and political actors to refine and implement strategy for public services. • The project intends to give practical assistance to Georgian public servants in identifying the problems connected with their work relationships.  • The data acquired as a result of the research and its analysis will help the leadership of public institutions to expose and analyse the problems existing in the management of public institutions, in order to take practical steps in solving them later. The results and findings of the sociological research will be reflected in the analytical article and monograph These will be circulated within the public services and among persons interested in the subject

11. Thank You For Attention ASCN Annual Conference 24-25 June 2011