The dissertation is devoted to the substantiation of the theoretical, methodological, and practical theses regarding the role of the political and administrative elite (PAE) in the modernization of public administration in Ukraine.
For the first time, the author substantiates the dialectical dependence of the modern paradigm of public administration system modernization in Ukraine on the process of establishment and development of national PAE, mechanisms of its recruitment, and reproduction. Conceptually generalized and systematized directions and mechanisms to improve the activities of domestic PAE modernization in Ukraine by improving the professional competence of government officials; regulatory framework optimization the mechanism of interaction the political-administrative elite.
The study clarifies the conceptual apparatus of the science of public administration. The political-administrative elite is defined as a privileged group of persons with a high social status, which is localized in the structure of the highest political and administrative positions of the system of central and local authorities and local self-government, due to which it has the exclusive authority to make and provide the implementation of socially significant political and public administrative decisions.
The author defined the essential characteristics of PAE as a subject of modernization of public administration, which is: access to resources disposed of the state; specific managerial functions individual psychological and professional qualities.
The role of PAE in the processes of modernization of public administration in developed foreign countries was revealed. Established a link between the reform models in different states and the system of professional education of executive personnel for public service and government.
The work proves the direct correlation between the processes of establishment and development of Ukrainian PAE in terms of socio-economic, political, and cultural transformations of the state, and attempts to modernize the system of public administration, frequency of which coincides with the presidential terms. The essence of this connection is revealed, which lies in: hyperbolized role of the President of Ukraine in modernization processes in the state; absence of institutional memory and continuity in the implementation of reforms; dependence of the system of public administration on the struggle of ruling elite factions; “oligarchization” and regionalization of PAE; the dominance of informal relations.
Proved that the domestic PAE is not sufficiently motivated to implement reforms, except when the situation is dictated by the preservation of its privileged position in society. Considerable attention has been paid to determining the factors that cause the low modernization potential of the modern political-administrative elite. There are a low experience and professional qualification required to work in public administration in the majority of its representatives; lack of solid public authority, predominantly negative attitude of society to them as subjects of reforms; lack of public confidence in the key state institutions, which are controlled by its representatives.
The dissertation thoroughly analyzes the experience of reproducing the national political-administrative elite. It is shown that this process is characterized by a predominantly closed nature of recruitment in this elite group, because of the closed-circuit between the institutionalized mechanisms of its recruitment, respectively the channels of its recruitment.
The author has improved organizational and legal approaches to increase the modernization potential of the domestic PAE through their learning general managerial basic competencies required for persons who are authorized to perform state functions, as well as the mastery of special, political competencies, in particular, conflictological and competence of constructive interaction with stakeholders.
Methodological approaches to increase public confidence in the PAE as the governing subject of modernization of public administration in Ukraine aimed at improving and implementing ethical standards of behavior in the practice of civil servants who are appointed to category “A” and the deputy corps are proposed.
The author analyzed the practice of interaction between the national PAE and civil society in the context of modernization of public administration. The author proposes solutions to improve the mechanism of such interaction by updating the existing organizational and legal tools of such cooperation and increasing the communication support.
Keywords: political-administrative elite, ruling elite, “A” category civil service positions of “A” category, public administration, modernization of public administration, professional competencies, ethical standards, mechanisms of public administration.
