ABSTRACT
Globalization, the rise of urbanization, the transition to an information society, economic and social changes–all these are affecting the approaches and practices on the administration deeply. In the 1990s attempts at public administration reform have been accelerated, parallel to the rapid changes. Changing the public administration to a structure that takes and applies decisions faster and more flexibly, re-defining the area of the responsibility of the public, transfer of some public services to the private sector, increase in the role of civil society within the framework of the multi-agent administration understanding, and establishing the principles of openness and accountability are the fundamental points of the reforms. An important part of the public administration reforms is the strengthening of the local administrations and development of the governance practices.
