ABSTRACT
A comparison of different legal systems must address several problems which are primarily rooted in the differences between languages and concepts. These problems were overcome by choosing English as the working language. The comparison of the country chapters included in this handbook unveiled a great variety of civil service systems at different stages of development. Some common trends among the States compared were revealed. These trends can, above all, be traced back to the Weberian legacy, influences of European law, and New Public Management. However, they are not strong enough to establish a true “convergence” of the civil service systems.
