In the public sector we perceive the existence of vertical organizations constituted with organic structures that are developed under rigid patterns that denote linear decision-making, without considering commitment to society.
The new governance pattern requires redefining the role of the State, the functions that all Institutions exercise in a management and professionalization model of the strategic bureaucracy. Multidimensional mechanisms - "accountability", allow periodic elections of political power with the operation of oversight mechanisms during the mandate, control measures and sanctions for those who do not comply with the planned regulations.
The process has as actors: conjunctural movements of social sectors that are affected by discretionary state actions, citizen associations linked in the development of productive aspects and thirdly, the representation of independent journalism in charge of ensuring good actions and denouncing irregularities. The figure of Administrative Competence would guarantee transparency in management and the improvement in the quality of government policies to render accounts to society. After completing the process, we would achieve transparency, efficiency and public effectiveness.
Accountability in Public Management
When entering to study the accountability process in our environment, we start with a deductive regional, national, institutional method or multi-sector alliances that corroborate what different authors have stated with our reality.
In this way we can say that from a Latin American context in the 1980s, a State Reform emerged with the Washington consensus that promoted with a neoliberal current, the participation of this instance (State) at its lowest level. This new pattern of governance for which it is required - to redefine the role of the State, - to redefine the functions that it must exercise, - its performance, - its management and professionalization model of the strategic bureaucracy; Multidimensional mechanisms such as the so-called “accountability” are developed that strengthen citizen participation in parallel to the power exercised by the authorities and at the same time consolidate the countries with the greatest political development.
“In a first historical moment, parliamentary and procedural controls were used as a way to avoid the tyranny and corruption of the rulers. More recently, with the State crisis and the need to improve its performance, mechanisms were also created to oversee the preparation and results of public policies, through instruments from the new public management. And, finally, the number of forms of social participation in terms of control and co-management of public services has increased.
All of these accountability mechanisms are fundamental for Latin American public management to meet the challenge of improving their performance, and at the same time, of relegitimizing government action vis-à-vis society ”CLAD Scientific Council.
Accountability is a goal with principles and values that is sustained in popular sovereignty and control of the ruler. This translates into a great paradigm in Modern States that favors the reconstruction of a public administration with democratic governance. When analyzing its characterization, we can see if our country tends to identify with this new paradigm by considering the Municipal Councils in the State's policy of decentralization, or by strengthening, through an NGO, such as CEASPA, the School of Social Audit in indigenous regions.; among other examples.
This reality is identified with some of the classifications of the accountability process: the horizontal that consists of the control exercised between the different State institutions, the electoral vertical that comprises the electoral accountability apparatus and the social vertical that consists of the processes of accountability originating from the demands of citizens.
However, in the public sector with constituted organizations we find organic structures that are developed under rigid patterns that denote a verticality in decision-making, that is, that subordinates must always be subject to the opinion of the superior, obeying order, without consider the right to voice and vote as a member of it or as a social entity. Much less think that citizens can participate in decision-making to manage alternative solutions to social problems. If we consider this new governmental vision; we realize that we are managing with distorted paradigms, with particular models or with discrepancies with other countries.
The accountability process leads to accountability from the moment that the periodic elections of political power are constituted, or there are thought of oversight mechanisms during the mandate, or control measures and sanctions for those who do not comply with the planned regulations.. These processes prevent abuse of power and corruption by means of checks and balances or Periodic Management Reports.
Therefore, accountability has several characteristics, according to AnahíTxT. Organization and Management Program of the State of Argentina:
- It is multidimensional (includes bureaucratic, political, societal and competition control). It is an integral control (it controls all the processes) and integrated (it controls something, then it is incorporated into the whole). It is uninterrupted (it does not occur only at the time of elections). It is not rigid, it is flexible (strategic opportunity).
From this organizational panorama, Ángel De Jesús, in his work Accountability in the Context of Organizational Culture tells us that: Accountability has in its scope and meaning a link or relationship between employer - employee in which it deprives the premise that the former pays the second for his talent, time, commitment and resources. Seen in this way, this relationship carries with it a commitment, a responsibility and a result.
Accountability has 6 conditions that are established between actors, with the responsibility that each one complies with the existing regulations in the institutions or organizations:
- Personal commitment. The results of each process, taking into account the objective, the goal, the indicators for measuring results and the co-responsibility that exists at each structural level in the institution or organization. If we realize the carrying out of activities, it is not enough. The freedom to exercise their own judgment and make decisions. The achievement of results as a responsibility not of an individual, but of a group that make up the structural levels of each organization or institution. Accountability for results viewed equitably and equally in the organization, no matter its level of authority. The consequences, positive or negative, which include the process of "accountabilty".
For this to be achieved, a figure of Administrative Competence must be incorporated, which will ensure transparency in management, improvement in the quality of policies and the government's capacity to be accountable to society in relation to the public services that are inherent in the institutional vision and mission. With respect to this aspect, it can be said, for example, that when you need supplies, equipment or services, you should not have a single provider, because it determines its service and sets its costs with a profit margin for it, so what What I must do is open the services that I demand seeking a lower cost, greater benefit with a minimum attention time. For this I use the website: Panamacompra and comply with the current Public Procurement Law.
The concept of social accountability refers to a diverse set of civil actions and initiatives oriented around demands for legal accountability.
