New Public Management Approach and Accountability

A new paradigm for public management, called “New Public Management”, has emerged since 1980s that is formed to confront the present problems. This model is originated from the fusion of economic theories and private sector management techniques. The most important particulars of this model are decreasing government size, the decentralization of management authority, the emphasis on efficiency, effectiveness and economy. This paper examines how New Public Management (NPM) impacts on fulfilling different aspects of accountability in the public sector. In the Traditional Approach of Accountability, politicians and civil servants are liable to elected authorities but in this approach, they should be liable to people. Therefore, in NPM there is a shift of accountability from the political to the managerial sphere and from input and processes to output and outcomes. The results show under this approach, operational and managerial accountability fulfill political and financial aspects of accountability.