CHANGE MANAGEMENT IN LOCAL PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION: MANAGING REFORMS AND INSTITUTIONAL TRANSFORMATION

Povzetek

Background
Local public administrations operate in increasingly complex and reform-intensive environments shaped by fiscal pressures, decentralization, political change, and rising citizen expectations. Despite the widespread adoption of administrative reform initiatives, many local governments experience persistent difficulties in translating formal reforms into sustained institutional change. These challenges highlight the importance of understanding change management not merely as a managerial technique, but as an institutional process embedded within political, organizational, and cultural contexts. This study addresses a critical gap by examining how change management influences the implementation of reforms and institutional transformation in local public administration.

Methods
The study employs a qualitative narrative review methodology grounded in established public administration and organizational change scholarship published prior to 2019. Relevant literature was systematically identified from major academic databases and synthesized using an interpretive analytical framework. The review focused on conceptual and empirical studies addressing reform processes, leadership, organizational culture, employee engagement, and institutional capacity within local or subnational government contexts. Findings were integrated thematically to develop a coherent understanding of change management dynamics.

Results
The synthesis reveals that reform outcomes in local public administration are strongly conditioned by institutional alignment, leadership coherence, and organizational capacity. Change initiatives are more likely to achieve durable impact when leadership responsibilities are distributed, employees are meaningfully engaged, and reforms are adapted to existing institutional norms. Conversely, top-down and capacity-blind reforms frequently result in symbolic compliance rather than substantive transformation. The findings further indicate that institutional change in local governments typically unfolds incrementally through processes of adaptation and learning.

Conclusion
Change management emerges as a core administrative capability essential to managing reforms and achieving institutional transformation in local public administration. Sustainable reform requires context-sensitive leadership, cultural alignment, and long-term capacity development. Recognizing change as an ongoing and negotiated process is crucial for strengthening the resilience and effectiveness of local public governance.