New Public Management and Ministerial Accountability
Keywords:
accountability, responsibility, public choice, principal-agent theory, transaction costs theory, focus on objectives, achievement of results.Abstract
This article examines the problem of ministerial accountability from the perspective of New Public Management.
In the beginning different types of accountability are discussed and analyzed. Based on the transaction costs
theory and agency theory, the model of ministerial accountability is developed. This model has been employed to
analyze accountability relationships between Lithuanian Parliament and Government. Finally, the authors propose
some remedies in order to introduce managerial dimension of ministerial accountability. At the same time,
authors argue that, while New Public Management may be effective in addressing certain public policy issues, in the
case of ministerial accountability, political control should play a key role.
