No. 62-63 (2012): Civil Service: access to information, transparency, accountability and social responsibility

The globalization process has brought about a change of paradigms in different social, economic and political aspects in general. In particular, public administration has undergone transformations in the state apparatus and in management, constituting an agenda more oriented to the improvement of services, with great emphasis on the effectiveness of public policies, on the strengthening of the civil service, on the democratization of the governmental apparatus, with the objective of consolidating true citizenship.

The legacy of the Public Administration of previous years contrasts with the administrative reforms that took place recently to implement a new public management. Thus, with the democratization of public management, a greater control of the government's activities by the citizenry emerges, i.e., accountability becomes an obligation of the government. Likewise, the governing authorities are required to be transparent in their processes, which must be visible by disclosing both data on governmental activities and information concerning the individuals who hold different positions in government. 

This new action is what is known as open government, which with the support of new information and communication technologies and appropriate regulations for access to information, has brought public management closer to citizen participation and the streamlining of processes for the delivery of goods and services to society. The issue of electronic government has positioned itself as one of the great advances within the public function, promoting the development of a society linked to the management of both information and knowledge, in an inclusive and comprehensive manner.

Social networks are also an important part of this updating process in public administration, because they are the means by which there is a fluid communication, receiving queries and responses, combining the notification of progress, and calls for citizen participation, bringing the administrative government link with civil society, promoting responsible actions in the proper management of resources and the proper implementation of public policies, always in favor of the development and welfare of the population.

ICAP as an institution at the service of the Region and in accordance with its Strategic Plan 2011-2015, presents in these issues the theme "Public Function: access to information, transparency, accountability and social responsibility", exposing different texts of experts who base their experience to exemplify the progress and challenges presented by the reality of the Region.