In this subsection, the governmental agencies involved in regulating and monitoring the succession processes in the public sector are highlighted. The review of the Bahraini context highlighted three governmental agencies which are involved in the appointment and promotion of public servants. Specifically, these agencies are the CSB, Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA) and the National Audit Court (NAC). The following parts shed light on these agencies and their roles in the succession processes for executive positions in the public sector.
2.4.6.1 Civil Service Bureau (CSB)
The CSB was established in 1975 and it was attached to the Council of Ministers (Government of Bahrain, 1975). According to the establishing decree, the main objectives of the CSB are the development of the civil service, the improvement of its productivity and efficiency and the
achievement of justice and equity in the treatment of the employees in the public sector. The CSB became the central authority overseeing the public administration and served as the executive arm of the Civil Service Council, which is the supreme authority for the civil service1.
In the last three decades, the CSB has gone through several restructuring processes. Recently, the CSB was organised into four General-Directorates, with each General-Directorate including three Directorates. In addition, two directorates were directly linked to the office of the President of the CSB. Collectively via this organisational structure, the CSB is tasked with regulating, monitoring, controlling and coordinating the various aspects of the HRM in the public sector organisations subject to the Civil Service Law (Kingdom of Bahrain, 2012). Figure 2-4 illustrates the current organisational structure of the CSB.
FIGURE 2-4: ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE CSB2
1 The Civil Service Council is headed by H.H. the Prime Minister and made up of a Deputy Prime Minister, seven
ministers and the President of the CSB.
2 Due to the outdated organisational structure specified on the official website of the CSB, this structure was developed by the researcher to incorporate the latest updates. The translations of the titles of the General-Directorates and
President of Civil Service Bureau Director General, Organisation & Position Budget Organisation & Management Engineering Directorate Manpower Planning & Budget Directorate Job Evaluation Directorate Director General, Recruitment & Information Recruitment Directorate Promotions Directorate Management Information Directorate Director General, Human Resources Development & Performance Management Employee Performance & Relations Directorate Organisational Performance Directorate Human Resource Development Directorate Director General, Policy & Wages
Wages & Benefits Directorate
Policy & Regulatory Affairs Directorate
Communication Directorate Human & Financial
Resources Directorate
Administrative Audit Directorate
In spite of the recent restructuring of the CSB, no evidence was found of any official documents specifying the roles of the various General-Directorates and Directorates. Nevertheless, according to relevant inside information obtained by the researcher, four directorates were tasked with issues related to the succession processes for executive positions. First, the Recruitment Directorate is tasked with coordinating and executing the appointment of new employees in the public sector, including executive class employees. The second directorate involved in the succession process is the Promotion Directorate. This directorate coordinates and approves promotions to executive positions in public sector organisations. The development of the second line of executive employees is one of the tasks assigned to the Human Resources Development Directorate. Finally, the Administrate Audit Directorate oversees and ensures the proper implementation of the civil service regulations and standard procedures.
2.4.6.2 Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA)
In 2006, the government of Bahrain established the Bahrain Institute of Public Administration (BIPA) as a specialised training institute for public administration (BIPA, 2010a). The institute is directed by a board of directors headed by the President of the CSB, three Assistant Undersecretaries (representing the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Health and Ministry of Finance), the General Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of Cabinet Affairs and the General Director of the BIPA. The organisational structure of the BIPA is flat, consisting of ten directorates under the control of the General Director (BIPA, 2010b).
The BIPA aims to improve public administration by contributing to the preparation and training of public sector personnel. Accordingly, the institute adopted a clear mission statement affirming this aim by stating, “Acting as a Change Agent for Sustained Transformation through Training, Learning and Development in the Public Sector.” Furthermore, the strategic embracement of the aim to improve public administration via training is also reflected in the fact that the BIPA took the responsibility of implementing two initiatives of the National Economic Strategy, Vision 2030, which was developed by the Bahraini Economic Development Board (EDB)1. The first initiative is
to enhance the quality and abundance of training in general by preparing and offering programmes
that achieve the aim of the National Economic Strategy in terms of public administrators. The second initiative is more focused on the executive level employees. This initiative aims to create proper programmes to improve the performance of these administrators and to ensure the development and the retention of future leaders in the public sector (BIPA, 2010).
Accordingly, one of the main tasks of the BIPA became the development and execution of training programmes to enhance the leadership capabilities of executive class employees in the public sector (BIPA, 2010a). In addition, the intention to provide proper training for executive employees in the public sector is also reflected by the organisational structure of the BIPA, with one of the directorates being tasked with responsibilities for developing and executing such training programmes (i.e. Directorate of Leadership Development Programme) (BIPA, 2010b). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2-5, the attention given to such training programmes is clear in the chart of the programmes currently provided by the BIPA (BIPA, 2012a). As illustrated in the chart, leadership programmes take up a large portion of the BIPA’s agenda of programmes.
In targeting executive employees, the institute provides tailored workshops, seminars and training programmes. In the course of the past few years, two executive training programmes have become fixtures on the BIPA’s schedule of programmes and courses. The first leadership programme is the
“Preparation for Top Management Programme”. As its title implies, this programme aims to
prepare future leaders of the public sector by equipping potential candidates at Section Head and Section Chief levels for senior executive positions, specifically, for Director level positions. The programme aims to develop the leadership skills in these potential candidates. The programme was launched in 2010 as a joint initiative between the BIPA and the University of Oxford (Said Business School). The programme is divided into five modules over a period of four months, and the lecturers are a group of experts and advisors from the teaching facility of Said Business School. These modules focus on issues related to the strategic Vision 2030, improvement of public sector services, planning, creativity and financial skills. Since the introduction of this programme, one cohort has graduated (BIPA, 2012b).
FIGURE 2-5: TRAINING PROGRAMS PROVIDED BY BIPA1
The second programme targeting executive employees is the “Induction to Senior Civil Service Program”. This programme aims to develop the capabilities of newly appointed directors (acting
directors)2 and to prepare them for their new positions. The programme introduces these executive
employees to the requirements of the director position in the public sector, and helps them to perform their duties efficiently. The programme was accredited internationally by the National College of the Government in the United Kingdom. The programme is divided into eight modules over a nine month period. These modules cover, among other issues, strategic planning, customer care, skills in dealing with the media and public finance management. Among the lecturers in this programme, a number of ministers and heads of authorities are invited to share with the trainees
1 The chart is adopted from BIPA (2012).
2 As stated earlier, according to the new amendments to the Executive Regulations, Directors are appointed to the
their practical and scientific expertise. Since the introduction of the programme in 2009 and up until 2011, four cohorts have graduated (BIPA, 2012). Recently, as stated earlier in the Executive Employees Appointments subsection (p. 23), the CSB made appointment to Director Positions conditional on the successful completion of this programme. This implies that potential candidates for Director Positions are nominated to attend this course before the appointment decision is made.
2.4.6.3 National Audit Court (NAC)
To supplement the constitutional institutions of the state, the National Audit Court (NAC) was established in 2002 as a body that would be financially and administratively independent from the legislative and executive authorities. Initially, the NAC was assigned the auditing of financial records of public sector organisations in terms of regularity and performance. Recently, the role of NAC was amended to embrace administrative audit tasks via Royal Decree No. (49) of 2010 (NAC, 2011).
Accordingly, the organisational structure of NAC was adjusted to include these expansions in its role. Thus, in addition to the hierarchal structure for the Regularity and Performance Audits, which has existed since the establishment of the organisation, a parallel hierarchal structure was created to perform administrative audits.
Nevertheless, the administrative auditing role of the NAC is not clear. There are no publically available official documents specifying the adopted regulations, standards, procedures or even the scope of the administrative audit. Furthermore, the strategic objectives of the organisations, as stated in the official website of NAC, do not identify such administrative roles within the organisation. In addition, the annual audit report of 2011 merely focused on the financials aspect of the auditing process. The report made no reference to administrative audits.
2.5 BAHRAINI CONTEXT ANALYSIS: THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE
STATE’S REFORM PROJECT FOR THE SUCCESSION PROCESS
This section analyses the Bahraini context to provide a view of the current state of affairs and to shed light on the potential sources of the influential factors acting upon the succession processes for executive positions in the public sector. Specifically, the context analysis focuses on political,
economic, social and cultural issues that emerged after the commencement of the State’s Reforms Project in 2002, which may have an impact on the way in which succession processes are executed in the Bahraini public sector.
Therefore, this section starts by providing a brief account of the State’s Reform Project. Then, it highlights the political, economic, social and cultural ramifications of this reform project for the succession processes for executive positions in the public sector.