How contemporary is Greek Public Administation?

The 32 SIGMA-OECD Principles of Public Administration: their application in policy areas in Greece

The Institute for Public Policy Research (INERP) is proceeding with the analysis and evaluation of critical areas of Greek public administration, guided by the 32 OECD Principles for Public Administration (SIGMA - OECD, 2023), as a comprehensive framework of standards that express the values and behaviours that citizens and businesses expect from a modern public administration.

The aim of the surveys is to establish the distance or proximity of the Greek administrative reality to international best practices, with proposals for substantial improvement.

The research is conducted on the basis of a questionnaire with policy checkpoints and through a combination of qualitative methods, such as online questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, and the findings are evaluated based on a critical appraisal of the data. The discussion of the results focuses on formulating answers to the central question, with the aim of developing recommendations for improving the implementation of the principles in the public sector. The findings of the study will, in addition, be used to support future policies and individual publications.

These projects contribute to the evaluation of the Greek public administration from an internationally recognised perspective. INERP enhances the public debate with evidence-based analyses, offering suggestions for the development of more effective, transparent and innovative public policies.

The three current fields are presented below:

Civil Protection and Public Administration in the Fire Season 2025

Project Team: Theodora Blioumi - Koufodimou, Vassilis Markakis
Policy Area: Civil Protection
Principles analysed: 2, 6, 7, 15, 16 (administrative structure, hierarchy, regulatory framework)

The study focuses on the institutional and organisational framework of civil protection in the context of the upcoming fire season of 2025. It examines the degree of centralisation or decentralisation, the gradation of responsibilities, the clarity of mandates and the specification of responsibilities between the actors involved. It also focuses on the prospect of using artificial intelligence in civil protection mechanisms, while respecting digital ethics.

Leadership and Integrity in the Public Sector

Project Team: Ioanna Giannakidou, Fotini Vittou
Policy Scope: Human Resources - Leadership
Principles analysed: 8-12 (neutrality, evaluation, professionalism)

This research focuses on the quality of leadership in public administration, analysing aspects such as the process of crises and promotions, the application of neutrality and the existence of reward mechanisms. The study also assesses formal and informal procedures for selecting executives, as well as the existence of policies that enhance integrity, beyond the Disciplinary Law. The analysis is conducted using a combination of qualitative methods and questionnaires, with the aim of formulating recommendations for improvement.

Simplifying Processes and Digitising Services

Project Team: Fotini Vittou, Angeliki Tsobanoglou
Policy Area: Administrative Procedures - Quality of Services - Digital Governance
Principles analysed: 19-22 (quality, transparency, efficiency, simplification)

The study focuses on the quality of services and the progress of digitisation in public administration. It examines the existence of measurable quality indicators, the functioning of complaints mechanisms, the degree of interoperability and the simplification of procedures, using the MITOS application as a tool. At the same time, the digital literacy strategy of public organisations and the use of social networks are evaluated.

Timeframe: 10-12 months