IPMN Newsletter 2001 Number 4

Dear Colleagues: First let me wish everyone a happy new year. Secondly, I can report that IPMN has grown to approximately 630 members from 70 nations. Our International Public Management Journal is now publishing for the fourth year and has received many compliments. For this we owe thanks to our editor, Professor Fred Thompson and to the many reviewers of manuscripts submitted for publication consideration. Subscriptions to IPMJ will continue to be free for IPMN members through volume 5. Our e-journal, the International Public Management Review, is appearing in its second year on the IPMN website and will issue volume three early in 2002. Plans are well underway for our eighth international conference event in Siena, Italy on June 26-28, 2002 to be hosted by Professor Riccardo Mussari. The chairs of the Siena 2002 conference planning committee are Professor Kuno Schedler and Professor Mussari. The call for papers for this conference appears below. We are pleased that so many of you have used the IPMN list server when we have featured e-conferences and other types of semi-organized communication. The latest of our e-conferences, on public management reform and e-government, will be published in IPMJ volume 4/2 which should be in the mail in January. Siena 2002 IPMN Conference The topic theme of the Siena 2002 IPMN Conference is "The Impact of Managerial Reform on Informal relationships in the Public Sector." As public sector management reforms have matured, debate abounds on the impact of modernization on relationships within government and between government institutions, the private sector and third sector partner institutions. This conference will focus on both the desirable and perhaps less preferable trends that appear to have resulted from modernization of public management. The Conference will be hosted by the Department of Business and Social Studies of the University of Siena, Italy. The Conference will take place in the Certosa di Pontignano, which is part of the University of Siena. Papers that examine theoretical developments or propose innovative methodological approaches are welcome as well as empirical studies on relevant issues related to the changes caused by managerial reforms on both internal and external relationships in the public sector. One session of the Conference will be devoted to the topic of corruption. Papers focusing on this topic are welcomed. Due to the fact that IPMN Conferences seek to encourage in-depth discussion of the papers presented, the number of presentations will be limited. Conference attendance will be limited to 45 participants. There will be an opportunity, however, to share accepted papers that cannot be presented in the plenary sessions among participants for discussion during the conference. These papers will be listed in the Conference program and made available on the conference website. Selected papers will be reviewed for publication in IPMJ and IPMR. Scholars interested in presenting a paper at the conference may send an abstract by 30 January 2002 to the conference chairs: Riccardo Mussari, Department of Business and Social Studies University of Siena, Piazza S. Francesco, 7, 53100 Siena, Italy e-mail: mussari@unisi.it Kuno Schedler, Institute for Public Services and Tourism University of St. Gallen, Varnbuelstrasse 19, 9000 St. Gallen, Switzerland e-mail: kuno.schedler@unisg.ch Proposals will be evaluated and presenters informed of acceptance prior to March 1, 2002. Scientific Committee: Prof. Dr. Riccardo Mussari, Prof. Dr. Kuno Schedler, Prof. Dr. Lawrence R. Jones, Prof. Dr. Fred Thompson Best Regards, Larry Jones