Combating red tape in the public sector

Abstract

It seems that the phenomenon of red tape may best be understood as a problem of individual perceptions rather than one of identifying objective measures for it. The result of these individual perceptions is that one person′s red tape may be another′s sacred protection. In a quest to obtain a better understanding of red tape it has been linked, for the purposes of this article, to phenomena such as regulations, public accountability, procedures and forms. From this stems the belief that red tape is the result of both the internal and external environment of the public sector. The total elimination of red tape seems to be an impossible task, but a series of well‐organized efforts to reduce red tape may prove to be worthwhile. A change in specifications here, a relaxation of restrictions there, an improvement in a single procedure, or a simplification of a single form may make a difference.

Citation

Brynard, D.J. (1995), "Combating red tape in the public sector", International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 8 No. 4, pp. 38-47. https://doi.org/10.1108/09513559510096264