Theoretical Paradigms in the Reform of the New Zealand Public Service: Is post-NPM still a myth?

New Zealand is frequently cited as the archetypical example of New Public Management (NPM), having gone ‘further and faster’ than other jurisdictions in radically reforming their public service in the late 1980s. These reforms have been credited with significant gains in efficiency and responsiveness, while introducing new challenges and worsening others. This paper analyses the different theoretical roots of New Zealand’s ongoing administrative reforms.