Citizen-Centered Public Management: A Critical Review of Its Contemporary Implementation
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18779/csye.v10i2.1310Keywords:
Public management, citizen-centered governance, citizen participation, state capacityAbstract
Citizen-centered public management has emerged as a key approach in contemporary public administration reforms, driven by the need to enhance institutional legitimacy, improve public service quality, and foster citizen participation. In this context, the present study aimed to critically analyze its implementation across different public administration systems. Methodologically, a critical literature review with a systematized search procedure was conducted, based on studies indexed in Scopus, Web of Science, Scielo, EBSCO, and Latindex. The sample consisted of 70 studies published between 2015 and 2026, selected according to criteria of thematic relevance, academic quality, and methodological rigor. The findings indicate that, although citizen-centeredness has been established as a normative principle in administrative reforms, its implementation faces structural constraints related to limited state capacity, institutional fragmentation, digital divides, and weak participatory mechanisms. Additionally, digitalization and open government initiatives have expanded state–citizen interaction, although with uneven outcomes depending on the institutional context. It is concluded that consolidating citizen-centered public management requires strengthening state capacities, improving intergovernmental coordination, and developing effective mechanisms for citizen participation
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