Bureaucracy vs. Post-Bureaucrcy: Managing the Paradox within Italian Public Administration

Throughout the history of Public Administration (PA), bureaucratic and post-bureaucratic models coexisted, alternating in unstable relationships of dominance. The simultaneous presence of both models has gradually given rise to a paradox between bureaucracy and post-bureaucracy. Although there is growing interest in the paradox perspective within PA studies, its development over time—particularly in the Italian context—remains underexplored. To address this gap, this article examines how the PA has managed the paradox between bureaucracy and post-bureaucracy over the past 30 years, adopting a historical perspective focused on the competitive hiring process of the National School of Administration. The theoretical contribution of this study lies in highlighting the temporal shifts in the relevance of the two poles of the paradox. Furthermore, it observes how such relevance varies across different organizational domains, shaping the strategies adopted to deal with the paradox. Finally, the article offers practical implications for a broad range of practitioners, including managers, policymakers, and educators.

Keywords: Paradox; public administration; bureaucracy; post-bureaucracy

Marta Ingaggiati, Burocrazia vs. post-burocrazia: gestire il paradosso nella pubblica amministrazione italiana in "SOCIOLOGIA DEL LAVORO " 172/2025, pp 50-72, DOI: 10.3280/SL2025-172003