Institutional transformation of bureaucratic systems in the context of Ukraine’s European integration
Abstract
The article examines the institutional transformation of Ukrainian bureaucracy in the context of European integration, which is considered a key prerequisite for increasing the efficiency of public administration, transparency of procedures and citizens’ trust in government. The main attention is focused on the process of transition from the traditional model of bureaucracy, based on hierarchy and formalism, to post-bureaucratic, digitally oriented forms of public administration. Based on the analysis of European practices (Estonia, Finland, the Netherlands), modern trends in the development of administrative systems are identified – in particular, the implementation of the principles of digital-first governance, trust-based management, and responsive governance.
It is proved that the Europeanization of Ukrainian bureaucracy cannot be reduced only to the normative borrowing of EU models. It involves a deep cultural and value evolution of managerial thinking, the formation of a new ethics of service, a rethinking of the role of a civil servant as an agent of development, and not just an executor of procedures. The article emphasizes the contradictory nature of this process – between technological progress and institutional inertia, which causes the emergence of the phenomenon of “electronic bureaucracy with analog thinking”.
A conceptual model “SMART Bureaucracy – 2030” has been developed, which integrates four key areas of modernization: regulatory harmonization, institutional reengineering, digital openness and the formation of ethical responsibility in the public administration system. The proposed model is aimed at the formation of a new type of bureaucracy – analytical, professional, technologically efficient and morally mature, capable of ensuring the sustainability of managerial processes and supporting democratic standards of governance.
It is emphasized that the reform of the bureaucracy is not a one-time administrative campaign, but a long-term process of institutional maturation, in which the key criterion for success is not only efficiency, but also public legitimacy. European integration in this context acts as a double catalyst – an external factor of adaptation to EU standards and an internal impulse for rethinking the public service as a sphere of strategic trust-building.
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