Frameworks Governing the Administrative System in Iran with an Islamic Approach

The administrative system is a coherent and purposeful set of major governmental and state institutions and organizations that operationalize the missions, duties, and programs of the government and state to achieve specific goals. The administrative system covers the management of public affairs in economic, social, cultural, and political dimensions, providing public services and having a broad spectrum. It is a foundation for the development and progress of any society, contributing to the realization of government and state goals and facilitating progress programs if it is healthy, strong, and efficient.
By examining the historical and analytical aspects of existing administrative systems in various countries in recent centuries, three paradigms (or fundamental frameworks) emerge: Public Administration, New Public Management, and Good Governance. The first part of the report provides a general overview of these three paradigms. The characteristics of the Public Administration paradigm, which is largely based on a classical and top-down model, include: the exercise of government authority over all sectors and the geographical scope of the country, the dominance and influence of hierarchical structures throughout the country, uniform regulations and working methods, separation of politics from administration and limiting administration to executive roles and functions, and strict judicial, financial, and political controls in governmental authoritarianism that has not been fully realized as an ideal model in any country. The paradigm of New Public Management can be considered as anti-thesis to the Public Administration paradigm. New Public Management inclines toward the market, downsizing the size of the government, decentralization, outsourcing services to the private sector, and deregulation. This paradigm is based on the market, economics, and applying private sector management and commercial techniques in the public sector. However, the implementation of New Public Management has led to serious issues such as significant harm to the interests of vulnerable groups and low-income groups, a deepening class divide due to privatization of many public goods such as education and healthcare, an increase in service fees in the public sector, labor market adjustment policies in the government sector, and a reduction in government monopolies, leading to corruption and hidden work. These issues have given rise to the emergence of the Good Governance paradigm. In Good Governance, there is a moderate approach from the perspective of absolute government and pure market orientation. Instead, a systematic and balanced thinking is the basis for organizing affairs. In the desired governance structure, the economic, political, and social capacities of the country are allocated and distributed appropriately with fair distribution of political and administrative power and fair distribution of financial resources among the three branches of government. The "government" acts as the helmsman of development, determining the shortest and fastest path to development based on information. The engine that sets the development ship on this path is the entrepreneurs of the "private sector," and these two, in collaboration with the structures of "civil society," will be able to shape the sustainable development cycle. Responsive and transparent financial resource management of the country is stated as one of the goals of social and economic development and the promotion of democratic values, controlling corruption, paying attention to human rights, and accountability. In this paradigm, many of the values of the two previous paradigms have been highlighted and redefined. However, these paradigms and their operational patterns remain ambiguous.