Control and Its Regulative Function in Public Management

Abstract

This chapter discusses management and leadership in public organizations and accentuates the approach oriented at the intellectual capital of the macro-organizational level. Network determinants of public leadership as well as information and disinformation in the management process have been delineated. Moreover, global examples of leadership crises have been offered, where no action or inappropriate reactions to a given crisis situation lead (or have led) to a reduction in the capacity of the current government to act. They have revealed the limited possibilities for exerting influence on the actual course of events, which diminished the already strained authority and, in consequence, resulted in delegitimation of authority to some extent. The chapter shows that people responsible for public governance must obtain, process, and use data and information both for the purposes of carrying out ongoing activity, orientated at performance of the delegated tasks, and efficient leadership. It takes place by way of conversion of data to information and information to knowledge which may serve leadership owing to the wisdom of a given decision maker. Nevertheless, data, information, and knowledge are often applied as part of mass disinformation of the society, which is intended to allow the government to keep its power, or takeover of power, or implement adverse solutions through the mechanism of relieving social tensions.