Competent public servants in the age of uncertainties

Abstract

This article discusses the double question: what it means both a competent public servant and to discourse about the competent public servant in the age of uncertainties? The question is the double one because the discussion on the second question gives some grounds on the first. The questions belong to discourse theory, phenomenological and constructivist epistemologies, for they are related to the motivation, which encourages searching for understanding of intersubjective meanings in a particular context and for particular exclusive purpose without conclusions to end discussion. The discussion is not about that public servants feel uncertain in their profession; rather: the article is about competences of public servants in academic, popular, legal and praxical discourses that give evidence on the meaning of the competent public servant. The purpose of the article, therefore, is to bring more awareness and increase understanding in the age of uncertainties and in the area of contemporary public administration (PA) in Lithuania and not only in it. The article consists of five sections. They follow reflective thinking related to such ad hoc additional questions as: 1) what are principles of the most fashionable models of public administration; 2) what is going on in contemporary discourses on the competences of public servants in Lithuania; 3) which fashions from the discussed are being supported by the PA discourses; 4) what are the duties/competences of contemporary Lithuanian public servants if knowing them from their direct praxis; 5) new but proper competences: which are good for what? This question ends the article with unending international discussion.