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meritokratiuli principebi sajaro samsaxurSi 

373

reform of public institutions is one of the most salient for ensuring the efficiency 

of the state. This research presents the hypothesis of prevalence of informal 

relationships over meritocratic principles in the system of public service 

management, which hinders the process of institutionalisation of me-

ritocratic principles. 

Therefore, one of the main aims of this research is the descripti-

on/study of strategies for public service management and identificati-

on/analysis of factors assisting/hindering the formation of the new type of 

management - meritocracy. 

Establishing meritocratic values is important for Georgia. Modern bureauc-

racy in Georgia is facing a challenge: to allow reforms to create a healthy 

system based on the principles of meritocracy, or to find alternative ways of 

functioning, which will hinder its development into an open, democratic system. 

The 21st century marks the establishment period of a new type of society; ‘the 

knowledge society’. In this society, the measure for personal success is the 

maximal realisation of individual potential. 

The sociological research was based mainly on 

qualitative research me-

thods, although a quantitative research method was also employed. It is 

important to observe the principle of triangulation, which involves the logical 

use and combination of various quantitative and qualitative research methods in 

order to ensure the validity of both approaches. 

A. The Analysis of Theories include the following: Conceptions of the 

bureaucratic system, social networks and social capital, sociology of ma-

nagement, the formation and functioning of social institutions, typology and 

reutilisation, management systems, communication processes and information 

circulation, etc. 

B. Analysis of Documents involves the study of any relevant written 

sources. These include both documents connected with public services (ratings, 

administrative documents) and those connected with job markets (CVs, HR 

department materials, etc.). Information about the professional and labour ac-

tivities of public servants was obtained through the analysis of these documents, 

which enabled a study of general tendencies, and the classification of similar or 

homogeneous facts, etc. This would, in turn, allow for the identification of 

public servant career progress and the criteria met by public servants that 

permitted career advancement. It should be pointed out that the analysis of 

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Tamar Carkviani 

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documents was carried out using both quantitative (traditional content analysis) 

and qualitative (content analysis, discourse analysis, etc.) methods.  

C. Qualitative Research Using the Interview Method: Two target 

groups, totalling 50 respondents, were identified in the research: 

a.

Public servants occupying leading public positions (mainly departmen-

tal heads); 

b. Public servants occupying senior or junior public positions (mainly 

departmental workers).  

Meritocratic principles of management, as mentioned above, do not just 

involve formalisation and general adoption of criteria for success; the main 

indicator is the existence of a model of identification and measurement of 

knowledge, experience and professionalism that is open and obvious for public 

service employees. The research revealed that the criteria of career progression 

and success conforming to meritocratic principles are not clearly formed in 

public service, and discourse on it shows that public servants’ reflection on this 

subject is superficial. 

Non-formalized criteria of selection are employed not only in the process 

of promotion in public service but also at the stage of commencing employment, 

at the initial stage of the career. It has to be pointed out that public service 

organizes employment competitions, but respondents interviewed by us failed to 

identify the public servants employed at their department as a result of a 

competition. The dominant discourse on this topic is as follows. 

The above examples show that employment to public service also happens 

on the basis of unclear criteria, since it depends on the manager’s decision, as it 

does in the case of promotion. This manner of employing staff reinforces the 

importance of informal connections and their influence in public service. It is 

important to emphasize the problem of informal relations as it is a distinctive 

indicator of the principles opposing meritocracy. Public servants, naturally, 

avoid talking on the subject of employment and promotion on the basis of fri-

endly or family relationships, so projective questions on this topic reveal the 

following discourse. 

Since the subject is taboo, the influence of informal connections on starting 

employment, promotion and keeping a position is revealed through indirect 

questions. This conclusion can be made on the basis of a question about the 

principles of team work. Discussing this topic reveals not just the extent of the 

influence of informal relationships but also the degree of their effectiveness. 

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meritokratiuli principebi sajaro samsaxurSi 

375

Public servants are not aware of meritocratic principles of teamwork; a team is 

understood and interpreted in the context of a clan. The latter carries a positive 

connotation in the respondents’ reflections. 

The lack of formalised criteria for career success, they are replaced by 

subjective manager evaluation, i.e., the commonly accepted selection criteria are 

very general and their identification is based on individual interpretation, 

allowing for a non-objective, informal approach. Consequently, according to the 

research results, work quality and efficiency evaluations carried out by public 

servants must become more standardised and formalised. 

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