Play It Again, Sam; It's Still Not Right: Searching for the Right Notes in Administrative Reform.

This article examines administrative reform in the comparative context of the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and the United States. A reform continuum is presented, which moves from the nonstrategic incremental reforms of the United States to the comprehensive and fundamental reforms adopted in New Zealand. The role of politics and political leadership is linked to the various models of reform. More comprehensive and strategic efforts require great initial political leadership and will, but incremental efforts require more continuous political involvement. In the countries examined, using fundamental reform to create a simplified base from which to launch other initiatives appears to be a key component of success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]