The Delegation of Administrative Decision-making Powers: a Tool for Better Public Performance

The delegation of administrative decision-making powers is explored in the following pages as a legal technique to enhance co-operation between politics and administration, both within the policy-making and in the domains of implementation of policy and law. Delegation, as a legal instrument, also has organisational and managerial consequences insofar as it suggests certain organisational patterns in terms of administrative structures and behaviour if it is to promote more effective and efficient decisionmaking processes while keeping lines of accountability within the administration clear and known. Administrative delegation, consequently, is a legal and managerial instrument that is able to bring about more quality both in policy-making and in administrative decision-making. Ultimately, delegation is able also to improve the quality of management and to increase administrative efficiency of public institutions.