The role of public sector in managing economic development

through it restructuring and rehabilitation

and modernization of its management

Mr. Antoun Jubran

The lecturer, an ex-minister of labor and social affaire, and also an ex-minister of industry, presents this lecture as a part of a larger theme: “the means of rehabilitating the industrial public sector”. The main idea that ca be noticed through this presentation is his underlining of the dire need to reevaluate the experience of the industrial public sector since its inception, without any hesitation or nervous reactions, in order to be able to avoid the mistakes which were committed and put that important sector back on the track of productivity.

The lecturer starts by asserting the importance of the good management, regardless the nature of the sector and of the activity. He explains also that the management of development is particularly important and must be regarded as a science with a clear rules and laws, with a considerable contribution from the researched in that field. Then he explains several of the problems and negative aspects which characterize the management of the public sector in Syria, to reach the conclusion that the management is in dire need for an in-depth revision and restructuring, rather than a simple tactical reform.

Mr Jubran presents a long list of “issues to be addressed” in order to improve the productivity of the industrial public sector and activate its social role. The list involves redefining the relationship between the owner and the manager, development of planning methods in order to match the needs of the market, a global revision of laws and regulations to remove conflicts of authority and increase the flexibility of decision makers, implementation of maintenance and renovation plans which will improve the technical and technological level, resolving the financial problems like defining the capitals of public sector companies and settlement of the debts between public these companies, reducing the number of monitoring bodies while increasing their efficiency, and finally motivating the workers through a series of measures and moral measures.

The lecturer describes the public sector as the pioneer for the economic development. He repeats on several occasions that it is still possible to save the industrial public sector, despite its failures and lackluster performance, which are mainly due to the mismanagement and to the financial policies which did not allow that sector to reuse its own revenue to stimulate the innovation and the updating of its machines and technologies.

Finally, the conclusion comes as a reminder to the government that the needed reform is deep and needs a clear definition of the major economic choices and policies. People who will responsible for the implementation of these policies need to have the conviction of their usefulness, and they should be given a sufficient degree of stability and flexibility in order to allow the implementation of these policies.