A Review of Success Factors and Challenges of Public Sector BPR Implementations

Pressures to cut budgets and increase efficiency while maintaining performance prompted public managers to turn to the private sector for solutions. As a means of rightsizing government, cutting red tape, and reducing bureaucracy, the idea of BPR found its way into the realm of public organizations. The differing characteristics of private and public organizations introduce various challenges when transferring BPR methodologies between the sectors. With this research paper we consolidate the ample literature on BPR success from the private and public sector. We identify the relevant success factors and show that a surprising similarity exists between private and public BPR related success factors. In addition, we determine the specific characteristics and requirements of the public sector highlighting gaps in current literature. Finally, we structure the research gap in five propositions and provide directions for further research.