No. 121200

Simplifying of Bureaucracy

When dealing with public authorities and administrations, companies expect three things in particular: clear structures in the authorities, little bureaucracy, and competent personnel. Public authorities meeting these expectations regarding structures and customer-oriented service can be a real asset in the national and international competition for investments. We are committed to make Berlin more business-friendly and attractive with quick decision-making, transparent procedures and competent partners in the authorities.

E-Government
The use of modern communication and information technology regardless of the location and operating hours of authorities is a major benefit not only for entrepreneurs but also for authorities themselves. Modern communication technologies enhance efficiency and effectiveness in various kinds of authorities. Compared to traditional administrative encounters they are both time- and resource-saving. The reorganisation and modernisation of administrative services should therefore be initiated promptly.
Replacing outdated, time- and resource-consuming administrative procedures is best achievable through an anticipation of future digital processes and detection of potential simplifications that can already be undertaken in back offices. Setting up organisational and process-integrating information systems is therefore another key factor for a successful and effective e-government strategy for Berlin’s public authorities.
Personnel management in public administrations
The CCI Berlin is a major driving force in debating the future work of the capital’s public administrations. An ageing society, high sickness rates and the increasing shortage of skilled labour represent great challenges for the Berlin Senate and the city’s districts. Meanwhile the Berlin economy is concerned about the public authorities’ ability to cope with these.
Fortunately, public authorities have lately put more emphasis on personnel management and human resource development. With its position paper “Erfolgreiches Personalmanagement in der Berliner Verwaltung”, the CCI Berlin provided a guideline for effective human resource management in Berlin. Among the core elements of that strategic programme you’ll find demands for a structured headcount planning and the establishment of a managing board for human resources.
Structural reforms of the administration
With its two-tier administration, consisting of a central administration and 12 district administrations, Berlin’s public authorities are prone to bureaucratic inefficiencies. While the two-tier structure is embedded in the constitution of the federal state and thus can only be changed through a two-thirds majority in the Berlin House of Representatives, the problems for companies arising from that structure are considerable.
The often unclear division of tasks between the Senate and the Berlin districts not only causes frequent confusion but also hinders the central administration to generate and enforce quick responses to urgent challenges. Besides these time-consuming bargaining processes, the two-tier administration also leads to an inefficient use of personnel and financial resources.
The system of public administration in Berlin does not yet meet the needs of companies for well-functioning and unbureaucratic authorities. In order to constitute a real comparative advantage in the international competition for investments, the structure of Berlin’s administration needs to be reviewed. The CCI Berlin believes that a unitary authority is best to meet the expectations of local entrepreneurs and attract more potential investors.
Acknowledging that a change from the two-tier structure to a unitary authority will not happen overnight as it would require a constitutional change, the CCI Berlin follows a dual strategy. It has not only developed a model for a future unitary authority but also provides guidelines on how to best suit the demands of the Berlin economy with the current two-tier structure.