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This paper responds to a recent call for re­search on public administration innovations as a necessity for the development of modern gov­ernance. In particular, this paper aims to exam­ine the role of high-performing human resource practices in fostering the innovation of public administration. In addition, the study explores the mediating effect of failure management practices on innovativeness. A sample of 618 political appointees and civil servants from Ser­bian central administration was used to test the aforementioned hypotheses. The results indicate that high performing human resource practices have a positive effect on innovativeness. How­ever, the magnitude of specific practices varies significantly.

The role of local administration in recent decades has rapidly changed worldwide. Pressure for citizen-centrism coming from various interest groups has triggered the need to implement marketing and management concepts which characterize the business sector. Relatively few studies have focused on emerging trends of improvements in exceeding this bureaucratic paradigm in local administration. This study examines and explores citizens’ perception on determinants influencing their satisfaction with local administration services in Serbia. The study uses an exploratory approach. A questionnaire was distributed to 605 users of local administration services. Empirical evidence indicates that, from the citizens’ point of view, customer orientation, employees’ behavior and attitudes, as well as the process of service delivery impact the overall customer satisfaction with local administration. The study also discusses important implications on potential improvements of local administration.