Desirable and Realistic Model of the Bulgarian State Administration: A Meta-Analysis

This article examines the desired and actual models of state administration in Bulgaria based on expert assessments measured on a three-point ordinal scale (1–3). Methods for paired (dependent) observations and analyses of association and agreement between the two assessments are applied. The results indicate statistically significant and substantively large differences between the desired and actual state for five of the six analysed criteria, while convergence is observed for one criterion. Overall, respondents express a preference for administrative arrangements associated with more contemporary models of public administration than those currently perceived in practice. The article discusses the evolution of public administration theories, their epistemological foundations, and the paradigms that have shaped the discipline. It further analyses contemporary trends in public administration as both a field of study and a practical activity, highlighting their relevance for the Bulgarian context. On this basis, the study seeks to identify which traditional or modern models of public administration most closely correspond to the current state of Bulgarian public administration.