Strategic human resources management: Changes in the context of new public management

The paper concentrates on human resources (HR) management in public sector. The authors give a theoretical description of the main aspects of New public management (NPM), the changes of human resources management influenced by NPM, and the preparation/resistance of human resources to the changes. Seeking for the effectiveness of public institution's activity the importance of human resources becomes especially evident. The system of human resources in the public sector is closely related with the creation of the new quality. But at present there is no suitable correspondence of NPM with the priorities of the long-term development, the ways of their implementation and the means in the sphere of human resources' development. Empirical data is obtained by surveying Kaunas municipality heads' attitude to strategic personnel management. Generalizing the results of theoretical and empirical researches the authors present the main change trends of HR management in the public sector.