Transforming Latin America—One Innovation at a Time

• Author: Abraham David Benavides
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12771
• Published date: 01 May 2017
• Date: 01 May 2017

Book Reviews 469

Abraham David Benavides is

associate professor and department chair

for public administration at the University

of North Texas. His research interests

include local government, human resources,

cultural competency, ethics and leadership,

immigration, and age-friendly communities,

among other areas. He has published in a

number of academic journals and consults

local municipalities on a number of these

issues. He serves as president of the North

Texas Chapter of the American Society for

Public Administration and as civil service

commissioner for the city of Denton.

E-mail: benavides@unt.edu

Juan Carlos Cortázar Velarde , Mariano LaFuente , and

Mario Sanginés , eds. , Serving Citizens: A Decade of

Civil Service Reforms in Latin America (2004–13)

( Washington, DC : Inter-American Development

Bank , 2014 ). 199 pp. Free download on web, ISBN:

9781597822015 .

L atin America during the last few decades

has experienced a number of changes in its

governmental structure and governance. In

most cases the changes were not “Arab Spring” type

events but more gradual renovations in one or more

aspects of governance. These transformations have

led to improvements in how governments respond to

the sovereign. In the book Serving Citizens: A Decade

of Civil Service Reforms in Latin America (2004–13) ,

the authors highlight revisions to civil service

systems at the federal or central government level

for 16 countries in Latin America. They note the

importance of strengthening the civil service system;

they compare the difference from 2004 to 2013;

they analyze the progress made, provide strategies

for modernization, and offer various approaches for

future improvement.

Danny L. Balfour , Editor

Abraham David Benavides

The University of North Texas

Transforming Latin America—One Innovation at a Time