Organizational Development in Public Administration : The Italian Way Cultural economic and political trends are changing the way public administrations are organized and this book examines the new challenges managers face with the need for a shift from a traditional bureaucratic model to a competency based approach to organizational design and management in the areas of recruitment training career development and assessment. Through the analysis of an experimental project launched jointly by the Italian National School for Administration (SNA) and the Prime Minister’s Office this book showcases how a competency based system can be a key tool in reforming HR in the public sector with significant effects on the organization and management of public administration. Mauricio Decastri is Full Professor of Organisation Theory at Tor Vergata University of Rome Italy and Head of the Management and Digital Innovation Teaching Department at the Italian National School for Administration. Stefano Battini is Full Professor of Administrative Law at the University of Tuscia in Viterbo Italy and President of the Italian National School for Administration (SNA). Filomena Buonocore is Full Professor of Organization and Human Resource Management at the Parthenope University of Naples Italy and Professor at the Italian National School for Administration (SNA). Francesca Gagliarducci is General Deputy Secretary of the Italian Presidency of the Council of Ministers and Professor at the Italian National School for Administration (SNA). 1. Organizing Public Administration 2. Rethinking the concept of competencies for public managers 3. Human resource management in the Public Administration 4. Public Management reform in Italy 5. The key role of the SNA in promoting organizational change and competencies development 6. A project for assessing public management competencies 7. Conclusions and implications for the Italian Public Sector.