Abstract

The changes introduced in the Italian constitution in the course of the last ten years have deeply affected the role and the tasks of the Regional governments. In principle, the Regions are now called to play a central role in the governance process of their own territories. In order to analyze whether and how they are actually doing so, attention needs to be addressed to the impact these changes have had on the overall management structure of the regional administration and on the human resources they employ. In this light, the paper deals with the Campania Region. Next to the description of the new organizational model adopted by the Regional Government of Campania, then, the paper analyzes the management of the Region. More in detail, it examines its age and gender-structure, its educational background and further training, and other features. It also looks into the performance- evaluation practices in use and to the way in which they are related to the overall salary system. The analysis allows to point out the modernizing thrusts the organization and the management of the Campania regional administration has undergone. However important these thrusts have been, the paper concludes that the modernizing process is yet to be accomplished and hints to the possible factors accounting for this dubious outcome.