Implementing the "Common Skills Framework" in the Greek public sector: a Delphi approach

Competency frameworks are increasingly promoted as instruments for strengthening administrative capacity and modernizing public human resource management systems. However, their effectiveness depends not only on formal adoption but also on how they are interpreted, integrated, and enacted within everyday administrative practice. This study examines the implementation of the Common Skills Framework (CSF) in the Greek public sector, focusing on its contribution to professional development, HRM practices, and the organizational conditions shaping its integration.

The study employs a modified e-Delphi methodology involving experts from key public-sector institutions, employee representatives, and academics. Two iterative rounds were conducted to evaluate consensus, stability, and divergence across core implementation dimensions related to competency framework adoption and organizational integration.

The findings indicate that the CSF is generally perceived as conceptually coherent and supportive of human resource management and professional development. Nevertheless, its practical implementation appears uneven and is strongly influenced by organizational culture, communication processes, managerial engagement, and administrative capacity. Participants emphasized that the successful integration of competency frameworks requires supportive institutional environments and continuous organizational learning mechanisms.

The study demonstrates that competency frameworks should not be viewed merely as formal policy instruments but rather as context-dependent and human-centered implementation processes. Their effectiveness is shaped by the interaction between organizational conditions, managerial support, and learning-oriented administrative cultures. The findings contribute to the literature on public sector reform by highlighting the conditions under which competency frameworks can support sustainable administrative capacity and long-term organizational development.