The South African Association of Public Administration and Management (SAAPAM), intends conferring two awards at the forthcoming 2004 annual conference, one for the best academic and the other for the best practitioner in the field of Public Administration and Management. The main purpose of these awards is to identify and acknowledge government employees and academics who excel in their work. "Today, it is more important than ever that effective an efficient government (employees and academics) be recognized, reinforced and whenever possible imitated with the hope of providing better service to the public."