The present article is devoted to studying of ideological foundations of administrative reform in Perm Krai. The factors which have been influencing realization of the reform are considered, legal foundations and stages of reformation of public administration at the regional level are identified in the article. The authors come to the conclusion that the transformations of public administration in Perm Krai are based on stable ideological foundations and correspond to main principles of the new public management in general. Simulation of market processes within the public sector and a stress on private sector styles of management have both unquestionable advantages, and considerable shortcomings which are also analyzed in the article.