Search4Dev

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Public administration for results


Document type: report
Download file(s): 127135 (652 KB)
Abstract: capacity of the machinery of the state. Development ambitions are often diluted or even corrupted by weaknesses in a country’s public administration. Indeed, an overburdened or misdirected administration may absorb huge resources without turning these into effective services to the public, while obstructing dynamic development of other sectors of society. When designing, executing and monitoring interventions, systematic attention should be given to three principles that stand out from the international experience and that link public administration to achieving lasting results. These principles provide the basis for more specific guidelines to be applied across programmes and projects. They are: (1) the state to focus on strategic roles; (2) the state’s structure to be dynamic; and (3) the state to manage on the basis of results. A fourth principle is to tailor interventions to opportunities. While goals should be clear and consensual, considerable flexibility should be allowed in budgets and inter-organizational arrangements, in order to be able to capitalize on opportunities and learn from experience. The focus should be on results, not procedures.
Authors: Graaf, M. de
Series Title: Innovation Brief on International Development Services
Category: Policy
Serial number: 2
Keywords: aid programmes , government , governance , political conditions
Language: eng
Organization: Euroconsult/BMB Mott MacDonald
PAGE: 4
Place: Arnhem
Publisher: Euroconsult/BMB Mott MacDonald
Year: 2008
Right: © 2008 Euroconsult/BMB Mott MacDonald
Subject: Development Cooperation General
Title: Public administration for results