Improving Environment Through Policy and

Regulatory Reforms and Applying Modern

Business Management Practices in Government:
Case of a Developing Country like Bangladesh



A Thesis submitted to
University of Chittagong


For the degree of
Master of Philosophy


By
Moslehuddin Md. Chowdhury Khaled
Registration No.: 194; Session: 2009-10.




Under the Supervision of

Dr. A. F. M. Aowrangazab
Professor, Department of Management Studies
Faculty of Business Administration

University of Chittagong
Chittagong, Bangladesh.




February 2013
ii

Certificate

This is to certify that Moslehuddin Md. Chowdhury Khaled, reg. no
194, session 2009-10, M.Phil. candidate, department of management
studies, conducted this research and wrote this thesis titled
Improving Environment through Policy and Regulatory Reforms and
Applying Modern Business Management Practices in Government:
Case of A Developing Country like Bangladesh under my supervision.
I checked the manuscript and am convinced that this is an original
piece of work to the best of my knowledge.



________________________________________
Dr. A. F. M. Aowrangazab
Professor,
Department of Management Studies
University of Chittagong
Chittagong, Bangladesh

iii

Declaration


I hereby declare that the work incorporated in the thesis titled
Improving Environment through Policy and Regulatory Reforms
and Applying Modern Business Management Practices in
Government: Case of A Developing Country like Bangladesh is
based on original research conducted by me. Citations of
others works have been made wherever appropriate. No
portion of this thesis has been submitted in support of an
application for another degree or qualification of this or any
other University or for publications elsewhere.


______________________________________
Moslehuddin Md. Chowdhury Khaled
M. Phil. Candidate
Registration No. : 194
Session: 2009-10.
Department of Management Studies
University of Chittagong
February 2013.


iv

Acknowledgement

The first person I would like to start conveying my gratitude is Dr. A. F. M. Aowrangazab,
Professor, Department of Management Studies, University of Chittagong, who provided me
guidance and supervision for this work. The best a research student can get from a supervisor is
autonomy, cooperation, and a confidence on his/her supervisee which is both a challenge and an
inspiration. Thanks to my supervisor for everything.
At different stages of research, I got the suggestions from Dr. Tahlil Azim, associate professor,
King Abdul Aziz University, Saudi Arab, Mr. Tafzal Haque, associtate professor, management, Dr.
Ayub Islam, professor of Accounting, Dr. Moazzam Husain, Dr. Zahed Hossain Sikder, Dr. Abu
Taher, and Dr. M A Mamun, all professors of Management, University of Chittagong.
Management department staffs provided very friendly administrative support without which the
experience could be much bitter. Independent University at Chittagong provided me the
supportive environment for completing the task adjusting my schedule of regular duties.
On a more personal level, I am grateful to my wonderful family where I have my father, mother,
my wife, and two kids. They kept reminding that they needed more of my time and that I had to
finish successfully. My brother, an engineer working in USA and sister, a doctor practicing in
Comilla, also encouraged me all along. All tried to accommodate what I was up to for so many
long hours and were eagerly waiting for a finishing. As we live in a society where members of
greater family are important, I am also looking forward to compensating for all the missed events
with them.

Moslehuddin Md. Chowdhury Khaled

v

Abstract
Introduction:
Government systems and organizations do not work well in developing countries like Bangladesh.
Citizens have a pervasive perception of mismanagement, poor service, inefficiency, and corruption
in government which can be called lack of management. It is globally accepted that
management, a science and art as developed fully in private sector, is better than management in
government in terms of effectiveness, result orientation, and efficiency of achieving organizational
objectives. Can management in government or public management be improved with the given
limitations of the contextual political, economic, social, cultural realities of the country?
Methods:
To investigate this question, which is grounded in researchers academic discipline of management
and in the concern how it can be applied to government organizations, researcher deployed
multiple-case design using multiple methods within.
Research methods associated with qualitative research Ethnography, participant/non-participant
observation, content analysis, documentary analysis, semi structured and open ended interview
were used for greater understanding of the citizen problems and associated management in
government (MIG) problems, analyzing the problems and deciphering the complex
interrelationships among all the related actors politicians, elected office holders, government
bureaucrats or managers, executing agencies, businesses and citizens.
In-depth narrative analysis and qualitative approach was chosen over quantitative due to most
important reason: the nature of the problem and the expected output. The expected output is to
propose general framework for solutions and actionable steps.
For generating common pattern of MIG problem, two sectors, Education and Health have, one
cross cutting issue ( ICT initiative scenario) have been analyzed with detail evidence from the
field. Also in another chapter, many citizen problems have been analyzed in brief to develop the
common nature of mismanagement in government.
As a matter of design, the interest is not in single case or phenomenon (intensive design) rather on
multiple cases (extensive design) from where common pattern and generalized solution
framework can be developed.
Literature Review
Literature review has been done at all stages of research process as typical of inductive, theory
generating type of study where objectives and data collection and writing become intermingled
and researcher has to move back and forth among the stages. Lack of materials was not a
vi

problem at all, rather abundance was a challenge how to bring the most relevant ones as
justified points of discussion. But finding the research gap was rather obvious because there are
not enough studies to mention in the MIG area of Bangladesh from a business management
perspective. Particularly, the methodical dimension of studying the citizen problems and
devising management approach to solve is found rare. So the rationale became clear that an in
depth study of the nature of the citizen problems that Bangladesh is facing and whether and how
management approach can be applied or followed by the ministers and public managers at
different levels.
Findings
Politics is bad and corrupt people happen to be leading. But a honest well intended minister is not
enough to make some real progress anywhere for better citizen service. Management mindset
matters. A clear sense of strategic priority, thrust, and master action plan is clearly missing. Many
problems are not political problem, they are management problems.
Reforms discourse around the globe is abundant and stories of failure also are. What works in
PSM reform is highly context-dependent. And about management of government institutions, the
consensus is that it can be better managed by learning from the people and institutions who are
managing in the market. What is argued is not this basic proposition, rather the degree and
intensity to which management can be applied in government organizations.

The recommendations of government appointed Civil Service Reform (CSR) bodies and
recommendations of donor bodies went through the same old routines of placing them in the
cold storage - high- powered committee were appointed, repeated consultations were held and
ultimately excuses were offered like recommendations were nebulous, insufficient, not specific,
not relevant, inappropriate, budget problem etc.

On the other hand, within the government - ministries, departments, directorates, regulatory
authorities there is an acute expertise gap of management know-how which include a lack of
understanding of the actual problems at each stage of citizen service delivery process; a lack
of understanding real citizen experience (customer experience); a lack of knowledge of how to
design an end to end management solution that will work.
Recommendation
The first thing is to do is: fixing up the regulatory flaws. Regulations, rules and policies guide the
behavior of the public managers and also the citizens they serve. If rules and regulations are
obsolete and inconsistent, then there is little hope that MIG will improve in any area. If the rules
are barring good common sense management, then rules must be changed. The best way for
vii

ensuring enabling environment is to instill a continuous process of Policy and Regulatory
Reforms which will create an enabling environment for putting management in action in
government.
The second thing is second but more important and more long-term than the first one. That is:
introduce the management mindset which is more than common sense and requires
technical knowledge of management. Contextual given factors to be separated from managerially
solvable ones. Policy and regulatory flaws to be fixed up Objectives and indicators to be developed
and available management techniques to be deployed.
Conclusion
Citizen problems are well understood, well documented, and known to all. At times a public
manager like a minster, attempts vigorously. The challenge is: where to start, how to proceed, so
that within the given time of his/her government he/she can actually solve some problem at the
system level.
Most of the time, we say all are due to bad politics and that if political parties are committed, only
then these problems can be solved. But our argument is these problems cannot be solved even if a
politically appointed minister or manger is honest and serious to do some good to the fellow
citizens. They would discover that they are caught in the system.
So our conclusion is we need to develop a public management framework, a practical problem
solving approach, which may work under any government. That has been developed through
this thesis. This is readily applicable and provides a pragmatic basis for some honest and willing
managers to make some systemic improvements.
Our research of MIG in Bangladesh contributes mainly to two areas: management and public
administration. It used established phenomenological research approach and multiple-case design
to study management in government in Bangladesh. It also proposes further researches in the
following streams: Organizational theories and studies, Institutional Environment, Strengthening
Local Government Mechanism, Difference of Organizational Forms and Management in Business
and Management in Government, How to direct the development toward a growth oriented path
similar to what happened in south east Asia, Organization redesigning, reengineering, and
restructuring of the government etc.


viii

Brief Table of Contents

Part A Introduction

Chapter 1 Context and Rationale for a MIG Study
Chapter 2 Research Methodology and Design
Part B

Theoretical Framework and
Literature Review

Chapter 3 Management in Government (MIG)
Chapter 4 Management in Government in
Bangladesh

Chapter 5 Management in Government Reforms in
Different Countries

Part C

Developing Management Approach
in Government

Chapter 6 Education Sector
Chapter 7 Health Services Sector
Chapter 8 ICT in Government: Unconnected Change
Efforts

Chapter 9 Citizen Problems: Highlights from the Field
and Everyday Lives

Part D Concluding: In Search of a
Framework

Chapter 10 A MIG Framework that Works for the
Citizen

Chapter 11 Conclusion, Contribution, and Further
research

References




ix

Table of Contents

Certificate .................................................................................................................................................. ii
Declaration ............................................................................................................................................... iii
Acknowledgement .................................................................................................................................... iv
Abstract ..................................................................................................................................................... v
Brief Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... viii
Table of Contents ...................................................................................................................................... ix
List of Illustrations ................................................................................................................................... xiv
Figures........................................................................................................................................................ xiv
Tables ......................................................................................................................................................... xiv
Abbreviations ...........................................................................................................................................xv
1 Chapter 1: Context and Rationale for a MIG Study ......................................................................... 1-1
1.1 Introduction: The Development ....................................................................................................1-1
1.2 Research Context, Origin, or Background .....................................................................................1-2
1.3 Research Objective and Intended Output of the Inquiry ...............................................................1-5
1.3.1 Central, General, or Broad Research Question and Objective .................................................1-6
1.3.2 Investigative Research Questions or Objectives ......................................................................1-6
1.4 Rationale of the Study...................................................................................................................1-7
1.5 Topical Scope, Definitions, and Limitations of Inquiry ..................................................................1-9
1.5.1 Basic Assumptions and Propositions ........................................................................................1-9
1.5.2 Enabling Environment for Management in Government (MIG) .............................................1-11
1.5.3 Policy and Regulatory Reforms by the Government ..............................................................1-14
1.5.4 Business Management Principles and Practices.....................................................................1-14
1.5.5 Limitations ..............................................................................................................................1-16
1.5.6 Delimitations ..........................................................................................................................1-16
1.6 Organization of the Thesis ..........................................................................................................1-17
2 Chapter 2: Research Methodology and Design ............................................................................. 2-19
2.1 Research: A Systemic Process of Inquiry into a Problem .............................................................2-19
2.1.1 Why Methodology Chapter is before the Literature Chapter ................................................2-19
2.1.2 Defining Our Research ............................................................................................................2-19
2.2 Problem Identification and Selection ..........................................................................................2-21
2.3 Research Philosophies/ Paradigm/ Epistemology and Ontology ................................................2-22
2.4 Research Type .............................................................................................................................2-27
x

2.4.1 Purpose, Logic, Outcome........................................................................................................2-27
2.4.2 Qualitative vs. Quantitative: ...................................................................................................2-29
2.4.3 Basic or Applied ......................................................................................................................2-30
2.5 Review of Theory and Literature .................................................................................................2-31
2.6 Research Design and Methods....................................................................................................2-32
2.6.1 Select the Problem Cases .......................................................................................................2-34
2.6.2 Policy and Regulatory Reforms ..............................................................................................2-35
2.6.3 Management capability of the government institutions .......................................................2-36
2.7 Why Multiple Case design and Qualitative Strategy ..................................................................2-37
2.7.1 Meaning of Case Design compared with (sample) survey design ..........................................2-38
2.7.2 Case Study in Various Academic Disciplines ...........................................................................2-39
2.7.3 Misconceptions and crude ideas about case study design: some clarifications ....................2-39
2.7.4 Is case study or qualitative research means exploratory research? ......................................2-40
2.7.5 Intensive or Extensive Case Research Design .........................................................................2-40
2.7.6 Example of Large MIG Studies in case design and qualitative approach ...............................2-41
2.7.7 Nature of the research problem: the best determining factor ..............................................2-41
2.8 Reliability, Validity, and Generalization ......................................................................................2-42
2.8.1 Validity and Reliability ............................................................................................................2-42
2.8.2 Generalization ........................................................................................................................2-42
2.8.3 Alternative Criteria for Qualitative Strategy...........................................................................2-44
2.8.4 Triangulation: Variety of Methods .........................................................................................2-45
2.9 Field Work and Data Collection ..................................................................................................2-45
2.9.1 Access and Negotiation: .........................................................................................................2-45
2.9.2 Sources of Data ......................................................................................................................2-46
2.9.3 Data Collection Methods and Related Considerations ...........................................................2-47
2.10 Ethical Issues in research ............................................................................................................2-48
2.11 Analysis and Interpretation ........................................................................................................2-49
2.12 Report Writing ............................................................................................................................2-50
2.13 Citation and Referencing ............................................................................................................2-51
2.14 Contribution of Research ............................................................................................................2-51
Part B Theoretical Framework and Literature Review..................................................................... 2-52
3 Chapter 3 Management in Government (MIG) ............................................................................. 3-52
3.1 Management: Meaning of the Term as a Discipline ...................................................................3-52
3.2 Government: The Idea of Management in Government (MIG) ..................................................3-54
3.3 Beginning of Modern Public Administration ...............................................................................3-55
3.4 Theoretical Approaches to MIG (Public Administration) ............................................................3-55
3.4.1 Historical Evolutions of Paradigms from 1900- Present .........................................................3-55
3.4.2 Different Approaches and Perspectives of MIG (Public Administration) ...............................3-58
3.4.3 Public management as Structure, Craft, and Institution ........................................................3-60
3.4.4 Public Administration and/or Public Management ................................................................3-61
3.4.5 Public management and New Public Management ...............................................................3-63
3.5 Public management and Governance: where is what ................................................................3-65
xi

3.6 What is Public Sector: Scope of MIG ...........................................................................................3-66
3.7 Public management and Private (business) management: Stressing Similarity over the Difference
3-67
3.7.1 The Difference: .......................................................................................................................3-68
3.7.2 The Similarity: .........................................................................................................................3-68
3.7.3 Our Position on Management in Business Vs. Management In Government ........................3-69
3.8 Management in Government (MIG): Good Management for Better Citizen Services - the Ultimate
Bottom Line that Matters ........................................................................................................................3-69
4 Chapter 4 Management in Government in Bangladesh ................................................................ 4-71
4.1 Introduction: Availability of Literature ........................................................................................4-71
4.2 Political Regimes and Public Management Reforms ..................................................................4-72
4.3 Government Sponsored Commissions, Reports, Documents ......................................................4-74
4.3.1 Strategic Document by Caretaker Governments ...................................................................4-76
4.3.2 Digital Bangladesh (ICT in MIG) ............................................................................................4-77
4.3.3 Proposal of Marketing Principles in MIG ................................................................................4-78
4.3.4 The real progress ....................................................................................................................4-78
4.4 International Organizations and Donor Agency Reports ............................................................4-79
4.4.1 Public Administration Efficiency Study (PAES), USAID ...........................................................4-79
4.4.2 Public Administration Sector Study (PASS), funded by the UNDP ..........................................4-80
4.4.3 Government that Works: Reforming the Public Sector (GTW/RPS), World Bank ..................4-80
4.4.4 Taming the Leviathan, World Bank ........................................................................................4-81
4.4.5 Civil Service Change Management Programme (CSCMP), UNDP ...........................................4-81
4.4.6 Managing at the Top (MATT 2)...............................................................................................4-81
4.4.7 BNPP Opinion Survey of Government Officials ......................................................................4-82
4.4.8 Real Change and Progress ......................................................................................................4-83
4.5 Research or Think Tank Reports ..................................................................................................4-83
4.6 Individual Experts, Academics, and Practitioners .......................................................................4-84
4.6.1 Experts in Different Scope ......................................................................................................4-85
4.6.2 Political Leaders and Office Holders .......................................................................................4-87
4.6.3 Businesspersons .....................................................................................................................4-88
4.6.4 NGO Entrepreneur .................................................................................................................4-88
4.6.5 Academics ..............................................................................................................................4-89
4.6.6 Practitioners of Public Management in Bangladesh ..............................................................4-90
4.7 Conclusion and Implications .......................................................................................................4-93
5 Chapter 5 Management in Government Reforms in Different Countries ...................................... 5-95
5.1 Idea of Reform and its Meaning .................................................................................................5-95
5.2 Reforms in UK .............................................................................................................................5-96
5.3 Reforms in USA ...........................................................................................................................5-98
5.4 Reforms in Australia ...................................................................................................................5-99
5.5 Reforms in New Zealand ...........................................................................................................5-101
5.6 Reforms in South-East Asia .......................................................................................................5-102
xii

5.7 Reforms in Africa ......................................................................................................................5-104
5.8 Reforms in South Asia ...............................................................................................................5-105
5.9 Reforms in Functional Aspects of public management .............................................................5-106
5.10 Implications for this Research: Concluding Note ......................................................................5-107
Part C Developing Management Approach in Government .......................................................... 5-109
6 Chapter 6 Education Sector ........................................................................................................ 6-109
6.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................6-109
6.2 Understanding the Problems of the Citizens .............................................................................6-110
6.2.1 Secondary sources: Journalistic Accounts ............................................................................6-111
6.2.2 Primary sources: Citizen Experiences and Narratives ..........................................................6-130
6.3 Analysis of the Problems and Causes ........................................................................................6-134
6.4 Policy and Regulation Flaws .....................................................................................................6-137
6.5 Lack of Management Approach ................................................................................................6-138
6.6 Solution: In Search of a General Management Framework ......................................................6-139
6.6.1 Fixing up Policy and Regulatory flaws (enabling environment for management to work) 6-140
6.6.2 Reducing Management Know-How gaps .............................................................................6-143
6.7 Concluding Note In Search of Intervention ...............................................................................6-144
7 Chapter 7 Health Services Sector ................................................................................................ 7-146
7.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................7-146
7.2 Understanding and Analyzing the Problems .............................................................................7-148
7.2.1 Journalistic Accounts of the problems .................................................................................7-148
7.2.2 Citizen Problem Experiences and Narratives........................................................................7-156
7.3 Solution: In Search of a General Management Framework ......................................................7-160
7.3.1 Policy and Regulation Flaws .................................................................................................7-160
7.3.2 Lack of Management Approach ...........................................................................................7-161
7.4 Recommendations for Solution .................................................................................................7-162
7.5 Concluding Note: In Search of Intervention ..............................................................................7-165
8 Chapter 8 ICT in Government: Unconnected Change Efforts ....................................................... 8-166
8.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................8-166
8.2 Identifying and Understanding the Current Situation (up to June 2012) ..................................8-167
8.3 Citizen Experience: ....................................................................................................................8-173
8.3.1 Some Successful Projects visible to the Citizens: .................................................................8-174
8.4 Analysis of the Current Situation and Bottlenecks ....................................................................8-175
8.5 Solution: Basic Management First, Then IT will Work ..............................................................8-177
8.6 Conclusions: Using IT for Better Citizen Services .......................................................................8-179
9 Chapter 9 Citizen Problems: Highlights from the Field and Everyday Lives ................................. 9-180
xiii

9.1 Introduction ..............................................................................................................................9-180
9.2 Citizen Experience and Highlights from the Field ......................................................................9-181
9.2.1 Traffic Management chaos: from big cities to tiny village haat-bazars ................................9-181
9.2.2 Passport office: Why IT Does Not Help ................................................................................9-182
9.2.3 Voter ID card and Election Office .........................................................................................9-183
9.2.4 Tax Office: cosmetic office and other contradictions ...........................................................9-183
9.2.5 Union Parishad visit notes: information center, shalish, and others ...................................9-184
9.2.6 DC Office Visit Notes ............................................................................................................9-185
9.2.7 District Court Visit Notes ......................................................................................................9-187
9.2.8 Land Office Visit Notes .........................................................................................................9-187
9.2.9 Trade License From City Corporation ...................................................................................9-187
9.2.10 Prescribing Drugs For Workers in EPZ ..............................................................................9-188
9.2.11 What Citizens Perceive.....................................................................................................9-188
9.3 Concluding Note........................................................................................................................9-189
Part D Concluding: In Search of a Framework .............................................................................. 9-190
10 Chapter 10 A MIG Framework that Works for the Citizen ........................................................ 10-190
10.1 Why another Framework for MIG-BD .................................................................................... 10-190
10.2 Is there a problem in MIG? Or is it all about Politics. ............................................................. 10-191
10.3 MIG Culture (Government Organization Environment) ......................................................... 10-193
10.4 Understanding what Management can and cannot do ......................................................... 10-195
10.4.1 What Management Cannot Do : The Given Contextual Problems ............................... 10-196
10.4.2 What Management Can Do .......................................................................................... 10-198
10.5 Management Proposition ...................................................................................................... 10-198
10.5.1 Nature of the Basic Management Lacking in Government ........................................... 10-199
10.5.2 Management and Change Starts with Good Policies .................................................... 10-203
10.5.3 Strategic and Operational Management Tools and Techniques ................................... 10-204
10.5.4 Measurements in MIG .................................................................................................. 10-206
10.6 Management in Government: Summary of the Framework .................................................. 10-209
10.7 Concluding Note..................................................................................................................... 10-211
11 Chapter 11 Conclusion, Contribution, and Further research ..................................................... 11-213
11.1 Summary and Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 11-213
11.2 Contribution: the basic minimum addition to the existing discourse..................................... 11-217
11.3 Further Research .................................................................................................................... 11-220
11.4 The Final Concluding Note: .................................................................................................... 11-225
12 References:......................................................................................................................................... i



xiv

List of Illustrations

Figures
Figure 2-A Research Onion (Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill 2006).................................................. 2-23
Figure 2-B Research Paradigms as Continuums ....................................................................... 2-27
Figure 2-C Flowchart of Research Design ................................................................................. 2-36
Figure 6-A Education Sector Problems .................................................................................... 6-134
Figure 8-A Deceptively Simple Framework of Using IT for better CSD.................................... 8-177
Figure 10-A Initial Fieldwork: Citizen Problems Everywhere ................................................ 10-192
Figure 10-B Summary of MIG-B Framework ......................................................................... 10-211

Tables
Table 2-A Variation of Steps of Research Process ..................................................................... 2-21
Table 2-B Selecting and Narrowing the Problem Area .............................................................. 2-22
Table 2-C Four Research Philosophies ....................................................................................... 2-25
Table 2-D Descriptors of Research Design................................................................................. 2-28
Table 2-E Qualitative Vs. Quantitative Design .......................................................................... 2-30
Table 2-F Category of Literature Sources ................................................................................. 2-32
Table 2-G Research Design Framework ..................................................................................... 2-33
Table 2-H: Methods associate with Paradigms ........................................................................ 2-34
Table 2-I SPSS view of Cases and Variables ............................................................................ 2-43
Table 3-A Perspectives of Public Administration....................................................................... 3-58
Table 4-A Source of MIG Discourse ........................................................................................... 4-74


xv

Abbreviations

ADB Asian Development Bank
ASRC Administrative and Services
Reorganization Committee
AUSAID Australian Agency for
International Development
BAL Bangladesh Awami League
BCS Bangladesh Civil Service
BEE Business Enabling Environment
BNP Bangladesh Nationalist Party
CIDA Canadian International Development
Agency
CSD Citizen Service Delivery.
CSR Civil Service Reform
DANIDA Danish Agency for International
Development Agency
DC District Commissioner
EE Enabling Environment
ICS Indian Civil Service
ICT Information and Communication
Technology
IFC International Finance Corporation
MBA Master of Business Administration
MIG Management in Government
MLC Martial Law Committee
MPA Master of Public Administration
NPC National Pay Commission
NPM New Public Management
NPR National Performance Review
OECD Organization for Economic
Cooperation and Development
PAES Public Administration Efficiency
Study
PARC Public Administration Reform
Commission
PFI Private Finance Initiative
PPP Public-Private partnerships
PMO Prime Ministers Office.
P & SC Pay and Services Commission
PSM Public sector management ()
SMP Senior Management Pool
SPSS Statistical Programs for the Social
Science/ Statistical Product and
Service Solutions
TIB Transparency International
Bangladesh
TQM Total Quality Management
UKAID United Kingdom Agency for
International Development
UNDP United Nations Development Program
USAID United States Agency for
International Development
WB World Bank



1-1

Part A : Introduction
Chapter 1 Context and Rationale for a MIG Study
Chapter 2 Research Methodology and Design

1 Chapter 1: Context and Rationale for a MIG Study

1.1 Introduction: The Development
In all respects, Bangladesh is a developing country and hot bed for development discourse
all the time. Now is it economic growth that we are seeking or human development?
Development has become a much broader concept along the ongoing discourse, in fact so
broad that it may encompass the whole essence of humanity.
Three basic components or core values serve as a conceptual basis and practical guideline
for understanding the inner meaning of development. These core values - sustenance, self-
esteem and freedom- represent common goals sought by all individuals and societies and
relate to fundamental human needs that find their expression in almost all societies and
cultures at all the times. Whatever the specific components of better life, development in
all societies must have at least following three objectives (Todaro & Smith, 2012):
1. To increase the availability and widen the distribution of basic - life sustaining
goods such as food, shelter, health and protection.
2. To raise levels of living including, in addition to higher incomes, the provision of
more jobs, better education, and greater attention to cultural and human values, all
of which will serve not only to enhance material well-being but also to generate
greater individual and national self-esteem.
3. To expand the range of economic and social choices available to individuals and
nations by freeing them from servitude and dependence not only in relation to
other people and nation-states but also to the forces of ignorance and human
misery.
Economic growth, on the other hand, may happen without development and may exclude
citizen participation and engagement. Many observers would agree that participation- a
1-2

say in development policies by the people most affected by them- is in itself a chief end of
development. Participation is also a means to further human capabilities and other goals of
development. Reforms in government machinery are ongoing throughout the globe and
inclusion of citizens, for whom the government exists, has become an accepted means and
goal of the whole process.
Reform efforts are centered on this challenge - how to include citizen in the whole process
of development. Definitely government should have a definite vision of ensuring good
governance and development in general. Among other actors of overall governance,
government is responsible for the holistic development of its citizen through its public
management mechanism.
Can management in government or public management thrive with the given restriction of
the contextual realities? That needs some in-depth investigation.
1.2 Research Context, Origin, or Background
What citizens expect from a government? What are citizens of Bangladesh is getting from
Government? What is the condition of management in government in Bangladesh? What
is the general perception of the people? Where do we stand when compared to the standard
of ongoing management in government reforms in developed countries?
From our exploratory phase, we have come to realize that Government is characterized by
long bureaucracy, unnecessary procedures, and it is not customer (citizen) friendly.
Government systems and organizations do not work well in developing countries like
Bangladesh. In other words, they are very poorly managed. Citizens go to government
offices for many reasons and they do not find the offices customer (citizen) friendly.
This decline of confidence is not only exclusive to country like Bangladesh but also
somewhat true for many countries. Osborne and Gaebler (1992) attributed the decline in
public confidence to the governments inefficiency and lack of responsiveness. The
authors argued that it is not what governments do but how they operate that engenders
distrust. So todays government and public service management need to be citizen centric
(like customer centric in business management) and performance based. High
performance public organization is marked by the following aspects:
It is vision, mission and goal directed with continuous performance measurement
as a central value.
1-3

It prefers multi-skilled workers rather than those of narrow expertise because jobs
are enriched, employees given greater latitude and discretion.
A flatter, more flexible one replaces the tall and rigid organizational hierarchy. As
a result, decision-making in a high-performance public organization is dispersed
rather than centralized.
Because of job enrichment and dispersed decision-making, a policy promoting
continuous learning at all organizational levels is a priority.
Managerial control is maintained less by exercise of formal authority, and more by
leadership through an example and continuous effort to clarify organizational
vision, mission, goals and values.

So, in a global perspective, the institution of Government is increasingly under
pressure from different communities and citizens to be more responsive and
effective. Government needs to play a vital and facilitating role in the enabling
environment process for citizens.
There is additional challenge of public accountability in public service management.
Accountability involves both the political justification of decisions and actions, and
managerial answerability for implementation of agreed tasks according to agreed criteria
of performance (Day and Klein, 1987).
It is a general perception of the citizens of Bangladesh that management of government
organizations and units is inefficient and ineffective. Poverty and scarcity is a given factor
in a developing country like Bangladesh. But many a times the reason is not the lack of
resources rather management incapability: to develop a well functioning and well
coordinated government policy and regulatory environment and incapability to implement
basic management principles in day to day management.
Can it be improved - with all the grim political, economic, social, cultural realities?
Bangladesh is a developing country. It has crossed forty (40) years in 2011 since
independence in 1971. After a number of political changes and interruptions, democracy is
quite established since 1991 and mainly two parties, Bangladesh Awami League (BAL)
and Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) shared the five(5) year term alternatively. There
are deep political divide and consensus on the broader goals are rare.
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In economic term, market economy and importance of private sector is well recognized. In
1971 to 1975 period there was a nationalization agenda but after that, since 1976,
government gradually moved to privatization as government seemed to have failed in
many nationalized organizations. We skip here the political details of the rise and fall of
nationalization and fall and rise of privatization, but just set the context that, later with the
global trend, till now in 2012, privatization is a top agenda.
Whatever the changes of political and economic ideology are, the citizen perception of
government is the quality of government and governing did not increase during last 40
years since independence. Ironically, many senior citizens believe that we as independent
country do not have the administrative capacity as they had in British regime, or even in
West Pakistan regime. This is not to say that a country does not need to be independent
but a longitudinal perception of the citizens who lived over a large horizon of time support
this unintended hypothesis.
Now we have found from our exploratory phase of this study that most of the people think
that everything depends on politics. Without qualitative changes in politics, there will not
be any major improvements in government work processes, in other words, management
in government (MIG). And, there is a consensus in all reports of United Nations, World
Bank, OECD, ADB and the similar organizations that political willingness and
commitment is instrumental for ensuring good governance.
While we took stock of the political situation, we found we are locked up in deep divide.
But is that the greatest problem of all? But that is not unique to this country.
In UK, there is Tory versus Labour party. In USA, there are republican vs. democrats.
Current US president Barack Obama (2006) vividly described the nature of the political
divide in that country. India, the touted largest democracy could not get out of this family
dynasty grip Neheru, Indira, Rajib, then Sonia, and then Rahul for in fact four
generations. Pakistan also carries the Bhutto legacy and very much under the family traps
which is detailed by an insider like Fatima Bhutto and another positive change calling
politician globally famed ex-cricketer Imran Khan (Khan, Imran, 2011) (Bhutto, Fatima,
2010) (Obama, 2006).
So, the notion of politics in many countries including developed one is negative, in
general. But in a developing country like ours, the practice of Hartal (forceful imposition
of all out strike), destruction, obstruction, and anarchy are openly backed up by the
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political leaders headed by two family dynasties. Add to that, our education level, social
and economic condition is at very lower quality level. This is clear that this is not going to
change all on a sudden.
Empirical evidence shows that many countries are progressing with deep political
divide between two or among more parties. Then what is the basic difference between
these developing countries and those developed countries, for example USA, UK,
Australia, New Zealand, or Singapore? Their systems work in general. Ours do not work,
mostly. Why? The fact is that public management or management in government (MIG) is
working in those and other places for basic service delivery of the citizens.
That is why we want to move beyond this popular wisdom of all-political-reasons and
offer alternative solutions framework for MIG. While we do not disagree with the
notion of political willingness and commitment as an essential precondition, we do want to
examine the possibility of improvement in MIG within the given set of macro forces like
political, economic, social and cultural factors.
The reasoning is, in line with critical realism paradigm, those macro forces do exist
and within those given set of conditions, it is still possible to make management work,
that is make government work for the citizens in terms of enabling environment and
better service delivery.
Can Management in Government (MIG) in Bangladesh be improved with all these
global and local realities in the context? Our assumption is: yes it can be improved
regardless of political and other contextual factor reforms.
One key issue is - What policies/ acts/ regulations should be changed? What is wrong with
existing age old ones? What to keep and what not, and what to be modified.
Another key issue is- What kind of management improvement is needed in government
unit and agencies what is the nature of citizen service delivery deficiency what are the
modern business management principles readily implementable in the public management.
Next we move on defining our objective for the discourse.
1.3 Research Objective and Intended Output of the Inquiry
In an in-depth phenomenological narrative study like this one, starts with grounded theory
approach and with a very general question. For operational purpose, however, we may
break down into following:
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1.3.1 Central, General, or Broad Research Question and Objective
Given this background and context, we are in a position to narrowing down our central
question that we will be answering.
How to improve Management in Government (MIG) in Bangladesh, given the
limitations of political, economic, social and cultural environment? This is the central
question for this study, around which the whole theoretical review, analysis, and
comprehensive fieldwork has been done.
In other way, the overall objective is:
To understand the nature of mismanagement issues in government
and provide solutions for those or develop a framework for
management in government.
The intended outcome of this to come out with recommendations and
guidelines for some policy and regulatory reforms and generally applicable
management frameworks for government offices and managers.
1.3.2 Investigative Research Questions or Objectives
With this over arching objective, we can develop some investigative questions and
objectives for our research as follows:
- What is the nature of the contradictions, inconsistencies, and incompleteness in
different policies, acts, rules and regulations, and government directives?
Is the process of policy making and regulations formulating a
systemic one or not?
- What is the nature of institutional mismanagement?
What kind of Management ineffectiveness and inefficiency is seen
in government offices and processes in terms of lack of
management know-how, poor work and process design, poor
service delivery standard, lack of customer responsiveness and so
on.
- What should or could be done in above two streams recommendations for policy
and regulatory reforms and guideline for management in government?
The above mentioned investigative questions can be put into other way or in forms of
specific objectives:
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Examine the related government acts, policies, regulatory manuals and guidelines
to understand the contradictions, inconsistencies, bottlenecks, obsoleteness,
undesired consequences, or coordination problems.
Develop a clear verbal model of how these policy bottlenecks are
encouraging malpractice and discouraging compliance both at the
citizen level and at the organizational levels.
The intended outcome of this is to come out with practical and specific
recommendations for policy and regulatory reforms

Identify the related areas where modern or simply basic management principles
can readily be applied within the discretion of the local public managers
Compile and consolidate real life citizen experiences with the
government offices and identify the areas where modern business or
simply basic management principles can readily be applied within
the discretion of the local public managers (the cases where the
local level public managers can improve the operations right away)
The intended outcome of this is to come out with practical and specific
recommendations for managers working in government and provide them a
conceptual framework that can be applied for improving management in the public
organizations.
1.4 Rationale of the Study
Endorsed by prominent governmental leaders and elected officials including then US
president Bill Clinton, the book Reinventing Government by Osborne and Gaebler, reads
like a business textbook on how government could be better run. The book contains
sweeping proposals for change, exemplified by chapter titles including Catalytic
Government, Community-Owned Government, Competitive Government,
Mission-Driven Government, Results-Oriented Government, Customer-Driven
Government, Enterprising Government, Anticipatory Government, Decentralized
Government, and Market-Oriented Government. The book was lucky to get wide
publicity and acceptance in government circle, but all these have been echoed more or less
in government reform discourses for good many years.
Change is inevitable and affects the public as well as the private sectors. All organizations
are subject to new challenges and new competitors, any of which might call for a
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restructuring of the organization or its termination. Government also needs to integrate the
change culture into its routine bureaucracy be it developed countries or developing ones.
This study will try to argue that awareness of the simple management principles will solve
many solutions locally. And many small changes are there which will not need political
regime change. Just with a little understanding of how policy bottlenecks are created,
related government officials (managers) can improve many things. The only things they
need are go-ahead support from top (enabling environment, policy and regulatory
reforms), and basic management training (business management principles).
Many would agree with the argument, with what this study starts, that the country needs a
massive overhaul from top to bottom. After all these 40 years, we could not manage our
progress well in a projected path when compared to countries having similar, even lower
level of development, such as Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam and so on. We
need a visionary road map for the country, a monumental document for the government.
While itself may not be that monumental, this study, would add to the
formation of such strategic discourse for the government. It will be useful and
interesting of elected office holders (members of parliament, city corporation
mayors, upazila parishad chairman, union parishad chairman), public
managers (secretary of ministry, chairman/ director general of different
department, directorate, corporations, district administrators, education
officers, health officers etc.) and anyone interested in the issues and
challenges in public service, management or administration.
Literature review revealed that study concerning improvement of public sector
management and regulations have been done or underway in many countries by many
individuals and organizations. So many cross country experiences from those countries
can be shared and tried. That will be one upside of this study. Internet made it possible to
utilize many reports and sources otherwise not possible in earlier days.
When geography no longer determines the boundaries of the study's parameters,
researchers can be less constrained by the structure, space, and time within which
interactions occur. This capacity of the internet is generally taken for granted in everyday
communication with others. Internet interfaces disregard location and distance, enabling
the instantaneous and inexpensive transmission of information between people and
1-9

databases (Markham, Annette N., 2008). So we can readily and seamlessly investigate the
condition of management in government and room for improvement.
The outcome of this thesis is not expected to be a prescription for any single
ministry (e.g. education ministry, communication ministry), or a state owned
enterprise (Sugar corporation, chemical corporation), or a state run public
service organization (Bangladesh railway, Telephone).
Rather it will provide a framework that can be applied to any government run
initiatives. So elected officials and public managers, whoever is willing to do
some good job within their scope may find it insightful about why something
dont work even if there is good intention from the part of government, and
how to make it work actually.
For rationale of methodology, it can be said that there are many such works which
confirms the initial proposition that quality of management in government (MIG) in
Bangladesh is low and also perceived even lower by its citizens. Transparency
International Bangladesh publishes regularly the citizen survey in a quantitative form
(TIB, 2010, 2011). One year, the judiciary becomes number one (lowest quality perception
by the citizens), another year the police, and so on. On the ground, citizens know for sure,
whichever government institution ranks higher or lower, all of them are grossly
mismanaged.
So another quantification of representative sample population perceptions is less
needed. What is more needed is an in-depth scenario analysis why management in
government is consistently so poor. That is why a phenomenological or narrative
approach to this study seemed most appropriate according to thesis objectives.
1.5 Topical Scope, Definitions, and Limitations of Inquiry
A study or inquiry like this one takes place in a particular scope bounded by geography,
social context, and accepted definitions. In the following sections we want to outline that
boundary or perimeter.
1.5.1 Basic Assumptions and Propositions
Investigative studies of this kind start with certain premises or assumptions and
propositions, by which it is meant that certain things, are considered given as the boundary
of the research context.
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The basic premises or assumptions to start with this investigation:
1. Management in Government (MIG) is poor, short of effectiveness and efficiency.
It is not objective-oriented rather rule-and-procedure-oriented and it is not
customer (citizen) friendly.
2. Management in private sector is better than management in government in terms of
effectiveness, objective or result orientation, and efficiency of achieving those
organizational objectives.
3. There are no immediate signs of change in political leadership and culture which
can be termed as family dynasty based. Political parties are locked up in family
dynasties; democracy within the party in major parties doesnt work; party
politics centers on persons. This is not going to change any time soon as
youngsters of two dynasties are waiting to be throne as party heads.
4. Education level and corresponding socioeconomic culture is low and given, and
will not change fundamentally in the short run. Though literacy rate gradually
increased over the years, mortality rate decreased, the quality of education did not
improve significantly. So it cannot have significant impact on improving
collective, social and rational choices.
5. In the other way, political, social and cultural attitude of the people may not be
going to change significantly over short period of time.
6. But, given all limitations and restrictions of uncontrollable macro environmental
factors of Bangladesh, public management or MIG can be improved significantly
or made more responsive to citizen needs, internal institutional management can be
more efficient and effective, for better citizen service.
That the pubic management, MIG, as a craft, can be improved, despite all these
macro variables political, economic, social, cultural as fixed over the short run, is
the starting premise of this study.

The improvement may result from two streams: government has to create enabling
environment through policy and regulatory reforms and government also has to apply
business management principles and practices at the institutional level.

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1.5.2 Enabling Environment for Management in Government (MIG)
Enabling environment connotes the meaning of facilitating, supporting, monitoring,
regulatory capability of government. Here government is responsible for creating a
conducive and equitable environment for its main customer the citizens in general.
A quick scan of printed and electronic sources reveals the ubiquity of the term
enabling environment (EE) from as narrow as only regulatory framework to as wide as
socio economic development itself (Brinkerhoff, 2004).
Drawing from UNCTAD document United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change (UNFCC) defined it like this: enabling environment is the expression
that encompasses government policies that focus on creating and maintaining an
overall macroeconomic environment that brings together suppliers and consumers in
an inter-firm co-operation manner (UNFCC website, 2012).
When International Finance Corporation (IFC) works to improve enabling
environment, it means to promote reforms that support private sector development
targeting the most critical areas affecting local businesses, such as burdensome
business regulations, and to bring small businesses into the public-private dialogue.
(IFC, 2010).
A UNIDO report (2008) on the private sector development in Sub Saharan Africa,
mentioned the enabling environment encompassing from the narrow scope of
regulatory business environment to broader scope of investment climate.
Another typical general definition is as follows: An enabling environment is a set of
interrelated conditionssuch as legal, bureaucratic, fiscal, informational, political, and
culturalthat impact on the capacity of development actors to engage in
development processes in a sustained and effective manner (Thindwa, 2001: 3).
Brinkerhoff (2004) presented commonly agreed-upon features of the enabling
environment, divided into five categories of factors: economic, political,
administrative, socio-cultural, and resources.
He mentioned that government needs to:
a) improve policy, legal, and regulatory frameworks;
b) build institutional capacity across sectors and at various levels;
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c) seek out and respond to citizens needs and preferences;
d) establish and maintain a range of oversight, accountability, and feedback
mechanisms; and
e) mobilize and allocate public resources and investments.
However, he also acknowledged that government is not the only actor involved in
contributing to an enabling environment. As the governanceterminology reflects, societal
problem-solving, the production of public goods and social capital formation are not the
sole purview of government actors.
In our country context and within the scope of our study, we can take the two relevant
categories: Economic and Administrative, in the sense that government can control these
factors more directly as part of usual good public management endeavor.
For example, in the Administrative category the features of enabling environment are
Efficient service delivery capacity
Low levels of corruption.
Institutional checks & balances.
Decentralization.
Civil service meritocracy.
The associated illustrative enabling Actions by Government may be:
Curbing abuse & corruption.
Creating incentives for performance
Separating service provision from financing
Building cross-sectoral partnerships
Establishing monitoring & evaluation systems
Improving coordination across agencies & sectors
In the Economic factors category the features of enabling environment are
Nondistortionary policy framework.
Encouragement of free markets & open competition.
Supportive of investment (including physical security)
Low transactions costs, credible commitment.
The associated illustrative enabling Actions by Government may be:
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Reducing red tape & unnecessary regulation.
Managing macro-economic policy to control inflation, deficit spending,
and assure stability.
Reducing tariffs, barriers to investment (level playing field).
Investing in physical infrastructure (roads, transportation, etc.).
Controlling criminality and violence)

So we can conclude that the idea of enabling environment can be used to foster the pro-
activeness of the actors in different setting business, society, government or to foster the
progress of particular issues like saving the environment, preventing human trafficking, or
AIDS etc.
In our particular MIG research context, we want to define it simply the preconditions
required for well functioning of the organization or management to work. For example,
as seen in the exploring of the enabling environment for increasing the tax revenue of
Bangladesh government (Khaled, 2010), the key point is: Is there an environment where
people can smoothly pay the tax, if they want to pay - abiding by all the existing tax rules
and regulations? If not, what is hindering? That answers enabling environment
preconditions.
That implies enabling environment will enable civil servants or public managers work
with management approach which is by definition goal oriented (deciding goals,
aligning with overall government mission and objectives, maximizing the utilization of
minimum resources, and leading people into that direction).
In this study, the point of concern is pubic managers need the strategic and institutional
support from the government machinery in the first place. Then we can expect they will
manage the affairs (say, citizen service delivery, land record management, upazila health
complex management). Only then we can held them accountable and motivate them to be
performance oriented.
The best way for ensuring enabling environment is to instill a continuous process of
Policy and Regulatory Reforms which will create an enabling environment for putting
management in action in government.
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1.5.3 Policy and Regulatory Reforms by the Government
In simple term, governments policy and regulatory reform means continually
updating the rules and regulations. Government is supposed to take reform initiatives
from time to time to create an enabling environment for all public managers,
businesses, social groups, universities, other organizations and citizens in general, so
that all can interact in a healthy manner. That means making the rules and regulations
clear, easy, and fair so that citizens, businesses, and other social groups can follow
those without feeling locked- up in contradictions and inconsistencies.
It is boldly stated in Modernising Government report (OECD 2002) that public sector
modernisation is no longer an option, but a necessity. It will help governments respond
to changing societal needs and maintain competitiveness in an uncertain international
environment. In this context, Regulatory Reform concerns improvements to the quality
of government regulation. OECD Regulatory Reform Program is aimed at helping
governments improve regulatory quality -- that is, reforming regulations that raise
unnecessary obstacles to competition, innovation and growth, while ensuring that
regulations efficiently serve important social objectives. Regulation is essential for
society and well-functioning economies. Sound policy principles reduce costs and
promote innovation and competition (OECD 2012).
I n our research context we accepted the proposition that good policy and regulations
are preconditions to create an enabling environment for MIG or make management
work in government. So policy and regulatory reforms should be an integrated
process in the overall strategic management in government for making MIG updated,
enabled, citizen-centric, or service oriented, and result oriented. Then the need,
concurrently or subsequently, is to train and develop public managers to apply
business management principles and practices for delivering better citizen services.
1.5.4 Business Management Principles and Practices
In simple term business management principles are those followed in the private sector
in a competitive environment to remain competitive in the market more customers,
more products, more sales, more revenue, more profit, more efficiency, and so on. In
general, the tools and techniques for continuous improvement used in management in
private sector are what we call business management principles and practices.
Various text books and sources have little variations over the definition of the term
management. But we can very safely say that Management is the process of planning,
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organizing, leading, and controlling of available human, financial, physical, and
information resources for achieving desired objectives, effectively and efficiently.
Following are just example of some of the terms that fall under the umbrella construct
of business management principles and practices:
Strategic planning
Objective/ goal orientation
Effective delegation
Logical arrangement of resources (Organizing)
Motivated human resources
Human resource development
Total quality management, continuous improvement
Reengineering, redesigning, reorganizing, restructuring
Effective two way, all way communication
Feedback and corrective adjustment
Leadership and initiative and pro-activeness
Creative and innovative solutions
Application of scientific or systemic procedure for problem
identification and solving
Using data as evidence for decision making
Flat hierarchy, lean operations, cutting redundant steps
And so on, for continuous improvement for competitiveness
No one denies the fact that organizations are different in terms of ownership and
purpose. But anyone will hardly deny the fact that all organizations are meant to
achieve some form of objective whatever it may be in most efficient, or say, cost
effective manner. There comes good management. All want good management in all
organizations.
Private sector or businesses in a competitive market understand and follow this at its
core in their daily affairs. Those who can follow it more, gain more, progress
forward; those who cannot forced back in the rank in the market in terms of revenue
and profit. In terms of achieving organization objectives, Business organizations
have been doing much better historically than any other type of organizations whose
owners are not private investors but government, trusts, or social groups.
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No complex things about what these principles and practices of business
management are or what constitutes those principles. We do not want to go at length
on the term of principles or practices; rather, we use the both words for the sake of
embodiment of the range of principles, concepts, tools and techniques followed and
practiced by business management in the business organizations, holding the fact
constant that all practices are ethically acceptable.
1.5.5 Limitations
A thesis is by definition limited by its scope and reach to the setting.
The study limits generalizability by focusing on only a few sectors like education,
health, IT in government. Therefore, while the results are generalizable to
theoretical propositions for all other sectors, empirical findings are subject to
further research.
One researcher (self) conducted the interviews and reviewed the documentation
which would be strengthened if could be done as part of the larger project
sponsored by the government itself.
It is possible that additional documents, reports, are there which may shed lights on
the topic and that could have contributed to the strength of the conclusion.
Limited by access to larger population of the public managers due to availability,
convenience, lack of fund. Institutional arrangement could not be expected to reach
out the capital Dhaka and do field work in the secretariat and different ministries.
Field work was mainly done in the district and upazila level offices of one district,
say Chittagong.
1.5.6 Delimitations
Delimitation is basically stating the scope of the research (Collis & Hussy, 2009)
how we addressed or mitigated the limitations.
We focused on the discipline of management and how it can be applied in government
organizations by the ministers and public managers. We adopted multiple methods for
increasing validity and reliability of the findings. As our interest was not the case
itself, rather on what general pattern we can draw from our inquiry, this was done by
using different sources from different area of government offices and by using different
methods in the fieldwork.
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1.6 Organization of the Thesis
Part A provide the introduction to the study and methodology of the study
o Chapter one introduces the topic in general. This develops the ground
and position of the research and researcher. Assumptions are stated and
terms, scope and limitations are defined.
o Chapter two discusses the research methodology, research philosophies
and paradigm, design, choice of methods, nature of data, fieldwork,
ethical issues and other practical issues in details.

Part B Theory and Literature Review, discusses the theoretical framework
where the study is located and existing body of knowledge in the areas related
to this thesis.
o Chapter three reviews the academic discipline management in
government (MIG) which is known generally as public
administration. Author elaborately reviews the origin and evolution of
public administration and different terms associated with it new
public administration, public management, new public management,
governance and so on.
o Chapter four, Management in Government in Bangladesh reviews the
management in government or public administration and reforms in
Bangladesh so far up to 2012.
o Chapter five, Public Sector Reforms in Different Countries draws from
reform experiences in different countries including reports made by the
national governments and international organizations like UN, WB,
ADB, OECD etc.
Part C- Findings from the field- discusses on the issue how to improve
management in government. It is the consolidation of the field work done for
this study.
o Chapter 6 investigates the education sector in details what are the
problems, analysis of them, and where to start the solutions.
o Chapter 7 investigates the health services sector in similar manner
seeing problem from a customer (citizen point of view) then solving it
from a managerial perspective.
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o Chapter 8 investigates a cross cutting issue IT in government or the
condition of digital Bangladesh, the slogan that represents the issue.
o Chapter 9 presents different other citizen issues or problem which can
be improved following the general framework suggested in the
following chapter. Rather than picking one or two snapshots, this
chapter shows the highlights from the field work.

Part D draws conclusion from the discourse developed so far.
o Chapter 10 In Search of a Framework consolidates the findings from
the field and reviewing the existing theory and literature by suggesting
a workable management framework which can be followed by ministers
and public managers.
o Chapter 11 draws a concluding note, summarizes the contribution of
this thesis, and also proposes further research possibilities.
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Part A : Introduction
Chapter 1 Context and Rationale for a MIG Study
Chapter 2 Methodology Research Methodology and Design

2 Chapter 2: Research Methodology and Design

2.1 Research: A Systemic Process of Inquiry into a Problem
2.1.1 Why Methodology Chapter is before the Literature Chapter
Research methodology chapter is generally put after the literature review chapter(s) where
the later is used as a basis for finding the research gap and rationale. But in our case, we
decided to follow the less common practice of putting methodology chapter before the
literature review chapter, because for achieving our research objective of in depth
understanding the management in government (MIG) problem, reviewing multiple
dimensions of the MIG discourse itself seemed to be a critically important method.
2.1.2 Defining Our Research
The definition of research may be stated in different ways. However, from the many
definitions offered, there is general agreement that research is a process of enquiry and
investigation, systematic and methodical, and it increases knowledge.
Research is much more than mere speculation or assumptions about the events,
transactions, and activities (Collis & Hussy, 2009).
Generating new knowledge does not necessarily mean to propose something extra
ordinarily novel. Fundamental breakthrough might come in the process, knowingly or
unknowingly, as a natural consequence of the inquiry and investigation. But the outcome
may also be - after reviewing and synthesizing all the existing literatures - a little addition
to the field of knowledge, an incremental and gradual contribution. This is relevant
regardless of the scale of research.
So the desired outcome or achievement of a research can be summarized as follows (Collis
& Hussy, 2009)
1. A review and synthesis of existing knowledge sources
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2. An exploration and investigation some existing situation or problem
3. One or multiple solutions or pathways to solve a problem
4. A construct or creation of a new procedure or system
5. An explanation of a new phenomenon
6. A combination of any of the above.
In our case, research is about
- greater understanding of the citizen problems and associated management in
government (MIG) problems, analyzing the problems and deciphering the complex
interrelationships among all the related actors politicians, elected office holders,
government bureaucrats or managers, executing agencies, businesses and citizens.
- The ultimate outcome would be to propose a framework of solutions, actionable
steps in some cases, to be taken by the government as the authority of the public
management.
There are different stages in this systematic process of research:
There is a slight difference among the sources in terms of presenting the sequence of
methods followed at each stages of research.
- For example, some viewed qualitative research as a preliminarily stage for refining
the questions or as a means of exploratory research. But we agreed to others who
saw qualitative approach as a parallel approach to the research not a subsidiary
step of research or quantitative research.
- For example, some mentioned hypothesis formulation and testing as given in the
research process. But most, to who we agree, considered hypothesis formulation
and testing is just one of the several quantitative approaches. There are many
important and in-depth researches which do not require it altogether, or generate
those for testing at further researches.
Also we considered other research methodology texts (Kothari, 2007) (Krishnaswamy,
2011) (Johnson, 2000).
- Whatever it is, problem identification is the most important first step of any
research and all the subsequent approaches and methods depends mostly on the
nature of the research problem.

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Table 2-A : Variation of Steps of Research Process
(Saunders, Lewis, &
Thornhill, 2005)
(Bryman & Bell, 2003) (Bryman & Bell, 2003) (Cooper & Schindler, 2011)
- Research topic
- Review literature
- Research philosophy and
approach
- Formulate research design
- Negotiate access
- Data collection
- Data analysis using
quantitative and/ or
qualitative methods
- Write report, prepare
presentation
Qualitative Research
- General Research
Question
- Selecting relevant site(s)
and subjects
- Collection of relevant data
- Interpretation of Data
- Conceptual and theoretical
work :
Tighter specification of
the research question(s)
Collection of further
data
- Writing up findings/
conclusion

Quantitative Research
- Theory
- Hypothesis
- Research Design
- Devise measures of
concepts
- Select research site(s)
- Select research
subjects/respondents
- Administer research
instruments/collect data
- Process and Analyze data
- Findings/conclusion
- Write up findings/
conclusion
- Discover Management
Dilemma/ Define the
management Question
- Define the Research
Question
- Design Strategy (type,
purpose, time frame,
scope, environment)
- Sampling Design
- Data collection and
Preparation
- Data analysis and
interpretation
- Research reporting
- Management Decision
(Collis & Hussy, 2009) (Fraenkel & Wallen, 2000) (Zikmund, 2003) (Malhotra, 2007)
- Identify Research topic
- Define research problem
- Determined how to
conduct research
- Collect research Data
- Analyze and interpret
research data
- Write dissertation/ thesis

- Research problem
- Exploratory Question or
Hypothesis
- Definitions
- Review of the related
literature
- Sample
- Instrumentation
- Procedures
- Data analysis
- Problem Discovery
- Selection of exploratory
research technique
- Problem definition/
research objectives)
- Selection of basic research
method
- Selection of sample design
- Collection of data(field
work)
- Data processing and
analysis
- Interpretation of findings
- Report
- Problem definition
- Development of an
Approach to the Problem
- Research Design
Formulation
- Field work or Data
collection
- Data Preparation and
Analysis
- Report preparation and
Presentation



2.2 Problem Identification and Selection
One way of defining research is search for truth or search the truth for deeper
understanding of a problem or a phenomenon or searching the truth for a solution to a
problem. Here problem does not mean a problem always; it may actually mean an
opportunity. So when we say problem in research, as Cooper and Schindler (2001) put it,
research is always problem-solving based because all research should provide an answer
to some question. In that line, we can say anything that we do not know or understand
fully is a problem and researchs job is understanding, explaining, and predicting the
way out.
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Bryman and Bell (2003) mentioned that the problem to be studied, the research questions,
start out with a general research area that interests the researchers. It may derive from any
of several sources:
Personal Interest/ experience/ puzzles
Some particular theory
The existing literature in the research area
New development or changes or problems in the society
In our case, the research area came from researchers academic discipline and interest in
the area of management. Over the years, I have developed a particular interest in
management of and in the government.
The interest originated from a sense of social obligation. Many years of observation and
strong belief that the ongoing mismanagement of the government, however deep rooted it
may be, can be improved, led me to think about doing a systemic inquiry into the area of
management in government what is wrong with management in government, why
citizens have so low confidence in its capability of delivering, why government cannot
do it effectively and/or efficiently.
Table 2-B : Selecting and Narrowing the Problem Area
Subject Area/ Discipline of Knowledge Management
Sector Scope Government
Geographic Scope Developing countries South Asia Bangladesh

After this very important first step, we need to have a pondering about our philosophical
and paradigmatic choices.
2.3 Research Philosophies/ Paradigm/ Epistemology and Ontology
We took the position that research approaches and methods depends on the nature of the
problem. Besides, the choice of methods at each stage of research heavily depends on
ontological and epistemological assumptions or philosophical positions made by the
researchers, in the beginning of the process.
Some writers, such as Guba and Lincoln (1994:105), argue that questions of research
methods are of secondary importance to questions of which paradigm is applicable to your
research.
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Ontology and Epistemology is the discussions of philosophy on what to know or what is
worth knowing, how to know. Ontology is what the nature of reality is is it objective
or subjective? Epistemology is how we study reality, how we know that we know, or
the relationship of the researcher to that researched independent objective observer or
interactionist and constructionist?
Research philosophy is the first layer of the research process onion (Saunders, Lewis, and
Thornhill, 2003). There are three views:
1. Positivism: natural science approach; objective reality, highly structured
methodology; researcher is an outside objective analyst.
2. Interpretivism: social science approach; subjective reality; loosely structured
methodology, researcher draws or constructs meaning from the setting
3. Realism: shares some aspects with positivism that shared interpretation or reality,
large scale social forces and processes exists; but also shares with interpretivism
that people need to be studied and understood in terms of socially constructed
interpretations and meanings or subjective reality.
In this sense, our position can be called to be more nearer to realism as we will study
the citizen experience and interpretations within the context of broader political,
economic, social and cultural reality.
Figure 2-A Research Onion (Saunders, Lewis, Thornhill 2006)

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In later version of the textbook (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Business Research
Methods, 2005), they provided four research philosophies: positivism, realism,
interpretivism, and pragmatism.
Here the new addition in the classification is pragmatism that supports our view too.
Pragmatism argues that the most important determinant of the epistemology, ontology and
axiology is the research question- one may be more appropriate than the other for
answering particular questions.
Tashakkori and Teddlie (1998) contend that pragmatism is intuitively appealing, largely
because it avoids the researcher engaging in debates about philosophical concepts and that
researchers should study what interests them and is of value to them. In a similar fashion
of quantitative/ qualitative divide (Cresswell, 1994) which is shown in Collis and Hussy
(2009), Saunders gave the following summary table which shows the different views from
different bases (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, Business Research Methods, 2005)

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Table 2-C: Four Research Philosophies
Positivism Realism Interpretivism Pragmatism
Ontology: the
researchers
view of the nature
of reality
or being: What is the
nature of reality
External, objective
& independent of
social actors
Is objective. Exists
independently of human
thoughts & beliefs or
knowledge of their
existence (realist,) but
is interpreted Through

social conditioning

(critical realist)
Socially co structured
Subjective, may
Change, multiple
External, multiple,
view chosen to best
enable answering
of research
question
Epistemology: the
researchers view
regarding what
constitutes acceptable
knowledge
only observable
phenomena can
provide credible
Credible data, facts.
Focus on causality
& law like
Generalization
Reducing Phenomena
To Simplest elements


Observable
phenomena provide
credible data, facts.
insufficient data
means inaccuracies
in sensations (direct
realism). Alternatively,
phenomena create
sensations which
Are open to
Misinterpretation
(critical realism).
Focus on explaining
Within a context
Or contexts
Subjective meanings
& social phenomena.
Focus upon the details
Of solution, a reality
Behind these details,
Subjective meaning
Motivating actions
Either or both
Observable
Phenomena and
Subjective meaning
Can provide
Knowledge
Dependent upon
The research
Question. Focus
On practical
Applied research,
Integrating different
Perspective to help
Interpret the data
Axiology: the
researchers view of
The role of values in
research
Research is undertaken
In a value-free way.
The researcher is
Independent of the
Data & maintains
An objective stance
Researcher is value
Laden; the researcher
Is biased by world
Views, cultural
experiences &
upbringing
These will impact
On the research
Research is value
Bound, the researcher
Is part of what is being
Researched. Cannot
Be separated and so
Will be subjective.
Values play a large
Role in interpreting
Results, the researcher
Adopting both
Objective &
Subjective points
Of views
Data collection
Techniques most
often used
Highly structured,
Large samples,
Measurement
Quantitative, but
Can use qualitative
Methods chosen
Must fit the subject
Matter, quantitative
Or qualitative
Small samples
In-depth
Investigations,
qualitative
Mixed or multiple
Method designs,
Qualitative and
quantitative

Cresswell (1994) also mentioned other terms like Rhetorical and Methodology divide.
Rhetorical questions is: What is the language of research?
Positivism or mostly quantitative approach is associated with formal language
with set definitions, the impersonal voice and accepted quantitative words.
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Interpretivism or mostly qualitative approach is associated with informal
language with evolving decisions, the personal voice and accepted qualitative
words.
Methodological question: What is the process of research (choice of methods)?
Positivism or quantitative approach is associated with:
o A deductive process; the study of cause and effect with a static
design (categories isolated before study); research is context free;
generalizations lead to prediction, explanation and understanding;
results are accurate and reliable through validity and reliability.
Interpretivism or qualitative approach is associated with:
o An inductive process; the study of mutual simultaneous shaping of
factors with an emerging design (categories identified during
study); context bound; patterns/theories developed for
understanding; findings are accurate and reliable through
verification and triangulation.
In other places we find the word paradigm, a framework or a set of beliefs outlining a
particular world view, used to mean the philosophical positions as in Collis and Hussy
(2009). Cresswell (1994) refers quantitative and qualitative paradigm which Collis and
Hussy presented in positivism and interpretivism.
- The terms associated with positivistic paradigm are Quantitative, Objectivist,
Scientific, Experimentalist, Traditionalist etc.

- The terms associated with interpretivist paradigm are Qualitative, Subjective,
Humanist, Phenomenological etc.
The two paradigms can be shown as the ends of the continuum.
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Figure 2-B Research Paradigms as Continuums

Reconciliation of the differing views
While it is a convention that researcher has to detail the paradigmatic position of his or his
research, we like what many scholars put it in this way: management or business
research is often a mixture of these (philosophies and approaches). All the positions are
appropriate or depending on what the research objectives are. We do not have to make an
extreme choice for the sake of making. Rather we need to see what the nature of the
problem is and what philosophy would be best to detail the inquiry. And oftentimes, it is a
mixed approach and multiple methods.
2.4 Research Type
To define a research in one exact type is neither mandatory nor always essential. But we
will try to put our study in a typological mapping to defend the methodological soundness.
2.4.1 Purpose, Logic, Outcome
Research can be classified according to the purpose (why it was conducted), process (the
way in which the data were collected and analyzed), logic (whether the research logic
moves from the general to the specific or vice versa) and outcome (whether the expected
outcome is the solution to a particular problem or a more general contribution to
knowledge) (Collis and Hussy, 2009).
According to this typology, among the research types of exploratory, descriptive,
analytical or predictive, we can put our study of MIG into following locations:
In terms of purpose, the types being exploratory, descriptive, analytical or predictive, this
MIG study will be in analytical or predictive category. With this purpose, the researcher
goes beyond merely describing the characteristics, to analyzing and explaining.
We first explored current situation in management in government, citizen problems and
perception about the service delivery by government, then we described what and who of
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the situation, then we focused on analyzing why it is happening as such, and with that
analysis we suggested prediction on how to improve on which points.
In terms of process, between quantitative and qualitative, our study is deliberately
qualitative one and tries to combine the strength of this approach to investigate the
problem at hand. We already assumed that citizens have problem with government service
delivery and government has management problem. So we did not attempt to quantify the
perceptions once again over large sample to make it statistically reliable. Rather we
became interested in in-depth investigation of what is wrong about MIG. Theoretical
strength of this approach will be discussed in later section in more details.
In terms of logic of inquiry, there are inductive and deductive approaches. In Deductive
inquiry a conceptual and theoretical structure is developed and then tested by empirical
observation; thus, particular instances are deduced from general inferences. In Inductive
inquiry theory is developed from the observation of empirical reality; thus, general
inferences are induced from particular instances, which is the reverse of the deductive
method. That means it is moving from individual observation to statements of general
patterns or laws; moving from the specific to the general.
We can put this study more toward the inductive end. We focus on the in-depth modeling
of the overall political-economic- socio-cultural context of management in government in
Bangladesh. We start with a general question of MIG, than we do literature review of
public management and administration in local and foreign countries, and field work
reiteratively, theory and framework builds up as we go on through our research process.
Cooper and Schindler (2001) provided a descriptor table of research design
classifications, where design is a blueprint that outlines each procedure of research, or a
plan for selecting the sources and types of information used to answer research questions.
The following is adapted from that table and include the position of our incumbent study.
In some cases we can put it clearly, yet in other cases, we cannot put it that straight.


Table 2-D : Descriptors of Research Design
Basis of classification Options
The degree to which the research question is
crystallized
- Exploratory
- Formal
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This study: Because this is a formally originated detailed discourse on the issue of management
in government, this is definitely beyond exploration.
Purpose of the Study - Descriptive
- Causal
Our study of MIG includes both purposes. We attempt to describe the contextual details of
management environment in government and also analyze the relationships, causes, and
consequences.
Time dimension Cross-sectional
Longitudinal
This study has been done during 2009-2011. Though it compared some of the field work at
different times, but as an overall, this is a cross sectional study.
The Topical Scope-Breadth vs.
Depth
- Statistical studies attempt to capture a populations
characteristics by making inferences from a samples
characteristics.
- Case studies place more emphasis on a full contextual analysis of
fewer events or conditions and their interrelations.

Our study of MIG involved does not attempt to generate precise statistical characteristics of the
citizen perception, rather it already assumes the perception and attempt to study the detail of
the reasons behind those perceptions which lead us to detailed inquiry of mismanagement of
the government organizations and citizen services and analyze how to improve it.
The Research Environment Field conditions -
Laboratory conditions -
Simulations -
Our study of MIG is by nature relies on field visit moving from desk and back and forth.
Interviews were done both on site and off site.
A Subjects Perceptions - Subjects conscious or not so conscious about they are studied
about.
- Usefulness of a design may be reduced when people in the study
perceive that research is being conducted.
Subjects perceptions influence the outcomes of the research

Our study of MIG deploys the participant observation and in many cases disguised observation
to know how it works. The persons observed not as individual subject but so as part of the
overall subject or setting. So the persons in any setting continued with their natural routine
while researcher observed their movement, process flow, verbal and non verbal communication
and the overall context. Occasionally researcher intervened with query but that was part of the
overall setting, not a disruption.

2.4.2 Qualitative vs. Quantitative:
Now there is a growing consensus that dividing a research into qualitative or quantitative
type can be quite misleading. The reason is many qualitative studies uses quantified data
and quantifiable methods (for example, numerical analysis of content or documentary
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analysis). Yet other quantitative studies uses subjective or qualitative methods before and
after the study to find more grounding of the quantitative analysis.
Given that it is still very popular to divide into qualitative and quantitative. The
differences between the two types are also quite agreed. We summarize here from
different writers (Bryman 2009)
Table 2-E : Qualitative Vs. Quantitative Design
Quantitative types Qualitative types
Numbers; data reduced to numerical Words
Point of view of researcher Points of view of participants
Researcher distant Researcher close
Theory testing Theory emergent
Static Process
Structured Unstructured
Generalization Contextual understanding
Hard, reliable data Rich, deep data
Macro Micro
Behaviour Meaning
Artificial settings Natural settings

In that sense, this is qualitative study. We have gone through research methods associated
with qualitative research -- Ethnography/participant observation, Qualitative
interviewing, Focus groups, Language-based approaches like conversation analysis and
discourse analysis, and Collection and qualitative analysis of texts and documents.
We chose qualitative approach over quantitative one. The single most important reason is:
the nature of the problem and our expected output. (more details in another section
research design)
2.4.3 Basic or Applied
Applied research is inquiry using the application of scientific methodology with the
purpose of generating empirical observations to solve critical problems in society. It is
widely used in varying contexts and academic disciplines.
In summary we can say: in terms of immediacy of application or to the problem solving,
applied research is nearer than the basic research. Basic research is concerned with a
certain problem without much immediate concern of application. Whereas applied
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research starts with the application concern, might draw from known theories, and may
generate basic theories along the way.
In all respect, this study is an applied one.
This study is an inquiry using the application of scientific methodology with the
purpose of generating solutions to the problem of mismanagement in government.
The purpose is find out solutions framework and guideline about how to improve
governments capability to serve citizen better.
The context of the client, here government, provides the direction for the applied
investigation. Research questions are open ended to understand the problem from
various perspectives and generate solutions whatever it is.
This research strategy uses multiple methods to answer research questions of how
to improve the citizen service delivery standard. As an applied research, it takes
place in real world setting by visiting the sites, using prolonged observation,
mapping the processes and work flows, long open ended interview and extensive
documentary and content analysis.
2.5 Review of Theory and Literature
Literature Review reviews the existing body of knowledge related to the incumbent
research and is done to justify the research as a scholarly discourse.
In our case, we did extensive literature search and reviewed varied materials from
different sources, thanks to internet availability. We perused Sage handbooks, Oxford
handbooks, and web portals like Emerald, EBSCO, Gale and Google Scholar.
We can categorize the literature according to the public sector or public management area
of concern or topic:
public sector problems and issues
public sector reforms, in general
Specific sectors like education, health, agriculture, trade etc.
Thematic area or cross cutting issues like Citizen Engagement, Accountability,
Transparency, E-government, Open Government, Public-Private-Partnerships,
Corruption, etc.
Also the vast literature can be categorized according to the origin of the report, as follows:
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Table 2-F : Category of Literature Sources
Origin of the reports/ literature Area / topic
Government of different countries

about their own country public sector
overall, sector, or thematic area
International organizations like UN, WB, OECD,
ADB etc.

Different country public sector overall,
sector, or thematic area
Donor organizations like USAID, UKAID, AUSAID,
DANIDA, CIDA

Focus sectors or thematic area in the countries
where they are giving aid.
Other international and national NGOs like Oxfam,
transparency international, BRAC, etc.
Focus country, sector, or thematic area

So, on the one hand, lack of materials was not a problem at all, rather abundance was a
challenge how to bring the most relevant ones as justified points of discussion. On the
other hand, finding the research gap was not difficult and rather obvious. There are
not enough studies to mention in the MIG area of Bangladesh. Particularly, the methodical
dimension of studying the citizen problems and devising management approach to solve-
is believed to be novel. Another thing we would like to mention that we did the literature
review at all stages of research process. This is typical of inductive, theory generating
type of study where objectives and data collection and writing become intermingled and
researcher has to move back and forth among the stages.
2.6 Research Design and Methods
We take the definition provided by Bryman and Bell (2003). A Research Design provides
a framework for the collection and analysis of data. Choice of research design reflects
decisions about priorities given to the dimensions of the research process. Five such
framework or designs are: 1) Experimental design, 2) Cross-sectional design, 3)
Longitudinal design, 4) Case study design, 5) Comparative design
A Research Method is simply a procedure for collecting data. Choice of research
method reflects decisions about the type of instruments or techniques to be used. Research
methods can be and are associated with different kinds of research design.
Some methods go well with quantitative research strategies and some with qualitative
research strategies, where research strategy means a general orientation to conduct the
research.
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In that sense, each research design may adopt either quantitative or qualitative strategy or
combination of both the strategies, whatever appropriate.
Table 2-G : Research Design Framework
Research Design Qualitative research strategy Quantitative research strategy
Experimental

Typical form: Most researchers using
an experimental design employ
quantitative comparisons between
experimental and control groups with
regard to the dependent variable.
No typical form: The Hawthorne
experiments provide an example of
experimental research design that
gradually moved away from the test
room method towards the use of more
qualitative methods.

Cross-sectional

Typical form: Social survey research
or structured observation on a sample
at a single point in time. Can also
include content analysis on a sample of
documents.

Typical form: Qualitative interviews or
focus groups at a single point in time
Can also be based upon qualitative
content analysis of a set of documents
relating to a single period.

Longitudinal

Typical form: Social survey research on
a sample on more than one occasion or
content analysis of documents relating
to different time periods.

Typical form: Ethnographic research
over a long period, qualitative
interviewing on more than one
occasion, or qualitative content analysis
of documents relating to different time
periods.
Case study *

Typical form: Social survey research on
a single case with a view to revealing
important features about its nature.
Typical form: The intensive study by
ethnography or qualitative interviewing
of a single case, which may be an
organization, or an individual.

Comparative

Typical form: Social survey research in
which there is a direct comparison
between two or more cases, as in cross-
cultural research.

Typical form: Ethnographic or
qualitative interview research on two or
more cases.
* according to this framework, this shows the dominant research design and strategy for this study

According to this typology, our current study of management in government (MIG) in
Bangladesh can be called to have adopted case study research design and qualitative
research strategy. In our research or this study, every citizen problem case is
developed through different methods like
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- content analysis,
- documentary analysis,
- semi structured and open ended interview,
- participant and non participant observation etc.
Collis and Hussy (2009) presented the associated methodologies and paradigm in the
following manner:
Table 2-H : Methods associate with Paradigms
Methodologies associated with the main paradigms
Positivism I nterpretivism
Experimental studies
Surveys
Cross-sectional studies
Longitudinal studies
Hermeneutics
Ethnography
Participative enquiry
Action research
Case studies
Grounded theory
Feminist, gender and ethnicity studies


According to this, our methodological choices may be put in options ethnography,
participative enquiry, case studies, grounded theory etc.
2.6.1 Select the Problem Cases
It is unfortunate that there is no dearth of citizen problems. As a researcher, one will not
face any problem to identify the problem areas; they only have to select among many
problems. When we started our field work in grounded theoretical tradition of research,
we found problems are everywhere, in every sector where government has to do
something both at policy level and at institutional management level.
For example, if we wanted to examine thoroughly the selected policies to identify policy
bottlenecks we would have many options:
o Cross sectoral policies --- Export, Import, Industrial, SME policy etc.
o Sectoral policies --- garments, IT, Agro, Leather, Jute, Pharmaceuticals,
etc.
o Specific service management related policies ---- Bangladesh Railway,
Postal, Port, Customs, Inland Water etc.
That would be possible or useful but would not be feasible within the scope of this thesis.
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Similarly, if we would analyze the lack of management approach phenomena in all the
government office ministries, directorates, departments, district administration, upazila
administration taking considerable samples from each, that would be useful but not
feasible within the given time, resources, and other institutional responses. Some sort of
narrowing down became essential to develop the theoretical proposition that the right
policy and/ or management approach could readily improve the citizen service delivery
standard.
So we selected some of the most frequent or obvious citizen problems and put them in our
desired framework for detailed study and analysis.
Now we selected the following:
- Education sector problems:
o primary level, secondary and higher secondary level, university level,
technical education, teacher recruitment, coaching centers, lack of quality
education and teachers etc.
- Health sector problems:
o Health care services, lack of doctors, lack of nurses, monitoring, absence
and irregularities of doctors, directorate of health bureaucracies, disorderly
drug business, pharmaceutical companies
- IT in government or digital government
o A cross cutting issue, anomalies, implementations problems
Most of the problems are simple in the sense that there are few ideological debates (unlike
gay marriage, abortions, ethnic balancing etc.). Most of the problems citizens face in their
daily lives in Bangladesh or we see covered in the media, are related to government
capacity of management of the service delivery.
2.6.2 Policy and Regulatory Reforms
About the selected problems we refined our objective to be like this:
Examine the relevant policies and regulatory manuals to identify contradictions
and bottlenecks in terms of obsoleteness or undesired consequences:
Develop a concise verbal or graphical model of how these policy bottlenecks are
encouraging malpractice and discouraging compliance both at the citizen level and
at the organizational levels.
Suggest specific reforms guideline in the above mentioned policies.
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Figure 2-C Flowchart of Research Design

2.6.3 Management capability of the government institutions
Regardless of the policy level anomalies, we wanted to check whether public managers
can improve within their own discretion by taking initiative and applying their own
creative thinking. Because, from our fieldwork in the initial phases, we found that public
mangers are prone to the tendency to point out to policy level for their inability to
improve. We found in many cases, they are right in their excuses but also not so right in
many cases. That means in many cases simply lack of managerial knowledge and
approach is the reason of low quality service delivery.
So our objective is:
Select some of the Most frequent or
Obvious or priority citizen problems/
cases
Examine Related
policy and
regulatory issues
recommendations
for policy and
regulatory reforms
Examine room for
managerial discretion
and initiatives
recommendations for
applicable
management
practices
Methods: ethnography;
participant/non participant
observation; semi structured and
open ended interview; media,
Content, document analysis;
Expected outcome
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Identify the areas where modern business or simply basic management principles
can readily be applied within the discretion of the local public managers the
government offices (the cases where the local level public managers can improve
the operations right away)
Provide recommendations for specific government units under this study and
developing frameworks that can be applied for improving management in the
public organizations in general.
2.7 Why Multiple Case design and Qualitative Strategy
We are interested in holistic analysis of the management problem of government
organizations. That means we need in depth overall analysis, and so, case design and
rigorous qualitative investigation of the scenario or setting is naturally suitable for that.
Our selected research topic and associated research objectives or questions require that we
examine the government organizations setting in details, in depth, holistically. Those
setting we call as cases. The case study research design is concerned with systemically
detailed examination of the setting.
But we are not interested in single cases rather on multiple case and our focus is not the
cases themselves rather the common pattern coming out of them.
It is worthwhile to mention that, we followed structured interviewing, questionnaire
survey, quantitative content review and other methods at different stages of our inquiry,
together with the conventional qualitative methods of inquiry. So every case involves
some citizen problem or management issue and is the output of multi method or mixed
method research. But whatever methods followed, all were done to develop a detailed
case where we tried to show the case the what, why, and how of a management or
administrative problem in its entirety. That is why we have to say that we deliberately
chose the case study research design.
The very nature of the research problem led us to a case design which is required to
answer such questions:
- what is the nature of the problem citizens are facing in the government offices
- why it is happening
- who are the actors
- why cant the public manager apply best management practices
- what are the policy flaws (lack of enabling environment)
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- what are the capacity lacking (lack of management training)
2.7.1 Meaning of Case Design compared with (sample) survey design
Unlike a sample survey, case design is interested in holistic details of the subjects of
research and the setting. On the contrary, sample survey is interested in a few variables
and their associations and interactions.
In whatever form and in whatever stage in research, case studies are well established in the
research world. However, it is difficult to define it because researchers view it
alternatively as a research design, an approach, a method, or even an outcome.
But we can take the point like this:
The case study research design is concerned with systemically detailed
examination of the setting.

When we say systemically detailed examination it means it combines
various methods of inquiry into a subject matter.

Setting may be a single person, a group of people, an organizational
department, division, a branch or a unit, or a whole organization, a work
process, a phenomenon.
Yin identifies the following characteristics of case study research (Yin, 1994):
- The research aims not to explore certain phenomena, but to understand them
within a particular context.
- The research does not commence with a set of questions and notions about the
limits within which study will take place.
- The research uses multiple methods for collecting data which may be both
qualitative and quantitative.
Case studies are often described as exploratory research, used in areas where there are few
theories and or a deficient body of knowledge. However there are other forms: (Scappens,
1990):
- Descriptive case studies where the object is restricted to describing current
practice.
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- Illustrative case studies where the research attempts to illustrate new and
possibly innovative practices adopted by particular companies.
- Experimental case studies where the research examines the difficulties in
implementing new procedures and techniques in an organization and evaluating
the benefits.
- Explanatory case studies where existing theory is used to understand and
explain what is happening.
In summary, whenever the research objective is to study the phenomenon with their
contextual depths, case design single or multiple is an appropriate one.
2.7.2 Case Study in Various Academic Disciplines
Case study researchers have conducted studies in traditional disciplines such as
anthropology, economics, history, political science, psychology, and sociology. Case
studies have also emerged in areas such as medicine, law, nursing, business,
administration, public policy, social work, and education (Putney in Encyclopedia of
Research Design. 2010). In all these, case study may be used as an Input, Output, or
Process in the context of other research methods.
Case study research in business and management examines issues that are related to the
industrial and economic spheres of life. Topics of interest include human interaction,
events, and processes taking place in organizational, business, and company settings (Sage
Encyclopedia of Case Study Research 2009).
Many of the classic business and management case studies rely on research designs
building on one or a few cases. These draw on the ethnographic research tradition with the
aim of providing a rich and detailed description and cultural understanding of business-
and management-related actors, events, and processes. (Eriksson, Pivi Kovalainen, Anne
2009).
2.7.3 Misconceptions and crude ideas about case study design: some clarifications
In some popular research textbooks, qualitative methods are shown in the research process
as just an initial step of more positivistic or quantitative research design, where case study
is one of the qualitative methods, and/ or, sometimes, it is described only in its
exploratory meaning (Zikmund 2003, Cooper and Schindler 2001, Kothari 2007,
Krishnaswamy, Sivakumar, and Mathirajan 2011, Malhotra).
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But in many other text books, authors clearly demonstrated qualitative approach as a
parallel and separate track (Bryman & Bell, 2003), (Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill,
Business Research Methods, 2005), (Collis & Hussy, 2009) (Jack R. Fraenkel, 2000)
We support the later one that qualitative approach is an equal or parallel track.
Bent Flyvbjerg (2006) examined common misunderstandings about case-study research
and concludes that:
a scientific discipline without a large number of thoroughly executed case
studies is a discipline without systematic production of exemplars, and a
discipline without exemplars is an ineffective one. Social science may be
strengthened by the execution of a greater number of good case studies.
A case study design is particularly useful for current study due to nature and objective of
the study. Our objective is to take citizen problems as sample single cases and analyze
the multiple cases with same purpose of finding solutions for management problems.
2.7.4 Is case study or qualitative research means exploratory research?
NO. This is absolutely misleading. When done with multiple methods and triangulation,
case study and/ or qualitative forms of research is not exploratory research. When purpose
is to explore the research problem, develop hypotheses, gain insights, identify possible
factors, only then any study in either form - quantitative or qualitative can be called as
exploratory research.
This incumbent studies use case to mean a whole sector where each sector or problem first
passed through exploratory phase, naturally. But then it is rigorously analyzed, explained
in details, and from there prescription follows.
2.7.5 Intensive or Extensive Case Research Design
As mentioned in Sage Encyclopedia of Case Study Research 2009, Intensive case study
research strategy draws on the classic case study tradition, showing an interest in the case
itself and developing an understanding of the workings of the case in a specific economic,
social, and cultural context.
Extensive case study research strategy differs from the intensive strategy because of its
interest in mapping common patterns, mechanisms, and properties in a chosen context for
the purpose of developing, elaborating, or testing theory.
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Our choice was this extensive case study design. The cases like education sector, health
services, or ICT in government and their detailed description are not the main focus of
interest. These cases serve as instruments that can be used in exploring specific MIG
phenomena and in developing theoretical propositions that can be tested and generalized
to other contexts or to theory. The main interest lies in investigating, elaborating, and
explaining a phenomenon that is often theory related, not in understanding the
workings of the cases themselves.
2.7.6 Example of Large MIG Studies in case design and qualitative approach
Some specific examples may be mentioned in MIG research which followed the same line
and approach as ours.
How Organizations Measure Success: The Use of Performance Indicators in
Government (Carter, Klein, & Day, 1995) is a output of research funded by
Economic and Social Research Council, UK. Authors used case design to study the
criminal justice system (police, courts, and prisons), the welfare system (Social
Security and the National Health Service), and some other organization systems
and subsystems. In doing so, They sought to identify issues and commonalities
across organizations- the common core of conceptual and technical problems
involved- as well as the difference between them.

Managing People in the Public Services (Farnham & Horton, 1996) examined the
civil service, the national health service, local government, education, and the
police as detailed cases to describe and analyze the changing patterns of people
management in the public services.
In this way, multiple case design may be used to theoretically generalize the argument for
a proposition.
2.7.7 Nature of the research problem: the best determining factor
Although philosophical approach of research may have influence over the choice of
method, almost all research methodology texts or literature conclude at the end at saying
there are no better method than another one, in absolute sense; all approaches and
methods are better in doing different things. That is we should not see these
methodical choices as better than one another, rather we have to select the most
appropriate one among the available ones.
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The common tone of almost all authors is that design ultimately depends on the nature
and type of the research problem being studied.
As our research question and objective was to understand the context of management in
government (MIG), it was needed to be open in theoretical and practical approaches, to
understand the contextual environment of government offices, procedures, and
obligations, to summarize the observations and interview in narratives, and to be as
participant or disguised observant to observe the phenomena as occurring in their
natural setting.
2.8 Reliability, Validity, and Generalization
For any research to be called theoretically contributing, the issue of reliability, validity,
and generalization is important.
Case study research is inherently empirical and situated in physical environments. Thus,
elements of ecology are embedded in case study research. Case studies of high caliber not
only strengthen the case study as a research method but also promote the theoretical
potentialities of ecological perspectives (Noro, Hiroko 2009)
2.8.1 Validity and Reliability
Do we measure/ study what we want to measure/ study? That is the core of validity issue.
Positivistic study focuses on precision of measurement and hence, stresses reliability. So
validity of this kind of study may be too low (Collis & Hussy, 2009). But it is quite agreed
that detailed case study design and qualitative strategy is rich in validity, because this
kind of design particularly takes of it by judgment of the contexts and in its details.
Do our measures turn out to be same or consistent in different studies, or done by different
investigators? That is the core of reliability which is subject to subject and researchers
errors and biases.
We reduced the errors and biases through triangulation, on one hand. On the other, the
very nature of our investigation does not singlehandedly rely on what respondents are
saying, but also on the detail organizational and situational context. So these errors and
biases are most likely to be cancelled out.
2.8.2 Generalization
Another particular challenge in defending our case design and qualitative strategy is the
issue of generalization. Can we generalize from a research using case design and
qualitative strategy? There are very good answers to this confusion:
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- Generalization is not all about statistical generalization: When a particular
study is generalizable, we say the study is better than the one which is not. As
in positivistic, theory testing, deductive research, many people think
generalization only in terms of statistical generalization, where we take a
sample of size n, study some statistic, s, about particular characteristics or
properties (age, gender, income, perception, attitude etc.) and infer with
confidence about the population, N, we call it generalization.
- But there is another type of generalization which is called theoretical
generalization which can be reached through analogy and logical reasoning.
In a study where depth of setting is important, Gummesson (2000) mentioned
(in collis and hussy 2009) that findings can be generalized from one setting to
another. Normann (1970) argued that it is possible to generalize from one or a
few cases, if analysis has captured interactions and phenomena.

- Sometimes, generalization is not a primary goal rather particularization is
(Bryman & Bell, 2003) which means understanding the issue in depth, the
interactions and their complexities, and the particular setting where the
construction of meaning is useful. Then that understanding can be generalized.

- Do we want to know all variable characteristics of one case or one (or a few)
variable of all cases (sample elements): if we look at the SPSS, one of the most
popular software among the researchers (particularly for positivistic or quantitative
studies), we see the arrangement of data similar to following table:

Table 2-I : SPSS view of Cases and Variables
Variable
1
Variable
2
Variable
3
Variable
4
Variable
5


Variable n
Case 1
Case 2
Case 3
Case 4
Case ...
Case
Case
Case n

Generalization, in the sense of statistical one, matters when it is important to know
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whether we can generalize from a sample survey of size n (SPSS presents them as cases),
about characteristics or properties of a few variables. In a case design and qualitative
strategy, other form of generalization which is achieved through reasoning and analysis is
important. In other word, a statistical study is appropriate in a situation when we want to
know about some variables of some cases. But in a case study design, we are more
interested in particularization, that is, we want to know all the variables and their
interaction process for a particular case.
So the key point is to have the comprehensive understanding of the activities and behavior
of the setting, which we did through multiple methods.
2.8.3 Alternative Criteria for Qualitative Strategy
Some writers have sought to apply the concepts of reliability and validity to the practice of
qualitative research but others argue that the grounding of these ideas in quantitative
research renders them inapplicable to or appropriate for qualitative research (LeCompte &
Geotz, 1982) (Kirk & Miller, 1986) (Perakyla, 1997).
Some writers like (Kirk & Miller, 1986) have applied concepts of validity and reliability to
qualitative research but have changed the sense in which the terms are used very slightly.
Some qualitative researchers sometimes propose that the studies they produce should be
judged or evaluated according to different criteria from those used in relation to
quantitative research. Lincoln and Guba propose that alternative terms and ways of
assessing qualitative research are required. For example, they propose trustworthiness as a
criterion of how good a qualitative study is. Each aspect of trustworthiness has a parallel
with the previous quantitative research criteria (Lincoln & Guba, 1985):
1. Credibility, which parallels internal validity - i.e. how believable are the findings?
2. Transferability, which parallels external validity- i.e. do the findings apply to other
contexts?
3. Dependability, which parallels reliability- i.e. are the findings likely to apply at
other times?
4. Conformability, which parallels objectivity- i.e. has the investigator allowed his or
her values to intrude to a high degree?
For all these arguments and counter-arguments of epistemology and choices of methods,
triangulation is the most widely accepted and agreed upon approach to address the concern
the methodical choices of the particular study.
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2.8.4 Triangulation: Variety of Methods
The use of different approaches, methods, and techniques in the same study is known as
triangulation and can overcome the potential bias of a single-method approach and hence
enhances reliability, validity, and general applicability.
Denzin defines triangulation as `the combination of methodologies in the study of the
phenomenon. He argues that the use of different methods by a number of researchers
studying the same phenomenon should, if their conclusions are the same, lead to greater
validity and reliability than a single methodological approach (Denzin, 1970).
In another source, authors identify four types of triangulation (Easterby-Smith, Thorpe, &
Lowe, 1991): Data triangulation, where data is collected at different times or from
different sources in the study of a phenomenon; I nvestigator triangulation, where
different researchers independently collect data on the same phenomenon and compare the
results; Methodological triangulation, where both quantitative and qualitative methods of
data collected are used; Triangulation of theories, where a theory is taken from one
discipline (for example, marketing) and used to explain a phenomenon in another
discipline (for example, accounting).
I n our study, we achieved a greater degree of triangulation because every citizen
problem case is the culmination of variety of methods, such as, observation,
ethnography, in-depth interview, document analysis etc.
2.9 Field Work and Data Collection
Visiting and staying for prolonged time is crucial for developing any thesis. Our research
problem determined at the outset that our thesis would turn out to be a phenomenological
study or a narrative research, and in this approach, data type is often qualitative and
narrative. So gaining and negotiating access to the setting is often the most challenging
part of the field work.
2.9.1 Access and Negotiation:
This is vital in any research, particularly where context plays a significant role in the
justification of rigor of the research. Many writers see access as a continuing process also,
and not just an initial or single event (Gummesson, 2000; Marshall and Rossman, 2006;
Okumus et al., 2007). Others provided action strategies to help gain access (Saunders,
Lewis, and Thornhill, 2005) :
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Ensuring that researcher is familiar with and understand the organization or group
before making contact;
Allowing sufficient time;
Using existing and developing new contact;
Providing a clear account of purpose and type of access required;
Overcoming organizational concerns;
Highlighting possible benefits to the organizations;
Developing access incrementally;
Establishing credibility;
Being open to serendipitous events.
In line with this guideline, for our study, we developed contact with many government
offices whenever possible, for example, utilizing friends, relatives, acquaintances in
formal and informal occasions, and social occasions like wedding ceremonies. Then we
visited the offices and talked to them, observed their office environment, their interactions
with other people, and the citizens they serve. The good thing about access we negotiated
was that we did not need any confidential data from those offices. As our research
problem and objectives required, we just needed to be there and to observe the whole
contextual environment and the interaction process. That we could do successfully without
any resistance from the visited government offices.
2.9.2 Sources of Data
According to nature of data, it is popularly divided into primary (collected through field
work of incumbent research project) and secondary (already gathered and/or published as
part of other research projects.
Primary data for this research project came from:
- Field observation participant and non participant, overt and covert participation -
of the citizens facing different service delivery processes of the government offices
- interviewing the citizens intercepted on-site and off-site
- citizen narratives collected throughout the field work
- interviewing public mangers
Secondary data came from:
- going through popular free media contents (print, television, internet)
- government reports and documents
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- government websites
- UN, WB and similar international organizations web resources
- non government research organization reports
- individual researchers articles
2.9.3 Data Collection Methods and Related Considerations
Our background study and review revealed that data collection and primary field work
methods cannot be exclusively separated into quantitative or qualitative category, and
becomes naturally intermingled in a large research project like this. So without regard to
the quantitative or qualitative research design, many methods with associated advantage
and disadvantage were considered, such as, participant and non participant observation, in-
depth interview, citizen narrative, content and document analysis etc.
While visiting the offices and interviewing the pubic managers, sometimes we used what
some call Think-aloud methods (Hevey, 2010) which ask participants to verbalize their
thoughts while performing a task. Successful elicitation of the focal thoughts requires
participants to attend uninterrupted to the completion of the task presented
Extensive field visit has been an important part of our research which may be called
ethnography which demands living in the field in the setting, rather than collecting data
through a structured questionnaire from others of the setting. This is more like
ethnography.
Throughout the evolution of ethnography, field-work persists as the sine qua non.
Fieldwork provides the ethnographer with a firsthand cultural/ social experience that
cannot be gained otherwise. Cultural/social immersion is irreplaceable for providing a way
of seeing (Caines, 2011).
Discourseanalysis is used to describe a number of approaches to analyzing written and
spoken language use beyond the technical pieces of language, such as words and
sentences. Embedded in the constructivismstructuralism traditions, discourse analysis's
key emphasis is on the use of language in social context. (Foucault, M. 1972) (Miles, Bart
2010).
In our case, we focused on the use of language within social context of Bangladesh how
people talk to the government officers, how government officers or public managers
behave with citizen, their gestures, use of official position in influencing citizens etc.
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We also followed the Naturalistic observation or inquiry while visiting public office and
managers.
Naturalistic observation is a non-experimental, primarily qualitative research method in
which organisms are studied in their natural settings. Behaviors or other phenomena of
interest are observed and recorded by the researcher, whose presence might be either
known or unknown to the subjects. No manipulation of the environment is involved in
naturalistic observation, as the activities of interest are those manifested in everyday
situations (Wells, Barbara 2010).
So this is clear that from the beginning of the study we started our field work and in the
field work, we used multiple methods whatever appropriate and whenever appropriate to
gain the rich contextual data of the setting.
2.10 Ethical Issues in research
In the context of research, ethics refers to appropriateness of your behavior in relation to
the rights of those who become the subject of your work, or are affected by it ( (Saunders,
Lewis, & Thornhill, 2012). Cooper and Schindler (2008:34) define ethics as the norms or
standards of behavior that guide moral choices about our behavior and our relationship
with others. This is also part of the social norm. A social norm indicates the type of
behavior that a person ought to adopt in a particular situation (Robson 2002: Zikmund
2000).
A number of key ethical issues arise across the stages and duration of a research project
(Saunders, Lewis, & Thornhill, 2012). These relate to the:
Privacy of possible and actual participants;
Voluntary nature of participation and the right to withdraw partially or completely
from the process;
Consent and possible deception of participants;
Maintenance of the confidentially of data provided by individuals or identifiable
participants and their anonymity;
Reactions of participants to the way in which you seek to collect data, including
embarrassment, stress, discomfort, pain and harm;
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In most cases, we deliberately explained our reason of being with them the managers or
officials in the government offices, and in their offices. They were convinced that our
objective was not to collect any confidential data or corruption figure, rather objectively
investigate the autonomy of systems and processes. So, they saw no problem in sharing
their experiences and practical observations of management (mismanagement) of
organization and management in government. And on the other hand, we did not need any
covert or disguised techniques. All these issues of ease and unease related to research
were considered at the very beginning of our problem definition and at other stages of our
research.
2.11 Analysis and Interpretation
To begin with this issue, we would like to mention Barbara Czarniawska(1997, 2004), an
organization theorist, best known for her contributions to constructivism theory in
management studies as well as storytelling and narrative analysis in anthropology of
organization. Not only her, many organization theorists strongly believe that much of the
knowledge about the organizations comes from cases, stories, scenarios, all of which
might be called narrative research. In this approach we analyze the communications,
interviews, stories of the people and their interactions with the organization and try to find
the deeper contextual meaning.
Due to the nature of the problem, content analysis has become a significant part in analysis
phase thorough each chapter. Content analysis in the social sciences answers to its
research questions inferring from available texts.
Another way of analysis comes from Narrative research that aims to explore and
conceptualize human experience as it is represented in textual form. Generally, this takes
the form of interviewing people around the topic of interest, but it might also involve the
analysis of written documents.
Narrative research avoids having a predetermined theory about the person that the
interview or the life-story is expected to support. Any life experiences that people can
narrate or represent become fertile ground for narrative research questions. The unity of a
life resides in a construction of its narrative, a form in which hopes, dreams, despairs,
doubts, plans, and emotions are all phrased. Some of the most paradigm-defining
conceptual revolutions in the study of human experience have come from narrative
research Sigmund Freud, Erik Erikson, and Carol Gilligan being the most prominent
examples (Josselson, 2010)
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More specifically speaking, we collected narratives from citizens the real life story or
experience with the government. We studied in detail what the current practices and
conditions are in the government offices. We mapped the citizen service delivery process
and associated mismanagement. Then we analyzed where the system or the process can be
improved, given the broader reality of bad politics, social and cultural level of the people.
And then from study and analysis, we developed the general framework for management
in government in Bangladesh.
2.12 Report Writing
The report resulting from a students research project is usually called a dissertation or
thesis. Dictionary meanings say that it is a detailed discourse, which is a lengthy
treatment of a theme or a subject area. The difference between thesis and dissertation is
not well founded. Sometimes, thesis is used for masters and Dissertation is for doctoral
and sometimes the other way round. Most common phenomenon is both terms are used
quite interchangeably. (For example, Cornell University and Yale University used the both
terms thesis or dissertation in their guide)
In a phenomenological study like this one where in-depth setting is studied using words,
rather than numbers, findings are typically defined as the researchers' interpretations of
the data they collected or generated in the course of their studies. In naturalist (or
empirical or analytical) qualitative studies, findings are viewed as derived from data
collected in the course of study. Here, results and data (e.g., quotations, field notes, case
descriptions) are viewed as readily distinguishable from each other and from the data
analysis procedures used to produce those results.
Along with methodical assumptions and questions, rhetorical assumptions are an
important part in report writing. As explained by (Collis & Hussy, 2009), Rhetorical
question is concerned with language of research. Positivistic studies often use passive (the
data were collected from managers) and interpretivist studies use active (I/ we
interviewed the managers) to prove the immediacy and nearness to the setting.
The Sage Encyclopedia of Qualitative Research Methods (2008) mentions that in many
reports of qualitative research, scholars prefer to use the first-person in their writing, as
this matches the intention of giving voice to their participants' perspectives. Indeed, style
guides published by specific associations provide guidance on this issue.
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- The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), 5th
edition, for example, states, When referring to the author(s), use the first person,
not the third person. That is, say I injected the subjects with the appropriate dose
of _ _ _ , not the experimenter injected (p. 37).
- Related to this, the manual advises authors to use the active rather than the passive
voice; that is, to write we injected rather than the subjects were injected
(p. 41).
For all these justifications, our choice is to be active in writing approach because our
study is a phenomenological or interpretivist one (as detailed in section 2.1 or research
paradigms). Between I and we, later one is used to mean the participative research
where the researchers and subjects continuously interacts with each other and the
meaning is created and analysis is done through this interactions.
2.13 Citation and Referencing
We followed the APA style of referencing for citing and mentioning the relevant works of
others.
We also considered Harvard, MLA, and Chicago style. APA and Harvard style was found
most common in use by similar studies in management, business studies, public policy or
administration. Harvard and APA both uses author date format and the choice has been
made randomly.
MLA is used predominantly in humanities area and not very common in management
studies and other social sciences. Chicago style seems attractive for one reason full
name is to be mentioned which is not the case in APA or Harvard style. Mentioning of full
name is appropriate while citing south Asian and Bangladeshi author names. Nazrul Islam
and Nurul Islam is too different because we call them Nazrul or Nurul, not Islam.
But ultimately we chose APA style because we needed secondary citation citation used
in another source- frequently. Also, most of the readers are likely to be more familiar with
APA style. Format guideline was taken from University of Queensland, Australia
2.14 Contribution of Research
The basic contribution is the addition to the existing body of knowledge in a subject area.
However, the contribution of a research project can be identified from various view points.
These are described in chapter 11 Conclusion, Contribution, and Further Research.

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Part B Theoretical Framework and Literature Review

Chapter 3 Management in Government (MIG)
Chapter 4 Management in Government in Bangladesh
Chapter 5 Management in Government Reforms in Different
Countries


3 Chapter 3 Management in Government (MIG)
3.1 Management: Meaning of the Term as a Discipline
In one first line, we want to state the core of the whole matter: management is about
achieving objective, given the conditions, restrictions, or limitations of resources.
Whatever the objectives, which might essentially vary from one type of organization to
another, need to be achieved within the given limit of resources allowed or allocated by
shareholders (business) or by trustees (non profits), or by government organizations
(government). Management is the systematic process of achieving that objectives. That is
whatever the organization may be business, government, nonprofit, universities
management as a discipline connotes the process of achieving the objectives in
whatever terms, effectively and efficiently.
The process of management includes:
- Planning (what the organization wants to achieve, how much, by when, how, and
so on)
- Organizing (who will do what, how to group or logically arrange the people and
resources)
- Leading (how to influence and motivate the people to move into right direction)
- Controlling ( checking whether plan is being followed and targets are being met)
Which is together called POLC. In some places we also find other related words in the
process like
- Motivating
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- Delegating
- Coordinating
- Staffing
When it is said functions of management basically it means dividing whole of
management into meaningful division of managerial area:
- Human Resource management
- Financial management
- Operations and Production management
- Marketing management
- Public Relations/ Corporate affairs
- Supply chain management
When there is a need to distinguish between short term day to day and long term activities
of the organization, it is categorized as:
- Tactical or operational management
- Strategic management and/ or Change management
When it is said level of management, it is meant to divide the responsibility and authority
of the people in management into relative position and scope:
- Top level management: concerned with setting the overall objective of the
organization and top level strategic decisions that will impact the lower level day
to day activities.
- Lower level or operational level: concerned with implementing the strategic
direction set by the top level and practice management (process of POLC) with
given time frame and resource limits.
- Mid level management: concerned with bridging the top level and first line
managers and checking the balance.
The textbooks are quite similar in their presentation of these basic constructs of
management which evolved over the last hundred years (Griffin, 2011) (Hill & McShane,
2008) (Jones & George, 2003) (Robbins, Coulter, & Vohra, 2010) (Weigrich, Cannice, &
Koontz, 2008) (Weihrich & Koontz, 1994).
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3.2 Government: The Idea of Management in Government (MIG)
Government as an institution is as old as the social grouping of scattered people and
civilization itself. Who will govern us the people in a given territory and what our role
is in that process, had been an essential question. And then how to run it well - from
safeguarding the kingdoms and territories to collect taxes to building roads, canals, or
kingly structures had been another equally essential question. The former advanced
through different forms of government monarchy, theocracy, democracy, or sometimes
combining all these. The later is what we call management in government how to run the
business of the state well, with economy, efficiency, and effectiveness.
There is a tendency among the general public and scholars to equate politics and
government with dramatic events such as elections, or with the visible conflicts between
politicians that shape major policy developments. But there is a massive amount of
activity involved in translating laws and decrees made by politicians into action, and in
delivering public programs to citizens. That work is often less visible, but is crucial for
making things happen in government (Peters and Pierre, 2003)
At the turn of early twentieth century, managing the affairs of business organizations
gained a name called business administration as an aftermath of industrial revolution and
mass industrialization. University produced collegiate professionals like Master of
Business Administration (MBA) for filling up supervisory positions in business or private
sectors. Around similar time, the name public administration became widely established
as a subject area or academic discipline meant to managing or running affairs of
government organizations. University produced qualifications like Master of Public
Administration (MPA).
When we talk about the subject matter of MIG, different words are found in the discourse:
- Public administration, new public administration
- Public management, new public management,
- Public sector management
- Civil administration, civil service, citizen service delivery
- Governance, good governance, open government
When we talk about improving the management in government or the capacity of
government to run its affairs with economy, effectiveness, and efficiency, different words
come into that discourse:
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- Reforms, administrative reforms, civil service reforms
- Public sector reforms,
- Restructuring the government/ public sector
- Reorganizing the government/ public sector
- Privatization of state/ government/ public sector enterprises
- Outsourcing public sector activities
- Or, modernizing the government.
3.3 Beginning of Modern Public Administration
Definitely, like many other constructs and concepts of today, the subject matter of
governmental activities or MIG has gone through years of intellectual discourses within
the broader context of contemporary world realities. At the turn of the 20
th
century,
whereas the management of business enterprises got the name of business administration,
management of government affairs got the name of public administration.
History of public administration as an area of discourse, though may not be in the form
of traditional subject/ academic discipline, can be traced back to early recorded
civilizations like Egyptian, Sumerian, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Chinese, and Indian
civilization. Of all China is most frequently quoted for having the first meritocratic system
of civil service.
Later we see organized management in government bureaucracy at work in Europe, like in
Prussia, Germany, and not to mention, in UK imperial system. But we are starting with
modern pubic administration which began as a discipline of study at around 1900,
particularly in USA front, with writing of scholars like Wilson, Goodnow, White et el.
And, our focus is on applied aspects of the subject area of managing or management in
government (MIG), and the ongoing reform experiences of our time - twentieth century
and beyond.
3.4 Theoretical Approaches to MIG (Public Administration)
The discourse on MIG, known academically as public administration, can be divided
into a number of paradigms (Henry, 2009) and into different approaches and
perspectives:
3.4.1 Historical Evolutions of Paradigms from 1900- Present

Paradigm 1: The Politics/Administration Dichotomy, 1900 1926
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In his ground breaking book, Politics and Administration, published in 1900, Frank J.
Goodnow (1900) contended that there were two distinct function of government.
Politics, wrote Goodnow, has to do with policies or expression of the state will, while
administration has to do with the execution of these policies. politics / administration
dichotomy was also mentioned by Woodrow Wilson, academic turned politician who later
became 28th president of United States, attributed to be the pioneer of MIG, namely,
public administration, at least in USA, is said to have posited one unambiguous thesis
that made a lasting impact on the field: Public Administration is worth studying.
Paradigm 2 : Principles of Public Administration, 1927-1937
Practitioner scholars starting with the likes of Wilson and text books, it was established
that public administration is a body of academic discipline and some principles must be
developed and learnt. In 1926, White came up with the first text book on public
administration. In 1927 , W. F. Willoughbys book Principles of Public Administration
appeared as the second fully-fledged text in the field.
Gulick and Urwick (1937) aide of US president Franklin D. Roosevelt, edited the volume
papers on the science of administration. They promoted seven principles of
administration, and, in so doing, gave students of public administration the acronym,
POSDCORB , which stood for planning, Organizing, Staffing, Directing, Coordinating,
Reporting and Budgeting. Chester I. Barnards (1938) The Functions of the Executive
appeared, which had a major impact on Herbert a. Simon (1946, 1976) when he was
writing his devastating critique, Administrative Behavior. Simon was not alone in his
question of managerial principles; there were scholar like Dahl (1947) and Waldo (1948).
Simon wrote that , a fatal defect of the current principles of administration is that for
almost every principle one can find an equally plausible and acceptable contradictory
principle, thus rendering the whole idea of principles moot.
Paradigm 3: Public Administration as Political Science ,1950-1970
As a result of these and related concerns, public administrationists dove back with some
alacrity into the warm and engulfing sea of political science departments. Some political
scientists, however, tried to drown there strange and unnatural progeny in it. But as a
reality, running or managing government affairs needed an academic legitimacy, so this
paradigm did not hold very long and neither stood strong.
Paradigm 4 : Public Administration as Management, 1950 - 1970
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Partly because of their second class citizenship in a number of political science
departments, a few public administrationists began searching for an alternative. They
found it in management , sometimes called administrative science or generic
management, which holds that sector, culture, institution, mission, whatever, are of little
consequence to efficient and effective administration, and that a body of knowledge
operation research, statistics, economics, accounting, and organization theory are often
cited exists that is common to the fields of administration.
Two authors, Kenneth L. Kraemer and James L. Perry (1980), exhumed twenty two
schools that they thought qualified as management schools. Cornell Universitys Graduate
School of Management, founded in 1948, is generally thought to be a prototype. Over
times three generic management programs emerged: schools of administration or
management that recognize no sectoral differences; schools in which public
management is offered as a minor option ; and schools of business that host separate
department of public administration. Paradigms 2( Principles of Administration ) and 4
(Management ) are, in this sense of one- size- fits- all, peas in a pod.
The New Public Administration
In 1968, when public administration was at its lowest ebb, a conference on the new
public administration was convened., and its proceedings revealed a growing
disinclination to examine such traditional instrumentalist as efficiency, effectiveness and
budgeting and a growing preference of normative theory, such as ethics, urbanism, and
violence. With hindsight, the new public administration can be viewed as a call for
independence from both political science and management (since management always has
been emphatically technical rather than normative in approach).
Paradigm 5: Public Administration as Public Administration: 1970 Present
Public administration as public administration refers to public administrations
successful break with both political science and management, and its emergence as an
autonomous field of study and practice. In 1970, the National Association of Schools of
Public Affairs and Administration (NASPAA) was founded, and its formation represented
not only an act of succession by public administrationists, but a rising self-confidence as
well.
This move towards an autonomous academic field has been good for public
administration. The most effective M.P.A. programs are those that are administrated by
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free standing schools and departments. and these units experienced the fastest rates of
student growth.
Paradigm 6: Governance, 1990- Present
We are, in sum, moving away from government, and we are moving towards governance,
or configuration of laws, policies, organizations, institutions, cooperative arrangements
and arrangements that controls citizen and deliver public benefits. The emergence of
governance is amply documented. A unique analysis (Carolyn J. Hill, 2005) of more than
800 empirical studies, covering a range of disciplines, found a general shifting away from
hierarchical government and a distinct movement towards horizontal governing
involving a gradual additional of new administrative forms.
3.4.2 Different Approaches and Perspectives of MIG (Public Administration)
One author presented the public administration as combination of three approaches which
is pretty well fitting (Rosenbloom, 1998). Those are:
- Managerial approach (including the New Public Management or NPM)
- Political approach
- Legal approach
All three approaches have strong validity.
Some have viewed as a managerial endeavor, similar to practices in the private
sector. Managerial approach has two subsets: traditional (or orthodox) public
management and a contemporary reform- oriented new public management
(NPM).
Others, stressing the publicness of public administration, have emphasized its
political aspects.
Still others , noting the importance of sovereignty, constitutions, and regulation in
public administration, have viewed it as a distinctly legal matter.
Each of these approaches tends to stress different values and procedural and structural
arrangements for the operation of public administration; each views the individual citizen
in a different way. This is summarized in following table:
Table 3-A : Perspectives of Public Administration
Perspectives on Public Administration
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From this point, for the sake of focusing our discourse, we want to move to a
dimension which focuses on the management aspects of the public administration field.
We found that, in public administration's first recognized textbook, published in 1926,
Leonard D. White, rebuking the notion that public law is the proper foundation of public
administration, argued that the study of administration should start from the base of
management rather than the foundation of law (White, 1926). Even before that Woodrow
Wilson, academic turned politician, who later became 28
th
president of United States,
wrote in his widely quoted article, Administrative questions are not political questions.
Rather they are managerial questionsit is the object of administrative study to discover,
first, what government can properly and successfully do, and, secondly, how it can do
Characteristic Perspectives
Traditional
Management
NPM Politics Law
Values: Economy,
efficiency,
effectiveness
Cost-
effectiveness,
responsiveness
to customers
Representation,
responsiveness,
accountability
Constitutional
integrity, procedural
due process, robust
substantive rights,
equal protection,
equity
Structure: Ideal-typical
bureaucracy
Competitive, firm
like
Organizational
pluralism
Adjudicatory
(adversary)
View of
individual:
Impersonal
case, rational
actor
Customer Member of Group Individual and/or
member of class,
reasonable person
Cognitive
Approach
Rational
scientific
Theory,
observation,
measurement ,
experimentation
Agreement and
public opinion,
debate
Inductive case
analysis, deductive
legal analysis,
normative reasoning,
adversary process
Budgeting: Rational(cost-
benefit)
Performance
based, market-
driven
Incremental(distrib
ution of benefits
and burdens)
Rights funding
Decision making: Rational
comprehensive
Decentralized,
cost- minimizing
Incremental
muddling through
Precedential
incrementalism
Governmental
function
characterized by:
Execution Execution Legislation Adjudication
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these proper things with utmost possible efficiency and at the least possible cost either of
money or of energy. (Wilson, 1887).
3.4.3 Public management as Structure, Craft, and Institution
In the Handbook of Public Administration, in the public management chapter, public
management is analyzed from three dimensions: as structure, as craft, and as institution
(James and Lynn, 2011).
Public management as structure:
The earliest conception of public management was as a structure of governance, that is, a
formal means for constraining and overseeing the exercise of state authority by public
managers. From a structural perspective, public management involves two interrelated
elements: lawful delegation of authority and external control over the exercise of
delegated authority. The design of arrangements that balance these elements constitutes
the paradigmatic problem of public management viewed as a structure of governance.
Overcoming the reluctance of legislatures and courts to delegate authority to unelected
bureaucrats, constituted the first challenge to establishing public management as a
structure of governance.
Public management as craft
In recent decades, increasing emphasis has been placed on public management as a craft
practiced by specific individuals in specific managerial roles. As Frederick Mosher
interpreted, an intellectual development of seminal importance to this movement was the
appearance in 1938 of Chester Barnard's The Functions of the Executive (1968), which
laid the groundwork for new perspectives, including that of Herbert Simon, on managerial
responsibility. Barnard clearly influenced John Millett, whose 1954 book, Management in
the Public Service, constitutes an early example of the craft perspective.
The newer literature within the craft perspective is based on case studies as seen in
Graham Allison, The effort to develop public management as a field of knowledge should
start from problems faced by practicing public managers (Allison, 1979: 38). Among the
numerous examples of this perspective, Heymann's The Politics of Public Management
(1987), Reich's Public Management in a Democratic Society (1990), Behn's Leadership
Counts (1991) and Moore's Creating Public Value (1995) are representative.
Public management as institution:
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How, and on behalf of what values, should public managers practice their craft? The
appropriateness of intrinsic or self-control by public managers has been a recurring issue
since the Friedrich-Finer debate of 1940 (Finer, 1940; Friedrich, 1940). Against Finer's
view that public managers should be subject to minute legislative control, Friedrich
countered that the best means for ensuring that management is responsive to the polity is
the professionalism of the manager.
Lynn summarized the institutional perspective on public management as follows: the
structures of the administrative state constitute an appropriate framework for achieving
balance between a jurisdiction's need for administrative capacity to pursue public purposes
and citizen control of that capacity (Lynn, 2001). When managerial craft practiced within
this framework is guided by a sense of responsibility, public management becomes a
primary institution for preserving the balance between the state's capacity to effect the
public interest and the citizen's power to hold office holders accountable.
3.4.4 Public Administration and/or Public Management
Here, we do not have an objective to make a comparative analysis of the competing, if not
contrasting, aspects and approaches of public administration. So we are setting aside the
other relevant dimensions and want to focus on the managerial dimension of the
management in government (MIG) public administration and/or public
management.
For the purpose of this thesis, we have taken simple position here. We will assume the
core interest of public administration is to manage the governments business of satisfying
the needs of its citizens. The first point starts is it administration or management? Is
there any difference between them?
Management vs. Administration
We have no problem in this debate and will use public management and public
administration interchangeably to communicate the broader construct of management in
government (MIG).
But there has been this popular debate around from the early days of the administrative
science and/ or art discourses. Early administration or management scholars, for example,
Henry Fayol (1930), deliberately differentiated between the two terms. When
management as a science and/ or art was developing as a body of knowledge, arguably
under the auspices of management or business schools in the universities, particularly
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USA being a pioneer at this, this distinction mattered a lot. Who wanted to separate the
two terms, wanted to make it a point that Administration typically means following the
rules and procedures and structures, and Management typically means achieving
objectives or being goal oriented systematic processes.
We reviewed a number of management text books of recent times and hardly found any
important details about the distinction between the two terms. (Griffin, 2011) (Hill &
McShane, 2008) (Jones & George, 2003) (Robbins, Coulter, & Vohra, 2010) (Weigrich,
Cannice, & Koontz, 2008) (Weihrich & Koontz, 1994).
This implies that the word management has undoubtedly gained a distinct form of
permanent construct or idea in the administrative sciences.
Public administration as management
Some scholars make it a point that public administration is not administration rather it is
actually management. They want to clearly distinguish between the two constructs:
administration and management. Administration involves orderly arrangement of
resources to follow defined procedures, rules, and laws. Management involves discretion
in the management of resources to achieve a set of objectives.
According to Henri Fayol (1930), It is important not to confuse administration with
management. To manage is to conduct [an organization] toward the best possible use of all
the resources at its disposal, to ensure the smooth working of the essential functions.
Administration is only one of these functions
In Roscoe C. Martin's view, by 1940, administration was equated with management
(Martin, 1965: 8). Paul Van Riper (1990), in assaying mid- to late-nineteenth century
antecedents to Woodrow Wilson's 1887, says: that the words administration and
management have been treated here as synonymous.
As argued in Lynn (1996), public administration scholars would have been justified in
claiming that their field had owned the subject of public management for decades.
Public administration as administration
On the other hand, some scholars want to make it a point that public administration is
administration and is not public management. When Henry (2009) presents the paradigms
since the beginning of modern public administration discipline, there is a deliberate effort
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to show that public management and subsequent new public management is just a subset
or a stream of public administration; that public administration deserve a break from
political science and management and should emerge as an autonomous field of study and
practice.
Our decision on the matter of administration and management
In practice, however, as Flynn (2007) mentioned, both activities administration
(following rules) and management (using discretion)- occur in public services or
government: many activities require administration than management, and many activities
require that we allow management to be at work. We belong to this and we have no
ambiguity while using the term. But at the end, we mean management in the sense of
being objective oriented not procedure oriented.
Here, we conclude that,
regardless of the terms public administration or management
government officials or civil servants or bureaucrats or public
administrator or public manager, should be allowed to have the room and
take the responsibility of managing within their given limits.
That means, the public management and the public managers should strive
for excellence in their organizations, say creating surpluses and achieving
effectiveness and efficiency, for the betterment of theirs customers (citizens).
It is their normative duty. They are meant to do this.
3.4.5 Public management and New Public Management
When the theorists wanted to emphasize the managerial aspect of the public administration
rather than the aspects of law or political science, public administration was deliberately
called public management. In the managerial approach to public administration, a further
term so called New Public Management (NPM) got huge attention after 1970s.
Oxford Handbook of Public Management states that NPM movement, often propose
alternatives that involve theories and techniques drawn from the business management to
be applicable to governmental management (Ferlie, Pettigrew, Ashburner, & Fitzgerald,
1996) (Pollitt & Boukaert, 2000).
NPM is nothing fundamentally new. Well before US vice president Gores NPR or
common sense government (Gore and Clinton 1995), efficiency has always been a concern
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in the regular public administration, or new public administration, or in literature
whereas it was deliberately called public management. But yes, with the name of new
there was a push of change and reform that swept though the governments of the globe
in Thatchers UK, Regans USA, New Zealand, Australia and many other places.
Drawing from Khan (2009), NPM can be summarized as having four major aspects:
A much bolder and larger scale use of market like mechanisms for those parts of
the public sector that could not be transferred directly into private ownership;
Intensified organizational and spatial decentralization of the management and
production of services;
A constant rhetorical emphasis on the need to improve service quality; and
An equally relentless insistence that greater attention has to be given to the
wishes of the individual service user/customer
The term reinventing government became widely popular after Osborne and Gaeblers
book using the title as such. It has been cited very frequently in the discussion of public
sector reforms and NPM.
The basic principles for reinventing government are:
- steering rather than rowing;
- empowering rather than serving;
- injecting competition into the service delivery;
- transforming rule-driven organizations; funding outcomes;
- meeting needs of the customers, not the bureaucracy;
- earning rather than spending;
- from hierarchy to participation and team work; and
- leveraging change through the market
(Osborne & Gaebler, 1992)(Shafritz & Russel, 2000)
There are counter views of business like reforms efforts like NPM. But rather than going
into details of that philosophical difference of business and government, we want to
contend that when it comes to managing the business of government with economy,
efficiency, effectiveness and equity, we find nothing wrong to keep aside the petty semantic
differences. Any good reform effort may be overused or wrongly used as matter of great
zeal, but that should not deviate us from the positive direction that it brings. And we want
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to take it the positive direction that government needs to be kept improving continuously,
as meant in NPM.
3.5 Public management and Governance: where is what
In very simple word, public management is one important component of governance.
Governance is a broad term which includes public management among other constructs
and concepts.
Since the last decade of last century, governance has been a prominent subject in public
administration discourses. Governance, defined by Lynn, Heinrich, and Hill as the
regimes, laws, rules, judicial decisions, and administrative practices that constrain,
prescribe, and enable the provision of publicly supported goals and services, holds strong
interest for public administration scholars (2001: 7). Peters uses an equally big definition
of governance as institutions designed to exercise collective control and influence
(1995:3). Peters, and Peters with Pierre (2000), settles on the steering characteristics of
governance as distinct from government.
In the mid-1970s, Cleveland (1972) used the phrase What the people want is less
government and more governance and afterward it became a catch word for the
practitioners and academics. In much of the modern literature in the field, governance has
become a virtual synonym for public management and public administration (Federickson
and Smith, 2003: 225).
The term governance having a strong intuitive appeal, is widespread in both public and
private sectors, in characterizing both global and local arrangements, and in reference to
both formal and informal norms and understandings. Governance is important to achieving
policy or organizational objectives, and refereed to organizational structure, administrative
processes, managerial judgment, systems of incentives and rules, administrative
philosophies, or a combination of these elements.
Governance reform, particularly as seen in Great Britain, New Zealand, Australia, and the
United States is modeled on various contributions of four different approaches to public
administration- markets and competition, participative administration, greater flexibility,
and deregulation. There are World Bank, OECD, Standard and Poor, Transparency
International and other sources which provides systematic indicators of governance. But
we are setting aside details of those for the sake of our discourse.
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We take the view that governance is like a mesh of things (Henry, 2009). That means the
concept of governance is beyond government and any other single actors purview.
The components of government can be summarized as:
- Structure of government and electoral process, and the government itself
- Laws, Policies, and related Institutions
- Bureaucracy, civil service, or public administration/management
- Networks of organizations and institutions
o Private actors
o Non government and non profits
o Public-Private partnerships
o Contracting or outsourcing by government
- Intergovernmental and international network of institutions.
For our research, it is well clear that we are concentrating on one of most important
component institutions, which is public administration/ management. So ensuring
governance in the country is one broad discourse, of which more focused one is ours
how to improve management in government.
3.6 What is Public Sector: Scope of MIG
What is public and what is private varies between countries and with time. People, as users
of services or workers are not concerned about public or private; they are more directly
concerned with quality and accessibility of services as users, and income and security
as workers (Flynn, 2007).
Following is seen in the public sector:
- Delivering directly or direct service delivery through ministry, departments,
directorates; for example:
o Managing the relief effort to flood or hurricane affected people under
ministry of disaster
o Managing board exams through education boards under ministry of
education
o Managing medical college hospitals and nationwide Upazila complex
hospitals under ministry of health
- Delivering services through Outsourcing and Contracting
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o Cleaning services of government offices provided by a private firm whose
business is providing cleaning services
o Data entry services or software development by a IT or software firm
o Collecting tolls in the toll bridges and roads, haat-bazars, parking spaces
and so on
- Public-private partnerships (PPP) and Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
o Outsourcing plus much more of the government activities which can be
done with more ease and economy
o Partnerships in terms of infrastructure, physical structure, revenue sharing
etc.
Much talked about issue, but not much examples to cite
Some foreign examples: London underground, British Railway,
Prison etc.
So in each country, whatever government does or take the responsibility to serve its
citizen by managing the total structure and regulations of the state machinery is the
scope of public sector.
Since the Republican Reagan era in USA and Conservative Thatcher era in UK, or even
before that, or in other times, there has always been ideological debate or scholarly
contrasting paradigm about the size and scope of the government: large government vs.
minimal government. That is the subject matter of political science or even public
administration discipline as a whole.
Our interest lies in the discipline of management how government should and can
manage what they do, how they can become more efficient and effective regardless of the
size and scope agreed by the political offices or legislative branch of the government.
3.7 Public management and Private (business) management: Stressing
Similarity over the Difference
It is generally established perception and concept that management means Management
in business organizations. When it comes to distinguishing management in business
organizations from management in other types of organizations like government, non-
profit organizations, universities, clubs etc, then it is deliberately called business
management, or private sector management, or simply, private management.
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3.7.1 The Difference:
The basic elements of the argument that public and private management are fundamentally
unalike in all important respects are: (1) that the public interest differs from private
interests, (2) that public officials, because they exercise the sovereign power of the state,
are necessarily accountable to democratic values rather than to any particular group or
material interest, and (3) that the constitution requires equal treatment of persons and rules
out the kind of selectivity that is essential to sustaining profitability. Moreover, the extent
of the differences between the two sectors has been well documented empirically (Rainey,
1997). This was also echoed by Graham T Allison when he remarked public and private
management are fundamentally alike in all unimportant respects (Allison 1920
November. 1979). Allison wanted to stress the need for distinct public management
knowledge body. (Though he mentioned that public management can learn from private
(business) management to improve.)
Public management, if it is overemphasized to be different, then actually it implies that it
is accountable to the ruling party, which is in turn accountable to the electorates or
constituencies; that public management is to be more open to scrutiny by media and
general citizenry in matters of hiring, firing, and managing the people, and what they do.
Comparisons of pubic versus private management have important implications for
administrative theory analysis in general. Well-designed comparisons can contribute to
analysis of a variety of topics in management.
A worldwide trend of privatizing governmental activities and governmental-owned
enterprises, for example, has proceeded on the premise that organizations and activities
managed under the auspices of the public sector show important differences from those
managed privately. Usually the premise holds that the publically managed organizations
operate less effectively and efficiently, and that privatizing them will remedy their
malaise.
3.7.2 The Similarity:
In spite of these claims about the importance of the pubic-private distinction, the clearly
prevailing consensus among scholars and experts on management holds that the distinction
is not worth much. Many scholars have argued that the sectors involve such vastly
diverse sets of management settings that distinctions such as public, private, and the non-
profit confuse and mislead us. In addition, over the years, major organization theorists
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have proclaimed that public and private management show more similarities than
differences ( (Simon H. , 1995) (Simon H. A., 1998)
These proclamations reflect a generic, orientation who takes the positions that managers
face common challenges in most or all settings, such as leading, motivating and decision
making. We need to build a general, broadly applicable body of theory, and not one
specific to such categories as public, private, or non-profit. Widely used texts on
organizations and management commonly make a point of including examples and cases
drawn from the business, government and non-profit sectors (Daft, 2004)
So, on the one hand, where some scholars and practitioners want to stress the differences
between public sector (government) and private sector (business organizations), they
emphasize the matter ownership, various interest groups, greater accountability to
internal and external public, procedural steps etc.
But others want to stress the similarities in the sense that management is ultimately an art
and science of getting results (profit or surplus or economy or whatever it is). They focus
on the objective or goal orientation thrust of management.
3.7.3 Our Position on Management in Business Vs. Management In Government
We go with the latter one as mentioned above for the purpose of the incumbent study.
Some people question how far management in business can be applied to management in
government. The main argument is that government operations are inherently different
from business operation. But we argue that these differences are often exaggerated and
should not be used as an excuse for inefficiency, ineffectiveness, or waste.
Public administration is not business administration but straightly speaking, the
business of public administration is managing the business of government. The
business of government includes, most importantly, understanding citizen needs and
serving the citizens of the state effectively and efficiently.
3.8 Management in Government (MIG): Good Management for Better
Citizen Services - the Ultimate Bottom Line that Matters
Management is about achievement of goal for organizations. What is the goal of
government which is the most pervasive of the organizations and institutions that citizen
live with?
From most developed country to least developed country, what is the most obvious
difference? The difference is systems work or not. The systems are managed by the
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government having the systems in place that citizens have access to. Developed countries
are visible as developed because their systems work. And undeveloped or developing
countries are so because their systems are visibly undeveloped, the systems that dont
work. So what is the goal of government?
One way of stating this goal of government is: to ensure justice for all the citizens,
individually or collectively.
Justice is an ideal, unanimous fairness in the transcendental institutionalism approach, for
example proposed by John Rawls in his widely quoted theory of justice (Rawls, 1971). In
realization-focused comparison approach Nobel laureate economist, Amartya Sen argued
for plurality of the choices and freedom to choose in constructing the idea of justice (Sen,
2010).
As Sen (2010) tries to accommodate the divergent points of view which is more practical
for justice at the global level, where are we? In the south part, developing part, eastern
part, or struggling part of the world, we miss the basic systems or institutions required for
having justice as rightly said by former US president Bill Clinton in a commencement
speech.1 We take this as our starting point: We miss the basic systems and institutions.
Citizens are less concerned about which party is in power; rather more concerned whether
they are getting the basic services. Particularly in the developing countries, the point of
discussion can safely be anchored in the question how to make the systems work for the
citizens daily needs.

1
Bill Clinton commencement speech at New York University in 2011(as watched in YouTube)
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Part B Theoretical Framework and Literature Review

Chapter 3 Management in Government (MIG)
Chapter 4 Management in Government in Bangladesh
Chapter 5 Management in Government Reforms in Different
Countries


4 Chapter 4 Management in Government in Bangladesh
4.1 Introduction: Availability of Literature
When it comes to conducting literature review on the overall area of public administration
and management, there is no dearth of literature. It is very usual to hear researchers of
many subject areas of Bangladesh saying that they have not found enough literature
related to their research topic. But in our case, the opposite is true. There is such a huge
volume of writings on various issues of MIG, that it became challenging itself to sort and
prioritize and defend the identification of gap and a rationale for the incumbent study.
The existing literature on the subject of management in government in Bangladesh can
be categorized like following:
a. Government sponsored commissions, reports, documents
b. UN, WB, and other country or international donor agencies
c. Non Government Research or Think Tank organizations sponsored reports
d. Individual researchers, academicians, and writers
We perused a lot of sources and discussed some of them for presenting a brief idea on
public management discourse in and on Bangladesh. Our objective is not to be exhaustive
in review rather bringing on the table the variety and diversity of works available in the
MIG area related to Bangladesh. We start with the political regimes and then move on to
review of works available from different actors.
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4.2 Political Regimes and Public Management Reforms
The heading for this section may be termed as other alternatives like the following:
- A Brief history of Public Administration and Management
- A Brief history of Public Management
- A Brief history of Public Policy and Management
- A Brief history of Civil Service, or Civil Service Management
- A Brief history of Civil Administration
Our point is that whatever the name is, our idea is management in government how
government manages its affairs.
Bangladesh became an independent nation state in 1971. Before that it was one of
provinces of Pakistan which became a nation state in 1947 after the partition of India
which had been ruled by British for almost two hundred years. India and Pakistan civil
administration or public administration inherited the structure from the British Civil
Service which they called Indian Civil Service (ICS).
British bureaucracy was a very effective machinery to help rule the vast Indian
subcontinent and its subjects for so many years. Mahatma Gandhi, as he is known so
famously known, in his autobiography (Gandhi M. , 2011, originally published in 1927),
tells us his story of experiencing the colonial prides of British officers, racial prejudices
encountered in South Africa and in India, insulting dressing ups by the local maharajas in
the viceroys durbar and so on. Rajmohan Gandhi( (Gandhi R. , 2006), the grandson of
Mahatma Gandhi (M K Gandhi) added to this epic story of Gandhis life, sacrifices of
many educated compatriots, and in parallel that of the mighty empire of whose edifice he
wanted to break with nonviolent, non cooperation movement.
In a word, there is a long history and huge narratives available on the British rule and anti-
British patriotic self rule or independence movement. Interestingly, so democratic in their
homeland, the Britons ruled with iron hand in colonies like India for so many years,
crushing so many different rebellions from so many groups.
But maybe we have to agree, however reluctantly, that they built a system. The system
they built worked better in many aspects than current systems, which we hear being told
over and over by senior people who saw the British rule. This is not to say that we did not
need independence from Britain or any imperial power; that was need of time due to the
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wave of that time over the world, but the fact is that we could not develop that kind of
effective system of administration in India, Pakistan and later Bangladesh.
Bangladesh civil service or pubic administration inherited the structure of Pakistan or East
Pakistan civil service. Both India and Pakistan, including East Pakistan, later known as
Bangladesh, kept many things of the British systems intact because the British system was
itself very organized and result of many years of practices by then. That is the reason, we
see many terms, policies, and systems of public administration bear the British legacy till
today.
But this is also true that, after the independence of Bangladesh, government of Bangladesh
tried to reorganize the whole system. So reform effort was there in the government from
the beginning. However, naturally public administration follows the political paradigm
prevalent in those days.
Bangladesh saw following regimes in the days followed:
1. Sheikh Mujib Era (1971-75)
2. Ziaur Rahman Era (1976-81)
3. Hussain Muhammad Ershad Era (1982-90)
4. Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) led by Khaleda Zia (1991-1995)
5. Awami League Era led by Sheikh Hasina (1996-2000)
6. Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) led by Khaleda Zia (1991-1995)
7. Bangladesh Nationalist Party(BNP) led by Khaleda Zia (2001-2006)
8. Caretaker Government led by a Chief Advisor (2006-2008)
9. Awami League Era led by Sheikh Hasina (2008-till date)
There are other temporary and caretaker governments
2
in between these major periods but
those were too short lived to have any major policy impacts or reform programs.
Government formed many reforms commission at different times (a review of these
commissions are coming in the next section government sponsored initiatives). There are
industrial policy, export policy, SME (small and medium enterprises) policy, and other
such policies of government which is seen to be updated officially with each new
government in power.

2
Caretaker government of Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed in 1991, of justice Habibur Rahman in 1996, of
justice Latifur Rahman in 2001, all were of three month duration.
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In 2009, government revised the national pay scale (NPS 2009) in an effort to upgrade
the pay structure of the civil service in order to uplift the spirit of the government officials.
Later in 2010, the Civil Service Act 2010 was introduced. With the help of UNDP project
CSCMP, citizen charter was introduced which at least officially adopted by all the
ministries and departments of the government.
But, in the end, what we see, there is progress but which is more in forms rather than in
contents. Overall, there is little qualitative change in how government works and how
citizens perceive about the quality of the service delivery of the governments.
In the coming sections a more detailed review of some of the literature from different
sources as shown in table 4-A are made.
Table 4-A : Source of MIG Discourse

4.3 Government Sponsored Commissions, Reports, Documents
In his book From Government to Governance, Mohabbat Khan, mentioned of seventeen
major civil service reform and pay commissions or committees (Khan, 2009). All
submitted their reports with recommendations.
- Of the seventeen reform bodies only seven dealt with entire civil service having a
broad coverage.
- Six bodies dealt with matter of micro restructuring within the civil service.
Sponsor of the document
Government
Non Government Research or Think Tank organizations
Individual researchers, academicians, and writers
Sector or Cross cutting Area based
IT or E-government , PPP, civil service reforms, public management initiatives
export policy, improt policy, industrial policy, SME policy
Traffic jam, citizen service related, bangladesh railway, Biman, post office, education sector, health
sector etc.
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o Of them, three bodies examined exclusively pay structure of the civil
servants. The rest analyzed specific aspects of the civil service like
recruitment and promotion of civil servants.
In 1972 two high-powered reform bodies- Administrative and Services Reorganization
Committee( ASRC) and National Pay Commission (NPC-1) were appointed.
- The ASRC recommended a single, classless, unified grading structure with an
appropriate number of different pay scales matching different level qualifications,
skill and responsibilities. The committee recommended several measures for
developing an integrated public personnel management system encompassing a
rational selection process based on merit, long term career planning, formulation of
a general training policy and coordination of institutionalized training, and an
employee promotion procedure based on merit-cum seniority.
In 1972, the Pay and Services Commission (P & SC) was appointed by then military
backed government.
- It recommended the creation of an all-purpose civil service to include all functions
within the traditional government sector; emphasis on the merit principle for
recruitment and promotion; constitution of a new apex cadre with talented,
efficient, and experienced officers dawn from all cades through appropriately
designed tests for providing administrative leadership and high level of
coordination; the adoption of cadre concept in the civil service structure;
organization of cadre services at the top tier to constitute the nucleus of the civil
service structure; and proposed 52 scales of pay to reduce multiplicity of pay
scales.
Between 1982 and 1984 two major reform bodies were appointed. One was called Martial
Law Committee( MLC) another was civilian.
- The MLC recommended reduction in the number of ministries, cutting the number
of civil servants, mostly at lower levels, restructuring of the role of secretariat and
other executive organizations and delegating financial and administrative powers
down the hierarchy .

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- The implementation of the major recommendations of MLC resulted initially in the
reduction of number of ministries and lower level public employees. But after
sometime the number of ministries increased to its earlier size and the number of
lower level employees went up as a result of new and unnecessary recruitment.
The last significant reform initiative came with the appointment of Public Administration
Reform Commission (PARC) in January 1997. The PARC submitted its recommendation
in June 2000. The commission, influenced by the New Public Management (NPM)
concept made a number of significant recommendations relating to:
- improvement of service delivery, creation of functional clusters of ministries; for
developing professionalism and institution of Senior Management Pool (SMP) for
overcoming inter-cadre rivalries and facilitating fast track promotion;
- introduction of strictly merit-based recruitment and promotion in public service;
decentralization devolution of governmental authority and reorganizational of local
government bodies;
- rationalization of institutions and manpower; creation of a powerful and
independent anti-corruption commission; effective parliamentary oversight on
administration;
Caretaker Government of 2006-08, created the Regulatory Reforms Commission (RRC)
which worked on identifying the obsolete rules and regulations in the government. But
when political government came into power in 2009, the RRC became ineffectual and
ended silently with the resignation of the commission chairman Akbar Ali Khan, an ex
secretary and advisor to the caretaker government.
4.3.1 Strategic Document by Caretaker Governments
Prof. Rehman Sobhan as adviser in charge of Planning and External Relation Divisions
setup twenty-nine Task Forces to identify the development problems and policy options to
be made available to the newly elected government and the Parliament. Prof. Rehman
Sobhan was able to gather over two hundred and fifty distinguished professionals in
Bangladesh to provide voluntary service. The Twenty Nine Task Forces dealt with the
entire gamut of economic activities and covered the following areas:
Macroeconomic Policies; Poverty Alleviation; Self-Reliance; Population; Human
Resource Development; Financial Sector Reforms; Technology; Environment;
Industrial Policy; Policies for Small and Rural Industry; Investment Policy;
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Agricultural Production Strategies; Food Policy; Land Administration; The Role of
Public Sector; The role of Private sector; The role of NGOs; Political parties in the
development process; the Energy Sector; The Transport sector; The Yamuna
Bridge; The Flood Action Plan; and The social Implication of Urbanization.
Caretaker government led by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmad (Government of Bangladesh, 2008)
produced a Moving Ahead strategy document where they identified following strategic
blocks:
- Strategic Block I: Macroeconomic Environment for Pro-poor Economic Growth
- Strategic Block II: Critical Areas of Focus for Pro-poor Economic Growth
- Strategic Block III: Essential Infrastructure for Pro-poor Economic Growth
- Strategic Block IV: Social Protection for the Vulnerable
- Strategic Block V: Human Development
For addressing these concerns the report mentioned following supporting strategies:

- Supporting Strategy I: Ensuring Participation, Social Inclusion and Empowerment
- Supporting Strategy II: Promoting Good Governance
- Supporting Strategy III: Ensuring Efficient Delivery of Public Services
- Supporting Strategy IV: Caring for Environment and Tackling Climate Change
- Supporting Strategy V: Enhancing Productivity and Efficiency through Science
and Technology
So we have the non partisan discourse also. These documents are purely done with non-
partisan and national priority agenda and may serve as very good starting point for any
government in power.
4.3.2 Digital Bangladesh (ICT in MIG)
Utilizing the potential of E-government, called digital Bangladesh, saw a lot of enthusiasm
in recent times. The larger vision of Digital Bangladesh, as articulated by the Honorable
Prime Minister herself, includes the following four pillars: (i) developing human resources
ready for the 21st century, (ii) connecting citizens in ways most meaningful to them, (iii)
taking services to citizens doorsteps and (iv) making the private sector and market more
productive and competitive through the use of ICTs. The strategy paper of digital
Bangladesh focused on Revitalizing Key Service Sectors Education, Health, Agriculture,
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Access to Justice, Disaster, Environment and Climate Change, Social Safety Nets, Land,
Commerce and Investment (A2I, PMO 2009).
But what we found later in the field work is, many projects are half done and interestingly
previous inefficiency and corruption goes in parallel (for example, middlemen factor in
getting passport, voter Id, or driving license)
4.3.3 Proposal of Marketing Principles in MIG
Government has also attempted, commendably, to explore the application of marketing
principles in government, as tried elsewhere in the world. For example, Philip Kotler one
of the most famous marketing guru of recent times, was brought to Bangladesh in 2010.
He attended a meeting organized by Access to Information (A2I) project of Prime
Ministers Office (PMO). Kotler described Bangladesh as a 'sleeping tiger'. According to
Kotler, Bangladesh needs to create a brand to make publicity of any product of the
country, that planning is essential and important in the market and that government should
draw the ideas of entrepreneurs to help grow capital in the country (Access to Information,
2010).
4.3.4 The real progress
Overall, Public Administration Reform (PAR) in Bangladesh is in unsatisfactory state.
Reform bodies have made detailed reform prescriptions after meticulous examination of
deficiencies prevailing in the civil service system of the country. Significant civil service
reform recommendations in most cases have been stalled, manipulated and consequently
not implemented. PARs have suffered because of a number of factors including
incremental changes, resistance to major reforms by civil servants, and lack of political
will.
What has been the impact of major PAR failure in Bangladesh? We agree mostly what
Khan(2009) summarized:
- First, public service has not responded to the needs of the society and failed to
meet the aspirations of the people.
- Second, public service is viewed by with distrust by the citizens.
- Third public servants are becoming increasingly marginalized, as they are unable
to respond adequately to the challenges that confront them.
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- Fourth, public service continue to depend on traditional mode of authority like
hierarchy and order to get work done and in progress no space is left for listening
to the voices of stakeholders in the decision making process.
- Finally, public servants are ill equipped to respond effectively to the challenges of
globalization in such areas as trade laws, investment, corporate governance, and
competition policies and customs regulation.
So, almost every Government- whether democratic or military or caretaker-
appointed committees and commissions to reform the civil service or public
administration. So the effort was there, and progress have been there, but all would
agree to the proposition that the real progress or qualitative progress is far below the
expected level, particularly compared with many countries which had similar economy
and national condition some forty years ago. [The commonly cited examples of
country which surpassed Bangladesh are: Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam,
Indonesia etc]
This logically shows the need of a different kind of documented framework and
analysis which has been tried with this incumbent study.
4.4 International Organizations and Donor Agency Reports
Many international organizations and donor agencies of developed countries, for whatever
reason, provided many prescriptions and assistance at different times to different
governments. Some of the most prominent and representative ones are described below:
4.4.1 Public Administration Efficiency Study (PAES), USAID
Public Administration Efficiency Study (PAES) was one of the first comprehensive donor
efforts to reform and redesign the civil service in Bangladesh. The study was conducted
from May 1989 to November 1989. Khan (2009) summarized the significant
recommendations of PAES (USAID, 1999,:1-3) which included:
- strengthening supervision through training and management support;
- reducing secretariats operational activities
o through delegation of routine personnel and financial matters to
departments, corporations and subordinate bodies;
- reducing layers in decision making;
- introduction of a two-tier career system to raise quality of the senior civil service;
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- increasing incentives for high performances including wider use of merit as a
criteria for promotion; and
- expanding practical, problem-solving training based an assessment of
organizational needs
4.4.2 Public Administration Sector Study (PASS), funded by the UNDP
The PASS, funded by the UNDP, was conducted between February 1993 and July 1993.
The study made as many as fifty-two recommendations. The significant recommendations
were:
- establishing results-oriented management systems through setting up of objectives
and measures of outputs and impacts throughout the government;
- establishing units in each ministry, responsible for developing and applying
performance criteria and measures and develop internal performance audit
capability;
- rationalizing government structure by reducing number of ministries and divisions;
- review and streamline of government rules and regulations to eliminate red tape
and redundant functions;
- selection and promotion of officer based on merit within transparent process,
- strengthening of Public Service Commission;
- replacing grades and class system with personnel management system based on
position classification system and grades; and
- appointment of a reform implementation commission (UNDP, 1993:103-110)
4.4.3 Government that Works: Reforming the Public Sector (GTW/RPS), World Bank
GTW/RPS study of World Bank was conducted in 1994 and 1995 at different phases. This
wide ranging studys main thrust was on delineating core functions of the government and
essential services to be provided to citizens. Therefore, the study recommended
- redefining frontiers of public sector which means rightsizing the central
government,
- enlarging the role of non-governmental organizations, local government, and the
private sector;
- enhancing level and nature of accountability and responsiveness of public
organizations to their owners, i.e., parliament, citizens and consumers;
- streamline regulations;
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- level and process to ensure transparency, fairness and atomicity of legal and
regulatory institutions, policies and practices;
- overhauling rules and process by which government conducts its policy and
decision making functions; and
- maintain an efficient, committed and professional public service (World
Bank,1996:xvi)
4.4.4 Taming the Leviathan, World Bank
As public sector reform movement shifted to governance era, Taming the Leviathan by
the World Bank (2002) was another initiative. The report offered a broad-based strategy to
ensure better governance. The strategy to promote good governance had five critical
dimensions:
- strengthening the core institutions of accountability, building civil society;
- decentralization to bring government closer to people;
- making public administration more effective and efficient; and
- mobilizing national efforts to bring about the needed reforms( World Bank,2002).
4.4.5 Civil Service Change Management Programme (CSCMP), UNDP
UNDP is running a project named Civil Service Change Management Programme
(CSCMP). The project started in August 2008 and is to run up to December 2012. CSCMP
is an initiative of the Government of Bangladesh (GoB) and the UNDP with the aim to
provide a toolbox or road map for civil service reform in Bangladesh. The purpose of the
toolbox or the roadmap is to help a reform body effectively organize reform measures and
to provide useful implementation guidance for various stakeholders in the course of
navigating government reform. So far it completed the citizen charter initiatives at various
level of government.
4.4.6 Managing at the Top (MATT 2)
DFID supported a program called Managing at the Top (MATT 2) program for capacity
building of the senior public managers. Colin Jacobs of British Council addresses three
critical questions central to many donor funded programs which seek to enable pro-poor
reform and growth. In the context of Bangladesh, the research asks first, does the civil
service has a role in promoting change of this kind? Second, can a senior civil service
development program succeed in creating reform minded civil servants? And, third, if so
how might the contribution be made both more substantive and of value? Drawing from
evidence from Managing at the Top (MATT 2) he concluded that the civil service in
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Bangladesh is unlikely to reform itself without strong persuasion. This means that external
stakeholders including civil society, donors and business must be drawn in to offer the best
chances. In the short term the best chances are likely to rest in the election of the new
government with an overwhelming majority and therefore substantial authority to
challenge and compel BCS reform. (JACOBS, 2009)
4.4.7 BNPP Opinion Survey of Government Officials
A survey was conducted in 1999 on the public officials led by Professor Muzaffar Ahmed
of Dhaka University and funded by the Bank Netherlands Partnership Program (BNPP).
The report (BNPP 1999) captures the opinions of Bangladeshi class I (highest level) public
sector officials on a number of civil service issues, from personnel management practices
to rewards and disciplinary actions, and from employees sources of income to the budget
environment and procurement processes.
Survey results show instances in Bangladeshs civil service where professional
conduct is perceived to be sacrificed at the expense of personal and political
concerns.
Surveyed officials express a concern with
o Patronage-appointments in the recruitment of Class III and IV staff and
unfavorable postings and transfers (like OSD) at the higher level.
Corruption, insufficient budgetary allocation, and unpredictable budgets are
identified as key impediments to achieving organizational objectives.
So, general truth is confirmed that aspects of the formal institutional arrangements,
and particularly rule credibility; policy credibility; and resource adequacy and
predictability, are significant drivers of performance.
But important findings of the survey show the variety in the institutional environments
within which officials work. [for example, WDB (Water Development Board), PDB
(Power Development Board), LGED (Local Government Engineering Department),
Ministry of Fisheries are different in management environment]. So the report concluded
with the hope that Agency level reforms might be the best hope of destabilizing some of
the dysfunctional public sector equilibrium, and might be driven by providing local
communities with greater voice in the production of local public services.
This incumbent study of MIG takes forward this line of findings. Our focus is on
developing management approach and improving organizational management institution
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by institution, agency by agency, while trying to develop the general framework of logic,
insights, and knowledge.
4.4.8 Real Change and Progress
As a consequence of these reports, we see some visible signboards like citizen charter in
ministry websites and in many government offices. But the real change is absent and far
from any qualitative change in citizen service delivery mechanism of government. This is
evident from our media content analysis, field observation and citizen experience survey.
Who will believe that citizen charter bring change in Land Office, Passport office, or the
likes?
Peter van de Pol (2009), the change management expert of CSCMP also confirmed our
observation; that at the moment, coherence is totally lacking:
- there are countless initiatives going on, sponsored by different donors, and
dispersed over the whole BCS.
- These initiatives are at best ignorant of each other, lack an overall framework or
umbrella or philosophy, and are, more often than not, jealously guarded by the
donor and their counterparts alike.
- There is overload, fragmentation, and incoherence, resulting in mere unsustainable
window dressing.
4.5 Research or Think Tank Reports
CPD (center for policy dialogue), a reputed civil society think tank established in 1993 by
Professor Rehman Sobhan with support from trustee and local businesses, conducts many
useful research in various national issues. CPD formed a Nagorik Committee (citizens
committee) in 2006 (Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), 2007) which came up with a
vision Bangladesh Vision 2021 through a consultative process with the participation of
members of the Nagorik Committee, relevant stakeholders and experts. The committee, at
the end of the long consultative process, identified and finalized eight goals that reflect
citizens aspirations with regard to the future of Bangladesh by the year 2021 when
Bangladesh will be celebrating 50 years of independence. The goals relate to the following
aspirations:
1. To become a participatory democracy,
2. To have an efficient, accountable, transparent and decentralized system of
governance,
3. To become a poverty-free middle-income country,
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4. To have a nation of healthy citizens,
5. To have a skilled and creative human resource,
6. To become a globally integrated regional economic and commercial hub,
7. To be environmentally sustainable and
8. To be a more inclusive and equitable society
Also, CPD handed this paper to BAL and BNP top leaders. But what we saw, after the end
of caretaker rule in 2008 and the successful election that brought BAL into power, country
politics again got afresh in petty partisan skirmishes. The spirit of citizen participated
national strategy dialogue was lost in the course.
Professor Nurul Islam (2010), in a reflection of his experience with first government,
stated that, at first, assignment to various posts to be done strictly on the basis of merit and
past performance, which is generally known. A committee of retired civil servants who are
not known to be loyalists of the past regime as well as outside experts can be called upon
to evaluate the training and past performance to sort out the efficient ones; second, once
selected they need to be trusted by their ministers/superior officers and their performance
would be carefully monitored and evaluated.
Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), a government funded autonomous
research organizations, have produced many valuable works which may help policy
makers. But as usual, the government does not have the systemic component of
assimilating such useful work into its policy making and implementation system.
For example, in a research of BIDS, authors made a critical argument stressing the need to
see the poor not as passive client for assistance but as social actors whose initiative,
capacities and labor power can serve as perhaps the biggest assets in the struggle against
poverty. They also mentioned of problem of field-level implementation failures. Insofar as
such failures critically originate in a machinery of district administration with an inherited
bias towards regulatory functions, the question of countervailing structures of local self-
government demands priority inclusion in the poverty agenda (Rahman & Hossain, 1995)
4.6 Individual Experts, Academics, and Practitioners
Many individuals from different walk of life shared their experience and insights. These
are as valuable as, and not to exaggerate, more valuable than the donor funded consultant
reports, in the sense that these are from country thinking and carries a patriotic note.
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4.6.1 Experts in Different Scope
Professor Nurul Islam(2003) narrated his experience as the first deputy chairman
3
(Sheikh
Mujib was the ex officio chairman) of the first planning commission of independent
Bangladesh, from 1972-75 (Islam N. , 2003). This book reviewed and analyzed the history
of Bangladesh from an economic perspective. As Kochanek (2004) commented on it, the
book reviews the economic conflicts that led to break-up of West and East Pakistan,
provides a critical insight into the administrative, economic and diplomatic issues faced by
the Awami League government and outlines the key economic decisions of 1972-75
period. Overall, Islam (2003) pointed out the failure of many policies in terms of
corruption, smuggling, inefficiencies and misappropriation due to strategic support from
the top of the government. Ultimately, however, this participant observer narrative is an
excellent political economic or economic history work; this is not a public administrative
or management analysis of the Bangladesh government as an organization.
Nurul Islam (2004) also stated in another book that, for obtaining maximum benefit from
globalization, Bangladesh is required to take a number of actions like many other poor
countries. First, domestic market needs to liberalized, decentralized and deregulated.
Second, there needs to be a clear comprehension that rules and regulations are essential as
these govern international transactions in commodities and factors.
Development through Decentralization in Bangladesh is a book that came out of a
DANIDA (Denmark donor agency) report prepared by Muhammad Mustafa Alam, Ahmed
Shafiqul Huque, Kirsten Westergaard.
- While investigating the performance of local government at upazila level, they
mentioned that the rural rich get elected to local government institutions and they
do not promote policies likely to ensure equality, let alone changes in the
distribution of economic and political power. In order for local self government
institutions to function as genuine countervailing structures, participation of
broader sections of the rural population needs to be ensured. This means that
underprivileged sections would need to be mobilized for putting pressure on the
system.
- In the arguments for decentralization, the rationale is to bring government close to
the people. This would necessitate a great measure of political autonomy, where
the decisions taken at the local level would not be subjected to control and

3
Sheikh Mujib, first head of the state of newly independent Bangladesh, was the ex officio chairman
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regulations from government officials either at higher levels of local government,
or at the centre. For allowing greater financial autonomy to the local government
institutions, it is necessary to allow greater decision-making authority at local
levels. Besides, opportunities need to be created for the local government
institutions to be able to increase their own revenue income (Alam, Huque, &
Westergaard, 1994).
Also we have found sector based detailed study to improve management in Bangladesh
government, for example, Livestock Resources in Bangladesh: Present Status and Future
Potential by Jahangir Alam (1995)
- Livestock, next to crop, is the most important sub-sector of agriculture in
Bangladesh. This sub-sector supplies animal protein through milk, meat and eggs
for human consumption, draught power for ploughing, and dung for utilization as
manure. Livestock rearing is regarded as the most important activity of the rural
poor for creation of employment and generation of income. The Government of
Bangladesh has given top priority to livestock development in recent years to meet
the growing demand for milk, meat and eggs from domestic production, and create
employment and generate income for the rural poor.

- Author expected that the book would assist in the efforts of the Government and
donors to improve the welfare of those who depend directly or indirectly on the
livestock sub-sector and will benefit the policy planners, researchers and
professionals (Alam J. , 1995).
This kind of study would provide valuable input in identifying problems, determining the
needs and formulating appropriate policies for livestock development of the country.
Managing Projects in Bangladesh: A scenario analysis of institutional environment for
development projects is a book written by an foreign consultant who compiled his work
experience of working with donor projects in Bangladesh (Chadha, 1989). The author has
worked for many years with a few projects in Bangladesh and has thus an ab -intra
perspective of these projects and an ab-extra perspective for the other projects.
In pointing out the management capability of government he mentioned that in a
country like Bangladesh, where the private sector is still in its infancy and where
the development activity is largely steered by centrally controlled pecuniary
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resources, efficacy in managing projects is proportionally and directly conjoined to
her growth and well being.
4.6.2 Political Leaders and Office Holders
Moudud Ahmed (1991), currently a senior BNP leader, previously closely associated with
Sheikh Mujib as a young lawyer, deputy prime minister in the Ershad era, wrote firsthand
account of the political environment of sheikh Mujib era. In this work, he reviewed the
scenario of the post independence days, the tug of war among the senior political figures,
freedom fighters and political leaders, nationalization of the industries, law and order
situation, creation of different para military forces, moving from parliamentary system to
one party BAKSAL system, famine of 1974, the context of political turbulence and so on.
He mentioned that Bangladeshs independence was a different case from those countries
who achieved independence contemporarily. Bangladesh achieved independence through a
onetime bloody war rather than long process of negotiations. So when it became a
sovereign country, there was no foreign exchange reserve, no central planning agency or
economic planning. In one chapter, he depicted the scenario of civil administration
(Ahmed M. , 1991)
Ex chief justice and Chief Advisor of Caretaker Government of 1996, Habibur Rahman
wrote about the days of his three month government. This book is basically an account of
his and his governments days, whose main task was to arrange the free and fair election,
above all. Although no drastic reforms proposal was there, there was insights about the
political culture of the country (Rahman M. H., Tattabadhayak Sarkarer Daibhar, 2010).
General Moeen U Ahmed played an important role in the Fakhruddin Ahmeds caretaker
regime. He also wrote a book after his tenure as chief of the army. He tried to establish
that caretaker government and Army tried to make some real changes across the sectors in
the time of caretaker government of 2007-08, that the country has the potential but due to
widespread corruption and bad politics, we are not advancing as possible otherwise
(Ahmed. M. U., 2009).
Mainul Hosein was the advisor, law, judiciary and parliamentary affairs, in the 2007-2008
Fakhruddin Ahmeds caretaker government. In his book (Hosein, 2009), Mainul Hosein
covered a range of issues while giving his firsthand accounts of the caretaker government
as one of the key advisors. He touched upon the important matters that he faced and also
discussed the issue of crisis of leadership in the country.
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4.6.3 Businesspersons
Some prominent businessmen also wrote about their countrys overall governance
scenario with intention that it has the potential to develop its conditions.
For example, Abdul Awal Mintu (2004), a former president of the FBCCI, he tried to
cover many issues in a large volume of work. He reviewed the experience of nations 30
years (1971-2001) and touched upon the politics, government, governance, constitution,
judiciary, ministries and civil service, election, economic policies, infrastructure and so
on. He provided generalized current scenario and recommendations in all these areas. This
work can be said a very good reflection of the different problems of the nation as narrated
by an experienced and educated business man. He mentioned that the ultimate objective of
the book was to develop a constructive dialogue among all the actors of the state (Mintoo,
2004). As a whole this is a useful addition to the government and citizen literature.
Another prominent businessman, Abul Kashem Haider, once a vice president of FBCCI,
published different books and has written extensively in different newspapers and
magazines, about the practical problems of government regulations, policies, and
bureaucracies. In one of his work, Haider (1995) compiled his suggestions for different
business sectors and cross sector issues Garments, Knitware, Tea, Jute, Corrugated
Irons, taxation, tax holiday, import policy and so on (Haider, 1995). Any government
which would be business friendly and objective oriented would need a comprehensive
review of the sector and cross sector issues.
4.6.4 NGO Entrepreneur
Fazle Hossain Abed mentioned in one of his speeches that good governance is a necessary
precondition to make the NGO activities effectively linked with countrys overall pro-poor
development agenda. (Abed, 1999). In general BRAC has many reports and publications
which are a good repertoire of the public management issues in education, health, and in
general.
Similarly Grameen Bank also contributed many reports and documents which may be
taken as essential field level contribution to the overall body of knowledge and practice of
management in government. There is a story mentioned in his autobiographical book that
minister agreed to be present at the inaugural session of Grameen Bank around 1983 but
bureaucrats were not willing to respond positively (Yunus, 2004). This is an interesting
example of countrys civil service which happened to be inherently citizen disoriented
rather protocol oriented.
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There might be some debates about BRAC and Grameen activities, but they have built
very large nationwide organizations which have attracted international attention in terms
of their contribution in citizen serving, specially poor citizens (Mortoza, 2006). So their
reports and documents, if integrated with mainstream public policy and administration
documents, would be very useful.
4.6.5 Academics
Nazrul Islam (1999) proposed to start the administrative reform with rationalization of
compensation for civil service. The rigidity of the government pay scale in presence of
private and international pay scales has led to a bad equilibrium in the government service
factor market. This bad equilibrium has led to decline in effort and quality of entrants and
an unhealthy gap in official and effective pay. Expansion of the private, NGO, and
international sector has made administrative reform very urgent in Bangladesh. Absence
of reform is leading to corruption, disappearance of motivation and effort, and erosion of
national authority and capability. According to this logic, rationalization of government
salary has to proceed in tandem with rationalization of governments size. Government has
to withdraw from (micro) management of establishments that produce marketable and
semi-marketable output. This is possible even without withdrawing ownership. This will
allow these establishments to perform better by creating their own salary and pay
structures which are more suitable for the individual and changing market conditions that
they face.
There are some academic also who wrote extensively in different journals and edited
volumes. For example, Mohammad Mohabbat Khan is a senior Dhaka University
professor of Public Administration department. Khan (2009), in his book, from
government to governance, lucidly described the evolution of civil service in Bangladesh,
various reforms, comparison with other country, and further area of concern like good
governance beyond public administration and management (Khan, 2009).
Academic serving in Australia, Mohammad Ziaul Hoque worked on causes and
consequences of persistent loan defaults and examines devastating impact of poor
governance, monitoring, regulatory framework on the overall financial sector (Hoque,
2004).
Sarker (2006) stated in a cross country study that among other things, the advanced level
of administrative infrastructure and state efficiency are critical for the success of NPM-
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oriented reforms. There are some preconditions for successfully implanting the new public
management approach. There should be a reasonable level of economic development,
experience of the operations of markets, and a well-developed judicial system to ensure
the rule of law. Whilst Singapore fulfils many of these preconditions, Bangladesh does
not; Bangladesh has always been susceptible to the pressures of international donor
agencies that have not paid sufficient attention to ensuring buy-in from political leaders
and the public bureaucracy.
Kim and Monem (2008) proposed greater citizen action for reforms to be fruitful. They
mentioned that there is a long history of administrative reform commissions in Bangladesh
and almost every administration in Bangladesh has instituted administrative commissions
since its independence. Yet, the cumulative problems of poor administration have now
become so apparent in Bangladesh that hardly anyone remains to be convinced that
something of more fundamental nature needs to be done. Accordingly, this paper states
that instead of simply expecting a strong commitment from the head of state, however,
alternative action needs to be taken to create or trigger political will of top political
leaders. For example, waiting patiently for politicians to find political will or commitment
is not a practical option. A politician might be facing so many competing agendas every
day; national economy, poverty, crisis, disaster etc. Thus, unless a large number of
citizens, social groups and/or the media strongly demand change for government reform or
civil service reform, there is little chance of the politician paying serious attention to these
matters. (Kim & Monem, 2008).
4.6.6 Practitioners of Public Management in Bangladesh
One of the very good works is of A M M Shawkat Alis Civil Service Management in
Bangladesh. The study is a unique blend of practitioners knowledge and academic
insight of the operation of the administrative machinery of Bangladesh. As many as ten
key aspects of management have been identified, analyzed and evaluated in depth with
suggested actions for the future. These areas are both conventional and new. The
conventional areas include recruitment, training, pay, pension, promotion etc. The new
areas are need assessment to determine size of civil service, disposal of business and
openness versus secrecy in government. The strengths and weaknesses of the prevailing
management framework are analyzed and evaluated (Ali, 2007).
The major concluding notes can be summarized as follows:
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Bangladesh has more than her due share of studies on civil service reforms and its
management.
The net results have been and perhaps continue to be less than expected.
In case of externally induced donor-driven reform measures, it can be said that the
areas of reforms were seldom wisely chosen.
More importantly, the donors were more serious on economic reform measures
centering on trade liberalization, fiscal and monetary reforms.
They were merely content to complete studies on public sector reforms or narrowly
segmented civil service reforms.
The much trumpeted word governance has only become an area of concern in the
overall reform agenda. In their zeal to push forward the score card on economic
reforms, the imperative need for improving management in the public sector
received less attention.
If the government showed years of neglect to implement the donor-driven
recommendations for reforms, it is also true that the governments of different
periods showed even more neglect in case of home-grown studies on civil service
reforms.
Available evidence indicates that civil service systems in many countries are now
adjusted to meet the challenges of economic and social development in the context
of globalization.
o A new style of management and leadership in civil service is needed to
meet such challenges. Renewed emphasis on this aspect is clearly visible in
countries like Australia, the UK the USA and the Netherlands.
o The emphasis on merit and a fast track civil service based on performance
and professionalism.
The political leadership of Bangladesh still appears to be completely oblivious of
the need for reforms on these lines.
Another superb first hand narrative has been provided by Kamal Siddiqui in his Towards
good governance in Bangladesh :Fifty Unpleasant Essays (Siddiqui, Towards good
governance in Bangladesh:Fifty Unpleasant Essays, 2006) touched upon so many things:
executive branch, legislative branch, judicial branch of government,
role of media,
general issues cutting across the civil bureaucracy
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dealing with factionalism in the bureaucracy, corruption, tadbir, meetings, dress
code, use of government transports records and documents,
personnel matters common to all sectors of administration,
restoring the upazila parishad
revising the secretariat instructions, rules of business and relations between
minister and secretary,
Problems Specific to Particular Organizations and Sectors-
o how should the government deal with private sector how should the
government deal with NGOs;
o how should the government deal with the universities;
o what to do with the planning commission;
o monitoring and evaluation of development activities;
o revamping the foreign office on improving the police administration further
reforms in tax administration;
o why is nationalization of educational institutions counterproductive;
o reforms in legal administration
o towards financial accountability in government
o making the public service commission more effective;
o what happens to the institution of deputy commissioner
Local Government in Bangladesh is another work contributed by various experts including
many practitioners and consolidated by Kamal Siddiqui (Siddiqui, Local Government in
Bangladesh, 2005)
From the discussions in the different chapters, Siddiqui as editor summarized the local
government system in Bangladesh exhibiting the following characteristics:
Domination by and complete dependence on the national government;
A serious mismatch between formal local government functions, on the one hand, and
the means of carrying out the same (in terms of financial and human resources), on the
other;
Marginal commitment of the upper level to devolution/decentralization in practice, not
only in relation to the national government vis--vis local government, but also within
the local government bodies themselves (for example, between the Mayor and the
Ward Commissioner);
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No significant improvement has taken place in the personnel system of the local
government bodies during the last five decades, and hence permanent local
government functionaries continue to be a highly marginalized group of public
servants.
4.7 Conclusion and Implications
What was wrong with all obviously good sounding recommendations? The
recommendations of government appointed Civil Service Reform (CSR) bodies and
recommendations of donor bodies went through the same old routines intended to delay
and lessen the impact of such recommendations and ultimately ensuring their place in the
cold storage. High- powered committee were appointed, repeated consultations were held
and ultimately old excuse were offered like recommendations were nebulous,
insufficiency specific, not relevant, inappropriate and put too heavy a burden on the
national exchequer and the fate of the reform recommendations were thus sealed.
Most the documents and reports and individual research papers cite one thing in common
that political willingness and commitment is the most important factor in making
successful reform happen. Many believe that current day politics are nasty and not people
centered as before as in golden days of British period and Pakistan period. That means
our main problem is politics.
But politics and politicians have been regarded corrupt in general more or less in all times
in all countries. Interestingly, our great leaders of the past, as we generally remember them
in reflection, were also regarded shrewd, corrupted, and opportunistic in their own times.
For example, In Food conference Abul Mansur Ahmad bitterly expressed as satires the
vanity of politics and the politicians (Ahmed, A. M., 1969)
So we want to differ and take alternative course of discourse, rather than one that
puts everything on politics and wait for change to happen.
The major recommendations of Public Administration Efficiency Study (PAES, USAID),
Public Administration Sector Study (PASS-UNDP), Government that Works(GTW/RPS-
World Bank), Taming the Leviathan ( World Bank), Civil Service Change Management
Programme (CSCMP- UNDP), Managing at the Top (MATT 2) etc. were not
implemented due to (a) enormity and complexity of the task involved; (b) poor manpower
and insufficient financial resources available at Ministry of Establishment ( the
implementing agency); (c) presence of strong bureaucratic inertia; and (d) lack of
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conviction among senior Civil servants as to the commitment of the government to
carry reform measures to their logical conclusion .
While there are many skepticism of managerial approach to public administration,
sometimes called NPM, application of basic management approach is the thing to do
according to countrys current reality and contexts. We are far behind the inflection point
where the criticisms of NPM reforms like having too many indicators or too much or
inappropriately business like started taking off in UK or elsewhere. So we do not have to
worry for those criticisms of NPM initiatives and we do not have to call it so.
In summary, our findings from the background study and literature review is as follows:
- Some studies focused much on civil service or the bureaucratic structure rather
than the (citizen-) problem itself.
- The underlying premises of many studies were, if civil service corruption backed
by politics can be reduced, the governance or public management will improve.
- there is a vacuum of study regarding the application of basic management
approach to serve the citizen. For example,
o In the government- ministries, departments, directorates, regulatory
authorities, we have an expertise gap of management know how which
include
A lack of understanding of the actual problems at each stage of
citizen service delivery process
A lack of understanding real citizen experience (which is called
customer experience)
A lack of knowledge of how to design an end to end management
solution that will work
So in the incumbent study, we will go into details of the citizen problems and experiences,
analyze the dimensions of the problem, and propose management solutions that might
work.
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Part B Theoretical Framework and Literature Review

Chapter 3 Management in Government (MIG)
Chapter 4 Management in Government in Bangladesh
Chapter 5 Management in Government Reforms in Different
Countries


5 Chapter 5 Management in Government Reforms in Different
Countries
5.1 Idea of Reform and its Meaning
Public sector management (PSM) reform is the art and science of making the public sector
machinery work. It is about deliberately changing the interlocking structures and processes
within the public sector that define how money, people and physical resources are
deployed and accounted for. PSM reforms are often thought of as changes to the formal
(de jure) institutional and managerial arrangements in the center of government and in
sector agencies (World Bank 2011). Management reform in government is concerned with
improving public sector results by changing the way governments work for effective
service to the citizens.
From reviewing literature from World Bank, UN, OECD, ADB and other such
organizations, it can be summed up as follows:
Reform may mean from continuous, incremental improvement to restructuring,
reengineering, remodeling, redesigning to drastic quantum change in organization
and management. Reform is needed in organizations when existing structures and
processes are not capable of meeting the (citizen) expectations.

Citizens expectation, autonomy, and access to information increased. The total
environment for government has changed over last two or three decades.

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Examples of environments calling for change in public agencies include: calls for resource
reduction (e.g., tax cuts), demands for major service increases with or without resources,
perceptions of poor management or scandal, opportunities to improve through major
technological changes, mandated mergers or separations of agencies or divisions, or
impending management crises such as declining recruitment standards and increasing
turnover (Wart, 2008).

Scholars and practitioners are in search of alternative models for serving the citizens who
have become impatient of management in government machinery. In his book, Building
Social Business, Nobel laureate Mohammad Yunus propagates social business model as
alternative solution to citizens particularly of poor sections(Yunus, 2010). In theory,
government should represent all the people and therefore should bear the chief
responsibility for addressing social problems that create human suffering. In some
fortunate countries, this happens to a greater or lesser extent.
But in practice, governments often become captive to special interests, self-serving
political parties, and corrupt individuals. Throughout the world, in poor countries and rich
countries alike, social problems are plaguing humankind - welfare dependency,
unemployment, crime, lack of housing and healthcare, environmental degradation, obesity,
chronic disease and so on. As government efforts have fallen short, Yunus and the likes
asserted the need for social business like approaches that offer alternative to failed
government programs.
Objective of this chapter is not to do an exhaustive review of all reforms in particular
country or region, rather is to touch upon different country reform discourse to understand
the commonality of trends that are triggering and driving the reform efforts in the world
and commonality in response paradigms of different pioneer countries. This will give the
confidence and validity to our inquiry and propositions.
5.2 Reforms in UK
The United Kingdom (UK) is frequently referred to as the textbook case of new public
management (NPM). This country was, of course, not alone in adopting a reform program
devoted to the introduction of managerial techniques and economic incentives to guide the
design and operation of public services and executive government since the late 1970s
along the trajectory laid out by Mrs. Thatcher (Kai We rich )
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Then John Major and Tony Blair, as prime ministers, also carried on this line of making
management in government look like management in efficiency seeking businesses (Flynn
N, 2007).
This is also evident in the Putting the Frontline First: Smarter Government document
presented to Parliament by the Chief Secretary (United Kingdom, 2009) which outlines the
major strategies as follows:
Action 1: strengthen the role of citizens and civic society
1.1 Giving people guarantees to high-quality public services
1.2 Accelerating the move to digitalized public services
1.3 Radically opening up data and promoting transparency
1.4 Encouraging greater personal responsibility
1.5 Building a stronger civic society
Action 2: recast the relationship between the centre and the frontline
2.1 Letting local areas set priorities and guide resources
2.2 Reducing the burdens on the frontline
2.3 Harnessing the power of comparative data
Action 3: streamline central government for sharper delivery
3.1 Creating a sharper, more innovative government
3.2 Rationalizing and reforming arms-length bodies
3.3 Improving back office processes to the standard of the best
3.4 Managing assets more effectively
Along the way, there were arguments and counter arguments about the degree and extent
of applicability of management techniques in government. But basic premise of doing
more with less with government resources held all along.
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5.3 Reforms in USA
USA has been a pioneer in the area of public administration and management as we know
it today. From Roosevelt to Obama, many reform projects have been taken, in many cases,
following the growth and success of private sector management.
The Private Sector Survey on Cost Control (PSSCC) was an reform effort of Reagan era,
in whose time, NPM became high flying in parallel to that in Thatchers UK. The focus of
the commission led by a businessman J. Peter Grace, was waste and inefficiency in the US
Federal government.
National Performance Review (NPR), under the Democrats, led by US Vice-President Al
Gore, was a much publicized document with a promise to reinvent government. Before
that Republicans Contract with America was also a similar effort.
NPR began with the conviction to invent a government that puts people first (just as any
redesigned business puts customers first), with major business management like principles
that included:
Cutting unnecessary spending
Serving its customers
Empowering its employees
Helping communities solve their own problems
Fostering excellence
And the strategies (broad direction of how to achieve these strategic outcomes), they
envisioned:
Create a clear sense of mission
Steer more, row less
Delegate authority and responsibility
Replace regulations with incentives
Develop budgets based on outcomes
Expose federal operations to competition
Search for market, not administrative, solutions
Measure our success by customer satisfaction
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What is evident is all these recommendations are in line with the improving management
of the government which supports our line of inquiry in the incumbent thesis that
regardless of the form of political governance, management in government (MIG) can be
improved.
5.4 Reforms in Australia
In case of Australia, also a pioneer country in MIG reforms, we found a guide prepared
by Australian National Audit Office. The purpose of the Guide (Australian National
Audit Office, 2009) is to provide a framework for Australian Public Service (APS) for
understanding the processes that underpin innovation in the public sector and to
provide practical insights and a resource for practitioners. The main points the guide
stated:
Enhancing public sector performance is a key goal of governments around the
world.

Innovation in the public sector, particularly in policy development, program design
and service delivery is a necessary element in public services becoming better
targeted, more responsive to community needs and more efficient.
Government and community desire for more citizen-focused service delivery
provide significant opportunities for innovation.
The challenges can be solved through collaboration and partnerships across
agencies to coordinate efforts across government and with other sectors.
Initiatives could range from new and enhanced delivery mechanisms through
redefining role responsibilities to redesigned back office processes and enhanced
IT platforms.
Pro-active executive leadership, a supportive culture, a focused corporate strategy
and investment in staff training and development are essential preconditions for
innovation.

Another report we found is State of the Service Report 2009 by Office of the Public
Sector Standards Commissioner (OPSSC) of Australia. The State of the Service
Report enables chief executive officers to see when their positive efforts have been
translated into action, as reflected through employee perceptions and compliance
inquiries. Conversely, it was also possible to see where the efforts of chief executive
officers and their senior colleagues are not hitting the mark.
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For this purpose, OPSSC developed the Good Governance Guide Helping
you comply with the standards, which streamlines the across-government
accountability requirements into a single framework and provides easy-to-use
set of tools for managing governance and accountability in a public sector
organization.
Performance management is a good opportunity for supervisors to strengthen
their Working relationship with their colleagues. OPSSC believes that further
investment in this process to turn it into a positive experience would be highly
beneficial to the Public sector.

In May 2009, the Public Sector Commission released Strategic Directions for the
Public Sector Workforce 2009 - 2014 (Strategic Directions). This strategy contains 38
initiatives for central and line agencies to address the main workforce challenges faced
by the public sector. Strategic Directions was developed in consultation with public
sector agencies, to identify practical workforce solutions that will be implemented
to support successful delivery of public services to the community.
A developed country like Australia also brings in learning and best practices from
other countries. In September 2009, the Prime Minister of Australia announced his
ambition to further strengthen the Australian Public Service (APS). As a first step, he
has established an Advisory Group on Reform of the Australian Government
Administration to develop a blueprint for reform of the public service. Its mission is to
advise on how to create the best public service anywhere in the world unified in
pursuing excellence and putting Australia and Australians at the centre of everything it
does.
In October 2009, the Advisory Group on Reform of Australian Government
Administration released a discussion paper, Building the Worlds Best Public Service,
inviting comment on how it can achieve the following:
A values-driven culture that retains public trust;
Provide high-quality, forward-looking and creative policy advice;
Deliver high-quality programs and services that put the citizen first;
Provide flexible and agile responses to changing realities and government
priorities;
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Be effective and efficient in all operations.
These key performance areas are informed by international research and the Governments
stated expectations of the public service. KPMGs study (Benchmarking Australian
Government Administration Performance, 2009) uses these key areas as a framework for
comparing the APS against leading public services of other central governments. The
report highlights several examples which may merit further exploration by the Advisory
Group in its pursuit of an excellent public service. These include:

Denmarks online citizen portal for accessing services and information and
participating in policy debate;
Singapores program for encouraging continual improvement and high
standards of quality and customer service (PS21 Program);
Canadas Institute for Citizen-Centered Services to assist its public service to
reframe public services around citizens needs; and
Innovation centers for the public sector in the UK, Denmark and the
Netherlands.
5.5 Reforms in New Zealand
The idea that government can manage itself strategically, in a similar manner to well-
performing private sector organizations, has featured prominently in New Zealands
government reform talks (Alex Matheson, Gerald Scanlan, and Ross Tanner 1996).
Strategic government means good government, since the quality of government will
increasingly determine international competitive advantage. Main points they noted are:
Government is a complex business requiring high quality decisions.
The public sector reforms begun in 1986 reflected the realization that our
arrangements for government decision-making and management needed a radical
overhaul.
Being strategic means being selective -- sorting the critical few from the important
many, and giving that selection bite by shifting resources and demanding
performance sufficient to make the desired difference.
The key elements of the design (of strategic management in government) are:
o a selective set of generalized, cross-portfolio policy objectives set by
Cabinet (SRAs - strategic result areas);
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o a process for coordinating departmental contributions to those objectives
and making related resourcing decisions (strategic dialogue);
o a set of critical medium-term commitments (KRAs - key result areas),
which anchor Departments strategic contributions to the policy objectives,
through incorporation in the chief executive performance agreement;
o a requirement that chief executives regularly report progress on those
commitments to their Minister and to the State Services Commission; and
o an expectation that chief executives will take responsibility for making, and
taking care of, the connections between their commitments and those of
other chief executives, while also Ensuring that their own commitments
flow down through their departments management Chain.
It has become a truism of business that the increasingly integrated global economy
is testing the competence of managers to the limit. Government, too, operates in an
international market for ideas, people, reputation, information and policies.

New Zealand government conducted a feasibility study in response to the growing interest
in the measurement of government services. It draws on the best practice guidance
provided by other countries and international institutions, and interprets this for the New
Zealand situation. It mentions the experience in the UK, as for many other countries, has
been that it is difficult to summarize the statistical quality of these output and productivity
estimates, because the estimates are the result of a complex set of calculations involving
many different data sources, methodologies and assumptions. It suggest to adopt UKs
solution to this - to provide users with as much information on statistical quality as
possible, including publication of a detailed Sources and methods report (Statistics New
Zealand, 2010).

So we can understand that they moved to higher level of management reforms from design
of management in government to design of measurement metrics. For the time being, we
can be confident that this thesis is headed on to right direction of applying business
management approaches in government of Bangladesh.
5.6 Reforms in South-East Asia
South East Asian countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, etc. are often
mentioned as examples of development and strong economies where home grown policies
and practices contributed to fast growth.
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Reforming public management has been an on-going process in many countries of the
Asia-Pacific region for one to two decades. The impulse for such reforms came as a result
of combination of a number of factors. These included:
market determination; public dissatisfaction with service delivery; growing
demand for citizen participation in decision making; and disillusion with
standard of public sector resource management (Hunn,1998:59-60)
To maintain quality of service a set of reform measures have already been implemented in
Malaysia including TQM, QCC, PSN and CSL (Khan, M M 2000):
Total Quality Management (TQM) is intended to mobilize all available
resources in public sector agencies to meet customer requirements (Sarji,
1995:100).
Quality Control Circles (QCC) are to mobilize expertise, experience, and
employee creativity in problem solving (Commonwealth Secretariat,
1995:3).
Public Service Network (PSN) and Civil Service Link(CSL) are
mechanisms to electronically deliver information, services, and facilitate
electronic commerce
Other measures like Counter Service and Clients Charter are intended to
provide customers guaranteed fast, accurate, continuous service(Chiu,1997)
The later strategies of Malaysian reform efforts included: improvements to the structure,
systems, rules and regulations and information technology and inculcating the values of
quality, productivity and accountability in the civil service (Sarji 1995:99)
In both Malaysia and Singapore mechanisms are in place to provide one stop access to
information and services through computer networking. Both the countries are committed
to quality management by identifying and meeting customer requirements through such
mechanisms as Work Improvement Teams (WITs) and ISO 900( Kaul,1998:13-14).
In Singapore Public Service for the 21
st
Century (PS21) initiative is aimed at nurturing an
attitude of service excellence in meeting the needs of the public with standards of quality
and courtesy (Khan, 1998; Khan, 2000).
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In Hong Kong the publication of a government report in February 1989 titled Public
Sector Reform(PSR) was influenced by ideas contained in the New Public
Management(NPM). The PSR included five broad components. These were: policy
management reform, financial management reform, human resource reform, institutional
reform and operational reform (Sankey, 1993; Burns,1994)
5.7 Reforms in Africa
In response to the need to promote better public sector performance, the Development
Policy Management Division (DPMD) of Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) held
an Ad-Hoc Expert Group Meeting (AEGM) on Public Sector Management Reforms in
Africa from 28 to 29 May 2003.
Most of the more recent reforms, under the influence of the New Public
Management (NPM), have been driven by a combination of economic, social,
political and technological factors, which have triggered the quest for efficiency
and for ways to cut the cost of delivering public services. Additional factors,
particularly for Africa, include lending conditionality and the increasing emphasis
on good governance.
The core paradigm which can be discerned as influential in the development of
public sector reforms in the 1980s and 1990s was that public sector provision was
inefficient and often ineffective; that it led neither to cost containment nor to
quality improvement. With the problems so defined, the paradigm extended to a
belief that the public and private sectors did not have to be organized and managed
in fundamentally different ways. Indeed that it would be better for the public
services if they could be organized and managed as much like the private sector
as possible.

Many recent reform programs, through NPM, aim at ensuring not only the
adequate management of machineries of government, but also effective public
service delivery through the building and strengthening institutional capacity, and
by introducing results-oriented and total quality management techniques.
The new paradigm in the delivery of services in government calls for a business
approach to running the affairs of state, and requires the application of marketing
and production techniques to the field of public administration. To this effect,
mechanisms such as decentralization, privatization and performance management
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are being adopted with a view to improving the responsiveness of governments to
public concerns, improving the quality of public goods and services, increasing the
efficiency of service delivery and promoting accountability and ethical values.
African public services should adopt NPM, which includes,
o Performance- Oriented Civil Service, Total Quality Management,
Decentralization, Pay Reform, Commercialization and Customer- Driven
Government; Performance contracting and commercialization techniques
could be recommended for the management of public enterprises that are
not privatized;
o African governments should establish Work Improvements Teams (WITs)
as a means of enhancing the quality of services, through increased
productivity and teamwork. Governments need to emphasize reforms that
enhance efficiency in the public service, value for money, financial and
managerial activity.

Mutahaba (2010) reports lingering questions in Africa about reform ownership, reform
fatigue, service mindset, institutional memory, sequencing of reforms and project
management and implementation. Their research calls for solutions to address the causes
rather than the symptoms of underlying problems. In the aftermath of the global economic
crisis, Balogun (2010: 5) asserts that leadership, institutions and values are the keys to
public sector reform.
5.8 Reforms in South Asia
After independence of Indian subcontinent from British Empire in 1947, South Asian
countries, main countries being India and Pakistan, inherited the structure from the British
Civil Service which they called Indian Civil Service (ICS). British bureaucracy was a
very effective machinery to help rule the vast Indian subcontinent and its subjects for so
many years.
But maybe we have to agree, however reluctantly, that they built a system. The system
they built worked better in many aspects than current systems, which we hear being told
over and over by senior people who saw the British rule. South Asia gained independence
from Britain or any imperial power; that was need of time due to the wave of that time
over the world; but the fact is that we could not develop that kind of effective and
uncorrupt system of administration in India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
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Shri P. C. Hota a retired IAS officer reflected on his experience in Indian public
management machinery. IAS (Indian administrative services) was a succession of British
ICS (Indian Civil Service) which gained an enormous reputation for competence, integrity,
and pride. But unfortunately, with passage of time, the IAS has not been able to maintain
the reputation of the ICS for honest and dedicated public service (Hota, APRIL-JUNE
2010)
Anyway, both India and Pakistan, including East Pakistan, later known as Bangladesh,
kept many things of the British systems intact because the British system was itself very
organized and result of many years of practices by then. That is the reason, we see many
terms, policies, and systems of public administration bear the British legacy till today.
Bangladesh also has done many reform experiments both prescribed by donor agencies
and home grown ones (detailed in the chapter 4 MIG discourse in Bangladesh). But the
common overriding finding is the concern how to translate well intended prescriptions to
quality ground level citizen service remained all along.
5.9 Reforms in Functional Aspects of public management
In public management, many works have been done from Human resource or people
management and marketing areas.
In Managing People in the Public Services (Farnham & Horton, 1996), authors aimed to
describe and analyze the changing patterns of people management in the public services.
Authors examined the civil service, National Health Service, local government, education,
and the police as detailed cases to describe and analyze the changing patterns of people
management in the public services.
Public-service organizations are labor-intensive bodies, with relatively high
levels of union membership. They have traditionally claimed to be model,
good-practice employers, incorporating centralized personnel policies.
But things are changing. With the introduction of the new public
management and a greater emphasis on cost-efficiency, quality and the
primacy of client interests, innovatory employment policies and personnel
practices are emerging within the public services. These include
performance-management systems, performance-related pay, and
individual contracts and decentralized bargaining.
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Asian Development Bank published some booklets to emphasize the importance of
marketing orientation to be adopted by the member national governments ( Serrat, O.
2010)
The public sector has long had elements of marketing but they have usually
been marginal to the provision of core public goods and services or entailed
little other than the use of specific marketing tools, not the development
and adoption of a marketing orientation.
But many public sector organizations are realizing that strategic marketing
can help address two challenges: the challenge of meeting mandates and
satisfying stakeholder needs in the face of diminishing resources, and the
challenge of meeting specified revenue or cost-recovery targets.
With the shift of the public sector to more managerial, business-like
approaches, the adoption of marketing and related managerial practices can
also strengthen accountability in operations.
Public sector organizations should also be aware of their brand image - the
ways they are portrayed and perceived by society, and endeavor to manage
to demonstrate (branding) improved responsiveness to public needs.
5.10 Implications for this Research: Concluding Note
Government is not alone in its troubles. As the Industrial Era has given way to the
Information Age, institutions--both public and private--have come face to face with
obsolescence. The past decades has witnessed profound restructuring: In the 1980s, major
American corporations reinvented themselves; in the 1990s, governments are struggling to
do the same (NPR 1993).
Democratization, the information revolution and global integration have reduced the
capacity of governments to control conditions within their borders relative to the
international community, while increasing the relative autonomy of their citizens and
raising their expectations of government.
Reforms discourse is abundant and stories of failure also are. What works in PSM
reform is highly context-dependent. This has been recognized not only by World Bank
(2011), UNDP, OECD, ADB and similar organizations but also by individual country
governments.
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Increasingly, the lines between private sector and public sector models are blurring;
managers should not regard the privatepublic context as a dichotomy but rather as a
continuum from pure private to pure public. And about management of government
institutions, the consensus is it can be better managed by learning from the people and
institutions who are managing in the market. What is argued is not this basic proposition,
rather the degree and intensity to which management can be applied in government
organizations.

So in line with this we can have a in depth study of the nature of the citizen problems that
Bangladesh is facing and whether and how management approach can be applied or
followed by the ministers and public managers at different levels.
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Part C Developing Management Approach in
Government

Chapter 6 Management in Government (MIG):
Education Sector
Chapter 7 Management in Government:
Health Services Sector
Chapter 8 ICT in Government: Unconnected Change Efforts
Chapter 9 Citizen Problems: Highlights from the Field and Everyday
Lives


6 Chapter 6 Education Sector
6.1 Introduction
Education is one of the fundamental elements of public concerns of citizens of any
civilized country in the modern world. Bangladesh is a developing country. Literacy
increased female proportion of literacy increased, number of schools, colleges,
universities, technical institutions increased. Books are freely available throughout the
country. So in terms of those indicators, the country has seen progress. Though there is
considerable progress in terms of indicators and quantity, quality in education sector
remained a constant concern. What are the citizen experiences in education sector?
How management in education sector can be improved?
With this central question, we started perusing media reports. We perused through more
than five leading newspapers and compiled a short list out of many news items. Items with
repeated nature were deliberately excluded and items of varied nature were included to
illustrate the full range or collated view of the problem scenario.
Our objective was NOT to
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- Identify the statistical distribution of any particular type of problem across the
institutions (for example which college or which upazila or district or division is
having largest number of any such problems), or measure the attitude and
perception of the people regarding education sector problems or do some factor
analysis.
Rather our objective is to
- understand the type, scope, and nature of education sector problems, which
have become very common across the country or which we think is a matter of
management (or lack of it).
First we compile the evidence from various newspaper sources that covers wide range of
education sector problems facing the citizens of the country. In doing so, we also provided
analysis on many individual instances.
Second, we present our citizen narratives which corroborates with the evidence found
from the media sources. In doing that we attempted to tell the gist of the citizen experience
from their perspectives.
Then we analyze the problem from a perspective which we call the academic discipline of
management.
Finally we provide solutions for the public management - that is, given the current
political, social, and cultural context, what head of education ministry and public
managers of education sector at various levels can try to accomplish. The solution for any
particular problem (say quality of teacher or say, coaching center problem) is beyond the
scope of this chapter. Rather the focus is on developing a management model or action
framework that can be deployed by the ministry of education (MOE)
6.2 Understanding the Problems of the Citizens
To understand the problems prevalent in education sector of Bangladesh, we collected
information from both secondary and primary sources:
1. Secondary sources: we reviewed secondary sources like newspaper reports. We
collected journalistic accounts of the problems from leading newspapers randomly
during 2009-2011 periods. We wanted to see what the problems are that making
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headlines of the free media what are common, what are coming recurrently, what
are unique to different levels.

2. Primary source: extensive field visit, observation, and citizen interview have been
done to gain the first hand idea of the situation. In depth ethnographical approach
was followed to understand overall nature of the problem. Around 400 citizen
narratives were collected and analyzed.
6.2.1 Secondary sources: Journalistic Accounts
Following is a sample of the events or phenomena recorded in newspapers. From the
library, leading newspapers were randomly selected and articles related to education
were also selected randomly, as many as possible, up to the point so that all levels of
education and different problem dimensions are represented in the sample.
Primary level (up to class 5)
1. 16,000 non-govt. primary school teachers are going to get special
consideration (Prothom Alo, July 19, 2009):
Around 932 teachers who are working for more than 17 years in non-govt. primary
schools are going to get special consideration from the government. A policy was
formulated in 1991 stating that the teachers of the non-govt. primary schools
should have the same qualification as that of the govt. primary schools. Since then
the governments offered opportunities to them several times to achieve the
qualification. But unfortunately many of them didnt do that. But now on humane
consideration, those non-govt. primary school teachers are going to get special
consideration from the government.

Analysis and Comments:
Good human resources are not attracted to serve as teacher in
the sector, in the first place. In general, only those, who cannot
find other suitable positions in other sector, go to teaching in
non government schools.

2. Pre-primary education within two years (Daily Star, January 1, 2010):
The government will introduce pre-primary education in all government primary
schools in the country within a year or two. There will be one classroom in every
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govt. primary school to accommodate the students of the year-long pre-primary
education. This announcement came from state minister of primary and mass
education Motahar Hossain, while he was attending a round table program
organized by BRAC Education Program and the Daily Jugantor.

Analysis and Comments:
It is very common for ministers to speak in the public about the
upcoming programs of the ministry. But many a time, they talk
about the programs even before the detailed plan has been
worked out. So it is very common in government to find
unrealized promise. Someone in the responsibility of a minister
should announce this kind of initiative, only after figuring out
the concrete road map.

3. Textbooks yet to reach at least 50 city schools (New Age, January 4, 2010):
Textbooks were supposed to reach the students of primary and secondary schools
within 1
st
January. But concerned authority has failed to ensure to do so. Many
schools did not get any books, some got only partial number which schools cannot
distribute among the students in fear of chaos. According to Education Minister,
education officers responsible for distribution of the free books are to be blamed
for these anomaly cases.

Analysis and Comments:
Lack of distribution planning or supply chain management as it
is called in business management. Government program and
good initiatives might fail due to simple lack of planning. In
private sector, this kind of lacking is exception to the norm and
managers would be severely held responsible. But in
government, it is the norm - not being well planned.

4. 400 students of Betagi Aliabad government primary school, Betagi upazila
(Barguna), have been in miserable condition for 4 years (prothom alo,
January 17, 2010):
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In 2006, this school lost its two brick-built and a tin-shed building due to erosion
of the river Bishkhali. Then a thatched house was made to conduct the classes
regularly. But all 400 students attend their classes in the same place that hampers
congenial atmosphere for effective class. Then they had to face the cyclones Aila
and Sidr. Now they have to study only under a shed.

Analysis and Comments:
In Bangladesh, there is always budget shortage. There is
nothing new or absurd in that fact. But from 2006 to 2010, when
this phenomenon was reported, why this was not addressed?
That shows lack of prioritization which is a basic management
task in times of crisis management. On the other hand, people
will hear how much money government or donor agencies spend
for education in this country. Yet schools like these remain
devastated year after year.

5. School running with only 1 teacher in Nandail (Mymensingh district)
(Prothom Alo, April 1, 2010): There is only one teacher in the school who has
been doing everything (Administrative and academic) alone for last three years.
Though its a registered non govt. primary school with 380 students, no step has
been taken so far for the appointment of any more teachers in the school. Besides
the school is running with vulnerable infrastructure.

Analysis and Comments:
Same as above. Lack of prioritization. Lack of internal
coordination among the jobs of the ministry what to do and
after what? How to rationalize?

6. 20,000 teachers will be employed in contractual arrangement to reduce the
teacher crisis in the primary schools (Prothom Alo, Aug 26, 2010):
Government has taken initiative to recruit 20000 part-time teachers for the primary
schools. These appointments will remain valid for a period of three years. Around
40 teachers will be appointed in every Upazila. 60% female and 40% male teachers
will be appointed on the basis of merit. According to the State minister, the reason
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is: each year, 10 thousand teachers go to PTI (primary training institute) training,
5-6 thousand teachers take parental leave, some teachers die or retire. To fill up
any vacant posts, one to one year and half years is needed.

Analysis and Comments:
Wrong logic for a right thing which is ridiculous. That teachers
will retire, leave the jobs or will be on leave is a routine thing.
Right logic would be there is a chronic shortage in the schools so
contractual arrangement can be a feasible and quick solution
for this. This is one of those examples where the marketing
proposition or positioning is not clear from the part of the
government. So people or citizen cannot understand the real
reason and fail to appreciate.

7. 67 teachers have been appointed with fake certificates in Kishoregonj district
(Prothom Alo, October 2, 2010):
5 headmasters and 62 assistant teachers have been appointed with fake certificates
of freedom fighter and Ansar-VDP quota. District primary education officer, head
office assistant, and other officials were reported to be involved with this
recruitment scam.

Analysis and Comments:
Recruitment scam like this is so common in many government
offices and not unique to the education sector. But naturally
when it happens to education sector, citizen confidence in
education sector is diminished drastically. The problem and
solution lies with the policy of quota system and the
administration of that quota system.

8. 37,500 teachers are going to be appointed (Prothom Alo, February 6, 2011):
Around 37,500 teachers will be appointed in 37,500 govt. primary schools for the
proper implementation of the plan of introducing pre-primary education. This plan
is still left with the approval from the finance ministry. The status of these teachers
will be the same as that of the regular govt. primary school teachers.
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Analysis and Comments:
This is good that this event is a follow up of a plan declared by
the minister one year ago. But the point is that why must the
minister announce something which has not been approved yet.
Because in the standard management approach, something is
promised to the customer (receiver of the service) only when the
provider (company) is well set and ready with the product or
service.

9. The School at Sonadia, Moheshkhali (Coxs Bazar District) is running with
only one teacher (Prothom Alo, February 24, 2011): Sonadia registered non-
govt primary school has been running with only two teachers including the
headmaster since its establishment in 1988. Right after that several announcements
were made for the appointment of teachers. But as the school is in an island, there
were no interested candidate for the posts. Surprisingly, now the school with 200
students is running with only one teacher as the headmaster went to retirement last
year.
Analysis and Comments:
This is not due to lack of money (this is unbelievable that from
1988 to 2011, in 23 years, money was the only factor behind
this). This is due to, as mentioned earlier, lack of prioritization,
lack of coordination, lack of rationalization.

10. Primary education system in crisis: Bashkhali upazila, Chittagong district
(Daily Purbokone, March 8, 2011):
The schools in coastal areas lack adequate teachers. Majority of the posts of
teachers are vacant there. Moreover, most of the existing teachers are not serious
about their duties as the posts of education administrators are also vacant there.

Analysis and Comments:
Who cares? Lack of a chain or system of responsibility and
accountability that should have started from the secretary of
education, assistant secretary or the one responsible for that
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desk in the secretariat to ADC-Education to District Education
Officers to Upazila Education Officers.

11. Gohinkhali Govt. Primary School, Golachipa upazila (Potuakhali): No
Headmaster for 12 years; Teaching going on by a hired teacher (Prothom Alo,
March 27, 2011):
Only one assistant teacher has been doing every academic and administrative
function of all 147 students for last 10 years. There is quota for 3 teachers. But the
other posts are not yet fulfilled. Most of the times, the classes are conducted with
the help of the hired teachers.

12. Only one teacher for 96 students at Brikbanupur (Raujan, Chittagong) Govt.
Primary School (Shamakal, April 19,2011):
This school was established in the hilly remote area of Raujan in 1959 for
providing primary education to the minorities living there basically. Later another
building was constructed in 1998-1999 which was ultimately turned into a police
camp after a few years. Then a thatched house was constructed for teaching
purpose which was done with the money collected from the local people. Now all
the 96 students of the school are taught by only one teacher as rest of the two
teachers are busy with their courses.

Analysis and Comments:
Same basic management problem. Lack of planning,
coordination, prioritization, rationalization from the part of
upazila education office, district education office, ministry of
education, ministry of establishment, and ministry of finance and
any other authority who are related to this task of fulfilling the
posts.
Secondary level and Higher Secondary level (from class 6 to class 12, SSC and HSC)
13. People with qualification of class v and class viii will run educational
institutions! (Prothom Alo, September 3, 2009):
Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) was the chairman of the governing body of a high
school at Keshobpur in Jessore. But recently the local MP appointed two persons
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having qualification of class v and class viii as the head of governing bodies of two
different schools. Here it can be mentioned that both of them are active members
of the ruling party.

Analysis and Comments:
Unnecessary political interference. This is not unique to
education sector and common in many other sectors of
Bangladesh. But the implications is far reaching and more
severe when it is education sector.

14. Government to introduce online school admission system (New Age, October
5, 2009):
Admission forms of the academic session 2010 will be made available online to
reduce harassment of guardians which will be easy to download the form and
send it to the schools by e-mail or post. Besides, provision is there to collect the
printed admission forms as all of the guardians cant afford internet facilities.

Analysis and Comments:
Good initiative. But the matter to follow is whether government
can follow up the digitization activities of these processes.
Otherwise, what is common is good initiatives are lost due to
lack of end to end planning and coordination. The basic premise
is: IT can make the process more efficient only when the process
itself is flawless.

15. 12 govt. and 70 non-govt. schools have no headmasters in 9 upazilas in
Noakhali districts. (Daily star, October 11, 2009):
There are 12 government high schools and 284 non-govt. high schools in 9
upazilas of the district. Seventy of the 284 non-govt. schools are running without
the headmasters. Besides many schools are running with acting headmasters who
cant carry out their administrative duties properly due to the lack of experience
and proper training.

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16. IT education compulsory at secondary level by 2013 (Daily Star, November 8,
2009):
The government has distributed computers to many schools of the country and the
students have already started getting its benefits. Besides the government has taken
initiative for providing ICT training to the unemployed youth to create job
opportunities for them. High-tech parks and IT villages will be set up for
flourishing the IT sector in the country.

Analysis and Comments:
Good initiative. But prediction can be made based on the
general observation that some schools will get, some not; in
recruitment, there would be anomalies, nepotism, and political
interference; money for IT training will be ill spent or
inefficiently spent. Also there is no comprehensive plan about
how to develop instructors for so many schools in the country.

17. Government plan special incentive for English teachers (New Age, December
6, 2009):
Decision has been taken to extend the length of the English classes from 40
minutes to 60 minutes from the next academic session as majority of the secondary
level students are weak in English. English teachers will be given special incentive
as they will give more effort in classrooms. Undoubtedly, this incentive will
encourage them to be more dedicated.
Analysis and Comments:
Announcement before end-to-end planning. What will be the
implications? How the other subject teachers would react? If
class time is increased with the pay increase, will it at all
motivate the English teachers?

18. High School in Nilphamari beset with problems (Independent, May 13, 2010):
South Motupukur High School at a remote village in Domar upazila of Nilphamari
has been facing various problems like vulnerable tin-shed classrooms and absence
of proper sanitation facilities. In spite of these barriers, the students are doing quite
well in public examinations, which is really inspiring.
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19. School for whom: Cops or Students? (Daily Star, July 2, 2010): The students of
Baniakhali High School in Dumuria upazila (Khulna district) are forced to attend
class under the open sky while the police have been using three big classrooms of
the institutions for six years to run a police camp.
Analysis and Comments:
Setting a temporary police camp might be necessary for some
time anywhere in the country for the interest of the citizens. But
six years? That shows the lack of planning and coordination.

20. Headmaster himself is the clerk (Prothom Alo, February 1, 2011):
The teaching activities are greatly hampered in Boangchori (Bandarban) High
School -the sole high school in the area as it has only four teachers including the
headmaster. Though there were supposed to be two clerks but as the posts are
vacant, the headmaster has to carry out the clerical activities.

21. No Headmaster in 17 govt. schools out of 20 in Barisal division (Prothom Alo,
February 14, 2011):
Majority of the high schools in Barisal district have been running without any
headmaster and assistant headmaster for quite a long time. As there is no formal
authority in these schools, the teachers and staffs are very reluctant to their duties.
Selection examination has been completed but the result is yet to be published for
their appointment.

22. Classes cancelled for Fair in the school play ground, fair organized by
political party student wing, vulgar show in the name of cultural programs
(Prothom Alo, March 11, 2011):
The local leaders of political party student wing have organized a fair where vulgar
shows are displayed. Academic activities of the school were made stopped for that.
Thought the organizers took the permission for book fair, but the practical scenario
is different. But the authority of the school and the local administration is quite
reluctant about such activities in the fair.

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23. Schools in rural area face acute shortage of English teachers (Dhaka mirror,
March 15, 2011):
Shortage of good English language teachers in rural schools is a significant factor
that results in an increase in gap between education of urban and of rural students.
The shortage of English teachers contributed to poor performance of rural schools.
Scholars think that if children of well-to-do families had studied in rural schools,
such schools would have got good teachers and good infrastructure.

24. Jarailtoli high school, Ramu upazila, Coxs Bazaar district: 15 teachers and
staff are not getting any salary for 3 months (Prothom Alo, March 20, 2011):
The headmaster of the school was found involved with misappropriation of around
two lacs taka and then he was ousted from the post. In December 2010, the acting
headmaster of the school sent an attendance report of the school employees to the
secondary education official with the signature of the previous headmaster as a
formal procedure for getting the salary. So, that official didnt approve the
statement as there wasnt the signature of the valid person. Later the acting
headmaster informed the official about the mistake. But the education official
didnt pay any heed to that which ultimately deprived the teachers-staffs of the
salary for consecutive three months.

25. No female teachers in 50 govt. girls high schools in the country (Amar Desh,
April 19, 2011):
Proper female friendly environment is not ensured in most of the girls schools
though these schools were established to provide that to the female students.
Sometimes the women are not interests to teach in some of these schools as those
are located in places with poor communication facilities. In some other case the
school governing body is not paying any heed to this issue. Absence of vacancy is
another obstacle to the appointment of female teachers in these 3 government and
rest 47 non-govt. girls high schools.

Analysis and Comments:
Achieving any objective needs standard management process
from planning to organizing, leading, controlling, coordinating
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etc. without enabling environment the objective of having
female teacher cannot be met.

National University
26. Bachelor (honors) course was introduced 12 years ago but No teacher has
been appointed so far in Magura Government College (Prothom Alo, March
23, 2010):
Not a single teacher has been appointed so far in Magura Government College
even after 12 years of its establishment. The teachers of pass course are running the
academic activities of honors course. Besides there is an acute problem of proper
infrastructure in the college. Around 930 students enroll them in honors courses
every year in this college but they are not getting qualified teachers.

27. Porshuram (Feni) Govt. College: No teacher available for nine subjects
including English (Prothom Alo, November 2, 2010): Only 6 teachers have been
appointed in the college though the total post is 21.Among these six, the principal
and the vice-principal dont take any class. So its really a hard job for rest of the
four teachers to take the classes of around 800 students of higher-secondary and
degree level smoothly. Most of the newly appointed teachers dont want to stay in
the college as it is located in a remote area. They manage to transfer immediately
to town areas to lead a better life.

28. Chagalnaia degree college (Feni): 11 posts out of 23 are vacant (Prothom Alo,
December 23, 2010): 11 posts of teachers are still vacant in the college in place of
23. So,except the principal and vice-principal rest of the 10 teachers are engaged
to teach around 2000 students of this college. Surprisingly, there is no English
teacher in the college for which the students need go for tuition to the teachers
outside.

29. Vandaria (Pirojpur district) government college(Kaler Kontho, February
28,2011): teacher shortage
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Students protest for the immediate appointment of teachers as only 7 teachers are
available in place of 33.Currently, around 600 students are enrolled in the college
.So it is quite impossible to meet the demand of the students with these teachers.

Analysis and Comments:
Again, lack of basic management approach. Why do we need to
introduce Honors course at these places? Just for political
commitment? Even if you do, how can it run year after year?
Then what NU is doing in terms of monitoring and evaluation?

30. Tardy recruitment system keeps 3677 posts vacant in 253 colleges (Daily star,
March 9, 2011):
Evidences are there that the Bengali teacher takes the classes of English
department only because of shortage of English teachers in the college! Teacher
shortage is particularly acute ion the Upazilas. Most of the teachers appointed in
the rural areas manage a transfer to district towns after intense lobbying. Teachers
of other subjects or part timer of private colleges are often called in to take the
classes. Though the college authority demands for teachers but the education
ministry hardly takes any step for a solution to the problem.

Analysis and Comments:
Ministry should take a drastic road map for National University.
Problems should be understood with proper analysis of the reasons
and causes. Then actions have to be taken, one after another, in a
coordinated way.
University
31. Government loans to good but insolvent students on the anvil (New Age,
January 29, 2010):
The education ministry has decided to ask the finance ministry to raise an
endowment fund of TK 100 crore to enable introduce the first ever study loans for
students from the government under the public-private partnership scheme. Many
students have shown keen interest in taking loans from private commercial banks
to finance their higher studies in expensive private universities. But they are
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discouraged by the interest rates which are higher than 25% while that of the
proposed loan will be 5-7% only.
Analysis and Comments:
Good initiative. But the overall plan is not available.

32. Teacher crisis at Chittagong University; some departments are having acute
shortage; student teacher ratio up to 46 to 1. (Jugantor, April 8, 2011):
Regular teaching, research works, examination and other administrative functions
of several departments of the university is greatly hampered due to the crisis of
teachers in some of the departments. Study leave of the teachers and lack of
seriousness of the authority to appoint teachers are two prime reasons behind such
situation.

Analysis and Comments:
On the one hand, educated people are unemployed. On the
other hand we see acute shortage. What a mismatch in the
situations! Teachers will be on study leave; that is natural and
also beneficial for the university as a continuous process. But
the procedure or mechanism to fill up the posts should be fast
and smooth, given the risk of political interference.

33. Department of computer science, Chittagong University: Teacher in study
leave without approval for 5 years (Prothom Alo, 2011):
A faculty member of the department of Computer science is absent for last five
years in study leave though he was not given permission from the university
authority to go for that. There is no information to the authority about the exact
country that he is residing now even. The university authority has taken decision to
suspend him if he doesnt report within the deadline mentioned in a notice.

Analysis and Comments:
Common in public universities. This is a misuse of public funds.
Rule is there but it should be made more explicit and clear. If
someone wishes to remain in the foreign country where they
have gone to higher education, he must inform the sending
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university at home and pay back the compensation accordingly.
Some sort of arrangement can be made with the foreign
universities where the faculty goes for higher degrees.

34. University of Chittagong: Psychology department running with only two
teachers (Prothom Alo, 2011):
Though at least seven teachers are required for the smooth functioning of the
academic activities of the department, currently there are only two teachers. The
students have experienced session jam for about two years already for the lack of
teachers.

35. Most of the branches of foreign universities in Bangladesh are running
without legal permission (Jugantor, April 28, 2012):
Most of the so called foreign universities in Bangladesh are not approved by the
government and more importantly these universities are not approved by those
foreign universities even. Ultimately the students of these universities are cheated.
Recently the education ministry has released a notice by stating the name of six
legalized and certified foreign universities in the country. There are 12 illegal
universities where students are often made fail intentionally so that the authority
can earn more money by taking extra charges for the retake of the examinations.

Analysis and Comments:
Then how they are running?? It shows a fundamental flaw of
our regulatory framework and regulatory authorities like UGC
and MOE. It also shows a gross lacking or loophole in our
ministry of home affairs and in overall law enforcement
mechanism.

36. Enforcement of private university act soon: Nahid (The Daily Star, October 2,
2010)
According to Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid, the government will soon
start implementing the Private University Act involving all stakeholders so that
private universities can run successfully. He also said though the private
universities are making valuable contribution to the country's higher education,
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many of them are yet to achieve any success in ensuring quality of education.
Questions have been raised regarding rented campus, lack of educational
atmosphere and standard of education in many private universities, he said.
37. Impart education of global standard: Nahid urges private universities (The
Daily Star, February 18, 2011)
Education Minister Nurul Islam Nahid yesterday called upon private universities to
provide quality education to make students competent and efficient while meeting
global standards and help them contribute to country's development. "Private
universities should be committed to provide quality education with adequate
infrastructure, quality faculty and other necessary facilities," he said while
addressing the sixth convocation of Brac University at city's Bangabandhu
International Conference Centre.

Analysis and Comments:
Private University Act 2010 (first one passed in 1992) has been
passed for understandable purpose. But what about the
apparent flaws in the Act! Many of the clauses are reported to
be inconsistent with the realities. For example, the condition of
one acre land in Dhaka or Chittagong metropolitan area, VC
appointment system and many other clauses are meant to make
private universities similar to public universities whereas
private universities are meant to be market driven and self
funded. Private university cannot afford the time and lengthy
procedure of UGC approval of new programs and courses.

On the other hand, there is no incentive for the good private
universities trying to maintain non-profit nature and high
standard compliance. UGC as a regulatory body is very weak in
exercising its functions of regulating private universities. So
many private universities have become money making
certificate issuing machines due to poor regulatory mechanism.

A note on politics in the public universities:
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most of the news items about the public university are about student politics, inter-
party clash, intra-party clash, tender terrorism by the student politicians, teacher
politics, political considerations in VC, Dean, and similar elections and
appointments. These we exclude here for the sake of focus, because those are
common problems of our political culture and abuse of political interference,
which may be found in any other sector.
Medical / Engineering/ Technical
38. Government medical college: teachers appointment and promotion will be
done by ministry DPC (departmental promotion committee) instead of PSC
(public service commission) (Prothom Alo, April 19, 2010):
Government has taken decision to make the appointment and promotion of the
80% of the govt. medical college teachers through Departmental Promotion
Committee (DPC) of Health ministry. PSC is slow and it is expected that

39. 3 medical college teachers cannot join in Comilla Medical College due to BMA
politics (Prothom Alo, November 2, 2010): Three teachers who have been
recently transferred to Comilla Medical College cant join there because of the
acting principal of the college. Some leaders of Shadhinota Chikitshok Parishad
(pronounced as Shachip in bangle) and Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA)
are also behind this. Such things were intentionally made because of the internal
politics between two different wings of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA).

40. Waiting for President and Prime ministers approval: More than 1500
medical college teachers are awaiting promotion after 8-10 years (Jugantor,
February 23, 2011):
Government has taken decision to give promotion to more than 1500 govt. medical
college teachers. Recently government introduced the system of appointment and
promotion of the teachers through Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) of
Health ministry. Therefore the system is more smooth and effective now. But
earlier the promotion related functions was two lengthy and slow that caused many
of the teachers to remain in the same post for quite a long time.

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41. Coxs Bazaar Medical College: 169 posts of teachers and staffs are still vacant
even after three years of establishment (Prothom Alo, April 21, 2011):
Proposal for creation of 169 posts of teacher-staff is still to get final approval from
prime minister though three years have passed already since its establishment.
Currently, there are 37 teachers in the college all of whom have come here in
deputation from other colleges. Allegations are there that most of the teachers of
the college are biased with the principal politically.

Analysis and Comments:
If bureaucracy precedes meritocracy, people become de-
motivated. While this is true for all in general, this is even more
true for technically qualified people. If doctors have to run after
rules and procedures for their recruitment, promotion, transfer,
and other routine matters, they will not serve productively. This
is a basic principle known in management discipline.

42. Intense Teacher Crisis in College of Leather Technology: requires 80
teachers, has only 6 teachers, new admission postponed (Prothom Alo, 2011):
There are only six regular teachers in the college for around 1000 students. Even
the admission process of the college has been made stopped due to this ongoing
teacher crisis. As there is no provision to give appointment to part-time teachers in
government institutions, college authority couldnt take any remedial step too.
Though the college needs immediate appointment of teachers badly but this is
quite impossible due to the bureaucratic red tape.
43. Technical education has become certificate oriented due to crisis of teachers
(Prothom Alo, April 27, 2012):
Technical education in Bangladesh is more theoretical than practical. Teachers
emphasize more on theoretical knowledge. That is why; the efficiency of the
students in the professional life is not satisfactory. Lack of qualified teachers is a
major threat to quality technical education. Many of the posts of teachers remain
vacant too.

Analysis and Comments:
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Again, rules and procedures should not be a bar and we need
comprehensive action plan in a situation when we need
technical education to flourish in the country. But this teacher
shortage, lack of managerial decision making authority for ad
hoc emergency appointment, poor quality teaching, all these
imply that we do not have a vision or goal, what we really want
what our priority is.
General and others
44. Promotion not given to more qualified teacher rather given to less qualified
one (Prothom Alo, March 5, 2011):
Candidate with more qualification was forced not to attend the interview for the
appointment of assistant headmaster. Though there were two senior teachers in the
school but the teacher with less qualification was allowed to attend the interview as
she was an aunt of the local MP who at the same time is the head of the school
governing body.

45. Most government schools run without head masters and assistant head
masters (daily star, July 23, 2009):
252 out of 317 public secondary schools dont have headmasters for the past four
years. Bureaucratic tangles and reluctance of the education ministry are the prime
reasons behind such condition. Senior teachers are often busy with administrative
jobs and are unable to take classes. In some cases senior teachers of science
subjects remain busy with private tuition at home instead of discharging additional
duties at workplace.
Analysis and Comments:
General picture in the government schools. Lack of proper
planning and poor coordination in the routine activities like
requisition of posts, recruitment procedure, transfer,
promotion, etc.

46. Free text books start printing, distribution from January (daily star,
February 10, 2010):
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The advisory committee for printing and distributing free school textbooks has
recommended starting the entire process several months earlier in future so that the
students get the textbooks at the beginning of the year. It was for the first time that
the government printed and distributed books for secondary schools students as
well as primary school students.
Comments: Natural management
47. Stern action if found guilty of printing, selling notebooks (daily star,
November 26, 2009):
Despite legal prohibition, some quarters are still active in producing and selling
notebooks. Education minister urged all to come forward to stop such illegal
business which is harmful for countrys education system.
48. Leakages in distribution of school text books (daily star, January 30, 2010):
Illegal trade in primary and secondary school textbooks meant for free distribution
among the students in the district and upazilas, going on in the different book
markets of the city. More importantly, Some dishonest education officials are
engaged behind such illegal activities.

Analysis and Comments:
Ridiculous and frustrating for the citizens: if distribution
system is proper, how the books are available in bookshop for
sale, and where is the law enforcement agencies? That means,
on the one hand, distribution system has leaks, and on the other
hand, poor coordination with ministry of home affairs (say,
Police)

49. Education at all levels should be free: Prime Minister (New Age, January 4,
2010):
The Prime minster directed the authorities concerned for ensuring balanced
distribution of governments monthly payment orders among the countrys
educational institutions. Prime minister also told about her fulfillment of the
commitment for making education free up to degree level. She also mentioned that
education at all levels should be free as the investment in education is the best
investment.

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Analysis and Comments:
Example of political commitment without practical calculation:
what we see, government cannot meet the demand of the school
and college teachers for increasing salary and benefits. On the
other hand, government is making this kind of statement in
public.
This is clearly again, lack of basic strategic management
approach we do not know what is our situation, what we can
achieve and how.

6.2.2 Primary sources: Citizen Experiences and Narratives
Around 400 citizen interviews and narratives were reviewed to understand the
problem related to education from customer (citizen) perspective. Ranking of these
problems seemed irrelevant. All the problems are top or core problems in their own
right. So interpretivist approach would be appropriate to describe and analyze those.
- Coaching centers:
Without coaching centers education has become unthinkable. Coaching, the very
word is a positive one. Some students might need extra help beyond regular
school class. It is quite natural. Going to teachers, of school or anyone
knowledgeable in that subject, lodging master has been there all around in our
country. But the obligatory form of coaching as we see it today is by no means a
desired one.

o From the citizen survey, it was clear that, among all the problems people
are facing in education sector, coaching pervasiveness is the number 1.

o Regardless of urban or rural area, male or female, good school or ordinary
school, lower level classes or upper level, coaching culture has been
integrated with mainstream education.

o From class 1 admission coaching to all class all subject based coaching,
high school admission coaching, cadet college coaching, PECE(class 5)
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coaching, JSC (class 8) coaching, SSC coaching, HSC coaching all have
become part and parcel of education life.

o After HSC, there is admission test coaching:
medical,
engineering,
university different units ( A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and so on)
BMA admission, marine academy admission coaching
and so on.

o In the university level education, there are subject coaching for many
national university (NU) degree programs. In NU, regular college classes
are almost just a formality). (for example, English, mathematics, statistics,
accounting, economics etc

o In some cases, for public and private university also, there are established
subject based coaching cultures (for example. mathematics, statistics,
accounting, economics etc.)

- Admission hassle in the few good schools:
Even if there is no net shortage in school level, there are only few good schools in
every cities and towns. There is always scuffle and tussles, frequently pictured in
newspaper each year during admission season, in the good schools. From taking
admission form, admission coaching (oftentimes under a school teacher), taking
the children to schools for admission test, getting them back in hand after the test,
admission formalities, fees etc. all are essential hassles.
o Actually total seats in all the schools are not that short compared with total
demand.
o But yet people and parents undergo this hassle because, most of the
schools, government or private, are of low quality and shows ordinary
performance, year after year.
o Government could not do anything to change the ranking of the schools.
Same schools do better for years; new schools do not get better. Which
ultimately make people scramble for few good schools.
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- There is no quality control in teaching:
The concept of quality in education is a very vague one. Is it good teacher, good
students, good system, good SSC, HSC records, or what?
o In most of the cases, teacher salary is very poor. Even in some private
schools which are run like a profiteering business, say earn a huge
amount from the students in forms of tuition fee, school dress,
stationeries, etc., but still the salary is very poor. So teaching profession
cannot attract better people and cannot motivate the existing ones.
o Some good schools are good but that is not due to quality teaching.
That is another problem stated above.
o In general, no one is sure what quality means, what the criteria would
be and so on. Just because, one school is doing good in public or board
exam does not mean that the school is a quality one in terms of building
the children as competent and skilled citizens.

- Teacher shortage, particularly in English, math, science:
On the one hand, so many educated youth are unemployed. On the other hand,
there are always posts vacant in the schools due to long and bureaucratic
recruitment procedure. So relatively better human resources are not available in
education sector. This phenomenon becomes very visible when it comes to
subjects like English, Math, and Science. Parents wait hungrily for finding a good
teacher in English or Math to send third children for coaching or private tuition.

- Urban-Rural disparity in education quality
Though our country is a poor and developing one, there have been some very
reputed schools and colleges in rural and district towns since the British period.
And from these schools and colleges, came out many renowned personalities of
today. But now situation is drastically different. Good graduates are not coming
from rural areas except few exceptional ones. And the situation is degrading day
by day. That is one reason, pressure for rural-urban migration increases.

- Poor service experience with the education boards
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Students and parents have to go to education boards for many routine purposes.
For example, correcting student name, fathers name, mothers name and other
spelling mistakes in the certificate. We found a lot of narratives that shows the
poor experience with the service delivery mechanism of the board. There is the
case of delay and procrastination, and rent seeking behavior of the staffs. There is
no easy to get, one stop, help desk where people can go and seek help. So people
have to resort to contributing to corrupt behavior.

- Opening and Running private schools
Government cannot take the burden alone, so private sector participation is
encouraged in principle. But when some potential school promoter goes to
education board, he finds no one stop guideline of how to open a school and run it.
All you have to do is to depend on the whims of the officials related to it. To open
a school and run it, private sector parties have to manage the officials. So this
kind of environment discourages compliance of rules and regulations and
encourages malpractice. So the private sector participation is deprived of good
investors and full of profiteering minded investors.

- General mismanagement of the school-college institutions
Though our country is a poor and developing one, there have been some very
reputed schools. But they are quite few in number. Most of the schools are poorly
managed:
They do not provide sufficient logistic facilities to the students
They cannot ensure quality teaching and teachers
They do not give good salaries to the teachers because the common
thinking is that there are so many unemployed young male and
female graduates that teachers are easy to find with minimal
salaries.
On the other hand, they charge tuition and other fees at their will
and increase the fees at their will
They do not entertain parents voice, students voice, or teachers
voice.
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So, either taken from secondary sources or taken from primary field work, the problems
can be identified comfortably. Also the problem nature can be understood with certain
depth.
Figure 6-A Education Sector Problems

The overriding problem is that citizens do not know where to seek remedy of these
perpetual everyday problems and that whether the regulatory authorities education
boards, district administration, or education offices - have any objective oriented
mechanism of M&E (monitoring and evaluation) of the schools, or how they really work.
After having the problem dimensions on board, we may attempt to analyze them and
devise a common solution framework.
6.3 Analysis of the Problems and Causes
While analyzing secondary sources like newspapers and other popular media, we did not
do exact frequency count or ranking, rather we wanted to gather a representative sample of
education
sector
Coaching
center
dependency
and
pervasiveness
Teacher
Shortage
lengthy and
time
consuming
teacher
recruitment
procedure
Inadequate
budget
inefficient
use of
available
budget
amount
Quality of
Teachers
urban, rural
disparity in
education
only a few
good school
phenomenon
english
teacher
shortage
General
phenomenon of
Mismanageme
nt: corruption,
inefficiency,
misuse
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news items by going through which, or by keeping them at the table, we can discuss the
whole education sector problem from a strategic point of view.
First we tried to understand the contextual factors which we have to take as given.
1. Inappropriate political interference (Pol) in education sector:
This means undue interference of political leaders (generally of the party in power)
in recruiting teachers, opening schools, allocating resources, and so on. This we
take as given because this is the national and broader problem of our country
politics and governance. This is not just problem of this sector.

2. Systemic Corruption (Cor) in education sector:
Corruption might not be the consequence of bad politics only, but also due to
mismanagement of the processes and lack of regulatory monitoring. The whole
country is accustomed to this kind of corruption culture in every government
offices. We cannot separate this sector, from that all pervasive culture.

3. Budget (Bud):
As a whole, the country is a developing country, lacks resources, and so cannot
allocate to education sector the required fund in most cases. So budget scarcity and
limitations will be there as given.

4. Quality Personnel (mainly teacher, QT) :
Overall quality of education from primary level to secondary level to tertiary level
is generally poor. So the graduates are of poor quality. Add to that the market force
demand and supply which keeps salary level low. Low salary level cannot attract
relatively good candidates who seek jobs to other formal sector organizations. So
the pool of personnel is given.

5. Social and cultural attitude of people (PPL):
The social and cultural level of people is a given factor. As a consequence of poor
governance for so many years, people lacks optimism to new initiatives, openness
to innovation and creativity. The readiness to pay for a good education is also low
due to both economic condition itself and also distrust about the actual quality
promise.
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After separating these contextual factors, we can focus what public managers, as part of
their management prerogative, can do.
So our analysis shows that a well functioning education sector is a combination of these
given factors that management cannot change, and function of management as a
systematic approach within a limit. This can be expressed as follows:

+ Function(Mgt)

The proposition is:
1. MOE cannot solve the problems which is very much lies in the given context of
the country, namely political culture, budget constraints, general corruption, social
and cultural attitude, and quality of personnel pool.

2. But, MOE can solve many of the problems by improving internal or institutional
management. Here management is the systematic approach of solving the problem
or getting things done or objective achieved. Because there are many problems
which all parties in power would love to have solved but cannot do so due to lack
of management know how the systemic approach of addressing and solving the
problems.
So among all the problems, education minister has to understand this dynamics and then
start anything he wants to do.
If this is understood that ministry is free to solve some problems (without fear from
party in power or PMO) - then the MOE may have a look into two dimensions:
A. what are the enabling environment for good management barriers that bar the
officials and citizens behave in good faith (recognition of policy and regulatory
flaws)
B. what are the management know-how or lack of management approach that
create and perpetuate the problems
Well managed
sector, Education
= Function [given country
context (Pol, Cor, B, QT,
PPL, others)]
Function (good
management practices)
= +
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Example of the policy and regulatory flaws and lack of management approach is
elaborated below
6.4 Policy and Regulation Flaws
We visited education board, DC office, interviewed board officials, ADC
(education), a number of teachers. Some of the things came out as apparent policy
contradictions or inconsistencies
1. There is no strategic priority set by the government for increasing living
standard of the teachers. There is no realistic approach to solving the
perennial compensation related problems of teachers. Random promises
made at different occasions make the situation more haphazard and
confusing.
2. Coaching centers have been publicly denounced by government but no
operational legal code was developed to define and limit the coaching
centers so that the law enforcement agencies can follow it.
3. Similar to the coaching centers, notebooks and guidebooks are publicly
banned or denounced by government as seen in the media. But no
operational legal code was developed to define and limit the production
and distribution of those so that the law enforcement agencies can follow
it.
4. When there is a direction to control the coaching activity, district
administration and the education offices at the field level faces too many
questions and confusions. This shows that the ministry direction is not
well home-worked rather done based on popular press.
5. There is no practical guideline for the interested private sector investors in
education be it primary level or university level.
6. At the university level, there is a private university Act but there are no
mechanism to address the confusions and questions, hardly any
supplementary guideline, and university approval is still at the whims of
the government rather than based on the Acts or objective criteria based.
7. Without strategic approach, all the activities are ultimately ad-hoc or done
haphazardly.
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6.5 Lack of Management Approach
- Vision without action plan or follow up: Ministers occasionally announces
something will be done or some steps will be taken be it coaching center,
notebook business, or teacher salary or school quality etc. Ministry has a vision
which is basically some wish list and does not follow a strategic framework which
is objective oriented, milestone oriented, and time bound.

- Lack of HRP (Human Resources Planning and Forecasting): there are teacher
shortages everywhere in the country. This is due to lack of planning in advance,
long and bureaucratic teacher recruitment system, and natural job market
movement of the teachers. Natural job market movement is not a problem. But lack
of HR planning and connecting that planning with teacher recruitment system is
crucial.

- Failing to match between demand and supply: one the one hand, there is teacher
shortage everywhere. Again we see unemployed graduates everywhere in the
country. But there is no strategic direction from the ministry of education
(government) to recruit as whenever and wherever needed. This is due to lack of
the widely accepted management practices like temporary worker, on demand
worker, contractual arrangement etc.

- Lack of Marketing and PR effort: Many a times, government effort fails to get
due attention of the citizen they serve due to the lack of marketing and public
relations effort from the government. Citizens are not aware that ministry has a
website, provides useful information, and are ready to provide other services on
demand. Citizens do not know what their rights are regarding getting services from
education boards or education offices at different levels of the country. This is
sometimes due to absence of the knowledge on the part of government about how
to promote its own activity.

- Lack of systematic information gathering or customer research: all know that
to solve the customer problem, management need information and continuous
research. First they have to understand customer needs and then devise the most
cost effective solution for the customers. Here citizens are customers of education
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ministry. But there are no effective citizen feedback channels or any dedicated
citizen research unit in the MOE.
After analyzing the problems and identifying the two pronged lacking, now we are clearly
in a position to provide a solution that works.
6.6 Solution: In Search of a General Management Framework
So we have all the problems which may be termed as an exhaustive list of problems. Now
suppose nation gets an education minister who is very honest in the sense that he is
relatively free from the general perception of greedy and corrupt and muscleman politics.
- What we see, a minister really wants to do something good, moves briskly from
here to there, but get confused or make others confused in doing so.

- Even if he can do something for some time, media praises those, but all know,
citizens know, that the results are short lived and not sustained at the system level.
One example of this is education ministry wanted to improve the situation regarding
coaching problems. Overwhelmed by media and popular perception, they really wanted
to do something around it. They discussed with parents and teachers. Then they issued
directives and sent to district administration and education office. Some sporadic actions
were taken by these implementation level offices, but what we see. Nothing happened to
the situation actually. Whatever happened can be compared with throwing stones in a
pond which sinks after a brief intervention on the water surface.
Another example is government wanted to stop the admission tests at the university level,
medical colleges etc. But what we see, citizens are not ready to accept these changes.
Government is yet to devise acceptable and real solutions.
The challenge is: where to start, how to proceed, so that within the given time of his
government he can actually solve some problem at the system level.
The first and foremost recommendation is common in every cases of this study. That is:
- Start with Customer. Here the provider is ministry of education and receiver or
customer is citizen.
Two equal attentions would be necessary:
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- Fix the policy and regulatory flaws
- Fulfill the management gap (inefficiency and lack of know-how of management
approach)
6.6.1 Fixing up Policy and Regulatory flaws (enabling environment for management
to work)
To see management at work at the education ministry and at implementation units like
education offices up to union levels, the first thing to do is fixing up the policy and
regulatory flaws. The policies, rules, and directives consistently show lack of
consistency, coordination, and impractical instances. Worse than that there is no systemic
mechanism to modify it at regular intervals.
Here we provide the suggestion with a comparative scenario of current practice and
suggested practice, side by side to make clear the current decision making process flaws:
Current practice of government

Better Practice/ Suggested
- Ministry of education awakes by
the outcry of citizens and media.
Say, coaching center. Everywhere
it becomes talk of the town, and
minister cannot help avoiding the
issue in the functions, ceremonies
attended.

- Minister is too busy with the day to
day appointments from party men,
friends, and acquaintances, day to
day functions and prize giving, and
other tadbirs.

- So what to do? The issue has
become too big in the media and
among the public.

- Minister sits with secretary,
Understand the nature of the citizen
problems
- Ministry of education (MOE) as the
central head institution scans the
media sources and opens up citizen
feedback channels

- MOE do some citizen survey to
identify the education sector related
problems
o At different places of the
country union, upazila,
district
o The survey can be done by
outsourced firm.

- MOE arrange meet the citizen
program regularly.

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additional secretaries, and deputy
secretaries in the ministry of
education conference or meeting
room. All points to a relatively free
deputy secretary for taking up that
matter.

- Then a committee is formed
consisting of the relatively free
senior officials or junior officials
already overburdened with daily
chores. A meeting or something is
arranged which they term as view
exchange.

- Many minds many opinions - but
something is to be done. Draft
some directives - Lets see what
happens approach.

- Send the coaching directives to
the district administration and
education offices at different places
of country.

- Media coverage, image of MOE
increases

- District administration or education
office officials face practical
problems in implementation
vagueness appears in definition and
identification of coaching centers -
they are everywhere but ministry
Analyze and prepare action roadmap

- MOE forms a citizen advisory
committee comprised of mainly
external education experts, media
persons, university professors,
college principals, school
headmasters, and other general
citizens

o This committee will devise
strategic and tactical action
report for the ministry.
o Actions would be divided into
categories what can be done
without political interference
and what cannot be done.
o Also, action plan would be
devised for reforms at the
downstream organs of the
MOE, like education boards,
and education offices.

Implement the recommendations
- MOE is responsible for implementing
the recommendations of advisory
committees.

- MOE has to convince the head of
state (PMO) about the implications
for the party in power.

- MOE prepare the guidelines and
create the enabling environment for
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did not provide the total
classification and guidelines.

- No real answer of the query
coming from the ministry - do
something or do it anyway.
(ministry dont have any further
answer because there was not a
academic analysis of the issue).

- Days pass. Media gets busy with
other problems, minister also
follow the problems which has
become new talk of the day.
Everyone is accustomed to seeing
perpetual problems.

- No long term solution, just a
temporary busyness of the ministry
and field administration.


citizen engagement (e.g. criteria to
open a new school or a university)

- MOE analyze the citizen service
delivery processes and removes the
inconsistencies of regulations and
other bottlenecks.

- Feedback from field and clarify the
confusions.

- In this citizen advisory committee led
model, secretary, deputy secretaries,
and other officials of MOE finds the
legitimacy of their managerial actions
and become well informed managers
for solving the problems.

In a word, the policy and regulations making process needs to be changed somewhat
fundamentally. Actually no one looses anything from the suggested practice outlined in
the abovementioned table. Minister and secretaries are relieved from the long consultative
engagement process as the citizen advisory committee will take care of that with great
enthusiasm. On the other hand, the advisory committee is by default a continually
changing group of individuals who have other main occupations and they dont have to
please anyone as such for a fixed full time appointment. All they will do is go through the
details of the problems, existing process bottlenecks, and devise practical solutions in each
problem case. Then the MOE can have the most worked out roadmap in their hand and act
in more informed and professional way.
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6.6.2 Reducing Management Know-How gaps
Policy and regulatory flaws are to be addressed first to create an enabling environment for
management to work. This is pretty straight forward that this can be done through
deploying citizen engagement and advisory committee.
But there is no short cut for the second stream developing institutional
management capability. This is matter of continuous improvement.
However, we attempt to provide a guideline assuming the first one (fixing policy and
regulatory flaws) is done concurrently.
1. For each problem in education sector, understand the problems clearly. For
example, coaching center problems.
a. Vagueness to be cleared first what is coaching center, is it really an evil,
what other countries are doing with similar coaching centers.
b. Say we found that regular teachers of schools are compelling students to
take coaching tutorial. So this is a problem of conflict of interest nature
and needs to be solved.
c. Without clearly defining the problem, any objectives set will not be
successful due to implementation problem and regulatory complexities.

2. For each problem or opportunity for improvement (OFI) in education sector,
devise clear goals or objectives.

3. Mechanism for advance planning and forecasting should be followed rigorously.
a. For example, book printing and distribution at the beginning of school year,
recruiting teachers and staffs, or allocating other resources.

4. There should be some contingency or situational management mechanism for
addressing the routine problems at the local levels.
a. For example, teacher shortage is always a routine problem. Teacher
recruitment is also a routine activity which is lengthy and time consuming.
While this time duration is understood for the sake of fairness, there should
be some mechanism for addressing this teacher shortage problem.
b. Teacher shortage problem can be reduced significantly by employing
teachers on ad-hoc or temporary basis round the year in whichever schools
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and colleges require in whatever subjects. There are amply job seeking
graduates in the country who would be willing to take this opportunity,
without any guarantee of automatic absorption. At the same time, the full-
time regular teacher recruitment process can go on, where these temporary
teachers can also compete like other teaching candidates. (So patronization
or nepotism in teacher recruitment is not the focal problem, as there is no
automatic absorption guarantee in this case)

5. Devising performance standards and linking those with reward
a. Education officers and board officials, who works at the implementation
level, and on whose performance, the performance of the MOE depends,
should be given recognition monetary and nonmonetary.
b. For example, if increasing private schools(without requiring government
budget), is a goal, some possible KPI may be:
i. how many new schools have been founded last year,
ii. how many existing schools (unregistered) applied for registration,
iii. how many schools applied for expansion for new classes and
student enrolments.

6. There should be a process of continuous training for cultural change of the
officials. Education sector officials and administrators are like any other sector of
government having inertia and reluctance to new initiative and possibilities due to
long habit of seeing no real change or exposure to so many ad hoc government
initiatives. So they need continuous reinforcement through organizational
development and cultural or change management training.
6.7 Concluding Note In Search of Intervention
A good intended minister is not enough to make some real progress in education sector.
Management mindset matters.
Education sector is fundamentally important for long term development of the country.
But at the ministry and district level offices, there are lots of mismanagement in form of
lacking of efficiency and effectiveness, in addition to usual corruption, undue political
interference and other evils. There is little division over that. Political interference in
recruitment and transfer is a given political factor, people unwilling to pay for good
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education is a given social and cultural factor and these will not change overnight. But
there are things that are matters of management factors and with a little intervention, can
change the scenario significantly.
The first thing is to do is: fixing up the regulatory flaws. Regulations, rules and policies
guide the behavior of the public managers and also the citizens they serve. If rules and
regulations are obsolete and inconsistent, then there is little hope that MIG will improve in
education sector. What are the rules for? If the rules are barring good common sense
management, then change the rules.
The second thing is second but more important and more long-term than the first one. That
is: introduce the management mindset which is more than common sense but almost
always start with common sense. Who we are serving? If they are not benefitted, what is
our role? These are the starting questions for developing management approach. Then
there will be objective and indicators oriented, citizen service oriented management in
education sector.

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Part C Developing Management Approach in Government
Chapter 6 Management in Government (MIG):
Education Sector
Chapter 7 Management in Government:
Health Services Sector
Chapter 8 ICT in Government: Unconnected Change Efforts
Chapter 9 Citizen Problems: Highlights from the Field and Everyday
Lives

7 Chapter 7 Health Services Sector
7.1 Introduction
Health services for citizens, like Education, are another fundamental element of public
concerns of citizens of any civilized country in the modern world. Bangladesh is a
developing country. Quantitative figure shows that along some indicators of public health,
Bangladesh has achieved considerable progress over the years. The exact figures has been
found to vary from one organization to another organization like WHO, USAID, DFID
etc. but consensus is that Bangladesh has done a remarkable job in reach of the basic
health services, although the remaining challenge is also reported to be high (like number
of doctors per ten thousand population or child nutrition) and quality of management and
service delivery remained an issue of concern in all these reports.
Bangladesh has a health system which is dominated by the public sector (MOHFW
website 2012). In public sector, The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MOH) is the
leading organization for policy formulating, planning and decision making at macro and
micro level. Under the ministry four Directorates e.g. Directorate General of Health
Services, Directorate General of Family Planning, Directorate of Nursing Services and
Directorate General of Drug Administration are providing health services to the citizens.
Though there is considerable progress in terms of indicators and quantity, quality in health
services sector remained a constant concern. What are the citizen experiences in this
sector? How management in health sector can be improved?
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With this central question, we started perusing media reports and gathered experiences of
citizen from the field along with field visit of the medical colleges and health centers.
Items with repeated nature were deliberately excluded and items of varied nature were
included to illustrate the full range or collated view of the problem scenario.
Our objective was NOT to
- Identify the statistical distribution of any particular type of problem across the
health sector (for example which upazila or district or division is having most
problems or doctor, nurse, or equipments problems), or measure the attitude and
perception of the people regarding health sector problems or do some factor
analysis.
Rather our objective was to
- understand the type, scope, and nature of health sector problems, which have
become very common across the country or which we think is a matter of
management (or lack of it).
In the following section, first we compile the evidence from various newspaper sources
that covers wide range of health sector problems facing the citizens of the country. In
doing so, we also provided analysis on many individual instances.
Second, we present our citizen narratives which corroborates with the evidence found
from the media sources. In doing that we attempted to tell the gist of the citizen experience
from their perspectives.
Then we analyze the problem from a perspective which we call the academic discipline of
management.
Finally we provide solutions for the public management - that is, given the current
political, social, and cultural context, what head of health and family welfare ministry
(MOHFW) and public managers of health sector at various levels can try to accomplish.
The solution for any particular problem (say quality of doctors, nurses, or services) is
beyond the scope and intention of this chapter. Rather the focus is on developing a
management model or action framework that can be deployed by the ministry of health
(MOH).
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7.2 Understanding and Analyzing the Problems
To understand the problems prevalent in health sector of Bangladesh, we collected
information from both secondary and primary sources:
Secondary sources: we reviewed secondary sources like newspaper reports.
We collected journalistic accounts of the problems from leading newspapers
randomly during 2009-2011 periods. We wanted to see what the problems are
that making headlines of the public and free media what are common, what
are coming recurrently, what are unique to different levels.
Primary source: extensive field visit, observation, doctors and other health
professionals interview, and citizen interview have been done to gain the first
hand idea of the situation. In depth ethnographical approach was followed to
understand overall nature of the problem. Around 400 citizen narratives were
collected and analyzed.
7.2.1 Journalistic Accounts of the problems
Following is a sample of the newspaper reports from 2009 to 2012. The reports are
sorted according to historical chronology. The selection presented below made a
collection up to the point so that all dimensions of the health sector problems are
covered. Some quick comments and analysis are added to some of the problems. But
overall analysis, which is an overall one, is done in the later section.
1. Nurses missing in Medicare: Patients suffer for lack of nurses (Daily Star, July
5, 2009):
Most of the government hospitals in the country lack adequate number of nurses.
The country has a staggering shortage of 2.80 lakh nurses, says a report of
Bangladesh Health Watch in 2008. It also states that in terms of doctor-nurse ratio
there are 2.5 physicians per nurse whereas there should be three nurses for each
doctor. The latest recruitment of nurses took place in 2003. As a result some 2,056
posts of nurses have been lying vacant since then. The promotion in the nursing
sector is given on seniority basis not considering their quality of service, creating
the frustration especially among the well trained and higher educated nurses.
Though the then prime-minister Sheikh Hasina in 2000 gave directives to promote
the senior staff nurses giving pay scale equivalent to 2
nd
class employees, it was
not implemented.
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Analysis and Comments
Demand-supply mismatch in case of nurse. On the one hand, there is
demand for nurse but inadequate supply. On the other hand, there is huge
supply of unemployed female youth, who are doing low category job like
receptionist or office administration. Stimulating supply needs new nursing
institute both in public and private sector. Again, sometimes we see the
news of nurses unemployed.
So this is a total haphazard. In the overall matter, there is a lack of demand-
supply forecasting which is a usual part of HRP (human resources planning) in
management discipline. A little planning in this case could go a long way.
2. X-Ray machines at health complexes inoperative for years (Daily Star, July
7,2010):
Most of the Upazila Health Complexes under Rangpur district cant take X-Ray of
the patients as the machines have remain dysfunctional for years because of
absence of X-Ray operator, improper maintenance and so on. There are allegations
that the authorities of the Upazila Health Complexes intentionally kept the X-Ray
machines unused on the plea to troubles and lack of X-Ray films as patients are
often referred to private laboratories in Rangpur town in exchange of commission.
Analysis and Comments
This is one of the most common examples of lack of operational planning
and overall inefficiency of management. Also an example of gross waste of
state resources. X-ray machine service needs the machine itself, the man
who can handle the machine rightly, and the maintenance of the machine to
keep it in running condition which requires both the machine and the man.
Absence of any one component will make the whole thing just a show. It is
a common knowledge that budget is limited everywhere; getting the budget
allocation and procurement of a costly machine like this takes huge time
and effort. Now after procurement if it sits idle, this is a loss for everyone
of the nation. The whole effort is limited to budget allocation and
procurement effort. This is no problem of bad politics or corruption. We
call it mismanagement lack of management approach.
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3. Drug Administration(DA) poorly equipped to detect spurious drugs (Daily
Star, July 28, 2009):
The Drug Administration (DA), the countrys sole drug regulatory body is failing
to check counterfeit drugs flooding the local drug market due to lack of sufficient
laboratory equipment and facilities and manpower shortage, posing serious threat
to public health. Both the government drug testing laboratories located in Dhaka
and Chittagong remain in shabby state. It was seen that the overall standard of the
laboratory was not up to the mark. It has been running without any protective net,
air-condition and even modern equipments to test and identify substandard drugs.
Lack of adequate manpower is another threat for its smooth functioning. Since
1984, the workload of the drug administration has increased by 20 times but
manpower was not increased accordingly. Brig Gen M Ismail Hossain, the director
of Drug Administration has sent a proposal to the concerned authority to raise the
manpower from 122 to 745.
Analysis and Comments
Manpower raising from 122 to 745, if true, indicates that a crucial
regulatory body lacks the essential resource! Then how can it regulate such
a huge and important sector? And what would be the standard of
monitoring? And what about the capacity building of drug administration in
terms of their technical capability for the sector. This is one of the most
pertinent examples of missing the basics. In this kind of situation, this
becomes unnecessary and useless to discuss other issues like overall
condition of the drug manufacturing and distribution sector.
4. Civil Surgeons lose control over drugs (Daily Star, December 18, 2009):
District civil surgeons have traditionally been procuring 30% of medicines
required at the public hospitals through bidding process and the rest 70% have
been coming from the government owned medicine manufacturer Essential Drugs
Company Limited. But it has been long alleged that the civil surgeons tend to
pocket a huge amount of money by manipulating the tenders in connivance with
local drug traders who, in return, supply lower quality drugs at higher prices. That
is why, to ensure transparency and curb corruption the government has decided to
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strip civil surgeons of the authority to procure drugs, putting the responsibility on
its Central Medicine Store Depot (CMSD) from now.
Analysis and Comments
A good intended action by the MOH. To reduce the corruption of civil
surgeon office, the procurement responsibility has been shifted to CMSD.
But the problem that can be predicted with certainty is now the locus of
corruption moves from point X to point Y. this is one example, when even
good intention is not enough. This is a management problem where end to
end planning and monitoring and evaluation system is underdeveloped.
5. No waste management still in 70% city hospitals (Independent, January31,
2010):
Only a few hospitals dispose of the waste under the clinical waste management
system. Others dispose the waste indiscriminately in the nearby dustbins. Some
traders employ Street urchins and some drug addicts to collect clinical waste from
the dustbins which they make reusable and later sell to wholesalers. Again in some
of the hospitals the sweepers sort those clinical wastes and sell those to the traders
involved.
Analysis and Comments:
In general waste disposal system is in vulnerable condition in our country.
But when it comes to hospital or clinical waste, it cannot be taken so
lightly. But like many other cases, it is lost among other things. Clinical
waste is not like other waste, it exposes all in the environment to serious
health hazards. This is a serious example that we dont have a priority.
6. Nine doctors drawing salary without attending hospitals! (Prothom Alo,
March 27, 2010):
Nine doctors of different Upazila Health Complexes in Thakurgaon have been
absent in their workplaces for last two to six months. But in spite of their absences,
all of them have been receiving their salary. Even the upazila health officials dont
know exactly about the current status of these absent doctors. The civil surgeon did
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not want to answer on the issue of how these doctors have been drawing their
salaries and allowances despite their absences for a long period of time.
Analysis and Comments
This is very common across the country. Doctors do not attend to their
work area if it is outside Dhaka, Chittagong, and other city areas. Doctors
do not want to work in rural areas. They do not go to those areas but draws
salaries and benefits. Due to lack of any effective monitoring system,
doctors can do it for months and years, without being caught. All they do is
making happy the accounts officials or administrative officials who keep
records and disburse the salary.
7. Power outages hamper treatment at hospitals (New Age, April 8, 2010):
Rampant power outage is hampering the treatment of patients at government
hospitals in Dhaka city. Most of the generators in the hospitals can only support the
emergencies. It is really shocking that sometimes the doctors cant take an attempt
for operation due to the fear of power fall in the midst of operation.
Analysis and Comments:
Someone has to decide that surgical operation as an ongoing process is
itself an emergency. While emergency ward itself may remain idle for
some time. So what generator would support and not, and when, and why,
is a matter of operational management to be decided by hospital
management. Then why it does not work so. Because, there are
management gaps in terms of organization structure, hierarchy, work
design, responsibility and so on.
8. Almost half of the posts for Doctors are vacant in Barisal Adhunik Sadar
Hospital (Jugantor, April 13, 2011):
12 posts of doctors among 26 are vacant for a long time in Barisal Adhunik Sadar
Hospital. Only one out of three doctors is available for emergency and more
surprisingly, not a single doctor is available in the Medicine and Surgery
department. It is to note that majority of the patients need treatment from the
Medicine department.
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Analysis and Comments
Contrary to the other instance where we see, doctors are posted but not
attending the work posts. Here the case is of HRP (human resource
planning). HRP is not done professionally as good management demand.
So from the vacancy announcement to filling the position create a long gap
which creates problems at the citizens end.
9. Hospital, Civil Surgeon office Vandalised in Jhenidah, Gaibandha-
Unsuccessful candidates go berserk alleging irregularities in recruitment
process (Daily Star, October 3,2010):
Gaibandha Civil Surgeons office and resident medical officers room at Jhenidah
general Hospital lie vandalised after unsuccessful candidates went into rampage
protesting alleged irregularities and corruption in the process of recruitment to
different posts under the health department. Many of the unsuccessful candidates
alleged that the ruling party men took money from them with the assurance of
giving them jobs but that didnt happen.
Analysis and Comments
It is an example where this is not a specific medical or health service
problem. It is an overall governance and public management problem of the
country. Health sector is affected this way. But health sector should get
priority in reforms and sector specific reforms should focus on this kind of
issues.
10. Hospital without gynecologist for long 29 years!! (Prothom Alo, January 17,
2011):
The post of gynecologist in Moheshkhali Upazila Health Complex is vacant for
long 29 years since its establishment. Being unable to find any gynecologist there,
the patients need to go to Coxs Bazaar which is around eight kilometers from
Moheshkhali. In case of emergency, the nurses treat the patients.
Analysis and Comments
Nurses treat the patient! Why? Because, there is no specialist doctor. Why
there is not a doctor? Vacancy might be created, and time may take longer
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to fill the position. But the amount of time, 29 years, shows the absurdity of
management in health sector.
11. Posts vacant in the government hospitals, nurses remain unemployed
(Prothom Alo, January 23, 2011):
Each year around 1000 students graduates from the nursing institutes across the
country whereas the total demand of nurses in the government and private
hospitals is around 1, 80,000. Surprisingly around 10,000 nurses are still
unemployed as posts of nurses have been kept vacant in the government hospitals
and the private hospital appoints uneducated, untrained maids as nurses. Related
person attributed the mismatch to lack of planning on the part of government.
Analysis and Comments
Example of coordination problem in government. Definitely government
hospitals need nurses and nurses need jobs. But job seeking nurses remain
unemployed in the face of definite vacany. The gap is in the planning,
organizing, coordinating, and overall management of the system at some
points.
12. Messy Upazila Health Complex-Five posts vacant-Doctor absent for four
years! (Prothom Alo, February 1, 2011):
The number of posts of doctors in Sonagaji Upazila Health Complex is nine. But
among these posts, five posts are vacant. One doctor has been absent since
December 1, 2006 taking a leave of 20 days. During this long absence he hasnt
contacted with the authority so far. Authority (civil surgeon office) does not know
exactly what his status is. Civil surgeon told that letters were sent to MOH.
Analysis and Comments
Example of lacking of good human resource management and planning.
Worse thing is that a civil surgeon does not know or is not in a position to
ensure that doctors may not remain absent without approval.
13. A total of 8507 posts are vacant in the Family Planning department
(Prothom Alo, February 19, 2011):
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Recruitment process in the Family Planning department has been kept stopped for
last two years. Though this department has been playing the vital role in population
control, but now it is threatened due to lack of manpower more specifically the
field workers. Senior officials in the department pointed to the fact that the
stagnant situation is due to corrupted administration which is finding ways for
politically biased appointments.
Analysis and Comments
Lack of priority management. Family planning is one of the most vital
agencies or departments in our country perspective. So keeping more than
8000 posts held up for two years shows that we miss the basic strategic
focus in fact we dont have any strategic goal. If we had, we could not
afford leaving these matter for indefinite time.
14. Khulna Medical College Hospital: Services not available due to manpower
shortage (Prothom Alo, March 7, 2011):
Khulna Medical College started its journey in 1989 with 250 beds but later another
250 beds were added to tackle the increasing pressure of the patients. But
unfortunately the number of doctors and other staffs has not been increased with
that proportion. In terms of total manpower including doctors, nurses, and other
staffs, there are currently 350 in place of required 855.
Analysis and Comments
Example of planning and implementation gap. Production and Operations
management says that if facilities increased, production capacity increased,
but factors of production are missing, say human resources, these
production facilities cannot produce any output. So in case of hospital, if
beds are increased, associated doctors, nurses, and other equipments also to
be increased to deliver a service.
15. No Health centers, but 43 doctors in Rajshahi!! (Prothom Alo, April 6,
2011):
43 doctors have been appointed in such places of Rajshahi where there is no health
centres. So these doctors are working in Upazila Health complex. But as there are
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excess doctors now, they are doing duties by turn and mainly engaged with private
practice in Rajshahi town. Rajshahi Health Directors office sources said that the
cadres of 27
th
and 28
th
BCS have been appointed in such places in temporary basis
where there is no heath centres at all. Khondokar Md Shefayet Ullah, Director
General of Health department said about the governments plan to send at least one
doctor to every union though the health centers. But there have not been made any
arrangement of even an office space. The situation is same in the whole country, he
mentioned.
Analysis and Comments
Example of wrong planning and implementation and also of sequencing. In
many cases, simply because of wrong sequencing of activities, a huge
waste occur in the government.
16. Doctors assistant themselves became doctors!! (Prothom Alo, July 1, 2011):
Many diploma technicians are now writing Dr before their names though they
dont have any registration from BMDC. In 1983, a total of 210 dental technicians
who worked under a registered doctor for 5 years were given the conditional
registration from BMDC only to treat some particular diseases. But later, they
started treating other diseases too. Many dental technicians or assistants are writing
doctor before their name and various unrecognized degrees after their names.
Analysis and Comments
Since the monitoring function of BMDC is very weak and law enforcement
agencies do not have any clear signal what to do, these will go on. Lack
of basic system design and management.
7.2.2 Citizen Problem Experiences and Narratives
Citizens experiences with the health service are independent of journalistic accounts
of media. Citizens were interviewed and narratives were collected. While citizens talk
about the problems related to doctors, services of hospitals and clinics etc. They do not
distinguish between private and public hospitals. Citizens are grossly unhappy with the
overall health services system of the country. But here we mention only the
government ones as relevant. So the problems faced by the citizens are mentioned as
they mentioned:
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- Poor Services in government medical centers
When citizens go to medical centers or hospitals or upazila health complex, you
are at a loss
who to ask, what to ask, how to do what etc.
there will not be doctors. So you have to go back, or assistants and nurses
would become proxy of doctors.
If there are doctors, there will not be medicine, or equipments will be out of
order.
If there are doctors, and equipments are working, then there will be no
machine man.
So in any case, you have to go to private diagnostic centers for medical
diagnostic tests who charge highly and come back again for seeing the
doctor.
And in most cases, the private diagnostics centers are designated centers of
the government medical centers. Doctors or employees of the government
medical center will tell you where to go outside for diagnostic tests.
They usually have undue contracts to make it compelling for a patient to go
outside
Government sends most of the basic medicines to be kept in in-house drug
store of the government medical centers. But in practice, patient would not
find most medicines there. You have to buy them from outside. Then where
do they go?
o Medicines sent by the government for the people are sold by the
health complex or medical center employee to outside private
drugstores.

- Poor services in government medical college hospitals
Government medical college hospitals are full-fledged large hospitals located in
major district cities (Dhaka medical, Chittagong medical, commilla medical, sylhet
medical, rajshahi medical, Mymensingh medical etc.). Despite all the inefficiency
and mismanagement, medical college hospitals are the last resort of the citizens
because only a tiny fraction of the citizens can go abroad for better than this.
Upazila health complex and union health centers regularly refer critical cases to the
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medical colleges. On the other hand, private medical hospital sector is very limited
in the sense that there are only a few specialized private hospitals. And it is
needless to say, those are out of affording capacity of the general citizens.
Following citizen experience is common:
The premises are untidy, dirty and unhealthy. There is a clear sign of lack
of maintenance of the exterior.
Doctors are there but as usual not responsive and friendly to the patients
and visitors. They would say due to huge pressure of patients they cannot
be friendly.
Nurses are not well trained in patient care or they do not care what patients
need. Relatives have to take care of most of the nursing.
Ward assistants are rude and always demand extra money for any services
which are actually part of their responsibility.

- Private practice of the doctors who oversees the rules and standard
Bangladesh has a huge population and people need to see the doctors. And private
practice of the doctors is accepted as part of the health services system. In
developed country also there are GP (general practitioners) among the doctors. But
our citizens are vulnerable because there is no check and balance of this private
practice. Common findings from citizens:

there is virtually no monitoring who practices what and where and whether
their degrees are valid,
there is no regulations of fees,
connections with diagnostics and unnecessary medical tests
wrong diagnosis and wrong treatment is common
One doctor changes another doctors prescription
Doctors are overly influenced by the medical representatives
Doctors prescribe those drugs which are made by those pharmaceuticals
who can influence them
there is no way to challenge the doctors prescription
There is no legal mechanism to hold the doctors as liable for any
maltreatment.
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- General and others
o Doctors are reluctant about their duty at the government hospitals.
o In the city, there are so many doctors, fighting each other for patients, but
in the rural areas, there is acute shortage of doctors.
o Doctors are often found to remain busy with the medical representatives
(MR) from various pharmaceutical companies which hamper doctor patient
time.
o Hospitals are usually found very dirty.
Stinking toilets, corridors with littered waste, medical wastes here
and there, stagnated drain etc. are the common scenario of the
hospitals. Crucial places like the operation theatres remain dirty too.
o Hospitals and medical centers are not properly equipped. If they are
equipped, maintenance is very poor. Many a times technician to run the
machine is not there. Once the equipments are broken, it is gone to be out
of order for life.
o Patients dont get most medicines from the hospital store. Those are sold by
the hospital or medical center employees to the nearby drug stores who sell
them to the patients at high price.
o Nurses are not available for take care. Most of the times the relatives take
care of the patient. Nurses are not well behaved and they are exhausted.
o Medicine stores are totally out of any monitoring. Medicine sellers are
selling medicine at prices at their will. The pharmaceutical companies are
in aggressive selling mood and profiteering drug stores, in addition to the
doctors, pass that pressure to the citizen.
o Power shortage is another threat for quality treatment. Sometimes the
doctors cant accomplish their operations for lack of uninterrupted power
supply.
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o Regulatory and monitoring function of the government is not visible to the
citizens.
7.3 Solution: In Search of a General Management Framework
So we analyzed secondary sources like media reports and corroborated them with our field
work methods observation, public manger interview, and citizen interview.
7.3.1 Policy and Regulation Flaws
We visited hospitals, medical centers, interviewed doctors and administrators. As
common and described in the education sector chapter (chapter 6), some of the things
came out as apparent policy contradictions or inconsistencies.
1. There is no strategic priority set by the government for increasing living
standard of the doctors and other health sector workers working at the
government hospitals, upazila health complexes, and union health center.
There is no realistic approach to solving the perennial compensation
related problems of government doctors and nurses. Random promises
made at different occasions make the situation more haphazard and
confusing.
2. Private practice using the government credentials have been publicly
denounced by government but no operational legal code was developed to
define and limit the private practice so that the law enforcement agencies
can follow it.
3. There is no practical guideline for the interested private sector investors in
health sector. The acts and policies for private health care contain
contradictions and inconsistency.
4. Government wants to ensure that doctors remain in rural areas but there is
no reward or disciplinary actions for those who remain or do not remain in
their duty stations.
5. Pharmaceutical companies are doing great business in overly populated
Bangladesh market. But they are not monitored effectively. Drug
administration is institutionally weak to do that.
6. Medicine or drug stores are also hardly monitored. In many cases, there is
no check whether the sellers have prerequisite pharmaceutical
qualification to sell the drugs. And also they charge the customer prices at
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will. Citizens have little to do in checking and comparing prices of the
medicines.
7. Regulatory mechanism for controlling mismanagement, inefficiency, theft,
and corruption is very weak in the government health facilities, drug
administration, and health offices at different levels.
7.3.2 Lack of Management Approach
Apart from the policy and regulatory flaws, there is a lack of management know-how
about managing the health facilities. Some of the examples are given below:
- Vision without action plan or follow up: Ministers occasionally announces
something will be done or some steps will be taken doctors, nurses, health
assistants, medical equipments, number of beds, and so on. Ministry has a vision
which is basically some wish list and does not follow a strategic framework which
is objective oriented, milestone oriented, and time bound.

- Lack of HRP (Human Resources Planning and Forecasting): there are doctors,
nurse, and health assistant shortages everywhere in the country. This is due to lack
of planning in advance, long and bureaucratic recruitment system, and natural job
market movement of the health professionals. Natural job market movement is not
a problem. But lack of HR planning and connecting that planning with recruitment
system is crucial.

- Failing to match between demand and supply: one the one hand, there is health
professionals shortage everywhere. Again we see unemployed doctors, nurses, and
health technicians agitating for employment. But there is no strategic direction
from the ministry to recruit as whenever and wherever needed. This is due to lack
of the widely accepted management practices like temporary worker, on demand
worker, contractual arrangement etc.

- Lack of Marketing and PR effort: Many a times, government effort fails to get
due attention of the citizen they serve due to the lack of marketing and public
relations effort from the government. Citizens are not aware that ministry has a
website, provides useful information, and are ready to provide other services on
demand. Citizens do not know what their rights are regarding getting services of
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government health facilities. This is sometimes due to absence of the knowledge
on the part of government about how to promote its own activity.

- Lack of systematic information gathering or customer research: all know that
to solve the customer problem, management need information and continuous
research. First they have to understand customer needs and then devise the most
cost effective solution for the customers. Here citizens are customers of health
ministry. But there are no effective citizen feedback channels or any dedicated
citizen research unit in the MOH.
After analyzing the problems and identifying the two pronged lacking policy and
regulatory, and management know-how, now we are clearly in a position to provide a
solution that works.
7.4 Recommendations for Solution
So we have all the problems which may be termed as a round up representative list of
problems. Now suppose nation gets an health minister who is political but also very honest
in the sense that he is relatively free from the general perception of greedy and corrupt and
muscleman politics.
- What we see, a minister really wants to do something good, moves briskly from
here to there, but get confused or make others confused in doing so.

- Even if he can do something for some time, media praises those, but all know,
citizens know, that the results are short lived and not sustained at the system level.
The challenge is: where to start, how to proceed, so that within the given time of his
government he can actually solve some problem at the system level.
The first and foremost recommendation is common in every cases of this study. That is:
- Start with Customer. Here the provider is ministry of health and receiver or
customer is citizen.
Two equal attentions would be necessary:
- Fix the policy and regulatory flaws which are the very sources of malpractices and
which encourages malpractice and discourages compliance.
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- Fulfill the management gap (inefficiency and lack of know-how of management
approach)
Then the minister has to understand that the factors can be divided into two
categories
- Unsolvable contextual realities, beyond the scope of health sector
- Solvable management or institutional problems which ministry can solve applying
basic management principles and practices.
The contextual realities are:
- Inappropriate political interference (Pol) in health sector:
This means undue political interference coming through the channel of doctors
association partly, and through general political channels. This is given because
this is the national and broader problem of our country politics and governance.
This is not just problem of this sector.

- Systemic Corruption (Cor) in health sector:
Corruption might not be the consequence of bad politics only, but also due to
mismanagement of the processes and lack of regulatory monitoring.

- Budget (Bud):
As a whole, the country is a developing country, lacks resources, and so cannot
allocate to health sector the required fund in most cases. So budget scarcity and
limitations will be there as given.

- Quality Personnel (doctor, nurses, other health workers) :
Overall quality of health from primary level to secondary level to tertiary level and
technical health institutes is generally poor. So the graduates are of poor quality.
So the pool of personnel is given.

- Social and cultural attitude of people (PPL):
The social and cultural level of people is a given factor. As a consequence of poor
governance for so many years, people lacks optimism to new initiatives, openness
to innovation and creativity. The readiness to share the cost for a good health care
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is also low due to both economic condition itself and also distrust about the actual
quality promise.
After separating these contextual factors, we can focus what public managers, as part of
their management prerogative, can do.
Apart from this conceptual scheme, we may also state some specific guidelines drawing
from management discipline.
- Government should provide cultural training to all concerned personnel of the
health sector
o All should understand the health policies and priorities of the government.

- Doctors should be given incentive to go to rural areas.
o Established model like providing dislocation allowance for those who work
in rural, remote, or disadvantaged location is common in (business)
management.

- Nurses should be given higher salary and status of their job
o In developed country, nurses job is seen with much higher esteem in
monetary sense.

- Disciplinary actions must be taken in case of absences in the rural areas. Doctors
should be given strict condition while taking the job offer that they have to remain
in the duty stations.

- There should be some contingency or situational management mechanism for
addressing the routine problems at the local levels. Civil surgeons or chief medical
officer of the local districts an units should be allowed to fulfill vacancies on ad
hoc basis and to manage other emergencies as part of their management
responsibility.

- Citizens should be given a mechanism to report to the health ministry from
anywhere in the country about the urgent problems with the health facilities and
centers of their locality.
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7.5 Concluding Note: In Search of Intervention
A good intended minister is not enough to make some real progress in health sector.
Management mindset matters.
Like education sector, health sector is also fundamentally important for long term
development of the country. But at the ministry, hospitals, medical centers, there are lots
of mismanagement in form of lacking of efficiency and effectiveness, beside corruption,
undue political interference and other evils. There is little disagreement over that.
The first thing is to do is: fixing up the regulatory flaws. Regulations, rules and policies
guide the behavior of the health professional working with citizens they serve. If rules and
regulations are obsolete and inconsistent, then there is little hope that MIG will improve in
health sector. What are the rules for? If the rules are barring good common sense
management, then we have to change the rules.
The second thing is second but more important and more long-term than the first one. That
is: introduce the management mindset which is more than common sense but almost
always start with common sense. Who we are serving? If they are not benefitted, what is
our role? These are the starting questions for developing management approach. Then
there will be objective and indicators oriented, citizen service oriented management in
health sector.
The success will depend on understanding this proposition by the minister of health and
public mangers at different levels.


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Part C Developing Management Approach in Government
Chapter 6 Management in Government (MIG):
Education Sector
Chapter 7 Management in Government:
Health Services Sector
Chapter 8 ICT in Government: Unconnected Change Efforts
Chapter 9 Citizen Problems: Highlights from the Field and Everyday
Lives
8 Chapter 8 ICT in Government: Unconnected Change Efforts
8.1 Introduction
Currently the slogan digital Bangladesh became a widely used term, although digital
Bangladesh initiatives started well before current party came to power in 2009. We will
use digital Bangladesh and other similar terms interchangeably in this chapter to mean the
use of ICT in government. ICT (Information and Communication Technology) in
government means use of information and communication technology in government in
managing its affairs.
The use of ICT may include range of things like:
- use of computer and laptop in the government offices
- making PowerPoint presentations by the officials
- website of the government ministries and offices having all related updates of
government plans and actions
- email ids of government offices and officials both elected and career public
managers
- providing citizen services through ICT (for example, board examination results
through website or mobile phone)
Different terms are associated with ICT in government. For example,
- digital government
- computerization of government
- E-government
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- IT enabled government
But the main essence can be summarized as the following: I CT is a tool that may help
government to manage more effectively and efficiently.
The role of IT is:
- to make well established processes faster and easier
- to cut some steps from the whole process
- to make the monitoring efficient and easy
Our central question is: what is the condition of I T enabled government in Bangladesh?
Can it improve management in government (MIG), why or why not?
For the holistic inquiry we did the following
- We perused through media both newspapers and television.
- Browsed the websites of government
- Communicated through web based forms in the government websites
- Emailed to available email address of the government officers for different
practical queries.
- Followed the events of A2I (access to information) program or digital Bangladesh
program which is based in Prime Ministers Office (PMO)
- And like in other cases in education and health sector, citizen narratives were
gathered and analyzed.
Our objective was not to identify the statistical distribution of any particular type of
problem across the institutions, for example which ministry is not updating what or A2I is
doing how many seminars and events.
Rather our objective was to understand the type, scope, and nature of ICT use by the
government and its implications in the citizens life, for example whether citizens are
getting the benefits of governments using IT.
8.2 Identifying and Understanding the Current Situation (up to June
2012)
A2I was directly responsible for the launching of the first citizen e-services in the country.
A2I project claims that, through an innovative, inclusive bottom-up approach, an initial
round of 56 e-services was proposed. Some have become very successful, attracting
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partnerships and proving their sustainability. The Union Information Service Centers have
been launched in all of the countrys Unions (Bangladeshs lowest level administrative
unit) with a sustainable entrepreneurial driven business model that offers a growing
portfolio of e-services to citizens in rural areas. The District E-Service Center is another
example of an innovative product that has reduced hassle for citizens in obtaining
important documents and certifications and is having an effect on government efficiency
and transparency. It will be launched in all 64 Districts by the end of the year. A second
round of Quick Wins has been launched with A2I moving into a consulting role, with
implementation left to government ministries (A2I evaluation report 2011).
In this chapter, it would be more appropriate to combine the findings of the following into
a consolidated description:
- journalistic accounts from secondary sources,
- researchers walk through browsing and observation of the Digital Bangladesh
project whereabouts
- citizen experiences with IT in government
We visited the official website of Bangladesh government for last 3 years from time to
time, approximately more than twice every week for different purposes. Following is the
first page of the site Bangladesh.gov.bd.

Naturally, whoever wants to know further researchers or users, they would click on the
link digital Bangladesh at the left side of the page. But it leads to a page where
The link to know
activities related to
digital Bangladesh
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nothing is available beyond the front page. For more than 6 months, we kept checking
back and forth, the condition of the web page but it was found to be same.


The last time I checked it is on June 3, 2012, while I was at the finishing stage of the field
work for this thesis.
At one stage of inquiry, some government official provide the following new link:
http://www.a2i.pmo.gov.bd/index.php


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Then I clicked the download button to see what the documents to read are. It gives
the following list of the links.

For understanding the digital Bangladesh efforts of government it is natural that researcher
would click to see policy paper, factsheet, Quarterly Progress Report, Annual
Progress Report, Annual Report and so on.
We checked quarterly progress report which shows that available up to July -
September 2010. When clicked on this, following page came up:
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Similarly, we checked many links which seems to be exciting subjects to know as a
citizen, but in many cases, the file is not available as the link says.

A2I program is based in PMO and by default it is the focal point of governments
digital Bangladesh initiative. Unfortunately, it was obvious that this is not at all
professionally managed or updated.
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o Many links showed that there is nothing to show, or under construction
o the file is not available or
o it is not updated
Billiard games information in Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA)
Bangladesh Institute of Law and International Institute is an affiliated organization of
MOFA. But due to carelessness, the link shows the following, which is a billiard game
related organization. The fact is the domain name www.biliabd.org expired. In this case,
either this page to be removed fully, or to be renewed for continuity.


Now it is needless to mention what the impression of foreign visitors would be.
This is just one example, but we perused almost all ministry websites, and found the
situation is same from 2009- 2012. There might be relatively updated site like that of
ministry of education, but it is very common to find unprofessional site management,
under construction, and nonexistent page or NOT FOUND link across the government
websites.
That poses inevitable question: who is the digital Bangladesh driver, who is coordinating
it, and what is the step by step plan.
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8.3 Citizen Experience:
Citizen experience illustrated below is the output of citizen interview, citizen narratives,
and cross checking with the government websites.
- Citizens do not get the answer of their queries from the ministry or
government offices.
o Around 80 citizens were requested to email with their practical issues and
queries. None of them got any effective feedback through email. Only a
few emails were answered with thanks for contacting us and, in most of
cases, no response at all. Worse, many email address given on the
government websites was not existent, the emails bounced back.

- Citizens do not find relevant information and guidelines on the website
o Citizens do not get what they are looking for. For example, how to open a
school, how to open a private hospital, how to get the trade license, how to
correct a voter ID. All the websites are vertically designed that is ministry
based, rather than citizen problem based.
o In many cases, the website is not updated and contains out dated
information which comes to no use.

- Citizens do not find the laws and ordinances with ease.
o There is a website called Laws of Bangladesh bdlaws.minlaw.gov.bd which
contains all the laws of Bangladesh. But the search facility is not very user
friendly. The laws and acts are available in digital format only. But
interested citizens cannot find the laws according to their issue of interest.
o Take the example of ministry of education website which contains the acts
related to education sector. This is helpful but the search facility or sorting
facility is not there. So one cannot find year wise or subject matter wise.

- Citizens see IT at work but do not see the benefits much or anything that
really improved

o In the passport office, citizens see computers at work, data entry is being
made digitally, but still the process make it compelling that they go to
middle men in the beginning. They cannot go to computer section directly
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for data entry before they go through physically checking the documents
that makes citizens life difficult by being harsh and irresponsive. If one
goes through dalal, there is no mistake, as dalal will take care of those
beforehand, but if one goes by self, he will be turned down several times to
make it compelling to come through dalal. So citizen wonders what IT
would do in this country! (field data in form of citizen narratives collected
from around 100 citizens to make this point)

o In the Voter ID case, citizens see a digital laminated card coming out. If
someone is lucky to have a correctly done card, then OK. But all are not
that lucky. There are many spelling mistakes or that data need to be
modified as a matter of factual change, like address change. Citizens are
caught in the election offices and are shown high court right there. For
any correction, or say for some data, voter number in previous residence,
citizens are told that they need to go to Dhaka central office. Then citizens
are compelled to form an arrangement whereby they do not have to go to
Dhaka, the staffs of election offices can do it on behalf of them.
So IT is seen, but benefits are not received at the service delivery receiving end. (Field
data in form of citizen narratives collected from around 100 citizens to make this point)
8.3.1 Some Successful Projects visible to the Citizens:
But we also would like to appreciate what IT in government already showed some
promising results.
- Bill paying of different utilities through mobile telephones.
- Admission formalities of different university admission tests
- Test results of board examinations. People can know the results through
mobile phone or from the website. Earlier, people have to scramble upon
each other at the time of result publications.
- Bangladesh Railway train tickets which is partially available for booking
through website and mobile phones. Though there are reports that mobile
and website ticketing also can be gamed by operators and railway officials,
but we have evidence that at least some people really got the ticket.
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- Telephone billing system is almost free from ghost bill which was a
common phenomenon in earlier days, and still prevalent in electric, WASA,
and gas billing.
Though some procedural glitches always come up, but citizens got the immediate benefits
from such government initiatives. So we have some success, but, again, the point is: due to
lack of management approach, many IT initiatives are of ad hoc nature and get lost.
8.4 Analysis of the Current Situation and Bottlenecks
It has become a common knowledge that our government employees are not customer
service oriented and there are many inherent procedural flaws or inconsistencies in almost
all offices. The most common management flaw is: vision/mission-objectives-
implementation-feedback chain is not clear and lacks apparent ownership.
Current practice:
- Go with the hyped term of the day, say Digital Bangladesh,
- do randomly many things to please the party in power or as party in power pleases
- Then after the initial hype is wiped away, discontinuity overrides a good effort.
One example may be used to describe the current situation.
Like all district administration, Chittagong DC office has a website. In the opinion and
suggestion section, any citizen can put in any comments, complains, and suggestions. It
sounds exciting. The list shows the enthusiasm of the citizens in the sense that there are a
good number of matters individual communicated to DC (district commissioner, who is
the head of district administration). Some were addressed or answered immediately and
some of the issues were taken for further inquiry.
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- But the unfortunate thing is that, after some time, it was not updating anymore. The
last item is dated on August 20, 2011. We inquired the matter with DC office and
found that our anticipation was true government at one time was very
enthusiastic about these IT or digital matters and was pushing the field offices.
Then government pressure diminished and the process of formalization and
institutional stopped.

- The formal mechanism of make DC office routinely responsible for continuing this
initiative did not develop and PMO or A2I lost the focus and/ or moved on to
different IT or digital projects.
Another example may be used to analyzed the current situation. Every year government
arranges digital innovation fair. This has been going for a number of years. Different
ministries, agencies, departments of government like Police, Health, Agriculture, board of
revenue, social welfare, youth development etc. are showcased in the fair. Anyone seeing
this showcase would be excited to see the ICT initiative of these government
organizations. But if anyone follows up, they would find a mismatch between the
showcase promise and the physical office environment and work procedure. If citizens go
to police station, they cannot do a simple general diary (GD) without hassle and extra
payment. If pointed to the website information, the citizen is told those are not yet at work
or simple to come later.
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Therefore, IT enabled government is not a matter of any one ministry. It is a cross cutting
issue to enhance the effectiveness of the MIG in general. But due to lack of management
approach to introducing and institutionalizing, the process of IT enabled government is not
working in a desired manner in many places. The lack of management approach starts with
lack of management enabling environment that is policy and regulatory flaws and also has
the management know-how gaps at the institution or local organization unit level.
8.5 Solution: Basic Management First, Then IT will Work
Recommendation may take various forms and are being given continuously by many
which we can see in the media. But we propose a deceptively simple framework to steer
and manage the whole thing into right direction.
Figure 8-A Deceptively Simple Framework of Using IT for better CSD


1. Start with Citizen Need:
Management approach starts with customer need. In this case, A2I project cannot
solve a citizen problem unless someone first analyze the problem situation. For
example, if the government do not understand what kind of problems citizens are
facing in the district election offices or passport offices, there is no clue, how just
computerizing the data entry process would solve the customer problems. So first
the concerned ministry or departments should go through the citizen experience,
understand the problem
research about citizen
needs
Start with
Citizen Need
Break down the process
Identify the actual steps
of citizen service delivery
Correct the process
including regulatory flaws
Review the
Current Process minimize the steps
thought IT
minimize the time
reduce the redundancy
and hassle
Make those IT
enabled
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which can be gathered through established research methods like citizen narratives,
participant/ nonparticipant observation, and focus groups.

2. Identify the actual steps of citizen service delivery
When the actual steps will be analyzed, the process map will bring out the flaws
which may go up to policy and regulatory bottlenecks and lack of coordination
among the ministries. For example, to get a passport, a citizen has to fill up the
form and go to passport office for manual check up by some official. These
officials misbehave with the citizens, catch them up for the sake of silly mistakes,
and even tear or cancel the form which took already a good deal of time from the
part of the citizen. But if some citizen go through dalal then there is no such
problem. When they sign it as OK, only then the citizen can move up to next step
data entry by computer operator. So citizens see digital computers at work but
without much qualitative change in the actual process in the sense that they cannot
avoid the hassle of dalal and official nexus. So without correcting the steps, using
IT will not help.

3. Convert the steps into IT enabled one.
Once the actual process is redesigned, then only IT may help in making those steps
of the process more time saving and cost saving and hassles free for the citizens.
Apart from this, our suggestion is otherwise common. If government really want to be E-
enabled government, there must be a sense of strategic priority. Without this, management
cannot work.
Ministries must be given strategic job of redesigning their citizen facing
processes and other internal operational processes.
o Ministers and Secretaries of each ministry should be made IT
champion. (currently, as part of A2I initiative, a mid level officer is
named IT champion in each ministry.
PMO should coordinate the cross cutting efforts across various ministries.
People can be communicated about those processes through public media.
Incremental improvement is good but in this case, a IT master plan to be
devised and followed.
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8.6 Conclusions: Using IT for Better Citizen Services
There has been a lot of hype about IT enabled government activities but the fundamental
point to remember is: it works only if it works. That means if the physical processes are not
well designed, people are not service oriented, or not involved or engaged, IT cannot do
any magic.
There is widespread evidence in global arena that government can move from being low-
tech and low-touch to being high-tech and high-touch and thereby deliver more value for
the taxpayer dollar. We believe that government can deliver more quality, speed,
efficiency, convenience and fairness to its citizens.
It is not that nothing is happening in current approach. Definitely there are many visible
events and programs of IT effort of government. But in terms of economy, efficiency, and
effectiveness, there has been a huge system loss and waste. A clear sense of strategic
priority, thrust, and master action plan is clearly missing. UNDP Consultants and IT
experts, even if located in PMO, cannot be E-government driver or champion. The thrust
must come from within the public management, ministries, PMO, and government as a
whole.
Using IT for better citizen services or better institutional management at all levels of work
is not a political choice. This has become a popular choice. Whichever party is in power,
this IT effort must go on as this is part of the global trend of E-government or IT enabled
government.

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Part C Developing Management Approach in Government
Chapter 6 Management in Government (MIG):
Education Sector
Chapter 7 Management in Government:
Health Services Sector
Chapter 8 ICT in Government: Unconnected Change Efforts
Chapter 9 Citizen Problems: Highlights from the Field and Everyday
Lives

9 Chapter 9 Citizen Problems: Highlights from the Field and
Everyday Lives
9.1 Introduction
When we started our field work at the very early stages of problem defining and refining,
we did not have any sector target it mind. As common in theory generating, inductive,
grounded theory, or phenomenological research, we started our field work with an open
mind with general broad idea of the problem Management in Government (MIG)
What is the condition in general
What is the nature of the customer (citizen) problems
What are the attitudes of the government managers
What is the condition of the government offices
Is there any scope for improvement, where and how
Our academic interest was definitively grounded in the discipline of management science
and/ or art and/ or studies. So as the discipline says, we started with customers on the
field the problems faced by the very clients government is bound to serve. Here the
clients are citizens in the context of management in government (MIG).
In the previous three chapters we analyzed two sectors in details education and health,
and one cross- cutting issue - ICT in government. In this chapter, we touch upon some
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other common citizen problems and discuss the management gap due to which these
problems persist.
9.2 Citizen Experience and Highlights from the Field
Government exists for the purpose of governing the citizens. While the previous meaning
of governing was to rule from a higher hierarchy, now the meaning is well accepted and
established to be serving, coordinating, facilitating, enabling, so that citizens can enjoy
freedom of choices.
In Bangladesh, we can set aside any bigger or philosophical debate about the lexical
meaning of good governance, or management in government. We have more on the
ground, obvious, and immediate problems. Some of the issues are highlighted below, each
of which may generate a separate chapter:
9.2.1 Traffic Management chaos: from big cities to tiny village haat-bazars
Road indiscipline is the most visible of all citizen problems in the country. Some will say
what about bribery and inefficiency in government offices. Those are there but disorder
and chaos on the roads and streets are something that every citizen will face every day,
every time they get out on the way.
No one is obeying road rules
Vehicles moves to and from every direction wherever there is a room
designated lanes for different types of vehicles do not make any sense
The more or the road junctures are clogged with all types of hawkers, vans,
rickshaws, illegal parking
Left turning vehicles cannot move because those lanes are blocked by straight
going vehicles
Foot paths are occupied, so people cannot walk even if they want to
Rickshaws are trying to overtake motorized vehicle
CNG taxi never goes on government decided fare
Parking is everywhere at the discomfort of all people
Public transport is scarce and ill managed
Drivers are untrained and unlicensed or illegally licensed
Many of these instances of mismanagement occurs while a number of traffic
polices are on duty on the spot.
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If we could make our roads and streets managed better, most visible improvements would
be seen.
First government has to announce to the people, who is actual owner of the problem, that
is, citizens have to know which government office or the public manager responsible for
solving this problem. For example, a deputy commissioner (Traffic) is one such position.
A DC (Traffic) cannot solve all problems because a number of ministry and departments
are interlinked in many road issues. However management approach is to explore and
point out what a manager can solve given all the constraints. So, they have to understand
management approach what cannot be solved and what can be solved by application of
management approach.
According to our observation, first thing to do is: clearing the junctures and associated
footpath for at least 100 meters to north, south, east, west, and in all directions.
- Remove all the hawkers from the juncture; drive them out of 100 meter red limit.
- Rickshaws and CNG taxis should not be allowed to wait here at the cross sections
of the roads.
o With this in action, people clogging over and around hawkers, rickshaws,
and CNG taxis will automatically be removed.
- Clear the left turning lanes. This will improve significantly the traffic congestion at
the junctures which is due to this.
9.2.2 Passport office: Why IT Does Not Help
Many government efforts have been taken to remove the dalal factor from the passport
office. Recently all passport offices are computerized. But dalal factor remains. For
example, to get a passport, a citizen has to fill up the form and go to passport office for
manual check up by some official. These officials misbehave with the citizens, catch them
up for the sake of silly mistakes, and even tear or cancel the form which took already a
good deal of time from the part of the citizen. But if some citizen go through dalal then
there is no such problem. When they sign it as OK, only then the citizen can move up to
next step data entry by computer operator. So citizens see digital computers at work
but dalal remains in the process.
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- Without correcting the steps, using IT will not help. First thing is to identify the
steps of getting passport, renewing passports, or other services. Then
computerization may make it fast and accurate.
If you try to do it yourself, you can do it; but you must not have any time limit and you
must have unlimited patience during the whole process. When you are waiting for your
passport to be delivered, you might know that your police verification was not successful.
Later you would know police could not verify your address because you were not at your
village home or maybe you were at a neighbors flat, and incidentally, residents of other
flats could not recognize you by name, which is not very unusual in the city areas and
apartment complexes. But what is unusual is police activities are so irresponsive to the
citizen situation.
Most recent event is the announcement of the home minister that passport would be
available within 15 days. Our field work found no evidence of the implications of that
announcement.
9.2.3 Voter ID card and Election Office
For a democracy, the importance of election office services like voter ID card related
services is of utmost and crucial importance.
There are many spelling mistakes or that data need to be modified as a matter of factual
change, like address change. Citizens are caught in the election offices and are shown
high court right there. For any correction, or say for some data, voter number in previous
residence, citizens are told that they need to go to Dhaka central office. Then citizens are
compelled to form an arrangement whereby they do not have to go to Dhaka, the staffs
of election offices can do it on behalf of them.
Now what is the solution:
- First thing is to identify the steps of getting voter ID card, modifying data and
other services. Thinking from citizen side, it has to be made hassle free and one
stop service.
9.2.4 Tax Office: cosmetic office and other contradictions
Significant improvement occurred in tax collection in recent years. Tax fare has attracted a
lot of responses from citizens who would otherwise were afraid of going and facing tax
offices. But still, the country is far below the expected level of tax GDP ratio.
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- We visited tax office in Chittagong and found that a small elegant office serving
new TIN. They served many new TIN certificates. But beyond that it does not
work much. Because, if a citizen goes for tax certificate, after submitting return,
they have to go to specific circle for that and there they are caught. Tax return
forms are by nature complex and anyone may be caught from any dimension for
any small if the tax official wishes so. So the user friendly self-assessment tax
return works only at the surface level not as a whole system.
- Salaried persons whose tax are deducted at source find the apparent flaw in the fact
that while they are paying taka fifty thousand as tax, some independent
professionals say doctors are paying far below that. Many doctors earn a
exceptional amount from private practice.
First thing is to do is serving the regular tax payer with one stop service so that they feel
good and honored as taxpayers. Rather what we see, there are many flaws in current
regulations and practice, where actual taxpayers are caught in the nitty-gritty of the tax
office formalities and on the other hand, evaders can evade in many avenues.
9.2.5 Union Parishad visit notes: information center, shalish, and others
While in exploratory phases, we visited union parishad office at Farhadabad union of
Hathazari Upazila and Dharmapur union of Fatikchari upazila of Chittagong district. The
quick first hand observations are as follows:
- Office documents are not kept in a tidy manners
- Villagers do not have access to the rules and regulations
- Villagers are not aware of the rights and obligations
- Union Parishad does not have any program or systematic process of citizen
awareness building about their rights and obligations
- Chairman and members are not well versed about the local government rules,
regulations, scope, and discretions.
- So chairman and members cannot make any effective choices, nor they can
take any effective steps at their level, let alone contributing upward by
channeling any suggestions.
- Chairman and members are not given any extensive orientation to their job and
role by the upper levels of government, say upazila level, district level, or
central government.
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- Union parishad secretary is a very crucial position in the whole local
government mechanism. Sometimes they are the face of local government but
their qualifications, training, orientation, and their job status remain marginal
- Village courts and Shalish system is of full potential but there is a lack of basic
legal training and lack of integration with the legal system. So they are grossly
unutilized.
9.2.6 DC Office Visit Notes
District Commissioner or DC office is the hub of government administration at the
district level. Citizens come to this office from all walks of life for widely varied
reasons. Observation revealed the following.
- Poor office design: broadly speaking, the government offices are so poorly
designed that in modern day, compared to private banks and corporate
offices, these government offices are not suitable for doing office. Apart
from logistics, there is no architectural thinking or interior design thinking in
these offices.
- Lack of timely logistics: office logistics are not available easily.
Maintenance is very poor.
- Pressure of meeting minutes: An ADC has to prepare 20/ 25 meeting
minutes which lead to a lot of paper work. Once drafted these minutes have
to be checked, rechecked for the modifications because these are considered
very important reference documents within government offices. So the
incumbent officers take lot of time for these.
- Computers are idle: Recently some computers have been allocated to DC
office as part of the IT enabled government offices and meeting minutes and
other documents must be computer composed. But electricity failure is so
frequent and generator support is not available. There is UPS that cannot
give backup for long. Or simply, the computers remain idle in the work
place.
- Photocopy machine break down cycle: In a DC office of a major district
there are more than 300 employees and around 28 departments. Volume of
photocopy needed is huge. But there are only two photocopier machine run
by the untrained reluctant MLSS staff. Due to mishandling the machines
break down frequently. The procedure for repairing takes a number of days.
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- Parking space in the DC office: Many ordinary citizens have their own
vehicles. . Media people come for investigating and cross checking many
different issues. But the DC offices have not been redesigned to
accommodate these changes. So what is seen is constant chaos of vehicle in
the premises created during the office time.
- Who should pay the mobile phone bill: Now a days it is a common
practice to use mobile phones. It has become a part of life and culture. In
many different official issues public managers use the personal mobile
phones but there is no policy of such disbursement.
- No Incentive for specific achievement: unlike private sector, there is hardly
any system of incentive for increasing the revenue or decreasing the cost of
the organization (government). It is unusual that anyone would recognize
achievement of public managers in the field level.
- Political intervention: a key disabler of public management is political
intervention in civil service. When a public manager like DC takes serious
attempt to free Khas lands from the illegal occupiers, he becomes an enemy
of the local political leaders. If the DC is very serious, the matter moves up
to MP of that constituency or some minister. Finally Order not to become so
serious comes from the top level of the administration through the line
channel or worse, the serious officer is transferred to a disadvantageous
station.
- Protocol, Protocol, Protocol: According to the section 26 of the charter of
duties, DCs have to receive the VVIP and VIP, arrange accommodation,
escort them during tour and organize meetings of them. Now, for example,
there are around 5 ministers from the same district and there are other
ministers and VIPs always flying to and from the capital. So sometimes
their protocol maintenance seems to be the most important events of the day
- 3rd and 4th class employee behavior: wherever possible, employees take
advantage of weak organizational chain of command, trade union chaos, and
job security. They dont have basic etiquette training and orientation and
stricter rules of conduct are needed for them.
- Trade unionism: In the name of trade union, the employees demand
exorbitant facilities, work at will, make politics in office, engage in other
businesses, behave laissez-faire etc. Trade unions are meant to keep a
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balance on the part of the lower level employees. But the way it works in
government offices are totally contradictory to the spirit of good
management in the organization. No manager can work in such an
environment.
9.2.7 District Court Visit Notes
Of all institutions, well functioning judicial system is the most important one.
- Premises are full of chaos and crowds.
- Judge does the hearing in the mid of chaos which is going on right in front of
the court rooms.
- This kind of environment is not suitable for effective hearings of the cases.
- Advocates run to and fro from one room to another.
- Citizens cannot know much in advance when their case hearing is due. They
are supposed to know it from munshi(assistant of advocates).
There is no system in the whole thing. Citizens related to the cases keep waiting for
days or months for a single case. No one cares about the time, money, and waste of
the citizens. And this waste is ultimately of the whole nation.
9.2.8 Land Office Visit Notes
Land office is one of the most notorious office which is a symbol of mismanagement
and citizen suffering.
- Citizens need to take copy of the various land documents for buying, selling,
registration, name change and so on.
- The simple job of searching the record is a burdensome experience for the
citizens.
- Dalal is a must for bringing out any essential copies of documents.
- Disputes between the parties may go on for years due to lack of care in land
survey, inspection, false field reports, faulty field reports, and dispute
settlement.
- Land dispute is the source of most of the litigation cost to the citizens.
9.2.9 Trade License From City Corporation
Most of the businesses in this country fall under small business and micro business
category. The licensing authority is the city corporation. But no businessperson can do it
easily. Middlemen or dalal is a must in the system.
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9.2.10 Prescribing Drugs For Workers in EPZ
A female doctor joined in 2011 in Comilla EPZ health center which is meant for benefits
of EPZ (export processing zone) workers. Essential medicines are supplied free by the
government. She felt good that she was going to serve poor workers. Soon the doctor
discovered that the medicines are on record but workers say they cannot get it because
there is an evil nexus which sell these government-supplied free medicines to outside
stores. When inquired, the doctor was told that this was not her business and if she wanted
to remain there she should accept it as it is. The matter is known to all insiders to the
health center which is very much under the EPZ management authority. The doctor quit.
So government is there, but management system not.
9.2.11 What Citizens Perceive
So the list of field notes could go for pages. But problem is well understood already. The
point is what to do. What citizens want and get from Government! Citizens want
performance. Citizens expect real result from public management or say government. But
what they get from the government.
Following is a list adapted from a list summarized by Kotler in his book marketing in
public sector (Kotler & Lee, 2006):
Tax collection is emphasized but citizens dont get our moneys worth.
Some government agencies pay scandalous prices for common goods, and
there are million-dollar overruns on government contracts (inefficiency and
corruption).
The nations public infrastructure (bridges, roads, etc.) is deteriorating in
spite of road taxes (and we have roads without bridges and vice versa)
Public agencies are often slow and inflexible because of excessive
bureaucracy and rules.
Public employees are overprotected even in the face of incompetence or
unethical behavior.
Public schools and university failures lead to poor education that leads to
poor workforce and that lead to poor human capacity of the nation.
Poorer citizens are given inadequate help to improve their conditions and to
escape the cycle of poverty.
System problems create long waiting times, lost correspondence, dirty
streets, and more.
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Inept communications create confusion.
Lack of responsiveness creates anger, pessimism, distrust, and
helplessness.
Being out of touch with citizenry creates programs doomed for failure and
in turn wastes for the whole country and economy.
The list is based on a developed country experience. Then this is needless to mention what
is the citizens condition in a developing country like Bangladesh.
9.3 Concluding Note
Citizen problems are well understood, well documented, and known to all. Most of the
time, we say that politics is responsible for all these and that if political parties are
committed only then these problems can be solved. But our argument is these problems
cannot be solved even if a politically appointed minister or manger is honest and serious to
do some good to the fellow citizens. They discover that they are caught in the system. So
our conclusion is we need to develop a public management framework that works which
is readily applicable and provide a pragmatic basis for some honest and willing managers
to make some systemic improvements.



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Part D Concluding: In Search of a Framework

Chapter 10 A MIG Framework that Works for the Citizen
Chapter 11 Conclusion, Contribution, and Further research

10 Chapter 10 A MIG Framework that Works for the Citizen

10.1 Why another Framework for MIG-BD
This is the culminating chapter of the whole thesis. In this chapter we present a conceptual
framework for management in government in Bangladesh (MIG-BD). And we would
eventually claim that this framework would be useful right away with a few assumptions
and preconditions.
When we say improving management we start from the minister who is the executive head
of a strategic (business) unit. But we also recognize as mentioned by Wart (2008) that
good legislators do not necessarily make good managers, and good managers frequently
do not have the skills necessary to become elected officials. Managerial executives may
have little taste or ability to stimulate social action and leaders of social movements may
find themselves much criticized for their awkward management style when they do
successfully create formal organizations.
But a good leader, say ministers, must acknowledge the need for systemic management
approach for achieving any common group goals. A leader, who understands this, will
empower people to adopt and allow management approach within a broad structural
arrangement.
A framework is a broad plan of action or a roadmap for a phenomenon or
consequences or achieving goals. But why another framework? Is there any
shortage of framework? Is it any significant novel discovery that we need to
put in a framework?
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Any wide reader in MIG area might find it intriguing to see another framework because
there are already many conceptual frameworks for poverty eradication or development or
improving condition of a country like Bangladesh. Bangladesh, from its birth, has gone
through such a bottomless basket phase, that it suffered the many-doctors-one-patient
syndrome. A great many foreign educated or foreign donor experts developed so many
reports and prescriptions for such a developing country like Bangladesh. So another
framework may be looked upon with indifference and yawn, at first.
But our finding is that there are hardly any frameworks that can readily put at work by the
practitioners of MIG in Bangladesh, given their level of education, training, and socio-
cultural background, and the very political, economic, social, and cultural context they
work in.
- On the one hand, there has not been developed a research-practice
linking. So when reports are written by local experts or inside
practitioners those are not taken seriously and advices are not seen with
high respect because those are just locals who are seen every day.

- On the other hand, when the reports and documents are written by
external donor or multilateral organization experts, in many cases, those
are like birds eye view, not the ground field view of the native citizens.
They lack the local insider nuances that must be taken seriously to put
framework at work.
With this observation, we felt the need to pose yet another framework which is not
burdened with any political science, public administration, and economic, particularly
development economics or pet words, rather understood by a minister and/ or a public
manager. This is no magic formula but a deceptively simple framework that may shed
flashlight on the insights of the public managers who wants to do some little good to the
citizens a framework that works.
10.2 Is there a problem in MIG? Or is it all about Politics.
Good management, good administration, or good governance is fundamental to the long
term sustainable development of any nation. If the government is corrupted, political short
term interest of one party or the other gets more importance than the overall interest of the
nation, ministers live in luxury and unaccountable condition; this will ultimately affect the
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local government institutions also. Not only that, this bad-management, mismanagement
culture will pollute the NGO sector, and even private sector, not to mention the citizen
communities in general. Everywhere there will be an environment where people do not see
any incentive to uphold integrity and good faith.
While this proposition is obvious to humanity, do we have problems, or we are just
complaining? If there are problems, can public management solve it or we all have to
wait for politics to change? This is the most critical issue we have to face time and
again. Let us start this systemically.
We are exposed to media which covers wide range of issues. And also we started
interviewing citizens to know where the problems are. We developed a list of problem
issues and found something like the following:
Figure 10-A Initial Fieldwork: Citizen Problems Everywhere

So problems are wide and encompassing across sectors with no shortage of problems
anywhere. So start with anything, but of that thing where? Problem is everywhere, can we
solve everything? No, we cannot solve everything. We selected the problem area or
sector on the basis of access to the context, organizations, and the people.
Civil aviation
commerce,
Ministry of
Cross cutting -
management in
gov
Education National ID
priavate univerisity public university national university
food and disaster,
ministry of
forestry
Health Housing
Land
administration
Legal services, law
ministry
Local government
manpower export Police
Political and
general gov issues
Post office Power
public private
partnership
Public transport stock market Taxation Telecom and IT
Thrust sectors
industry
Traffic congestion
and public
transport city
Transport and
communication
water
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The common and overriding thread is the political culture of the country, where each
government cancels the policies and actions of the previous government, unless it is
unavoidable (like donor funded multi-year project), and adopts new policy and actions.
The political divisions are so acute that there is no acceptable consensus on national issues
even.
But if we take this deadlock or stalemate as the end of world, then this or any other
thesis would not make any sense. There must be a way out through which some significant
improvement in management in government can be done for the citizen service delivery.
So we searched for that insight.
10.3 MIG Culture (Government Organization Environment)
Through our observation, field visit, citizen interviews, citizen narratives etc., we can draw
a general picture of management environment of the government offices in Bangladesh.
To sum it up, it was found to be very relevant and consistent to heavily draw from a public
management practitioners first hand practical narratives (Siddiqui, 2006).
Management culture in Bangladesh government carries myriads of hangovers from
colonial days. A systematic discussion on colonial hangovers may be organized in two
parts, namely, those pertaining to the hierarchy within the bureaucracy, and those in
relation to dealings with the common man. In addition to that, social and cultural bad
practices, duly practiced in the office too, makes the management environment of the
government offices unhealthy, unproductive, and obsolete.
- The sir-sir-sir syndrome: phenomenon often takes on an extreme form, so that the word
sir may be repeated several times in a single sentence.

- Standing and Sitting: standing and sitting in rhythm with the entry and exit of the boss is
a terribly demeaning act, a waste of time and concentration.

- It is quite possible for junior officers and subordinate staff to keep standing indefinitely in
the bosss room simply because the boss did not ask them to sit down.

- The boss would invariably find it beneath his dignity to walk down to his
subordinates office to discuss official matters.
- Boss sometimes find it inconvenient even to talk to his subordinate over the intercom or
telephone. So for all big or silly matters, boss calls the subordinates to his/her room.

- For high officials, there may be a justification for one or two personal staff to be attending
on them during their arrivals and departures to and from the posts or work stations, but
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when all subordinates, sometimes along with their wives, turn up to attend on the boss
whenever he is going away for some period, or returning, then there is certainly something
very wrong somewhere.

- Ceremonial farewells on the transfer, retirement, resignation, etc. of officials are quite
common in every country. But in Bangladesh, it is the absurd degree of their elaborateness
and the time and money wasted on these, let alone the long and repeated eulogies, that
make it sickening to any sensible human being.

- The boss will generally come late to any official/social gathering, and nothing may start
before his/her arrival. The general idea is that shows importance of the boss. Consequently,
many precious hours are lost, but no one will generally have the audacity to point this out
to be boss.

- Entertaining the boss during official field visits is another disgusting practice.
Sometimes, local field administration requests the local elite or businesses to provide such
fund. And it is understood, there is some form of super normal return afterward.

- It is quite common for bosses to utilize the services Class III and IV employees for
personal work, despite clear government instructions to the contrary.
o Carrying the Shahibs briefcase, opening doors, bringing food from the house,
accompanying children to school, guarding the house while the boss and his
family are on vacations or away, purchasing daily necessaries from the bazaar,
attending sick relatives of the boss in hospital, etc. are among the many errands
that they are required to do.
o On the other, the boss allows for inefficiency and ineffectiveness in the core
purposes of those staffs job responsibility.

- In the programs and meetings, a number of peons and bearers are constantly engaged in
preparing, arranging and serving food and drinks, and hence are unavailable for
important support work. Given their extremely poor and slothful training, they invariable
also cause a lot of fuss, distraction and delay in serving the food and drinks. In the process,
valuable time is wasted, annoyance is caused and attention is diverted.

- Another regular aspect is dealing with factionalism in Bureaucracy. The entire
bureaucracy in Bangladesh is at present in the firm grip of deep-seated factionalism.
o The main battle line is now drawn between the so-called generalists and the so-
called specialists.
o Spoils system entrants (those recruited as choice of government) versus civilian
civil servants (those who entered through competitive recruitment tests);
o BNP- minded civil servants versus the so-called AL- minded civil servants
o Intra specialist factionalism (for example, diploma engineers versus degree
engineers)
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o Intra-generalist factionalism (for example, erstwhile CSP versus the rest), and
o Factionalism based on districts.
o Sometimes these factionalisms overlap or cut across each other, creating the most
numerous, complex and unpredictable aggregation of informal relationships over
and above what the formal bureaucratic organization would permit.
o While grouping is a normal organizational phenomenon established in theory
already, what is alarming is, it has become a major road block in designing and
implementing and change efforts.
So this is the general picture of government organizations, management, and work culture.
It is needless to mention that modern management, in the sense of being objective oriented
and being customer (citizen) centric, cannot be put at work.
Now what to do and where to start?
10.4 Understanding what Management can and cannot do
One clear conclusion of this study is, the area of improvement of the government activities
should be divided into two streams:
1. Beyond the scope of management: that management cannot improve. They can
provide input but they cannot control. So these are called uncontrollable factors

2. Within the scope of management: that management can improve. They can
control these factors. So these are called controllable factors.
One starting point many would prefer to have: have a good clean minister for each
ministry. But unfortunately, that is necessary but not sufficient and will not do much good
to MIG.
- What we see, a minister really wants to do something good, moves briskly from
here to there, but get confused or make others confused in doing so.
- Even if he can do something for some time, media praises those, but all know,
citizens know, that the results are short lived and not sustained at the system level.
Example of such minister, at least according to media generated perception, include:
- Nurul Islam Nahid, minister of education
o Example of proactiveness: book distribution in due time, timely public
exam.
- Obaidul Kader, minister of communication
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o Example of proactiveness: some quick improvement of the roads and
highways since he took office of the ministry after the ministry shuffle due
to public criticism of the previous minister.
- Ruhul Hague, minister of health
o Example of proactiveness: tried his heart and soul to ensure doctors
presence at the upazila or village level; tried earnestly to improve the
coaching dependent medical admission test; but both did not see success at
the end.
No one will doubt the proposition that a minister should be well intended, be free from
corruption, and, in the matters of functional priority, be above the petty political
consideration.
But, for a minister, only good intention and being uncorrupted, or politically
unbiased, is not enough, sometimes not even pre requisite. People are accustomed to
seeing mass corruption and mass political consideration. So any elected official doing
some minor corruption but achieving the core goals serving the citizen will be well
accepted.
But having management mindset is essential to improve from one state of affairs to
another state of affairs. Without this management, a good ministers effort will be lost in
haphazard activities without long term solution.
So what management cannot do, and can do should be clear at the very outset of the whole
process.
10.4.1 What Management Cannot Do : The Given Contextual Problems
What management can do? To understand this first we have to know what management
cannot do. Management cannot solve problems which are beyond its organizational scope
and jurisdiction.
Management of any organization starts as a systemic process when certain perimeters are
at work. These can be called contextual factors; also can be called given factors, like form
of ownership, legitimacy of managerial actions, the financial, human, physical and other
resources, the overall purpose and goals, and certain boundary rules. Within this perimeter
management as a technicality or as a craft, exercise its expertise.
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In public management or MIG, the given context may include form of government,
structure of government ministry, rules of civil service, budget and other resources etc. So
management cannot change all these, rather, within all given factors, it has to achieve what
it wants to achieve.
So first, we tried to understand the contextual factors which we have to take as given.
From the extensive content analysis, documentary review, expert opinion analysis, and our
own field work, we found following are the factors which management cannot do anything
about:
Inappropriate political interference (Pol)
This means undue interference of political leaders (generally of the party in power) in
recruiting personnel, granting license or permits, allocating resources, and so on.
This we take as given because this is the national and broader problem of our country
politics and governance. This is not just problem of one sector or one ministry.
Systemic Corruption (Cor) in government:
Corruption might not be the consequence of bad politics only, but also due to
mismanagement of the processes and lack of regulatory monitoring. The whole
country is accustomed to this kind of corruption culture in every government offices.
We cannot separate any sector or ministry, from that all pervasive culture.
Budget (Bud):
As a whole, the country is a developing country, lacks resources, and so cannot
allocate to each sector like education, health, etc., the required fund in most cases. So
budget scarcity and limitations will be there as given.
Quality Personnel :
Overall quality of education is historically poor. So the graduates are of poor quality.
Low salary level cannot attract relatively good candidates to government sector who
seek jobs to other formal sector private organizations. So the pool of personnel is
given.
Social and cultural attitude of people (PPL):
The social and cultural level of people is a given factor. As a consequence of poor
governance for so many years, people lack optimism to new initiatives, openness to
innovation and creativity. So responsibility like paying taxes cannot be instilled
overnight. That means social and cultural level of people will be same for some time.
After separating these contextual factors, we can focus what public managers, as part of
their management prerogative, can do.
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10.4.2 What Management Can Do
So, no one minister, maybe no one party in power can change all the contextual factors of
politics, economic condition, social and cultural stage of our people. It is too huge a task
and beyond any particular actors proactive action. The vicious cycle of lower level and
quality of governance is not going to change significantly overnight.
Then what is the hope for the citizens? In this situation, there is room for visible and felt
improvement if ministers of the concerned ministry or director generals or head of
individual departments and other units can adopt the management approach.
For easy and quick reference, management in private sector can be of help to a great
extent. While in developed countries, this has been tried already. For example, UK,
Australia, New Zealand, USA, Singapore etc. Many things improved right away while
many other NPM or managerialism efforts failed. But parallel to the debate of what
management in government can learn from management in business, they already moved
to other advanced phases of discourse in theory and in practice.
So we may safely start using NPM or managerialism in government. Besides, as a late
starter or slow starter, we already have in front of us what may work best and when.
The first thing is to break down the whole citizen problem into two basic components
1. What are the contextual factors or problems and cannot be solved effectively
with managerial approach
2. What are the basic management problems and can be solved with strategic
management or simply management approach at all levels of government.
10.5 Management Proposition
Our analysis shows that a well functioning sector is a combination of these given factors
that management cannot change, and function of management as a systematic approach
within a limit. This can be expressed as follows:


Well managed
sector or
department
Function [given country
context Pol, Cor, B, QT,
PPL, others . ]
Function (good
management practices)
= +
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The proposition is:
3. Any ministry, even PMO, cannot solve the problems which very much reside in
the given context of the country, namely political culture, budget constraints,
general corruption, social and cultural attitude, and quality of personnel pool.

4. But, individual minister, secretary, director generals, chairman, and other unit
heads, can solve many of the problems by improving internal or institutional
management.
o Here management is the systematic approach of solving the problem or
getting things done or objective achieved. Because there are many
problems which all parties in power would love to have solved but cannot
do so due to lack of management know how the systemic approach of
addressing and solving the problems.

5. And management approach starts with customer, here in MIG the citizens
what they need, what problems they have. Then all the mechanism, structures,
regulations, procedures etc. to be designed centering the problems.
So before starting anything, prime minister or any other good intended minister has to
understand this dynamics first, and then start anything they want to do.
If this is understood that ministry is free to solve common citizen problems (without
fear from party in power or PMO) - then the ministry may have a look into two
dimensions:
A. what are the enabling environment for good management barriers that bar the
officials and citizens behave in good faith (recognition of policy and regulatory
flaws).
B. what are the management know-how or lack of management approach that
create and perpetuate the problems.
10.5.1 Nature of the Basic Management Lacking in Government
So management can solve where there is a management lacking or management failure.
After this point, a minister or public managers need to focus on the nature of the problems
prevalent in government.
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All the citizen service related management problems are consequences of any one of
the following two or combination of both sources:
1. Policy and regulatory flaws (bottlenecks, inconsistency, lack of
coordination, contradictory directives and procedures etc.)

2. Lack of basic management know-how (lack of awareness about the
available and workable management systems, principles, practices,
tools and techniques)
Here are some examples which are due to any one or both the reasons:
A clear absence of strategic approach in MIG:
There is no clear cut chain of strategic thinking in management. A minister must
set a broad strategic goal that can be achieved. Basically the process should start
from head of government, in our case, PMO. This may not be always the case here
in Bangladesh given our political realities. But a minister who is in charge of a
ministry can do it for their ministry.
For example, health minister may set strategic priorities for improving
condition of health services provided by the health services structure of the
country which may include government medical hospitals, upazila health
complexes, and union health centers.
Goals are not defined, cleared, or focused
Goals should be SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time
oriented). A minister cannot solve all the problems everywhere. But they can solve
some problems everywhere along their structures. Many problems are such who do
not belong to any political party alone; rather those are citizen problems any
government would like to solve in some way.
For example, traffic jam, unavailability of doctors, coaching pervasiveness,
formalin in fruits and fishes, unhygienic restaurants, timely passport, etc.
Lack of planning and coordination
There are many ministries and departments. Many times citizen problems are
caught in the middle where it becomes evident that there is a acute gap of planning
and coordination among the ministries. Planning and coordination mismatch has
become perennial inherent problem of government. Otherwise, it is very easy to
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see as an outsider that a little planning and coordination would go a long way to
solve the citizen problems.
For example, road digging and repairing shows that there is no minimum
coordination among the city corporation, city development authority, water,
electricity, telephone, and others. Result: total mishap on the busy roads of
the cities.
Ownership of the problems is not clear:
Who is responsible for solving a particular obvious citizen problem, is not clear.
The problem is obvious. But no one also admit that it is their sole responsibility to
solve it. People are deeply divided by politics. But who will deny that traffic jam is
a problem? Traffic jam is attributable to clearly visible reasons illegal occupation
of the footpath, people crossing roads haphazardly from every direction, culture of
violating traffic rules, parking at will, unnecessary overtaking, non motorized
vehicles like rickshaw and vans etc. But if we go on searching, who is doing to
regulate it, there is an empty or black box. Is it City Corporation, or DC, or CDA,
or police itself? All will show their own excuses and shortcomings and fingering to
other authorities. But there is no authority that will take the problem at its core and
take ownership responsibility

For example, in a recent newspaper article we saw that Chittagong city
corporation mayor pointed to DC office for the responsible for evacuating
illegal hawkers from DC Hill footpath. On the other hand DC office says it
is the responsibility of the city corporation.

Personnel shortage due to lack of HRP
It is very commonly seen that many government schools, colleges, hospitals, and
other service delivery unit organizations lacks inadequate number of teachers,
doctors, or other type of personnel. In many cases the reason was found to be
lengthy recruitment procedure. While we agree that lengthy recruitment
procedureis a problem itself but it is also a fact that the responsible persons do not
do their homework which is called, in management term, human resources
planning (HRP) or manpower forecasting. [Responsible person are unit managers
like head master for a school, civil surgeon or medical officer for health complexes
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who is responsible for placing requisition for personnel like teacher, doctor, other
staffs].

HRP is a simple idea which is widely practiced in business management as
a usual task. Managers have to forecast what will be the demand supply
position of the personnel in upcoming days maybe 1 month, 3 month, 6
month, 1 year and beyond. Then they, the organizations, are supposed to be
in a continuous process of fulfilling the gaps. This is not just a periodic or
yearly event. To ensure day to day operations and to meet the strategic
needs, HRP is a essential continuous thing to do.

Personnel shortage due to lengthy procedure:
There is a procedure of filling up the vacancies in the government schools,
colleges, hospitals, departments and so on. But it is lengthy, time consuming, and
burdensome. But the real world need would not wait for that. That is why we see,
so many vacancies year after year in so many schools, colleges, hospitals, whereas,
at other places there are over staffing. Also there are large unemployed masses in
the external job market.

- There should be a mechanism to take in employees as strictly temporary
contract basis to meet the day to day operational needs.
- Later, these temporary and contractual employees may compete in the
usual competitive recruitment and selection process like other external
applicants.

Financial Management of cost cutting rather than value increasing
The most common excuse we or the citizens hear from the public managers at all
levels is budget is limited and they cannot afford to give services as expected. But
established wisdom of modern financial management is this is not a matter of cost
shrinking or cost cutting always. Rather this is a management matter of value
maximization.

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- Respective managers should find a way out how to decrease the cost
without decreasing the value. If some additional cost increases more than
proportionate additional value, then that is the action to be adopted.
- And there are inefficiency and procedural bottlenecks in spending the
available budget. This will give any exploratory observer the impression
that budget itself is not the biggest problem, rather biggest problem is
management know-how (lack of it) of managing the available budget.

Absence of effective marketing and PR
There are many programs in government which are doomed to fail only because of
citizen awareness which is not developed due to lack of basic marketing and public
relations from the part of government. Examples of such programs are child
nutrition, maternal health, safety net for poor, poverty support programs, social
service programs, youth development programs, and many other such real good
program in ministries of health, social welfare, women, youth development, and so
on.

- Government in Bangladesh lacks the marketing and PR skill which is an
essential precondition to make those programs effective.
- What government knows at best is to broadcast some campaigns, dramas
etc in government controlled Bangladesh television.
- There is no exercise of media habit of people and media impact analysis.
In a word, we can say that this example of basic management approach lacking can be
extended on and on. But it seems our point is well established that MIG can learn
something from management discipline which offers accepted and established tools.
Though these tools were and continue to be developed in the businesses operating in
competitive environment, many of these, with some variations, can be applied in
government or any other form of organizations as well.
10.5.2 Management and Change Starts with Good Policies
Managers, and the enterprise they serve, be they public or private, service or
manufacturing, will continue to be judged upon their ability to effectively and
efficiently manage change (Paton and McCalman, 2000)
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It is expected that there would be shock (if significant change has not been the norm
for the organizations), anxiety (if the consequences of the change is uncertain), anger
( if they cannot participate or dislike the implications of the change), expectancy
(some relish the prospect and opportunity of change), in case of change in the
organizations (Rye, 2001).
Change and improvement is more about culture than about infrastructure. The starting
point is to have a:
A good policy which is
o Updated, logically justified, contextually relevant
o free from contradiction,
o consistent with other policies,
o easy to read and understand
o available easily to everyone
Here the meaning of policy include any government documents, such as, Acts,
Policies, Standing Orders, Presidential Order, strategic actions, directives of ministries,
code of conduct, etc. which are used as reference of legitimacy of intentions and
actions by the public mangers, including the ministers.
Having a good policy in place, ministers and subsequent public managers can start
management in the sense of following systemic process approach (planning,
organizing, leading, controlling) for operational excellence. A good policy is a guide
which determines the intention and behavior of the people related to it.
In Bangladesh, the foremost problem, if not biggest or only one, is abundance of
policies which are outdated, contextually unrealistic, contradictory, inconsistent, not
easily understandable, and not available to everyone.
So, for MIG, the starting point is overhauling of these strategies and policies which
will help managers who are interacting with the citizens or providing services directly
to the citizen to make informed choices backed up by a good policy.
10.5.3 Strategic and Operational Management Tools and Techniques
Management as an art existed long before industrial revolution and mechanized mass
production. However, it found its place in academia around 1900. Within these
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hundred years, management is now an established field of knowledge which combines
art and science. Many tools and techniques have been developed.
Whatever the words and terms are, the main focus remained same: improving the
performance or individuals and organizations, and overall system. Some of the
common approaches and tools are:
Customer-driven strategy
Visionary leadership
Re-engineering, redesigning
Total quality management
Self-managing teams
Organic control
Flat organizations
Performance Management system
Incentive systems and pay for performance
Cost/benefit and cost/effectiveness analysis
Outsourcing
IT enabled organization
Learning organizations and room for experiments
Lean production
Effective delegation with power and responsibility
No one should be too nave to presuppose that copying these tools will bring any magic.
Even in the business organizations sometimes these do not produce any immediate or
visible benefits. And also these tools produce varying results in different sectors and in
different geographic areas. So there is a crucial role of context which may include but not
limited to people capability, culture, social expectations, managerial knowledge, and so
on.
But what we are trying to convince the audience is the fact that these should be
acknowledged and tried with good faith. Tools are just tools and they work well only if
falls in right hand at the right work.
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10.5.4 Measurements in MIG
Measurements have been criticized in some part of the developed part (UK, Australia,
USA etc.) because of overuse and wrong use by the public managers. But to be criticized
first government should start the measurement mechanism and process. Then the process
is a routine one which would need revision and improvement.
Some sort of measurement metrics must be developed by every ministry,
departments, and by individual public managers in the field. The main thing is
public agencies can benefit from instilling a performance oriented approach and
mindset to their mission, problem solving, and outcomes. We mention examples of
some measurement drawing from marketing expert Kotler.
Examples of performance goal at the outcome level:
Increasing revenues.
Increasing service utilization
Increasing compliance with laws
Improving public health and safety
Increasing citizen behaviors to protect the environment
Decreasing costs for service delivery
Improving customer satisfaction
Engendering citizen support.
Examples of output measures
Number of materials/ reliefs distributed
Reach and frequency of advertising to the citizen
Number of impressions from other communication channels
Mentions and airtime in the news media
Number of special events
Resources expended
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Other marketing-related activities.
Examples of Outcome measures
Campaign awareness
Changes in knowledge, attitudes, or beliefs
Changes in behavior or behavior or behavior intent
Creating partners or campaign contributions
Increases in customer satisfaction
Impact Measures:
Cost savings by the department or agency
Increases in net revenues
Lives saved, crimes prevented, criminals caught
Diseases prevented, patients treated
Water quality improved, Water supply increased
Air quality improved, Landfill reduced
Public mangers might wonder how to measure all these things whereas business
indicators are easy to measure sales, costs, profits etc. There is no absolute
difficulty in doing that. There are internal records. Citizen surveys may be done.
Media is a good source if effectively integrated with government activities and
campaign.
After all measurement design, implementation, and maintenance is a challenging
job but it is essential to identify problems and self check the output and outcome of
the management in government. Here our focus is not designing one but to
convince the government that government need to embrace this concept of
measurement and then technical details will follow through best practice, trial and
error, and learning from the field.
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All these discussion confirms our proposition that government should start with citizen
problems. Current approach of copying techniques and prescription from outsider
agencies or experts will not bring any long run effectiveness.
Many independent research and analysis by developed country pubic management experts
also support our proposition.
For example, in a Harvard Kennedy School Government faculty working paper (Andrews,
M. , Lant, P, and Woolcock, M. August 2012), authors concluded that many reform
initiatives in developing countries fail to achieve sustained improvements in performance
because they are merely isomorphic mimicrythat is, governments and organizations
pretend to reform by changing what policies or organizations look like rather than what
they actually do. In addition, the flow of development resources and legitimacy without
demonstrated improvements in performance undermines the impetus for effective action to
build state capability or improve performance. This dynamic facilitates capability traps
in which state capability stagnates, or even deteriorates, over long periods of time even
though governments remain engaged in developmental rhetoric and continue to receive
development resources. Then they proposed an approach, Problem-Driven Iterative
Adaptation (PDIA), which stands in sharp contrast with the standard approaches.
- First, PDIA focuses on solving locally nominated and defined problems in
performance (as opposed to transplanting preconceived and packaged best
practice solutions).
- Second, it seeks to create an authorizing environment for decision-making that
encourages positive deviance and experimentation (as opposed to designing
projects and programs and then requiring agents to implement them exactly as
designed).
- Third, it embeds this experimentation in tight feedback loops that facilitate rapid
experiential learning (as opposed to enduring long lag times in learning from ex
post evaluation).
- Fourth, it actively engages broad sets of agents to ensure that reforms are viable,
legitimate, relevant, and supportable (as opposed to a narrow set of external
experts promoting the top-down diffusion of innovation).
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10.6 Management in Government: Summary of the Framework
Elaborate fieldwork, literature review, analysis and logical reasoning have been done to
develop the proposition what management can do or how it can improve the MIG situation
of Bangladesh for better citizen service.
The suggested framework can be summarized as follows:
1. Start with the citizen problems
A minister or a public manager has to start with customer (citizen) research. For
example, what they perceive, what they are experiencing, what is their
satisfaction, dissatisfaction, expectation, suggestion, requirement etc.
This can be done through
o Meet the citizen program where citizens would be invited to
have open house discussion with the ministers and public
managers.
o Citizen survey by internal employee and/or external survey
firms. University faculty and students can be engaged with this
very efficiently and effectively.
o Focus group with selected category of citizens related to the
citizen problems at hand.

2. Call for Expert Advice
The next thing a minister or a public manger can do is to seek expert advice.
A pool of experts may be developed for any problem area. For example,
a pool of Engineers, doctors, professors, researchers, businessmen, Non
government and nonprofit professionals and the likes can be developed
on the basis of technical knowledge in the area.
These experts will gather at the request of the government, ministry, or
the directorates, from time to time, to review, argue, and analyze the
citizen problems and will devise practical and also theoretically sound
solutions.
Cost will not be a major issue. With only a reasonable travel and daily
allowance, many experts would offer their voluntary service to the
government. Sheer intrinsic motivation of being engaged will go a long
way (Professor Rehman Sobhan as advisor to the caretaker government
of Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed gathered such experts in twenty nine task
force committee).

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3. Separate the contextual factors problems and management approach
problems
This is the most crucial step to be understood by a minister or a public manager
for solving citizen problems and improving MIG right away.
The given contextual factors are:
Inappropriate Political Interference;
All pervasive and encompassing Corruption culture;
Scarce Budget typical of a developing country;
Quality Personnel or HR;
Social and cultural attitude of people;
Management, by its technical definition, takes into account all these given factors. So
a minister has to be specific what problem situations they can solve or improve by
applying management techniques like strategic planning, TQM, delegation,
coordination, planning, organizing, leading, motivating, controlling, employee
participation, client (citizen) engagement, and so on.
4. Fixing Policy and Regulatory flaws (enabling environment)
So far what we have seen from our analysis that MIG problems are due to the
following:
a. management inefficiency and/ or ineffectiveness due to policy
bottlenecks
b. management inefficiency and/ or ineffectiveness due to lack of
management know-how
c. management inefficiency and/ or ineffectiveness due to combination of
both of the above.
To put management at work in its technical meaning of objective oriented,
problem solving, client (citizen) serving or satisfying mode, first precondition is
to remove the written barriers the apparent contradictions, inconsistencies, and
ambiguities of the written policy and regulatory clauses of the government.
A minister might not be able to modify all the regulatory documents at once all
by himself, but by their discretion and jurisdiction, can clear the path for the
public managers at all levels, particularly at field levels, by providing
supplementary directive orders from the ministry or secretariat office.

5. Adopting Private Management Practices
Keeping aside the public private distinction of the organizations, minster must
develop a self-learned management know how about planning, organizing,
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leading, and controlling. Though performance based pay culture cannot fully be
implemented in one ministry alone, it can be practiced by other means creatively
by providing allowance and non monetary benefits like recognition. There is no
need for reinventing the wheel at this point. A minister should explore their
own way of learning and adopting from the available management body of
knowledge (management BOK).

The framework can be presented in the following conceptual diagram.
Figure 10-B Summary of MIG-B Framework


10.7 Concluding Note
Citizens of a developing country like Bangladesh are fed up with so much ineffectiveness
and inefficiency of services provided by government organizations. The generalized
perception of government is one of corruption and undue politicized.
On the other hand, the honest hardworking ministers and government officials are caught
in the huge bureaucratic machinery and tangles of government organizations. They realize
that they cannot make any change that would be effective in the long run.
Now this framework considers the reality of the contexts and asserts that ministers and
public managers cannot change top to bottom but can improve the citizen service by
Start with citizen
problem
Call for expert
advice
separate context
factors
Fix policy and
regulatory flaws
Learn and Apply
'MANAGEMENT'
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adopting management approach and applying selected management practices within their
jurisdiction. For that, learning management principles and practices by the ministers and
public mangers has no short cut and a little learning effort will go a long way.


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Part D Concluding: In Search of a Framework

Chapter 10 A MIG Framework that Works for the Citizen
Chapter 11 Conclusion, Contribution, and Further research


11 Chapter 11 Conclusion, Contribution, and Further research

11.1 Summary and Conclusions
The public management as a structure of the 21
st
century have to be much more
professionally competent, much more sensitive and pro-active and also much more action-
oriented. As of 21
st
Century advances, administration (government) will be progressively
at the doorstep of the people. Service delivery system of Government in advanced
countries already works in this way. In such countries, if a person has a problem, he has to
ring up a toll-free telephone number and register his complaint in the voice mail system.
The complaint is attended to immediately and within hours, the caller gets the relief. If
solution of a problem requires coordinated efforts of different departments, it gets solved
in a matter of days.
It is not unusual and unrealistic to expect that kind of environment in Bangladesh. But
there is a gap of required action road map for reaching this standard.
Extensive field work, gathering so many citizen narratives, perusing through public media,
reading through numerous reports from many national and international sources, all
culminated into this thesis. After all these study and analysis, we can draw some concrete
concluding remarks:
1. Citizens have a latent mood of rebellion and a desire for change:
From our citizen interview, detail observation, and free press content analysis, we
got the impression that general citizen psyche is one of anger and rebellion against
the institution of government. This is due to perpetual or endless chain of
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inefficiency, corruption, irresponsiveness of the government, regardless of the
party in power.

Bangladesh rebelled against the central administration of Pakistan which ended
with the war in 1971. This rebellion was a natural response of the perceived
inequity in the share of participation in the overall administration and distribution
of resources. In one sense, conceptualizing that inequity construct and mobilizing
popular support is less difficult when it is geared against the outside actors. But
what about a rebellion against the perpetual inefficiency of our own government
that transfers from regime to regime, one family party to another family party?

The relation between inequality and rebellion is indeed a close one, and it runs
both ways. A perceived sense of inequity is a common ingredient of rebellion in
societies [but] it is also important that the perception of inequity depends
substantially on the possibility of actual rebellion (Sen, On Economic Inequality,
1998).
Though the direction is not clear yet, but citizens are now increasingly raising their
voices about change of this vicious cycle of BAL-BNP politics.

2. Politics is not going to change for any better in near future:
In a word, this is more difficult to solve. Our political situation is given either
BAL or BNP. There is no potential third party or no effective alliance of third
parties either which may become:
- Bangladesh Jammat-i-Islami party has a bad origin due to its
collaboration with Pakistan force in 1971 and not expected to gain
popular support in any near future.
- Jatiya Party has a leader who had been a military turned undemocratic
ruler. Rangpur is the most supportive base, and cannot be expected to
be an all Bangladesh party. Even if it becomes so, it is no different from
existing BAL-BNP force in any quality.
- Communist party and other leftist parties were there from the British
period but never got to the mainstream political contest and did not
achieve popular support.
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- Dr. Kamal Hossain tried with Gonoforum. Many people and civil
society is positive about his politics. But he is much aged now and has
not been much successful in building any effective country wide deep
political institution so far.
- Dr. Badruddoza got out of BNP and tried to create an alternative with
the help of other BNP dissenters, which is named Bikalpa Dhara. But
he is also much aged and has not been able to develop an all
Bangladesh effective political institution so far.
- Recently, Mahmudur Rahman Manna, a reformist one time BAL
politician and Barrister Rafiqul Hoque are trying to build a platform but
yet to lay out a comprehensive plan for all Bangladesh political
institution.
The easy conclusion from all these efforts is there is not going to be any real
change in politics in the near future.
3. But Bangladesh has proceeded and need to search for alternative mechanism
to continue:
So political deficiency will be there and the country needs some sort of alternative
mechanism within it.
- For example, In Government and Rural Transformation: Role of Public
Spending and Policies in Bangladesh (Mudahar & Ahmed, 2010) authors
presented the agenda of reform under three broad groups: (a) governance,
(b) strategy and public investment policies, and (c) key institutional
developments. They concluded that it has been fairly well established that
Bangladesh moved forward in economic and social development in spite of
numerous hard obstacles. As it strides ahead, the country needs to conduct
strategic reforms. The effect of political deficiency can be partly
compensated by a vigorous civil society and free media that debate
problems on the basis of right and reliable information. The role of
institutions, gathering and processing right kind of economic and social
intelligence, is a critical need for Bangladesh.
Indomitable Spirit, as mentioned by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, is the only remaining
hope and may be a starting point for any developing country, which is struggling to
establish even a basic system. The basis of all systems, social or political, rests
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upon the goodness of men. No nation is great or good because parliament enacts
this or that, but that its men are great and good (Kalam, 2011).

4. Policy and Regulatory reforms should be continuous and vigorous
At the field, we found citizens as service receivers of the state machinery, and
public mangers as service givers, both feel alike that many ground or interaction
level problems are silly problems when it comes to citizen service delivery (CSD).
These problems of the field are rooted in policy and regulations, and
even sillier, at the procedural levels.
Sometimes these are flawed due to bad homework while making those
policies, regulations, and procedures. Sometimes those became simply
outdated with the passage of time, changing technology, and general
expectations of the citizens.
The CSD processes are not designed well, for example, they are not
customer centric, rather rule and procedure centric which are often felt
eccentric, weird, or peculiar.
So even if ministers or elected political public office holders or
government in general wants to eliminate citizens hassle, they do not
fully have the know-how to do it where the need for management
approach comes in.
Policies, regulations, and procedures are changed only years after.
There is no regular or systemic process or mechanism of doing that or
the system or the mechanism doesnt work.
In most cases, this is not a matter of additional budget; just the
continuous update mechanism is absent.
In any case, the conclusion here is all the citizen service delivery related policies,
regulations, procedures should be updated and modified continuously and
vigorously coping with technological change and citizen expectation.
5. Good policy papers are also there in many areas but still problems abound in
the field
In point no 4 mentioned above, we stated the need for removing policy and
regulatory flaws. But we also found that in many areas, there are well written and
elegant policy papers, for example, education policy, health policy, export policy
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etc. If read, these would seem wonderful. Any reader would wonder in the mid of
the citizen problems of field how and why this contrast occurs.
So there is a lack of linking between policy and implementation. The chain is
either broken or the link is too weak to expect any better in the field. Public
managers at the field level or the ministers and secretaries at the ministry equally
are in a blank how to link policy and various levels of practices or implementation
levels at the field.

6. Management in Government: in search of a citizen centric problem solving
approach
That lead to our final conclusion that we need to learn some management from
well run, good governed businesses. Public administration is not business
administration but straightly speaking, the business of public administration is
managing the business of government.
This does not mean copying some tools and techniques directly from any business
house. In fact no business house can fully adopt the theoretically possible best
practices. But it is a recognized continuous process in the business management.
Stakeholders and organizational contexts of business are different from that of
government. Now management also says that the organizational contexts are to be
considered and the tools should be applied in variations. So there will be no
immediate problem in a developing country like Bangladesh to adopt the many
business management approach in government.

But most important is management in government should drastically change the
culture of being rule driven to citizen problem driven. All the rules and procedures
should be written centering the citizen needs and the issues. This is how
management in government can be improved applying available business
management principles.
11.2 Contribution: the basic minimum addition to the existing discourse
Every dissertation or thesis has to answer this big question at the end, how it adds
something new to the existing literature. While it does not mean everything in the thesis
should be fundamental innovations, it means that it should add something which may be
acknowledged as contribution of this work.
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I n one line, the contribution of this thesis is developing a
framework which can readily be applied by ministers and public
managers to improve management in their ministries and
departments by realistically separating given factors and
management factors.
Apart from the basic contribution of adding to the existing body of knowledge in a subject
area, the contribution of a research project can be identified from various other view
points. These were nicely categorized by some of the researchers into, for example,
methodological contribution, contextual contribution, compiling contribution, diagnostic
contribution, suggestive contribution, basic contribution etc. (Islam M. A. 2000; Hoque, A
(2008); Azim, T. 2008).
In line with these, incumbent study also can be seen from different dimensions:
methodological contribution:
o this study used rigorous phenomenological methodology combining
multiple methods like case study, participant and non participant
observation, citizen narratives, in-depth open ended interview, and
content and documentary analysis, which is a contribution in the
sense that these were not that much used in available studies (as
detailed in Chapter 4 Management in Government in Bangladesh)
contextual contribution:
o The study has been done in the academic context of management,
sector context of government, and geographical context of
Bangladesh.
compiling contribution:
o In the process of studying management in government, a large body
of relevant literature was summarized, analyzed, and critically
reviewed, which will serve other researches too.
diagnostic contribution:
o The study diagnosed the problem of management in government
from a management perspective which is a new experiment
shifting the locus from public administration or political science.
suggestive contribution:
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o The suggestions for improving management follows two main
stream enabling environment or strategic approach, and
developing basic management approach at the agency or
institutional level.

The writing style, the prose, the organization of the contents could be a
contribution itself because all these features make theory and research more
readable and accessible to wider audience for policy implications and for further
research.

The literature review and the associated compilation of existing BOK (body of
knowledge), which is done as a background and throughout the stages of research,
particularly in deductive, phenomenological, and theory generating one like this, is
a valuable contribution for audience. In this thesis, the three chapters that came out
of relevant studies compile a critical review of public management or management
in government as a discipline, Bangladesh related discourse scenario, and different
country scenario in the area of management in government and the ongoing
reforms at different places of the world.
All said, the most important contribution of a thesis is the original content and new
perspective:
There is no dearth of study and reports in public policy and management area. On the
foreground of a number of development theories from two sector model to stages model to
growth model to many other development and reform models, a multitude of international
and home grown reform reports and studies are available. It fact Bangladesh, since its
birth as a basket case, has become an experimental ground for donors of different
country and multilateral organizations. But this thesis developed a content which discusses
those public management issues from a fresh new perspective management, more
specifically business management.
This perspective puts the minister and the entire public official machinery in the role of
manager who must understand the process of planning, organizing, leading, controlling,
with the given resources. Every public manager, starting from PM and individual minster,
must ensure enabling environment for the next and lower levels to make management
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work. This approach, sometimes labeled as NPM or simply managerialism, is not new to
developed country but transposing it into local context as in Bangladesh is somewhat
challenging. Earlier, we have seen sporadic techniques (citizen charter, strategy documents
etc.) being copied into public management of Bangladesh, but what the country needed is
locally and culturally customized approach.
There are enough materials in the MIG-BD discourse which may surprise any outsider and
researchers. There are many discussions from many dimensions. But any insider or
outsider taking the ground view will know it for obvious that there must be something
very wrong in Bangladesh. Something is missing. The basics of a system that works are
not there. The whole mechanism seems to be faltering for the basic system gaps.
Political parties and politicians are perceived corrupt and evil in general. But the real
mystery is even the honest ministers cannot do any systemic change of the systems. Why?
There must be some understanding gaps that need to be addressed. This thesis answers the
question.
In first look, all would say, our politicians must change. This is a shallow propositions and
expectation. They are just vacuum fillers and opportunity maximizes or simply suckers, in
an environment where compliance is discouraged, non-compliance is encouraged.
Fakruddin Ahmed (Ahmed F. , 1998), who was an advisor in first caretaker government of
justice Shahabuddin, in his book The Caretakers: A First Hand Account of the Interim
Government of Bangladesh 1990-91 mentioned of such non partisan strategic vision and
action plan prepared at that time. Caretaker government led by Dr. Fakhruddin Ahmad
(Government of Bangladesh, 2008) produced a Moving Ahead strategy document where
they identified following strategic blocks:
That means we had the detail strategy documents done purely by non-partisan
government. Still that did not have much needed qualitative changes in public policy
making, administration, management, and overall governance. More than non partisan
reform approach, we need practical problem solving approach that may work under
any government. That has been developed through this thesis.
11.3 Further Research
Any research is a contribution to the stock of knowledge in one or more subject areas.
Beyond that this is also a contribution of any research endeavor that it opens up other
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avenues for further research. Our research of MIG in Bangladesh contributes mainly to
two areas: management and public administration. It uses established phenomenological
research approach and case design to study management in government in Bangladesh.
It also opens up avenues for further research area and dimensions:
1. Organizational theories and studies:
How the government should be organized, re-organized, modified, or restructured
in the face of changing world of politics, economics, and social and cultural
expectation of the citizens?

Organizations are social units (or human groupings) deliberately constructed and
reconstructed to seek specific goals. Organizations are characterized by:
(1) divisions of labor, power, and communication responsibilities, divisions which
are not random or traditionally patterned, but deliberately planned to enhance the
realization of specific goals; (2) the presence of one or more power centers which
control the concerted efforts of the organization and direct them toward its goals;
these power centers also must review continuously the organizations performance
and re-pattern its structure, where necessary, to increase its efficiency; (3)
substitution is personnel , i.e., unsatisfactory persons can be removed and others
assigned their tasks. (Etzioni, 2003)

Any organization, whether biological or social, needs to change its basic structure
if it significantly changes its size. Any organization that doubles or triples in size
needs to be restructured. Similarly, any organization, whether a business, a
nonprofit, or a government agency, needs to rethink itself once it is more than forty
or fifty years old. It has outgrown policies and its rules of behavior. If it continues
in its old ways, it becomes ungovernable, unmanageable, and uncontrollable.
(Drucker, 1995)

For this, however, we need something we do not have: a theory of what
government can do, mentioned Drucker, one of the most respected writers, not on
business, but on management and organizations, in general.
- Rethinking government, its programs, its agencies, its agencies, its
activities, would not by itself give us this new political theory but it
would give us the factual information for it.
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- And we need so much is already clear: the new political theory we
badly need would have to have an analysis of what does work rather
than relying on good intentions and promises.

2. Institutional Environment:
One thing that is not addressed sufficiently in the reform efforts and prescriptions
is institutional environment. Chandabaji versus Entrepreneurship: Youth Force in
Bangladesh (Khan & Afroze, 1999) is a edited volume that falls in this category of
research. Chandabaji is a Bengali term which means extortion, illegal toll
collection and rent seeking. Both Entrepreneurship and Chandabaji involve risk
and alacrity. Why are, then some youths resorting to the deviant path of
Chandabaji, and not coming forward to take up the challenges of entrepreneurship.
As a matter of fact, the kind of economic liberalization that is introduced in
Bangladesh is predominantly limited to policy changes concerning the macro and
micro economic regimes dictated by IMF and World Bank. It did not bring about
any changes in the institutional environment in which the effective implementation
of the policies will take place.

3. Strengthening Local Government Mechanism:
Another important area of further research for improving MIG in Bangladesh is
focusing on local government
- union parishad (including village courts)
- upazila parishad
- Zila parishad etc.
No significant improvement has taken place in the personnel system of the local
government bodies during the last five decades, and hence permanent local
government functionaries continue to be a highly marginalized group of public
servants.
That is why, big bang approach will not work much. In the short run, putting in
place small solutions with large implications based on a Trojan horse
approach must continue in order to devise greater innovations towards
participatory and productive local government. (Siddiqui, Local Government in
Bangladesh, 2005)
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4. Difference of Organizational Forms and Management in Business and
Management in Government
Is there any difference between management in two sectors private and public?
Surely there is, but when and why that difference is important or not?
In which cases, the similarity should be emphasized so that
dissimilarity is not used as excuses for inefficiency and
ineffectiveness?
In which cases, dissimilarity should be accommodated for the sake
of creating enabling environment and affirmative action for the
disadvantaged group of citizens.
In Economics of the Public Sector (Stiglitz, 2000), author summarized the issue:
Government enterprises differ from private enterprises in several respects: while
private enterprises maximize profits, government enterprises may pursue other
objectives; government enterprises often face soft budget constraints and limited
competition; and they face additional constraints, in personnel policy (pay and
firing), procurement, and budgeting.
While there may be good reasons for these restrictions, they nonetheless
interfere with economic efficiency.
These differences lead to differences in individual incentives. Bureaucrats
often try to maximize the size of their organization and to avoid risk.
There are number of organizational forms that lie between conventional public
agencies and private corporations, including government corporations and
performance-based organizations. They may be able to achieve many of the
efficiency benefits of private organizations, and at the same time pursue public
interests more effectively than purely private firms subject to regulations. Much of
the debate in the future will be about the extent of utilization of these
organizational forms and whether private firms should enter into areas, such as
prisons and social services, previou8sly thought of as a core government functions.
5. How to direct the development toward a growth oriented path similar to what
happened in south east Asia
11-224

While discussing about the development and growth miracle, south East Asian
countries are cited as examples Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia,
Philippines, and so on. Also Japan, which is already accepted a developed country,
is said to have followed the similar path after Second World War. How to activate
this process for effective working of the induced innovation mechanism to adjust
cultural and institutional environments so as to be consistent with modern
technology borrowed from advanced economics is the fundamental question for
the development of developing economics.

In Development Economics: from the Poverty to the Wealth of Nations (Hayami &
Godo, 2006), Two Japanese authors shed some light on this. According to them,
The task required for such a system design is not simply to adapt
borrowed technology and institutions to traditionally given culture and
value systems. Major efforts should also be made to change peoples
perception so that economically efficient technology and institution are
acceptable to them.
The design of an economic system endowed with economic efficiency
and social legitimacy necessarily involves dialectic interactions among
technology, institution, and culture, which can be realized only through
trial and error by many people engaging in private business and
governmental activities as well as education, research, and information
media.
They also acknowledged that this is an extremely difficult but also they mentioned
that this is not impossible task. The historical fact that Japan and other high-
performing economies in East Asia were able to achieve miraculous economic
growth in the latter half of the twentieth century, each based on their own unique
system and tradition, strongly suggests the possibility that many low-income
economies today will be able to achieve modern development in the future, not
along a monolithic path, but along multiple paths according to their different
traditions.
So what is our country unique situation and in this situation, how to design our
systems to accommodate developed country experience in an effective manner?
This is an issue of further and in-depth investigation.
11-225


6. Organization redesigning, reengineering, and restructuring of the government
Whatever little variations of these word meanings are, the question is
Do we need a massive reorganizing?
Maybe ministries should be drastically redesigned. Many would agree to the
finding that there are acute problems of coordination and overlapping among the
ministries. Sometimes a job is being done by more than one ministries, again,
another job, there is none in ownership.
Now how to solve these redundancies, coordination problems, duplications,
vacuums.
Will it be better to have another layers of senior ministers or deputy prime
ministers, just like product or brand or customer group managers
Should there be ministries according to citizen problems to coordinate
separate functions of individual ministries?
Should there be less number of full ministers and more numbers of deputy
ministers to take care of specific citizen issues (just like specific product
manager or distribution channel manager)
11.4 The Final Concluding Note:
So our concluding note is management in government can be improved. We should not
wait anymore for politics to change; rather we have to find a way out within this reality
context. Whichever party is in power, undue political interference will be there, but there
are citizen problems which actually anyone in power wants to solve. But the idea and skill
how to separate the contextual factors and solvable management factors, how not to
mess up and sit back with nothing to do - remain absent. Here comes this thesis which
presents a conceptual framework which will help politically elected ministers and career
public managers alike, if they really want to do some good to the fellow citizens.
i
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