CAPAM Symposium on Networked Government: ‘Freedom to manage’,task networks and institutional environment of decentralized service organizations in developing countries

Abstract

This article examines the introduction of decentralized management structures in public health and water services in two developing countries — Ghana and Zimbabwe. It explores how task networks, organizational interdependence and institutional environment factors may enable or disable organizational autonomy and influence performance. It argues that decentralized organizations work within a task network of other public sector organizations and in institutional and governance environments that are highly political. The degree of operational autonomy that decentralized organizations have in practice will depend on the task network and power relationships, particularly the behaviour of central principals and other actors within the network. It suggests that decentralized management has been introduced in varying degrees in the health and water sectors of both Ghana and Zimbabwe but is constrained by task network difficulties.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Batley, R.A. (1997) ‘A Research Framework for Analysing Capacity to Undertake New Roles of Government’, Role of Government in Adjusting Economies, Paper 23. Birmingham: School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham .

Batley, R.A. (1998) ‘Urban Water in Zimbabwe: Performance and Capacity Analysis’, Role of Government in Adjusting Economies, Paper 33. Birmingham: School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham .

Batley, R.A. and Larbi, G.A. (2004) The Changing Role of Government: The Reform of Public Services in Developing Countries. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave .

Boesen, N. and Therkildsen, O. (2004) ‘Between Naivety and Cynicism: A Pragmatic Approach to Donor Support for Public Sector Capacity Development’, Report prepared for the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). Copenhagen: Ministry of Foreign Affairs .

Dent, M. and Barry, J. (2004) ‘New Public Management and the Professions in the UK: Reconfiguring Control?’, in M. Dent , J. Chandler and J. Barry (eds) Questioning the New Public Management, pp. 7–20. Aldershot: Ashgate .

Herbst, J. (1993) The Politics of Reform in Ghana, 1982–1991. Berkeley: University of California Press .

Hildebrand, M.E. and Grindle, M.S. (1995) ‘Building Sustainable Capacity in the Public Sector: What Can Be Done?’ , Public Administration and Development 15(5): 441–463 .

Hood, C. (1991) ‘A Public Management for All Seasons?’ , Public Administration 69 (Spring): 3–19 .

Larbi, G.A. (1995) ‘Implications and Impact of Structural Adjustment on the Civil Service: The Case of Ghana’, Role of Government in Adjusting Economies, Paper 2. Birmingham: School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham .

10.

Larbi, G.A. (1998a) ‘Implementing New Public Management Reforms in Public Services in Ghana: Institutional Constraints and Capacity Issues, Unpublished PhD thesis, School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham.

11.

Larbi, G.A. (1998b) ‘Institutional Constraints and Capacity Issues in Decentralising Management in Public Services: The Case of Health in Ghana’ , Journal of International Development 10(3): 377–386 .

12.

Larbi, G.A. (1999) ‘The New Public Management Approach and Crisis States’, Discussion Paper No.112. Geneva: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development .

13.

Larbi, G.A. (2001) ‘Performance Contracting in Practice: Experience and Lessons from the Water Sector in Ghana’ , Public Management Review 3(3): 305–324 .

14.

Makumbe, J.M. (1997) ‘The Zimbabwe Civil Service Reform Programme: A Critical Perspective’, Role of Government in Adjusting Economies, Paper 16. Birmingham: School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham .

15.

Mills, A. , Bennett, S. and Russell, S. (2001) The Challenge of Health Sector Reform: What Must Governments Do? Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave .

16.

Ministry of Health, Ghana (1996) Institutional Reform in the Health Sector. Accra: Bel-Team Publications .

17.

Mudege, N. (1997) ‘Urban Water Supply in Zimbabwe’, Role of Government in Adjusting Economies, Paper 18. Birmingham: School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham .

18.

Nickson, R.A. and Franceys, R. (2003) Tapping the Market: The Challenge of Institutional Reform in Urban Water Supply Sector. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave .

19.

Pollitt, C. and Talbot, C. (2004) Unbundled Government: A Critical Analysis of the Global Trend to Agencies, Quangos and Contractualisation. Basingstoke and New York: Palgrave .

20.

Pollitt, C. , Talbot, C. , Caulfield, J. and Smullen, A. (2004) Agencies: How Governments Get Things Done through Semi-autonomous Organisations. Basingstoke and NewYork: Palgrave .

21.

Russell, S. , Kwaramba, P. , Hongoro, C. and Chikanda, S. (1997) ‘Reforming the Health Sector in Zimbabwe: Does Government Have the Capacity?’ Role of Government in Adjusting Economies, Paper 20. Birmingham: School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham .

22.

Smithson, P. , Asamoa-Baah and Mills, A. (1997) ‘Health Sector Reforms in Ghana’, Role of Government in Adjusting Economies, Paper 26. Birmingham: School of Public Policy, University of Birmingham .

23.

Thynne, I. (2004) ‘State Organisations as Agencies: An Identifiable and Meaningful Focus for Research’ , Public Administration and Development 24(2): 91–99 .

24.

Verhoest, K. , Peters, G.B. , Boukaert, G. and Verschuere, B. (2004) ‘The Study of Organisational Autonomy: A Conceptual Review’ , Public Administration and Development 24(2): 101–118 .

25.

Walsh, K. (1995) Public Services and Market Mechanisms: Competition, Contracting and the New Public Management. Basingstoke: Macmillan .

26.

World Bank (1997) World Development 1997: The State in a Changing World. New York: Oxford University Press .

27.

World Bank (2004) ‘Zimbabwe Country Assistance Evaluation’, Report No. 29058, Operations and Evaluation Department, World Bank.