Cutback management in public bureaucracies Popular theories and observed outcomes in Whitehall Andrew Dunsire and Christopher Hood Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1989
| Published date | 01 January 1991 |
| Date | 01 January 1991 |
| DOI | http://doi.org/10.1002/pad.4230110113 |
| Author | B. C. Smith |
90
Book
Reviews
tries’ efforts to develop more participatory approaches to irrigation management improvement,
particularly in Asia.
The seven chapters were written by various participants in the process, from their own
vantage point. Ben Bagadion, who as Senior Assistant Administrator of NIA was the top
manager who guided the process, discusses the historical and policy context of the experiment.
Important points are NIA’s status as
a
public corporation, and the concept of full farmer
responsibility for operation and maintenance costs, as well as repayment of construction
costs at a subsidized rate. Robert Siy discusses the rich farmers’ tradition of self-management
on which the programme was able to draw for lessons. Jeanne 1110 analyses the development
process on one communal system, from the earliest stage to the operational phase, showing
how farmers and NIA officials successfully developed innovative solutions to problems as
they arose.
Frances Korten discusses the importance and functions of the Working Group made up
of both insiders and outsiders that facilitated NIA’s learning lessons and incorporation
of
changes in its procedures to improve its ability to implement such participatory programmes.
Romana de 10s Reyes and Sylvia Jopillo summarize the results
of
an impact study which
compared communal systems assisted by NIA through the old approach versus the new partici-
patory approach; they demonstrate considerable impact in terms
of
increases in rice yields,
area irrigated, strength
of
farmers’ organizations, and loan repayment rates. David Korten
reviews the lessons learned as NIA shifted from
a
‘technical-engineering’ bureaucratic mode
to a socio-technical ‘strategic’ kind
of
organization.
Much of this material has been published elsewhere, but this volume brings it together
and puts the whole effort into a conceptual, historical, and policy context. The period covered
is from 1978 up to about 1986; more recent developments, such
as
the attempts to extend
the same approach to improving financial performance of large (‘national’) irrigation systems,
are not covered. It is curious that there are no contributions to the book from present NIA
staff; Mr Bagadion retired in 1985.
As
the authors admit, the transformation of NIA is not
complete. At present, NIA is still in a transition process and the future direction is not entirely
certain.
The overall strategy and the retrospective analyses are based on social learning theory.
As noted in the concluding chapter by the editors, the key elements of the success of the
transformation were
a
mix of appropriate national policies, field level methods, and internal
management systems. The relevance of the experience described in this book goes far beyond
the Philippines
or
irrigation. Participatory and people-oriented development strategies are
likely to be increasingly important in the 1990s. Their success will to a large degree depend
on whether supporting organizations and government departments can themselves adapt
to
the new requirements
of
these strategies. This book offers very important lessons for designing
and implementing these important changes.
DR
D.
J.
MERREY
International Irrigation Management Institute,
Sri Lmka
CUTBACK MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC BUREAUCRACIES
Popular theories and observed outcomes in Whitehall
Andrew
Dunsire
and
Christopher
Hood
Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1989.
A great deal of academic attention has been given to explaining governmental growth in
terms of public expenditure and public employment, but there has been no comparable aca-
demic or political attention on how best to approach the difficulties ofcutting back government.
This despite the preponderance
of
governments in all parts
of
the world that are willingly
or reluctantly determined to reduce levels
of
public spending and the
size
of the public services.
Dunsire and Hood’s excellent book deals with the macro-level problems and what actually
happened in British government in the 1975-85 period.
To continue reading
Request your trial