Managerial Effectiveness in Developing Countries
| DOI | 10.1177/002085237904500101 |
| Author | O. Glenn Stahl |
| Date | 01 March 1979 |
| Published date | 01 March 1979 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
Managerial Effectiveness
in Developing Countries *
by
O. Glenn STAHL
People concerned with efforts to assist the
bureaucracies and what must be considered
less-developed nations to improve their lot in
in coping with them.
There is no pretense
the world have long recognized the vital nature
here of a total, comprehensive discussion of all
of the public sector.
Societies struggling with
aspects of the subject.
Also, the views
population pressures, poverty, sluggish econom-
expressed would be difficult to substantiate in
ies, and too few of the amenities of prosperity
any scientific sense.
The judgments are
must rely on their national governments almost
largely subjective, based on study, observation,
exclusively for direction of their development
and experience.
Hence, there may be some
and very heavily for operation of their means
persons who, from their own experiences,
of production and distribution.
In addition
would disagree with them.
I would venture,
to providing schools, power plants, highways,
nevertheless, that a great many who have had
and communication systems, the government in
experience with or intensive exposure to admin-
these circumstances must plan, oversee, and
istrative problems in both industrialized and
manage most of the productive, commercial,
less-developed countries would support my
and financial enterprises that keep some
observations.
semblance of an economy going.
Thus, at
the
For an
same time that a country is seriously short
opener, it may be helpful to look
of the trained
briefly at the history of technological transfer
manpower and other resources
essential to keep
over the
any nation viable, it is critic-
past three decades.
ally dependent, above all, on the character and
capacity of its public bureaucracy.
A HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Hardly anyone would argue with the truth
Through the technical assistance operations
of these conclusions.
The question has al-
of the United Nations, of various foundations
ways been: how can these developing bureau-
and other privately-financed enterprises, and of
cracies be brought to an optimum level of
individual donor nations (especially the United
performance ?
A naive faith in Western effi-
States), there was considerable enthusiasm
ciency and administrative successes understand-
during the 1950s and 1960s for transfer of
ably led to the assumption that whatever
technology of all kinds to the underdeveloped
methods the industrialized nations used could
world.
At first the emphasis was on the
be taught and transferred to the underdeveloped
substantive programs to expand farm crop
world.
And, what is more, the Western
production, improve storage and distribution of
countries themselves seemed to assume that
essential goods, erect and staff schools,
demonstrating how to set up schools, build
construct highways and provide transportation
roads, establish health facilities, improve
services, establish public health centers and
agriculture, and create industry would auto-
hospitals, and exploit natural resources for
matically carry with them the infrastructure,
processing and delivery to the world’s markets.
the know-how, and the will to make such new
Later, in recognition that all these develop-
systems work in a practical way.
ments required direction and management,
This essay seeks to analyze some realities
special attention was paid to training people in
that have had to be faced in the
administration and to
process of
installing managerial
improving public administration in developing
systems patterned after those found in Western
societies.
*
There can be no
The
denying that much of this
following article will appear as a chapter in a
noble effort
forthcoming book being published in India, entitled
paid off.
Many a nation in
Political Science in Transition, edited by Professor J.S.
Africa, Asia, and Latin America is today a
Bains and Dr. R.B. Jain, of the University of Delhi.
recognizable and contributing economic entity
The volume is dedicated to Professor Haramn Singh,
who
largely through technological transfer -
some
recently retired as the long-time head of the De-
of it
partment of Political Science at the University.
acquired during colonial periods, some
2
through the conscious benefactions just
devices, or budgetary plans, after an initial
described, and some perhaps by accident and
surge of seeming effectiveness, wither and
exposure.
During this very time,...
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