Effective government performance is essential for state development. Where should capacity-building initiatives be focused? Why does the traditional focus on training and organisation structures produce weak results?
A paper funded by the United Nations Development Fund considers the assumptions underlying initiatives aimed at improving public sector performance in developing countries. The project establishes a framework for identifying capacity gaps and suitable intervention strategies and tests this in six developing countries: Bolivia, the Central African Republic, Ghana, Morocco, Sri Lanka and Tanzania.
This framework identifies five areas which may affect the public sector’s ability to perform effectively, efficiently and in terms of maximising sustainability: the action environment (the economic, social and political context); the institutional context of the public sector; the network of organisations involved in a task; the organisations themselves and the human resources available.
Capacity-building interventions must be sensitive to the inter-relationships between the five dimensions identified by this research and their varying importance between countries. Performance is driven more by strong organisational cultures, good management practices and effective communication networks than by rules and regulations or procedures and pay scales.
Other conclusions from the study are that:
- Capacity-building interventions are most difficult to make and take longest at the broadest level of the action environment
- Countries will build sustainable public sector capacity only when they promote broad-based economic growth strategies; invest adequately in human development and develop stable and legitimate political institutions that are effective in mediating economic and social conflict
- Interventions in the institutional context should focus on providing suitable salaries, a minimal level of structures and procedures, and standards of good performance
- Task networks rely on active mechanisms for interaction and coordination that are multidirectional and focused on task performance and problem-solving
Public sector performance capacity is weakened the most by low economic growth, political instability, low human resources development and extensive social conflict. The relationship between democracy and performance capacity is not always positive.
- Interventions introduced at the human resources, organisational or network level may not improve capacity if other constraints are more binding
- Highly politicised environments reduce capacity performance
- Non-monetary incentives can compensate for financial constraints which might otherwise result in organisational brain-drain and problems in recruiting qualified staff
- It is important to establish links between the institutions that train professional and technical resources and the organisations that recruit them
- The best organisational performers emphasise equality, participation and flexibility
- An organisational culture with an enhanced professional integrity and a focused mission will increase performance capacity
