Good Governance: A Primer on Selected Theories and Approaches

1. Good Governance: A Primer on Selected Theories and Approaches NIAZ AHMED KHAN Ph.D. (Wales), Post Doc. (Oxford) Professor of Development Studies, University of Dhaka; Executive Director, Centre for Resources and Development Research, c/o University of Chittagong And Former Country Representative-Bangladesh, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)

2. Defining Governance • Ambiguity, debates, ramifications of the concept • Some popularly cited definitions: • The functioning of state and of civil society, their interaction and processes, norms and institutions by which they operate at the various levels, ranging from international to national, regional and local, and in all the areas of concern to society i.e. the economic, social, cultural and political sectors (UNU) • The exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to manage a nation's affairs at all levels. It is the complex mechanisms, processes, and institutions through which citizens and groups articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights and obligations and mediate their differences (UNDP) Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

3. Understanding Governance: The Key Components • The complex mix of state and civil society and the consequent balance between public, private and nonprofit sectors (who does what and why) • The steering of socioeconomic system (relating to democracy and participation) • The interlinkages between various actors and sectors in state and civil society • Functional: policy making and implementations process • Institutional mechanisms relating to the above • Reform models and strategies: civil service & administrative reform • Governance concerns not only institutions, but also quality of governance which expresses itself through such attributes as accountability, transparency, efficiency, empowerment etc. Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

4. Understanding Governance: The ‘Good’ in Good Governance • Political accountability (through credible electoral processes • Freedom of association and participation • A sound judicial system • Bureaucratic accountability and transparency in public fund management • Freedom of information and expression • Capacity building in public sector including reforms • Respect for Universal Declaration of Human Rights Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

5. A Probe into the Conceptual Evolution of Governance • The concept arose in the 1980s in the International Finance Institutions (IFI’s) such as the World Bank, the IMF, UNDP as a positive extrapolation from the negative experiences that these organizations had had in the “developing countries” by observing that their financial aid seemed to have had no effect • From this, they deducted an absence of institutions, principles, and structures, the entirety of which was called “Governance” – and “Good Governance” when they worked well. Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

6. A Probe into the Conceptual Evolution of Governance (continued) • Within the State sector itself, many of the principles of “Good Governance” were identical with the Public Administration (PA) reform concept of the “New Public Management” (NPM). • Critics from the “Third World” thus often saw or see the demand for “Good Governance” as a form of Neo-Colonialist Imperialism and as part of negative Globalization, since it demands the creation of institutions and structures before economic development, while all wealthy countries of the “West” had established them only afterwards • Good governance has become a political and economic conditionality that is inseparable from debates about appropriate bilateral and Multilateral financing for developing and formerly socialist bloc countries. • International efforts, in recent decades, have thus supported political democratization (including elections, accountability and human rights) and economic liberalization. Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

7. Two Broad Approaches to Governance • The first approach (conceived & promoted by WB & several UN institutions) emphasizes leadership, i.e. the manner in which (state) political leaders manage or use (or misuse) power — whether it promotes social and economic development or pursues agendas that undermine such goals. • This was made explicit in the World Bank’s first application of the concept to Africa. Governance was regarded as the single most important if not the sole explanation of Africa’s underdevelopment (World Bank, 1989: 60). • A second approach focuses on the sharing of authority for public management between state and non-state organizations. This school views governance as forms of multi-organizational action rather than involving only state institutions. Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

8. Five Theoretical Propositions in understanding Governance G. Stoker draws five propositions to comprehend the concept of Governance • Governance refers to institutions and actors from within and beyond government • Governance identifies the blurring of boundaries and responsibilities for tacking social and economic issues • Governance identifies the power dependence involved in the relationships between institutions involved in collective actions • Governance is about autonomous self-governing network of actors • Governance recognizes the capacity to get things done which done not rest on the power of government to command or use its authority Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

9. Key Stakeholders of Governance No absolute list of stakeholders can be drawn up. Governance Health Check developed by Governance International (GI) includes the following stakeholders • Citizens • Politicians representing specific issues • Third Sector Representatives (CBOs,VOs and Charity) • Business Sector • The Media (Press, TV and Radio) • Government Departments and Agencies (Officials) • Other Level of government officials • Donors/INGOs/NGO • The boundary is flexible and it is indicative rather than cut and dried Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan

10. Acknowledgement and Key References Acknowledgement I am indebted to Dr. Triabur Rahman, Associate Professor and Chair of the Department of Development Studies, University of Dhaka for kindly sharing some of the information and materials used in this presentation. Barenstein J. 1994. Overcoming Fussy Governance in Bangladesh, University Press Limited, Dhaka. GoB 2004. Unlocking the Potential: National Strategy for Accelerated Poverty Reduction, Planning Commission, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka. GoB and UN.2005. Millennium development Goals: Bangladesh Progress Report, Government of Bangladesh and United Nations Country Team, Dhaka. Hye H.A. (ed.) 2000. Governance: South Asian Perspectives, The University Press Limited, Dhaka. Rahman A., Ali A.M.M.S., Rahman M.H., and Siddiqui K. 1993. Towards Better Government in Bangladesh, Report to the Prime Minister, Government of Bangladesh, Dhaka. Rahman H.Z. 2005. Engaging on ‘Good Governance’: A Search for Entry Points, Power and Participation Research Centre, Dhaka. Stoker G. 1998. Governance as Theory: Five Propositions, ISSJ 155, UNESCO 9published by Blackwell). Werlin H.H. 2003. Poor Nations and Rich Nations: A theory of governance, Public Administration Review, Vol.63, No.3, pp. Presented by Professor Niaz Ahmed Khan