Good Governance as a Concept, and Why This Matters for Development Policy (original) (raw)
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This study explores the conceptual interface between democracy, development and good governance. It also examines the symbiosis between the three concepts, from theoretical perspective and the praxis. The paper historicizes and traces the emergence of good governance as a concept and universally acceptable principle and its use in international development literature to situate how public institutions ought to or should conduct public affairs and manage public resources, particularly within the frameworks of corporate, international, national and local administration or organizations, and the civil society. The study examines the relationship between democracy, good governance and development in Nigeria and blames the slow pace or the state of development in the country, not on lack of resources, but on the absence of good governance, transparency and accountability. It also identifies pervasive corruption and weakness of institutions of the Nigerian state which individuals manipula...
Research and Analysis Journal , 2018
This paper revisits the main arguments on the role of ̳good governance‘ in facilitating economic development. It observes that there are some examples in which neoliberal ̳good governance‘ played a role in facilitating economic development but there are many other examples in which countries attained some level of economic development with governance institutions that were bereft of much 'good governance‘ elements. Thus, it concludes that 'good governance‘ is not an essential pre-requisite for development but it might play some role in facilitating development. The paper argues against the dominant 'one-size-fits-all‘ approach to good governance and support 'good enough governance‘, that encourage reforms to be questioned, prioritised, and made relevant to the conditions of individual countries.
Yönetim ve ekonomi araştırmaları dergisi, 2022
The role of the state in development has undergone substantial changes under the influence of the New Institutional Economics. The new school, which grounds the emergence of the state as an institution on rational individual behaviors, assumes that the developmental state is not intervening and restricting but coordinating and developing. Influencing neo-liberal development economists, this view also holds that the complementarities are key between the state, market, and civil society, which shines out the goal of good governance more and more. However, the goal that includes comprehensive institutional reforms is far from being realistic and feasible for developing countries. These countries with limited resources need to rely on the improvement of institutional capacity while implementing economic development policies, considering diverse development stages and unique institution compositions. The present paper addresses the "good enough governance" and "just enough governance" approaches that emerge with the understanding of an effective state in economic development and are shaped around good governance but develop a critical perspective. In this respect, the study explores the significance of organizing the institutional reforms according to the states' existing institutional capacities and development levels, as well as determining the priorities transparently in the development process.
Final report: Member state and other donor approaches to good governance in development cooperation
2003
This report presents an overview on approaches to governance-related issues and links with poverty reduction objectives of development cooperation among a sample of European Union (EU) Member States and other donors. The report forms part of a study commissioned by the European Community Poverty Reduction Effectiveness Programme (EC-PREP) to contribute to the definition of a consistent and common EU approach to governance related issues within the EC Directorate General Development (EC-DEV) initiative on Institutional Capacity Building. The Development Policy Coherence and Forward Studies unit within EC-DEV/B1 is coordinating this initiative. The report is divided into four main sections: Section 1: provides contextual information including study objectives, core good governance areas covered, study methodology and analytical framework used; Sections 2 & 3: provide summary profiles of both Member State and other donor approaches to good governance; Section 3: offers an analysis of e...
Geo. Public Pol'y Rev., 2001
Prompted by concerns over the effectiveness of aid, the World Bank has significantly stretched its policy frontiers by endorsing "good governance" as a core element of its development strategy. Governance, which captures the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country's economic and social resources for development, is a multifaceted concept. Limited by its restrictive mandate and institutional ethos, the Bank has adopted a restrictive approach, confining itself to the economic dimensions of governance. Nevertheless, this evolution represents an ambivalent enterprise with both promises and dilemmas, as the inherent tension between the economic and political dimensions of governance appears the most contentious issue. While democracy tends to refer to the legitimacy of government, good governance refers to the effectiveness of government. This article assesses the Bank's approach for promoting good governance in developing countries. It argues that that the quality of governance is ultimately attributable to its democratic content. Neither democracy nor good governance is sustainable without the other. Consequently, democracy and good governance need to converge, both conceptually and practically, in the study and practice of public policymaking. Therefore, for the Bank to substantially improve good governance in developing countries, it will need to explicitly address issues of power, politics and democracy. The article further argues that aid conditionality is not the most appropriate approach to strengthen good governance in developing countries. What is needed is a more radical approach in which donors cede control to the recipient country, within the framework of agreed-upon objectives.
Development Through Good Governance
European Journal of Social Sciences Education and Research, 2016
Since the 1990s the concept ‘good governance’ has become one of the most widely used in debates in development, public policy and international relations. Despite its recent prominence the concept ‘good governance’ has frequently used in different meanings and implications. Following an introduction, which includes a historiographic note on development discourse, the first part of this paper is intended to be an overview of diverse definitions, interpretations and measuring problems of good governance. The purport of the second part of this paper is to focus on whether good governance matters in development or not, the performance of good governance in Albania. This paper has argued that good governance is indispensable in Albania, because misgovernance is a great hindrance and predicament to development. The politicization of bureaucracy, judiciary, appointment, transfer and promotion in all most all offices, lack of voice and accountability, inefficiency and satisfying the vested ...
Good governance as key to the flow of foreign development aid: the sub-Saharan Africa perspective
2018
The aim of this study was to evaluate the importance of good governance to the flow of foreign development aid. The researcher used the sub-Saharan Africa region to accomplish the aim of his study. The study examined the extent to which foreign development aid has been targeted at countries with sound governance systems, that is, strong institutions and policies. This study therefore determined whether the flow of foreign development aid in sub-Saharan African developing countries has changed since the endorsement of the "Monterrey Consensus" by targeting those countries with sound economic institutions and policy environments. Empirical and theoretical literature was reviewed on foreign development aid as well as governance systems especially the Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG), which was discussed and used in this study as the governance indicator system. The study's results and findings were deduced from secondary data which addressed the governance indicators in sub-Saharan Africa for 2010 to 2015, gathered from the IIAG assessment reports of 12 selected sub-Saharan African countries as well as the amount of foreign development aid received by each of the countries during the same period gathered from OECD and World Bank statistics. Additionally, inferential analysis was undertaken using the Spearman's correlation test as well as a multiple linear regression analysis to establish the relationships and/or impact of the governance indicators on the flow of foreign development aid to sub-Saharan Africa. The study concluded that the combined effect of all the governance indicators have a statistical significant effect on the flow of foreign development aid to developing countries in sub-Saharan Africa. Individually, Participation and Human Rights indicators as well as Sustainable Economic Opportunities indicators have a positive effect or impact on the flow of foreign development aid in sub-Saharan African countries, with Sustainable Economic Opportunities indicators having the highest impact. However, Safety and Rule of Law indicators were discovered to have a negative effect on the flow of foreign development aid in sub-Saharan Africa whilst Human Development indicators were discovered not to have any effect or impact. On the other hand, the study also noted that in further determining allocations funding agencies may consider a country's Safety and Rule of Law indicators as well as Human Development indicators whilst Participation and Human Rights indicators and Sustainable Economic Opportunity indicators were seen not have any significant effect on determination of funding allocations.
Good Governance and Aid Effectiveness: The World Bank and Conditionality
Prompted by concerns over the effectiveness of aid, the World Bank has significantly stretched its policy frontiers by endorsing "good governance" as a core element of its development strategy. Governance, which captures the manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country's economic and social resources for development, is a multifaceted concept. Limited by its restrictive mandate and institutional ethos, the Bank has adopted a restrictive approach, confining itself to the economic dimensions of governance. Nevertheless, this evolution represents an ambivalent enterprise with both promises and dilemmas, as the inherent tension between the economic and political dimensions of governance appears the most contentious issue. While democracy tends to refer to the legitimacy of government, good governance refers to the effectiveness of government. This article assesses the Bank's approach for promoting good governance in developing countries. It argues that that the quality of governance is ultimately attributable to its democratic content. Neither democracy nor good governance is sustainable without the other. Consequently, democracy and good governance need to converge, both conceptually and practically, in the study and practice of public policymaking. Therefore, for the Bank to substantially improve good governance in developing countries, it will need to explicitly address issues of power, politics and democracy. The article further argues that aid conditionality is not the most appropriate approach to strengthen good governance in developing countries. What is needed is a more radical approach in which donors cede control to the recipient country, within the framework of agreed-upon objectives.