Development Administration

Introduction

Till nineteenth century the public administration was committed to laissez faire policy. In Twentieth century it became welfare oriented. The concept of Development Administration is a development of post-1945 era. It is mostly due to challenges thrown by newly independent states (NIS) from Third World or developing countries from Asia Africa, Latin America.

Challenges for public administration in NIS         

NIS constitutes of two third of the total world population. These countries have problems of poverty, unemployment, illiteracy, mal-nutrition and population explosion. In these countries, the government and administrative machinery are expected to play the role of agents of change and modernization. Development in these countries depends upon integration of socio-economic structures with political system. National development in those countries demands the process of integration and change, which involves transformation of the entire society from all economic, social, political and administrative sides. Change in the structure or behavior of economic, social, political and administrative institutions demands change in the attitudes, values and perspectives of the people.

Such challenges for public administration demanded different approach than traditional approach which was focused on efficiency and economy. Therefore new approach of development administration was advocated by scholars of comparative administration. This new approach was designed to suit varying needs of public administration in different ecological settings, and help to achieve a set of social goals.

Meaning of Development Administration

The term development administration was first coined by U.L. Goswami in 1955 and later popularized by scholars like Fred W. Riggs, Edwards W. Weidner, Joseph La Palombara. Weidner was the first to introduce the concept of Development Administration.

Scholars are not agreeing with the exact meaning of development administration. Weidner defines it as “an action-oriented, goal-oriented administrative system.” He has further viewed development administration as the process of guiding an organization towards the achievement of progressive political, economic and social objectives that are authoritatively determined in one manner or another.

He described development as a state of mind, a tendency, a direction rather than a fixed goal. Further, development is seen as “an aspect of change that is desirable, broadly predicted or planned, or at least influenced by governmental action.” Riggs viewed development as involving, “the increased ability of human societies to shape their physical, human and cultural environments.” A ‘developed’ system, therefore, is capable of changing its environment to a greater degree than an ‘underdeveloped’ system. He emphasize that the study of development administration can help to identify the conditions under which a maximum rate of development is sought and obtained.

Largely, it carries two implications:

Firstly, it refers to the administration of developmental programmes, the methods used by large-scale organizations, especially governments, to implement policies and plans designed to meet developmental goals. 

Secondly, Development Administration, by implication, involves the strengthening of administrative capabilities.

Pai Panandikar identifies development administration with “administration of planned change.” The administrative capabilities are strengthened to achieve developmental goals. This objective is linked with planning. The planned development is intended to achieve specific results within the specified time.  Basically therefore, the framework of development gravitates around a planned change which is derived from a purposeful decision to effect Improvements in a social system. The phrase development administration is intrinsically intertwined with this process of change. Essentially, development administration refers to the structure, organization and behavior necessary for the implementation of schemes and programmes of socio-economic change undertaken by the governments of developing nations.”

Today, Development Administration is concerned with the formulation and implementation of the four P’s – Plans, Policies, Programmes and Projects.

Features of Development Administration

1)      Change Orientation:

Development Administration’s central concern is socio-economic change. In this process of change it deliberately tries to reorient people in desired directions. The administrative system is thus called upon to play the role of a change-agent.

2)      Goal-orientation:

Development Administration is not just public administration in the sense of carrying out activities; it is a goal-oriented administration with emphasis on achieving social and economic goals.

3)      Result-orientation:

Development administration has to be change oriented since changes have to be brought about rapidly within a definite time schedule. It expects specific results and expresses in most areas fairly clear norms of performance. It is judged on the basis of results achieved.

4)      Citizen Participative Orientation:

Development is a process of socio-economic change. Its success depends upon citizen participation in public administration. Public servants must be equipped to carry people along with them and draw them actively into the development processes. This requires basic change in the outlook of civil servants towards people.

5)      Commitment to Work:

Development administration requires a firm commitment to socio-economic change, a sense of involvement and concern on the part of civil servants for completing time bound programmes.

6)      Innovativeness:

Development administration focuses on replacing or improving the existing governing structures and norms with the ones that suit the changing political and social environment.  In other words, development administration is one that is dynamic and progressive in thought and action.

7)      Client Orientation: 

Development administration is positively oriented towards meeting the needs of marginal farmers, landless agricultural labourers and rural artisans in developing countries. The socio-cultural and politico-economic progress of progress of these sections from the essential basis of the performance appraisal of development administration.

8)      Responsiveness and Accountability:

Development administration is required to be responsive and accountable. A development administrative system requires highly motivated personnel at all levels. Such personnel should be committed to the development goals and should have a high degree of enthusiasm to accomplish them. They need to posses and demonstrate their willingness, dedication and preservance to achieve the progressive goals of development.

9)      Temporal dimension:

Since socio-economic changes have to be brought about as quickly as possible, time assumes considerable importance in development administration. All development programmes are prepared for a certain time-frame and must be complete within that.

Development administration shapes the political, social and economic environment and also gets affected by it in turn. It is not a closed system. It receives feedback from the social system and responds to the demands put on it by the system.