Transforming Institution Transforming Institution for Results-focused Policyfor Results-focused Policy

Jibgar JoshiJibgar Joshi

Basic conceptsBasic concepts

Policy makes impact on the resultant/overall course of actions Policy makes impact on the resultant/overall course of actions (inactions) performed by the government, business, (inactions) performed by the government, business, community, and individuals for human well-being. It is community, and individuals for human well-being. It is influenced by:influenced by:

International concernsInternational concerns Obligations of a welfare stateObligations of a welfare state Government functionsGovernment functions BusinessBusiness CommunitiesCommunities Civil societies, pressure groups.Civil societies, pressure groups.Policy should facilitate actions taken by different actors.Policy should facilitate actions taken by different actors.All actors align their policies with the public policy. All actors align their policies with the public policy. Policy is generally made to solve problems but it also creates Policy is generally made to solve problems but it also creates

unintended problems. It is also used as a tool for allocation unintended problems. It is also used as a tool for allocation and reallocation of resources. Investments depend on it.and reallocation of resources. Investments depend on it.

What Leads to PolicyWhat Leads to Policy

Existing problemsExisting problems External concerns and external fundingExternal concerns and external funding DiagnosisDiagnosis InformationInformation Global commitmentsGlobal commitments Demonstrative effects Demonstrative effects Transnational business operationTransnational business operation Governance at different levels: global, national, regional Governance at different levels: global, national, regional

and localand local National politicsNational politics Community needs, resources and networksCommunity needs, resources and networks Political demand-making, pressure groups (civil Political demand-making, pressure groups (civil

societies)societies)

Elements of PolicyElements of Policy

Vision of New NepalVision of New Nepal National Space and IntegrationNational Space and Integration Poverty Alleviation and Socio-economic Vision Poverty Alleviation and Socio-economic Vision Integration with Global EconomyIntegration with Global Economy Economic Resilience Economic Resilience Investments Investments Environment and Sustainable Development Environment and Sustainable Development Good Governance with Effective Provision of ServicesGood Governance with Effective Provision of Services Institution Institution (institutional changes as condition) (institutional changes as condition)

Institution is key to policyInstitution is key to policy

InstitutionInstitution All the elements are shaped through values and culture All the elements are shaped through values and culture

associated with institutions.associated with institutions. Policy is interpreted by institution. Policy is interpreted by institution. Implementation depends on institution.Implementation depends on institution.A diverse range of organizations in action for making A diverse range of organizations in action for making

governance better. However these can also:governance better. However these can also: Legitimize wrong actionsLegitimize wrong actions Limit the access of the people to servicesLimit the access of the people to services Exploit the people-bound resources Exploit the people-bound resources Diffuse accountabilityDiffuse accountability Provide immunity to political leaders Provide immunity to political leaders Cause delay by postponing decisions and actions.Cause delay by postponing decisions and actions.

CHANGING PERSPECTIVESCHANGING PERSPECTIVES

Institution has become more and more complex.Institution has become more and more complex.

Community and social network predominatedCommunity and social network predominated Increased public involvement Increased public involvement PrivatizationPrivatization Global impact Global impact Partnership Partnership Coordination and integrated actionCoordination and integrated action Consensus and coalition of interest of stakeholdersConsensus and coalition of interest of stakeholders

ProblemsProblems Policy environment is not appropriate Policy environment is not appropriate Inadequate and obsolete institution Inadequate and obsolete institution Increasing complexityIncreasing complexity Frequent and immature policy changesFrequent and immature policy changes Weak in implementationWeak in implementation Unrealistic targetsUnrealistic targets Organizational culture not service orientedOrganizational culture not service oriented Lack of commitment, personal interestLack of commitment, personal interest Political factors Political factors Lack of coordinated policy responseLack of coordinated policy response Policy seen as an end in itself; not as a meansPolicy seen as an end in itself; not as a means Government spending does not ensure optimum use.Government spending does not ensure optimum use. Lack of consensus: diverging perspectives of stakeholdersLack of consensus: diverging perspectives of stakeholders Lack of accountability, Corruption.Lack of accountability, Corruption.

DiagnosisDiagnosis Bureaucratic resistance in changing the role of the Bureaucratic resistance in changing the role of the

government to an enabling rolegovernment to an enabling role Donors’ influence and lack of harmony Donors’ influence and lack of harmony Delay and non-performance (rewards and impunity) Delay and non-performance (rewards and impunity) Unnecessary costs in getting servicesUnnecessary costs in getting services Cover-ups and manipulationCover-ups and manipulation Limited access to informationLimited access to information Not results-based Not results-based Indifference to people’s sufferingIndifference to people’s suffering Informal channels Informal channels Lack of innovative and creative attitudeLack of innovative and creative attitude Lack of public faith in governanceLack of public faith in governance

GovernmentGovernment Mechanism we use for collective action to solve our Mechanism we use for collective action to solve our

problems and satisfy our needsproblems and satisfy our needs Makes more and more policies and disables the private Makes more and more policies and disables the private

initiatives initiatives Creates new institutions without any purposeCreates new institutions without any purpose The government itself has but little success stories.The government itself has but little success stories.Government action depends on:Government action depends on: The role of a Welfare stateThe role of a Welfare state Market functionsMarket functions Pressure groupsPressure groups External influenceExternal influenceGovernment: short term, need to get elected. With frequent Government: short term, need to get elected. With frequent

change in government, policy also changes.change in government, policy also changes. Leadership in government Leadership in government Changes in organizational cultureChanges in organizational culture The dominance of the government is decreasing.The dominance of the government is decreasing.

Organized Private SectorOrganized Private Sector

Profit-oriented, interest in the private goodProfit-oriented, interest in the private good Taking after the evils of governmentTaking after the evils of government They exploit the services of the informal sector They exploit the services of the informal sector Not competitive to face the global challengesNot competitive to face the global challenges Do not take adequate risksDo not take adequate risks Policy not enabling enough and does not encourage Policy not enabling enough and does not encourage

producers to do better jobproducers to do better job Limited contribution to innovation and R & DLimited contribution to innovation and R & D Free access to knowledge-based resources Free access to knowledge-based resources Actuated by global opportunitiesActuated by global opportunities Lack of corporate social responsibilityLack of corporate social responsibility

Community SectorCommunity Sector

The elements of policy will be duly taken care of if we could The elements of policy will be duly taken care of if we could focus on community. focus on community.

Empowerment Empowerment Problem of getting integrated with othersProblem of getting integrated with others Risk of being exploited Risk of being exploited Vulnerable Vulnerable Community produce expropriated by other sectorsCommunity produce expropriated by other sectors Need for integration of community efforts with the formal Need for integration of community efforts with the formal

sectorssectors Self-reliant economySelf-reliant economy Community-driven policyCommunity-driven policy

Civil SocietiesCivil Societies

Help protect the community sector from being exploited Help protect the community sector from being exploited by the public sector as well as the private sector by the public sector as well as the private sector

Enhance the role of community sector Enhance the role of community sector Focus on community needs and community based Focus on community needs and community based

initiatives. initiatives. Increasing access of Civil Societies in governanceIncreasing access of Civil Societies in governance Relationships with donors, government and business.Relationships with donors, government and business. Increasing opportunity for Civil Societies to influence Increasing opportunity for Civil Societies to influence

policy.policy.

NEANEA Limited scope for engineers. Limited scope for engineers. Political undermining of technical rationalityPolitical undermining of technical rationality Competence buildingCompetence building Awareness generationAwareness generation Sustainable provision of services required by the people Sustainable provision of services required by the people Projects not assessed in terms of their contribution to Projects not assessed in terms of their contribution to

result. result. Lack of objective criteria Lack of objective criteria Inadequate R & D Inadequate R & D Appropriate technologyAppropriate technology Focus on Community initiativesFocus on Community initiatives build pressure to make policy for the peoplebuild pressure to make policy for the people Help the formal sector to build competence to move to Help the formal sector to build competence to move to

results to enhance social goodresults to enhance social good

What leads to better policies?What leads to better policies?

Self-reliant systemSelf-reliant system Affordability Sustainable consumption and austerityAffordability Sustainable consumption and austerity Realistic targetsRealistic targets Community-owned initiatives Community-owned initiatives Capacity buildingCapacity building TechnologyTechnology Standards Standards R & DR & D ConsensusConsensus TransparencyTransparency Objective way of looking at things Results focused Objective way of looking at things Results focused

approachapproach Encouraging good actions, Encouraging good actions, Consensus and contentment of the coalition Consensus and contentment of the coalition

Transforming InstitutionTransforming Institution Enabling role of the governmentEnabling role of the government Interfere only when something better can be done. Interfere only when something better can be done.

Policies in which there is consensus of the coalition of Policies in which there is consensus of the coalition of the stakeholders will be complied with.the stakeholders will be complied with.

Based on community needs that respond to the well felt Based on community needs that respond to the well felt needs, there will be good response.needs, there will be good response.

Use Dreams and Vision for inspiring and motivating Use Dreams and Vision for inspiring and motivating members of an organization.members of an organization.

Leadership Leadership Accountability Accountability Participatory Participatory Service oriented Service oriented Equity Equity SustainabilitySustainability Strengthen community sectorStrengthen community sector

ConclusionConclusion Policies should help to align different stakeholders to build consensus. Policies should help to align different stakeholders to build consensus.

They should enable institutions. They should enable institutions. The benefits of any policy is measured by the impact it makes.The benefits of any policy is measured by the impact it makes. Look at results in judging whether policies are good or bad. The result will Look at results in judging whether policies are good or bad. The result will

depend not only on the policy but also on how others have aligned with it.depend not only on the policy but also on how others have aligned with it. To make policy in any sector effective, it should consider all the elements.To make policy in any sector effective, it should consider all the elements. Transformation to a new Nepal requires community-driven policy.Transformation to a new Nepal requires community-driven policy. Change will be difficult if we fail to get rid of old institution and obsolete Change will be difficult if we fail to get rid of old institution and obsolete

organizational culture.organizational culture. NEA can make a difference in the reshaping of policies to make them NEA can make a difference in the reshaping of policies to make them

community-based and results-focused. It should help to:community-based and results-focused. It should help to:- Raise awareness Raise awareness - Build competence in engineers to resist from being co-opted to support Build competence in engineers to resist from being co-opted to support

any sort of bad governanceany sort of bad governance- Motivate engineers to learn through working with communities and Motivate engineers to learn through working with communities and

develop appropriate technologydevelop appropriate technology- Develop information system and ensure transparency and accountabilityDevelop information system and ensure transparency and accountability- Promote service-oriented approachPromote service-oriented approach- Bring changes in organizational culture and create pressure for good Bring changes in organizational culture and create pressure for good

governance.governance.

Thanks.Thanks.