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‘Pockets’ of effective agencies in weak governance states: Where are they likely and why does it matter?

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  • Nilima Gulrajani
  • Willy McCourt
  • David K. Leonard

Abstract

It is well established that even in countries that have poor governance and weak public sectors, exceptional well‐functioning government and government‐supported agencies do exist. What has not been established is where and why these ‘pockets of effectiveness’ are able to emerge. Some attribute their existence to exceptional leadership and good management. Others, while not doubting the importance of these internal factors, believe that these ‘pockets’ are generated by their place in the country's political economy. The literature on this subject is dominated by case studies and the consequence is that a very large number of hypotheses have been generated about what the political processes at work might be. This article inventories the array of available hypotheses and condenses them into five sets of meta‐hypotheses. It also discusses how social scientists and practitioners ought to think about something whose occurrence is idiosyncratic. The future of development administration will be enhanced by more informed choice of strategic opportunities—avoiding both political determinism and a naïve faith that all is equally possible to those who will it. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • Nilima Gulrajani & Willy McCourt & David K. Leonard, 2010. "‘Pockets’ of effective agencies in weak governance states: Where are they likely and why does it matter?," Public Administration & Development, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 30(2), pages 91-101, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:padxxx:v:30:y:2010:i:2:p:91-101
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    Cited by:

    1. Alexandre Marc & Alys Willman & Ghazia Aslam & Michelle Rebosio & Kanishka Balasuriya, 2013. "Societal Dynamics and Fragility : Engaging Societies in Responding to Fragile Situations," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 12222.
    2. Anna Wetterberg & Jana C. Hertz & Derick W. Brinkerhoff, 2018. "Social accountability in frontline service delivery: Citizen engagement and provider response in four Indonesian districts," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 564-585, March.
    3. Ching Leong, 2017. "Hajer’s institutional void and legitimacy without polity," Policy Sciences, Springer;Society of Policy Sciences, vol. 50(4), pages 573-583, December.
    4. Andrews, Matt, 2015. "Explaining Positive Deviance in Public Sector Reforms in Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 197-208.
    5. Matt Andrews, 2013. "Explaining Positive Deviance in Public Sector Reforms in Development," CID Working Papers 267, Center for International Development at Harvard University.
    6. Andrews, Matt, 2013. "Explaining Positive Deviance in Public Sector Reforms in Development," Working Paper Series rwp13-040, Harvard University, John F. Kennedy School of Government.
    7. John M. Luiz & Brian Ganson & Achim Wennmann, 2019. "Business environment reforms in fragile and conflict-affected states: From a transactions towards a systems approach," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 2(3), pages 217-236, September.
    8. Peiffer, Caryn & Armytage, Rosita, 2019. "Searching for success: A mixed methods approach to identifying and examining positive outliers in development outcomes," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 121(C), pages 97-107.
    9. Benjamin Chemouni, 2019. "The rise of the economic technocracy in Rwanda - A case of a bureaucratic pocket of effectiveness or state-building prioritisation?," Global Development Institute Working Paper Series esid-120-19, GDI, The University of Manchester.

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