Problems of Coordination in Local Administration in Bangladesh Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy (M. Phil) in Public Administration A. H. M. Kamrul Ahsan Department of Administration and Organization Theory University of Bergen, Norway Spring, 2010 Dedicated........ To my parents and only beloved nephew, Who are the sources of all my inspiration. Md. Abdul Wahed Miah Mst. Anjumanara Begum A. K. M. Zahid Bin Azad ( Kathak) i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT All credits go to the Allah, the Almighty whose unlimited blessings have brought me to where I am today. With gratitude, I acknowledge the contribution and support of Dr. Ishtiaq Jamil, my supervisor and Associate Professor at the Department of Administration and Organization Theory. His guidance and assistance enabled me to ponder on and perceive from different standpoints, as well as accurately express my ideas. I would not have been able to do these without his generously sharing his insights into the research problem throughout my thesis writing period. I appreciate the inspiration provided by Dr. Pranab Kumar Panday, my respectable teacher, during my 22-month long studies at the University of Bergen (UiB)—I will always carry his inspiration with me. Special thanks to my father who helped me collect data by providing the support of his personal network. I am grateful to my friend Ripon Kumar Saha who made data collection convenient for me by providing his motorcycle. I am indebted to all the respondents, especially the UNO of Shadullapur Upazila for giving me their valuable time, patience, and attention. I also thank officers-in-charge of libraries of Department of Public Administration, University of Rajshahi, National Institute of Local Government, Dhaka, and Bangladesh Public Administration Training Centre, Dhaka for providing me with copies of relevant documents. I also acknowledge institutional support from the Department of Administration and Organization Theory and UiB. I am indebted to the Norwegian Government for providing financial support through the Norwegian State Educational Loan Fund (Lånekassen) and University of Rajshahi, Bangladesh for allowing me to go on study leave. I especially acknowledge the emotional support and encouragement provided by my parents, sister, and brother-in-law throughout the period of my study at the Department of Administration and Organization Theory in UiB, Norway. The views expressed in this thesis are mine and do not necessarily reflect those of UiB. A. H. M. Kamrul Ahsan Department of Administration and Organization Theory, University of Bergen, Norway, Spring 2010. ii Table of Contents Acknowledgement ii Table of Contents iii Lists of Tables, Figures, Boxs and Maps vii List of Acronyms ix Abstract xi Chapter One: Introductory Discussion 1 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2. Statement of the problem 2 1.2.1. Coordination at the upazila level 3 1.3. Significance of the study 5 1.4. Research objectives 6 1.5. Research questions 6 1.6. Scope of the study 7 1.7. Unit of analysis 7 1.8. Structure of the thesis 9 Chapter Two: Theoretical and Conceptual Framework 11 2.1. Introduction 11 2.2. The literature review 11 2.3. Theoretical point of departure 13 2.4. Dependent variable 14 2.4.1. Coordination 14 2.4.2. Inter-organisational coordination 15 a. How can inter-organisational coordination be studied? 17 2.5. Independent variables 18 2.5.1. Formal division of labour 18 2.5.2. Informal communication 21 2.5.3. Resources 25 a. Financial resource and coordination 25 b. Human resource and coordination 26 2.5.4. Organisational culture 27 iii a. How can organisational culture and coordination be studied in Bangladesh? 32 2.6. Conclusion 34 Chapter Three: Methodology 36 3.1. Introduction 36 3.2. Research design 36 3.2.1. Rationale behind using the qualitative approach 36 a. Research problem 37 b. Personal experience 37 3.3. Research strategy 37 3.3.1 The logic behind selecting particular policy area 38 3.4. Reasons behind the selection of the unit of analysis 39 3.5. Methods of data collection 40 3.5.1. Interview 40 3.5.2. Documentation 43 3.6. Problems of data collection 43 3.7. Reliability and validity of data 45 3.7.1. Reliability of data 45 3.7.2. Validity of data 46 3.8. Conclusion 46 Chapter Four: Development of Field Administration in Bangladesh: Pendulous or Static? 47 4.1. Introduction 47 4.2. Field administration 47 4.3. Historical development of field administration in Bangladesh 47 4.3.1. The British Period (1600-1947) 48 4.3.2. The Pakistan Period (1947-1971) 49 a. Thana Council (TC) 50 b. Thana Training and Development Centre (TTDC) 50 4.3.3. The Bangladesh Period (1971-2009) 51 a. Division 54 b. District 54 c. Upazila 55 iv d. Union 55 4.4. The System of local governance 56 4.4.1. Urban local governance 57 4.4.2. Rural local governance 57 a. Zila (district) Parishad 58 b. Upazila Parishad (UPZ) 58 c. Union Parishad 58 4.5. Conclusion 58 Chapter Five: Factors Affecting Inter-departmental Coordination 59 5.1. Introduction 59 5.2. Does inter-departmental coordination matter? A study of policy implementation 59 5.2.1. Existing mechanisms of coordination 60 5.2.2. Coordination problems faced by respondents 60 5.2.3. How does coordination matter? 65 5.2.4. Way to ensure coordination as suggested by respondents 66 5.3. Does formal division of labour matter? 66 5.3.1. Why does division of labour matter? 66 5.3.2. Do existing rules matter? 67 5.3.3. How does division of labour matter? 68 5.4. Resources 72 5.4.1. Does financial resource matter? 72 a. Why does financial resource matter? 72 b. How does financial resource matter? 72 c. Does the existing pattern of fund disbursement matter? 73 d. How is coordination impeded by the untimely disbursement of funds? 73 5.4.2. Does human resource matter? 75 a. Why does skilled human resource matter? 75 b. How does skilled human resource matter? 76 c. How does shortage of human resource matter? 76 5.5. Does informal communication matter? 79 5.5.1. Why does informal communication matter? 79 5.5.2. Does status quo matter? 80 5.5.3. How does informal communication matter? 81 v 5.6. Conclusion 82 Chapter Six: Inter-departmental Coordination: the Role of Organisational Culture83 6.1. Introduction 83 6.2. Does organisational culture matter? 83 6.2.1. What does matter? Top-down versus skill and expertise 83 a. Does elitism matter? 83 b. How does elitism matter? 84 c. Does supremacy matter? 86 d. How does supremacy matter? 87 6.2.2. Do working procedures and norms matter? 89 a. How do differences in working procedures and norms matter? 90 6.2.3. Does loyalty matter? 91 a. How does loyalty matter? 91 6.2.4. Does status matter? 92 a. How does status matter? 92 6.2.5. How does cooperation Matter? 94 6.3. Policy implementation: Impact of the lack of inter-departmental coordination 96 6.3.1. When does coordination matter? 96 a. Timely policy implementation 96 b. Quality of implementation work 97 6.4. Conclusion 98 Chapter Seven: Discussion and Conclusion 99 7.1. Introduction 99 7.2. Review of study's objectives, theory, and methodology 99 7.3. Major findings of the study 99 7.3.1. Inter-departmental coordination in policy implementation: what matters? 99 7.3.2. Formal division of labour: what matters? 100 7.3.3. Resources: what matters? 100 7.3.4. Informal communication: what matters? 101 7.3.5. Organisational culture: what matters? 102 7.3.6. Policy implementation: what matters? 103 7.4. Usefulness of theories used in this study 103 vi 7.5. Generalization of the findings 103 7.6. Conclusion and implications for further research 104 Bibliography 105 Appendixes 111 Appendix-A 111 Appendix-B 114 List of Tables, Figures, Boxs and Maps List of Tables: Table 1: Basic sphere between generalist-specialist conflict in Bangladesh 34 Table 2: List of Respondents 41 Table 3: Phases of the upgradation of thanas 53 Table 4: Territorial structure of administration in Bangladesh 55 Table 5: Hierarchy of urban local governments 57 Table 6: Total number of vacant and occupied posts of AC Land in Bangladesh 78 Table 7: Relationship between coordination and other variables 90 List of Figures: Figure 1: Existing structure of local government in Bangladesh 9 Figure 2: Existing structure of field administration in Bangladesh 9 Figure 3: Relationship between coordination and multi-organisational involvement in policy implementation 14 Figure 4: Conceptual framework of coordination in upazila 15 Figure 5: Determinants of coordination modes 16 Figure 6: Relationship between coordination and agreement on goals and means 18 Figure 7: An interplay between division of labour and coordination 21 Figure 8: A model of relationship between informal communication and coordination 24 Figure 9: Model of relationship between resources and coordination 26 Figure 10: Trust is an intervening variable in the case of relationship between common organisational culture and coordination 29 vii Figure 11: Model of multidimensional relationship between cultural compatibility and coordination 30 Figure 12: Analytical framework of the study 35 Figure 13: Status of field administration in Bangladesh before administrative reform was carried out in 1982. 52 Figure 14: Present status of field administration in Bangladesh 53 Figure 15: Relationship between timely funding and coordination based on respondents’ opinions 73 List of Boxs: Box 1: Significance of informal communication in coordination 24 List of Maps: Map 1: Map of Gaibandha District 40 Map 2: Map of Bangladesh indicating the location of divisions 54 Map 3: Map of Bangladesh where national capital, six divisional cities, other district headquarters are shown 56 viii List of Acronyms AC Land Assistant Commissioner, Land ACR Annual Confidential Report ADB Asian Development Bank ADC Additional Deputy Commissioner ADM Additional District Magistrate ADP Annual Development Programme ASRC Administration and Services Reorganization Committee BADC Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation BD Basic Democracy BRDB Bangladesh Rural Development Board BUET Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology CARR Committee for Administrative Reform/Reorganization CO Circle Officer DC Deputy Commissioner DDC District Development Coordinator DG District Governor DPHE Department of Public Health and Engineering GoB The Government of Bangladesh JS Jatio Sangshad LGED Local Government Engineering Department LGED&C Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives LGSP Local Government Support Program NICARR National Implementation Committee for Administrative Reorganization/Reform NIPA National Institute of Public Administration PIC Project Implementation Committee PIO Project Implementation Officer SDO Sub-divisional Officer SP Superintendent of Police TC Thana Council TNO Thana Nirbahi Officer TTDC Thana Training and Development Centre ix