Development Administration- Concept and Meaning



Development Administration (DA) is one of the newest branches of Public Administration, having its inception after the post 2nd world war period when most of the countries in the world became independent. DA is the mechanism through which countries achieve socio- economic progress and usher in development. The essence of DA lies in the capacity to bring about a structural and behavioural change in administration, to improve the capacity of institutions by embracing change orientation. Development administration is the means through which governments bring about a perceptible change in the economy of a country.

Definition:

There is no uniform definition to DA, but there are many characteristic features which have universal acceptability and applicability. Edward Weidner is the first to explain the definition of DA. However, the term “Development Administration” was first used by the Indian civil servant U. L. Goswami  in 1955 in his article “The structure of Development Administration in India”. The conceptualization and early patronage to the subject was first given by American scholars viz., George Gant, F. W. Riggs, Edward Weidner, John Montgomery, Hahn Been Lee, Milton J. Esman and Ferrel heady etc. Many of these scholars have sought to differentiate DA from traditional administration.

Distinction between traditional and Development Administration (as presented by Sadana & Sarma):

S. No.
Traditional Administration
Development Administration
1
Regulatory Administration
Unpredictable new tasks owing to a rapidly changing environment
2
Oriented towards efficiency and economy
Oriented towards organisational growth and effectiveness in achievement of goals
3
Conformity to rules and procedures
Emphasis on high programme standards
4
Sharp and elaborate hierarchical structure
Structure shaped by requirements and goals
5
Centralised decision- making
Wide sharing decision- making
6
Status Quo oriented
Change oriented


Features of Development Administration:

1. Change orientation:
  • From Statified to egalitarian society
  • From an agrarian economy to an industrial one
  • From Totalitarian political regime to democratic
  • From Particularism to Universalism
2. Goal Orientation:
  • Social Development (Ensuring Equality and Justice)
  • Economic Development (Growth in production and consumption)
  • Political Development (Ensuring national integrity and nation- building)
3. Client Orientation:
  • Focussing on rendering better services to clients and target groups
4. Time Orientation:
  • Timely completion of Development Projects
5. Commitment Orientation

6. Participation orientation:
  • Ensures people’s participation and making people stakeholders in the development process
  • Eg: Swanivar in Bangladesh, Saemul Undog in South Korea, Kibutin in Israel, Janmabhoomi in Andhra Pradesh, Bhoomi in Karnataka
  • People’s participation is ensured by means of local governments, voluntary organisations, pressure groups, Sunshine legislations etc..
  • It prevents the possibility of corruption and promotes transparency.
Meanings of Development Administration given by various scholars:
  1. For Harry J. Friedman development administration means (a) Programme implementation for socio economic progress and monitoring of nation building progress and (b) Administrative reforms to keep the bureaucracy updated.
  2. For Hahn Been lee, development administration involved management of government or of an agency to ensure capability to cop up with social change and sustained growth.
  3. Gant observed that development administration is "that aspect of Public Administration in which focus of attention is on organizing and administering public agencies in such a way as to stimulate and facilitate defined programmes of social and economic progress.
  4. According to V. A. Pai Panandikar, the key formula of Development Administration can be expressed in the initial letters of COORDINATION of RESOURCES through ORGANISATION of PERSONNEL and PROCEDURES (CROPP).
  5. Edward Weidner defined it as “The process of guiding an organisation toward the achievement of progressive political, economic and social objectives that are authoritatively determined in one manner or the other”.
  6. Merle Fairsoul regarded development administration as “a carrier of innovating values, it embraces the way of the new functions assumed by developing countries embarking on the path of modernisation and industrialisation.
  7. F W Riggs mentions that the study of Third World administration, interpreted largely as development administration, became the central concern for and synonymous with comparative public administration. As a concept, he defines development administration as the combined process of both the ‘administration of development’ (implementation of development policies and plans) and the ‘development of administration’ (improvement of administrative capabilities).
  8. To Montgomery, Development Administration connotes “carrying planned change in the economy or capital infrastructure and to a lesser extent in the social services especially, health and education”.
  9. Donald Stones analysed the concept of development administration in terms of plans, policies, programmes and projects towards the achievement of developmental goals. Hence, Development administration is concerned primarily with the tasks and process of formulating and implementing the four Ps (Plans, Policies, programmes and projects), in respect to whatever mixture of goals and objectives may be politically determined.
  10. Weidner stated that Development Administration means “an action oriented and goal- oriented administrative systems.” Weidner emphasised that the study of development administration can help to identify the conditions under which a maximum rate of development is sought and obtained.