7 - Privatization and ‘Agentification’ of Public Services Delivery in Africa: Extent and Managerial Leadership Implications in Tanzania
Corresponding Author(s) : Honest Prosper Ngowi
Africa Development,
Vol. 33 No. 4 (2008): Africa Development: Special Issue Public Sector Reforms in Africa
Abstract
The paper dwells on the very current and topical issue of changing patterns and practices of public service delivery in Africa. The author offers a critical analysis and discussion on the extent to which public service delivery is being under- taken by the private sector (privatization) and executive agencies (‘agentification’) in Tanzania and the related managerial leadership implications. The article evi- dences the fact that over the last decade, Tanzania has taken many and far- reaching bold steps to reform its public sector and improve the performance of civil servants. Among the notable reforms is the participation of the private sector and executive agencies in the delivery of non-core public services through the private sector participation (PSP) initiative. The paper also shows that the privatization and ‘agentification’ of the public service delivery in Tanzania has a number of managerial leadership implications on the part of the public sector, the private sector and the executive agencies involved. Finally, the paper dem- onstrates that good managerial leadership, in the institutions involved in serv- ice delivery, is crucial if the objectives of privatization and ‘agentification’ of public service delivery are to be achieved.
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- Bengt, H. and Milgrom, P, 1991, Multitask principal–Agent Analyses: Incentive Contracts, Asset Ownership, and Job Design, Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization 7, Special Issue: 24–52 (Papers from the Conference on the New Science of Organization).
- Buse, K. and Walt, G., 2000, The World Health Organization and Global Public Private Partnerships: In Search of Good Global Health Governance, WHO.
- Commonwealth, 2003, Public–Private Partnerships:A Review with Special Reference to Local Government, in Commonwealth Local Government Handbook, Rochester: KPL.
- Domberger, S. and Jensen, P.,1997, Contracting out by the Public Sector: Theory, Evidence, Prospects, Oxford Review of Economic Policy 13: 67–78.
- Dunleavy, P. 1986, Explaining the Privatization Boom: Public Choice Versus Radical Approaches, Public Administration 64(1): 13–34.
- Garen, J. E. G., 1994, Executive Compensation and Principal–Agent Theory, Journal of Political Economy 102(6): 1175–1199.
- Itika, J., 2003, Public–Private Partnership in Health Service Delivery: Does it Make a Difference to the Public?, Research Report, Mzumbe University.
- Kironde, J. M. L., 1999, Urban Waste and Governance in Africa: A Case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in Onibokun, A. G. (ed.), Managing the Monster, International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada, pp. 101–172.
- Lerner, A. and Miranda, R., 1995, Bureaucracy, Organizational Redundancy and the Privatization of Public Services, Public Administration Review 55.
- Ngowi, H. P., 2005, Application of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Sustainable Development in Tanzania Municipalities: Evidence, challenges and Ways Forward, Paper presented at the 27th Roundtable Conference of the Association of African Public Administration and Management (AAPAM), Livingstone, Zambia, 3–10 December.
- Ngowi, H. P., 2006, Application of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Tanzania Local Government Authorities (LGAs): Procedures, reasons and results, Paper presented at the 28th Roundtable Conference of the Association of African Public Administration and Management (AAPAM), Arusha, Tanzania, 4–8 December.
- Nightingale, D.S. and Pindus, N.M., 1997, Privatization and Public Social Services, Urban Institute for US Department, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, DOL Contract No. 5–0048, #15.
- Nkya, E., 2000, Public–Private Sector Partnership and Institutional Framework at Local Level: The Case of Solid Waste Management at the City of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Published Report, Mzumbe.
- Nkya, E., 2004, Public–Private Partnership and Institutional Arrangements: Constrained Improvement of Solid Waste Management in Dar Es Salaam, in Uongozi Journal of Management Development 16(1): 1–21, Mzumbe Book Project.
- Pack, J. R., 1987, Privatization of Public Sector Services in Theory and Practice, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 6(4): 523–540.
- Pass, C., Lowes, B. and Davies, L., 2000, Economics Dictionary, 3rd ed., Glasgow: HarperCollins.
- Sanford, J. G. and Hart, O. D., 1983, An Analysis of the Principal–Agent Problem, Econometrica 51(1): 7–45.
- Sappington, D. E. M., 1991, Incentives in Principal–Agent Relationships, Journal of Economic Perspectives 5(2): 45–66.
- Sohail, M., Plummer, J., Slater, R. and Heymans, C., 2003, Local Government Service Partnerships: A Background, Paper presented at Commonwealth Local Government Conference, Pretoria, South Africa.
- Torres, L. and Pina, V., 2002, Changes in Public Service Delivery in the EU Countries, Public Money and Management 22(4):41–48.
- United Republic of Tanzania (URT), 2003, The Public Service Reforms Program.
- United Republic of Tanzania (URT), 2005, State of Public Service Report 2004, President’s Office – Public Service Management.
References
Bengt, H. and Milgrom, P, 1991, Multitask principal–Agent Analyses: Incentive Contracts, Asset Ownership, and Job Design, Journal of Law, Economics, & Organization 7, Special Issue: 24–52 (Papers from the Conference on the New Science of Organization).
Buse, K. and Walt, G., 2000, The World Health Organization and Global Public Private Partnerships: In Search of Good Global Health Governance, WHO.
Commonwealth, 2003, Public–Private Partnerships:A Review with Special Reference to Local Government, in Commonwealth Local Government Handbook, Rochester: KPL.
Domberger, S. and Jensen, P.,1997, Contracting out by the Public Sector: Theory, Evidence, Prospects, Oxford Review of Economic Policy 13: 67–78.
Dunleavy, P. 1986, Explaining the Privatization Boom: Public Choice Versus Radical Approaches, Public Administration 64(1): 13–34.
Garen, J. E. G., 1994, Executive Compensation and Principal–Agent Theory, Journal of Political Economy 102(6): 1175–1199.
Itika, J., 2003, Public–Private Partnership in Health Service Delivery: Does it Make a Difference to the Public?, Research Report, Mzumbe University.
Kironde, J. M. L., 1999, Urban Waste and Governance in Africa: A Case of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in Onibokun, A. G. (ed.), Managing the Monster, International Development Research Centre, Ottawa, Canada, pp. 101–172.
Lerner, A. and Miranda, R., 1995, Bureaucracy, Organizational Redundancy and the Privatization of Public Services, Public Administration Review 55.
Ngowi, H. P., 2005, Application of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) for Sustainable Development in Tanzania Municipalities: Evidence, challenges and Ways Forward, Paper presented at the 27th Roundtable Conference of the Association of African Public Administration and Management (AAPAM), Livingstone, Zambia, 3–10 December.
Ngowi, H. P., 2006, Application of Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) in Tanzania Local Government Authorities (LGAs): Procedures, reasons and results, Paper presented at the 28th Roundtable Conference of the Association of African Public Administration and Management (AAPAM), Arusha, Tanzania, 4–8 December.
Nightingale, D.S. and Pindus, N.M., 1997, Privatization and Public Social Services, Urban Institute for US Department, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, DOL Contract No. 5–0048, #15.
Nkya, E., 2000, Public–Private Sector Partnership and Institutional Framework at Local Level: The Case of Solid Waste Management at the City of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, Published Report, Mzumbe.
Nkya, E., 2004, Public–Private Partnership and Institutional Arrangements: Constrained Improvement of Solid Waste Management in Dar Es Salaam, in Uongozi Journal of Management Development 16(1): 1–21, Mzumbe Book Project.
Pack, J. R., 1987, Privatization of Public Sector Services in Theory and Practice, Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 6(4): 523–540.
Pass, C., Lowes, B. and Davies, L., 2000, Economics Dictionary, 3rd ed., Glasgow: HarperCollins.
Sanford, J. G. and Hart, O. D., 1983, An Analysis of the Principal–Agent Problem, Econometrica 51(1): 7–45.
Sappington, D. E. M., 1991, Incentives in Principal–Agent Relationships, Journal of Economic Perspectives 5(2): 45–66.
Sohail, M., Plummer, J., Slater, R. and Heymans, C., 2003, Local Government Service Partnerships: A Background, Paper presented at Commonwealth Local Government Conference, Pretoria, South Africa.
Torres, L. and Pina, V., 2002, Changes in Public Service Delivery in the EU Countries, Public Money and Management 22(4):41–48.
United Republic of Tanzania (URT), 2003, The Public Service Reforms Program.
United Republic of Tanzania (URT), 2005, State of Public Service Report 2004, President’s Office – Public Service Management.