In Search of Better Governance in South Asia and Beyond (Public Administration, Governance and Globalization Book 3)

The Pursuit For Better Governance Has Assumed Center Stage In Developmental Discourse As Well As Reform Initiatives Of All Organizations Working For The Public Welfare, And Includes Such Issues As Service Delivery And Responding To Citizens' Needs And Demands. In The Era Of Globalization, Multilevel And New Modes Of Governance Are Changing The Traditional Governance Models Of Nation States, Accelerated By Technological Innovation, Rising Citizen Expectation, Policy Intervention From International And Multilateral Donor Communities, And The Hegemony Of Western Ideology Imposed On Many Developing Nations. However, A Universally Accepted And Agreed Upon Definition Of Governance Still Remains Elusive. There Is No Consensus Or Agreement As To What Would Be The Nature And Form Of Governance And Public Administration. The Question That Is Raised: Is There A Universal Governance Mechanism That Fits In All Contexts Or Governance Mechanisms Should Be Based On Home Grown Ideas? One Can See Various Programs And Policies Of Reforms And Reorganizations In Public Administration In The Developing Countries, But These Efforts Have Not Been Effective To Address The Challenging Issues Of Economic Development, Employment Generation, Poverty Reduction, Ensuring Equality Of Access To Public Services, Maintaining Fairness And Equity, Security And Safety Of Citizens, Social Cohesion, Democratic Institution Building, Ensuring Broader Participation In The Decision Making Process, And Improving The Quality Of Life. Therefore, There Is A Widespread Concern For Better Governance Or Sound Governance To Bridge The Gap Between Theory And Practice, Making This Book Of Interest To Academics As Well As Policy-makers In Global Public Administration -- P. 4 Of Cover. Introduction / Ishtiaq Jamil, Steinar Askvik And Tek Nath Dhakal -- Understanding Governance In South Asia / Ishtiaq Jamil, Steinar Askvik And Tek Nath Dhakal -- Improving Governance: Lessons Learnt / Goran Hyden -- Good Governance And The Global Economic Crises: A New Opportunity For Undp? Comparing Wb And Undp Good Governance Rhetoric / Tor Halvorsen -- Failed States And The Lack Of Good Governance: A Casual Explanation / Haroon A. Khan -- The Quest For Better Governance: A Case Study Of India / R.b. Jain -- Application Of Performance-based Management: A Case Of Nepalese Civil Service Reform / Bharat Raj Gautam -- An Independent Institution Of Goverance? A New Statutory Civil Service In The Maldives / Mohamed Faizal And Rob Laking -- Citizens; Trust In Public Officials: Bangladesh And Nepal Compared / Ishtiaq Jamil And Steinar Askvik -- Does Decentralization Matter For Reproductive Health Policy Implementation In Nepal? / Narendra Raj Paudel -- Women's Political Participation In Bangladesh: The Role Of Political Parties / Pranab Kumar Panday -- Goverance At Grassroots-rhetoric And Reality: A Study Of The Union Parishad In Bangladesh / Salahuddin M. Aminuzzaman -- Goverance In China: An Analysis Of Two Cases In Hunming / Mei Li -- Challenges Of Democratic Governance In South Asia And Beyond / Ishtiaq Jamil, Steinar Askvik And Tek Nath Dhakal. Ishtiaq Jamil, Steinar Askvik, Tek Nath Dhakal, Editors. Includes Bibliographical References. Front Matter....Pages i-xii Introduction....Pages 1-11 Understanding Governance in South Asia....Pages 13-35 Improving Governance: Lessons Learnt....Pages 37-51 Good Governance and the Global Economic Crises: A New Opportunity for UNDP? Comparing WB and UNDP Good Governance Rhetoric....Pages 53-72 Failed States and the Lack of Good Governance: A Causal Explanation....Pages 73-87 The Quest for Better Governance: A Case Study of India....Pages 89-106 Application of Performance-Based Management: A Case of Nepalese Civil Service Reform....Pages 107-125 An Independent Institution of Governance? A New Statutory Civil Service in the Maldives....Pages 127-143 Citizens’ Trust in Public Officials: Bangladesh and Nepal Compared....Pages 145-163 Does Decentralization Matter for Reproductive Health Policy Implementation in Nepal?....Pages 165-183 Women’s Political Participation in Bangladesh: The Role of Political Parties....Pages 185-200 Governance at Grassroots–Rhetoric and Reality: A Study of the Union Parishad in Bangladesh....Pages 201-221 Governance in China: An Analysis of Two Cases in Kunming....Pages 223-238 Challenges of Democratic Governance in South Asia and Beyond....Pages 239-247 Back Matter....Pages 249-251