How bureaucratic turnover undermines aid implementation
When are aid programs aimed at bolstering public sector institutions in developing countries likely to work? So far, much research has examined the effect of program design. In the current issue of Governance, Agnes Cornell of the Aarhus University considers how bureaucratic instability influences the prospects for success. Examining a range of aid programs in Peru and Bolivia, Cornell shows how high turnover rates compromise implementation, because public servants have less experience and shorter time horizons. And the problem is worse if turnover is driven by politics rather than market forces, because new appointees are particularly reluctant to engage with “old” projects. Read the article.
