Public Sector Reforms in Botswana; Good Seed but Bad Soil?

Abstract

The purpose of this paper was to discuss the efficacy of public sector reforms that were introduced in Botswana in the early 1990s. In terms of design/methodology/approach, the paper used the intrepretivist research philosophy and survey research strategy. Data collection was in the form of secondary sources. Since the efficacy of public sector reforms cannot be directly measured, proxy measures in the form of Customer Satisfaction Surveys were used. Data analysis was in the form of document analysis. The paper concluded that the fruit from public sector reforms is poor. Poor Customer Satisfaction Surveys suggest that these public sector reforms have not improved the quality of public services in Botswana as it was intended. Reasons for the poor results are yet to be investigated. However, institutional and environmental contexts matter, so, this paper, using institutional and environmental contexts analysis, argues that founding conditions were unfavourable. Thus, there is a need to prepare the ground before introducing reforms. Since the paper is anchored in a Botswana-specific context, its generalisability is limited. Despite the limited generalisability of this case study, there are common lessons when introducing public sector reforms; first things must happen first. That is, preparing the soil (founding conditions) before planting the seed (reform).

Keywords:

• public sector reforms
• New Public Management
• soil
• seed
• Botswana

Notes on contributor

Emmanuel Botlhale (PhD) is an Associate Professor in Public Administration in the Department of Political and Administrative Studies in the University of Botswana. His teaching and research interests are: public finance, financial administration; project management; resource governance; public governance; and research methods. Staff profile web page; http://www.ub.bw/content/id/4217/pid/2568/ac/1/fac/5/dep/83/Prof.-Emmanuel-Botlhale/. Email; [email protected]

Notes

1 For example, the Kweneng District Council launched its Citizen Observatory Board in early January 2013.

2 Assembly of traditional authorities (chiefs).