At Full Speed the Tiger Cubs Stumbled

Lessons from South East Asia about sustainable public service delivery In 1998, Prof. Fanie Cloete undertook a research visit to Southeast Asia to analyse and assess the capacity of certain selected states to develop and maintain sustainable public service delivery systems in their respective territories. This book summarises the research findings through author observations, interviews, and literature relating to the experiences of Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia in this respect. The book first examines the state of theoretical and empirical data on good governance, service delivery, and sustainable capacity building. Prof. Cloete then briefly summarises the condition of public service delivery in each of the five countries, documents interviews with key decision-makers in the field, and analyses the available research literature. The book concludes with the formulation of a refined, holistic model of strategic governance based on the research findings. Appropriate use of this model has the potential to maximise sustainable public service delivery in developing countries.

1. Introduction

• Research problem
• Research assumptions and questions
• Research methodology
• Structure of the book

2. Conceptual and Theoretical Perspectives

• Public, voluntary and private sectors
• Policy focus
• Service delivery capacity
• Sustainable development
• Governance
• International experience with good governance
• Objectives of strategic governance
• Application of strategic governance model

3. Singapore: Lion among Tigers

• Geographic, demographic and cultural indicators
• Selected development and service indicators
• Historical and political context
• Socio-economic context
• Positive features of public service delivery system
• Negative features of public service delivery system
• Conclusions

4. Malaysia: Substance or Only Style?

• Geographic, demographic and cultural indicators
• Selected development and service indicators
• Historical and political context
• Socio-economic context
• Positive features of public service delivery system
• Negative features of public service delivery system
• Conclusions

5. Thailand: Buddhist Capitalism Style?

• Geographic, demographic and cultural indicators
• Selected development and service indicators
• Historical and political context
• Socio-economic context
• Positive features of public service delivery system
• Negative features of public service delivery system
• Conclusions

6. The Philippines: Still Seriously Ill

• Geographic, demographic and cultural indicators
• Selected development and service indicators
• Historical and political context
• Socio-economic context
• Positive features of public service delivery system
• Negative features of public service delivery system
• Conclusions

7. Indonesia: Quagmire of Exploitation

• Geographic, demographic and cultural indicators
• Selected development and service indicators
• Historical and political context
• Socio-economic context
• Positive features of public service delivery system
• Negative features of public service delivery system
• Conclusions

8. Lessons from South East Asia

• Lessons to be learnt
• Agreed national vision and attainable action plans in strategic policy sectors
• Committed, honest political and administrative leadership
• Effective strategic and operational management (policy design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and review)
• Best use of resources (people, money, supplies and information)
• Organisational culture and work ethic
• Participatory, democratic environment
• Assessment
• Towards a strategic governance model of sustainable public service delivery
• Prospects for successful learning
• Conclusions

9. Annexures

• Research Methodology
• Selected Development Indicators for South East Asia and South Africa
• Interview Structure
• List of Interviewees

10. Bibliography

Prof. Fanie Cloete holds inter alia an LLB degree from the Rand Afrikaans University and a D Phil degree in Political Science from the University of Stellenbosch. Before his current position as a Professor in the Department of Public Governance at the University of Johannesburg, he was a Senior Research fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies, then at Wits in Johannesburg, and after that, the Head of the Department of Development Studies at the Rand Afrikaans University in Johannesburg. Prof. Cloete is a graded NRF researcher who has published over 100 academic articles and other popular contributions.