Bureaucracy and Development: Insights and Reflections of a British Civil Servant

Abstract

Institutions of civil service or public administration have a significant impact on a country’s development. The bureaucracy acts as the main facilitator in implementing policies and ensuring that public service delivery occurs in a smooth and effective fashion. The bureaucracy’s primary responsibility also involves ensuring that as elected officials change, and governments transition from one political party to the next, governance structures remain stable, consistent and responsive to public needs. In essence, the civil service must therefore ensure that its functionality is built on principles of people-centricity, efficiency and stability. Moreover, the bureaucracy must be innovative and dynamic—able to adapt to changing socio-political, environmental and technological changes.