Managing Development through Institution Building

Abstract

Governance is closely linked to the performance of public administration and its relationship to civil society. The application of governance criteria must respect the specificities of public administration and society in each country. Numerous examples can be given of how some countries—particularly in East Asia—have achieved significant levels of growth, development management, and private and public sector interaction, even in the absence of some of the institutions that characterize Western democracies. For this reason, the promotion of good governance must not seek to impose specific solutions derived from one country's experience, regardless of how successful, but must identify broad objectives that can guide country-specific solutions by suggesting general criteria or standards.