Unwritten Flaws of Indian Bureaucracy

Author: Barun Kumar Sahu
Publisher: Pustak Mahal
Year: 2004
Language: English
Pages: 247
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8122308759

Description

If we can understand the bureaucracy, we can have a fairly good idea about the working of our government from inside.

This book provides unconventional insights into inscrutable public (even private!) bureaucracies, where chaos is the order of the day and imperfection the ubiquitous pattern.

Several subtle influences that condition organisational behaviour have been postulated in the form of laws and many are illustrated with insightful anecdotes.

These unwritten laws are the nuts and bolts of babudom.


The book will be of interest to-

Bureaucrats, management professionals, politicians, businesspersons, theoreticians and lay readers.

It may be of special interest to those who want to understand why bureaucracy works in uncanny ways: for example-

Why an honest bureaucrat is unpopular.

Why partiality, incompetence and mediocrity are promoted and why poetic justice is a pipedream?

The book will teach readers a cardinal rule: If you must live with bureaucracy, learn the ground rules and play the game accordingly to get your way!

Contents

Preface

An introduction to Bureaucracy
Theoretical background
Bureaucratic administration: management or
Mismanagement?
Public bureaucracy in contemporary India
Administrative set-up in contemporary India

ESTABLISHED FLAWS
Well-known Flaws

UNWRITTEN FLAWS OR THE GROUND
RULES OF BUREAUCRACY
1. Group Dynamics
Some basics
Organizational matters
Personnel issues
Amity and animosity
Committee sans commitment
Feigned leadership

2. Management information System
Officialese
Paperwork
Communication
Doubtful veracity
Semi-transparency
Spoon-fed media

3. Due and Undue Considerations
Incentive, allurement or corruption
Vested Interests
Elusive rate
Honest perquisites

4. Passing the Buck
Fixing responsibility
Error and unforgiveness
Grievance redressal

5. Legal Angle
Awe of law
Safety and security

6. Polity
Nationhood
Political roots
Public service
Reform versus deform
Ideology
Value judgment

7. Timeframe
Promptitude
Instinctive dilatoriness
Buzz of busyness

8. Work Ethics
Work culture
Problematic solution
Red tape
Competence and its irrelevance
Critical situation
Futile diligence
Delegation

9. Society and Status
Power and pride
Image versus reality
Social conduct
Seniority show

10. Throughput Management
Developmental issues
Policy prescriptions
Performance appraisal
Financial perspective