Management training institutions in developing countries : proposed criteria for institutional effectiveness

Nation-building for development in a transitional society is manifested in the creation of new institutions, the re-structuring and re-organisation of existing ones and training public servants to spearhead the rapid changes required. By far the greatest emphasis seems to have been placed upon the need to appropriately train public servants. Management training institutions (MTIs) are therefore created and charged with the task of imparting the requisite knowledges, skills and attitudes to development administrators. The increase of MTIs in developing countries indicates the faith which transitional societies have in institutional management training for development. An MTI is an organisation which, like any other organisation, must have certain specific characteristics which determine its capability. The thesis argues that six factors have such a significant influence upon the ultimate effectiveness of an MTI. This study proposes they constitute a set of criteria for an MTI's capability. These criteria are the extent to which national groups participate in the creation of an MTI significantly affect the level of support, acceptance and therefore effectiveness that the MTI will have the potential to attain. Similarly, whether an MTI is located inside or outside the administrative system also has significant bearing on the IVITI's potential to bring about desired improvements and changes in the administrative and developmental systems of a given country. The functional and enabling linkages that an MTI is able to establish, maintain and effectively manage determine the level and types of resources, inputs and other supports its environment will accord it An MTI requires adequate levels of institutional autonomy which can enable it to experiment with new ideas, methods and procedures and to introduce appropriate innovations into the administrative and developmental systems. An MTI's leadership plays an important part in determining and managing its linkages; in exercising, projecting and protecting its autonomy, doctrine, goals and objectives; and in creating a viable internal environment. An MT( therefore requires adequately qualified and experienced leadership. In the design of an MTI's internal structure and organisation, the leadership should opt for less hierarchical and less departmentalised organisational structures; flexible and integrated operational systems which encourage maximum participation and the employment of holistic, multi-disciplinary approaches in dealing with the tasks and problems of development administration. The central thesis of this study is that the overall performance of an MTI in a post-colonial situation can largely be explained and understood by examining and analysing the nature of these factors in the context of a given MTI in a given country. Utilising the examples of two Mils, one in Zimbabwe and one in Malaysia, these factors are shown to have explanatory potential. It is apparent that MTIs in most developing states face several internal and external environmental constraints. These constraints debilitate and stultify their efforts at improving administrative performance for meaningful development in transitional societies. Separating the critical factors affecting performance may assist some of them to become more effective.