Bureaucratic leadership at ground level: a case study of block development officers in west Bengal (India)
By: Nag, Debarshi and Farhat, Zainab
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Material type: 
BookPublisher: Indian Journal of Public Administration Description: 67(2), Jun, 2021: p.188-200.Subject(s): Leadership, Government, Development, BDO, Transparency
In:
Indian Journal of Public AdministrationSummary: Max Weber coined the term ‘bureaucratic leadership’ to define leadership in government organisations based on a set of predetermined regulations, strict functions and fixed roles under a static hierarchy. Almost all government organisations adhere to these principles including the civil services, but, at the ground level of administration, a rational and workable form has been developed by the civil servants to suit their roles. The post of a Block Development Officer (BDO) in the civil services is assigned to play multiple roles to govern the block effectively. From being a leader who would motivate and facilitate a team of officials in development as well as general administration, a diplomat who would set the right chord with the political functionaries at various levels to settle upon a consensus in every issue, a crisis manager who would rush forward, with limited resources, to face any natural calamity or a serious law and order issue, a strict disciplinarian who would ensure transparency in fiscal matters, an entrepreneur who would motivate the people to become self-reliant with the help of government schemes, a BDO is indeed ‘the cutting edge of administration’. The entire administration depends upon a Block Development Officer to deliver the much needed “public service” to the residents of the Block at all times and under all circumstances. This article is intended to study the practical forms of ‘bureaucratic leadership’ performed by BDOs while discharging their duties efficiently both during crises and in normal circumstances. – Reproduced
| Item type | Current location | Call number | Vol info | Status | Date due | Barcode |
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Articles
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Indian Institute of Public Administration | 67(2), Jun, 2021: p.188-200 | Available | AR126241 |
Max Weber coined the term ‘bureaucratic leadership’ to define leadership in government organisations based on a set of predetermined regulations, strict functions and fixed roles under a static hierarchy. Almost all government organisations adhere to these principles including the civil services, but, at the ground level of administration, a rational and workable form has been developed by the civil servants to suit their roles. The post of a Block Development Officer (BDO) in the civil services is assigned to play multiple roles to govern the block effectively. From being a leader who would motivate and facilitate a team of officials in development as well as general administration, a diplomat who would set the right chord with the political functionaries at various levels to settle upon a consensus in every issue, a crisis manager who would rush forward, with limited resources, to face any natural calamity or a serious law and order issue, a strict disciplinarian who would ensure transparency in fiscal matters, an entrepreneur who would motivate the people to become self-reliant with the help of government schemes, a BDO is indeed ‘the cutting edge of administration’. The entire administration depends upon a Block Development Officer to deliver the much needed “public service” to the residents of the Block at all times and under all circumstances. This article is intended to study the practical forms of ‘bureaucratic leadership’ performed by BDOs while discharging their duties efficiently both during crises and in normal circumstances. – Reproduced
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