Leadership and Institutional Change in the Public Provision of Transportation Infrastructure : An Analysis of India's Bihar

Abstract

This study examines the role of leadership in the development of transportation infrastructure, specifically bridges, in the Indian state of Bihar during the 2000s. Drawing from interviews and quantitative data, we show that leadership was a critical factor in fostering institutional change in the state government's bridge organisation. Three leaders worked as a coalition to mobilise resources, enforce new rules of the game, and motivate staff; thereby transforming the organisation from a chronic under-provider of bridges to a more effective provider. Our study contributes to the emerging research about how the role of leadership shapes development outcomes in low-income countries.