Publication:
Behavioral Economics and Public Sector Reform : An Accidental Experiment and Lessons from Cameroon

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dc.contributor.authorRajaram, Anand
dc.contributor.authorRaballand, Gaël
dc.date.accessioned2013-10-02T21:54:53Z
dc.date.available2013-10-02T21:54:53Z
dc.date.issued2013-09
dc.description.abstractStarting with the hypothesis that behaviors are the critical (and often overlooked) factor in public sector performance, this paper explores the notion of how behavioral change (and thus institutional change) might be better motivated in the public sector. The basis for this study is "an accidental experiment" resulting from the World Bank's operational engagement in Cameroon. In 2008, World Bank staff successfully concluded preparation on a project to support the Government of Cameroon to improve transparency, efficiency, and accountability of public finance management. The US$15 million project supported a number of ministries to strengthen a broad range of management systems and capacities. Independently and concurrently, other Bank staff initiated a low-profile, technical assistance project to improve performance in Cameroon's Customs, supported by a small trade facilitation grant of approximately US$300,000. One approach appears to have succeeded in initiating change while the other has signally failed. The two projects of different scale, scope and design in the same governance environment offer a very interesting natural experiment (unplanned but accidental for that reason) that allows insights into the nature of institutional change and the role of behavior and incentives and approaches that offer greater prospects for making reform possible. The paper confirms the value of using ideas from behavioral economics, both to design institutional reforms and to critically assess the approach to institutional reform taken by development agencies such as the World Bank.en
dc.identifierhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/09/18220963/behavioral-economics-public-sector-reform-accidental-experiment-lessons-cameroon
dc.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6595
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10986/16046
dc.languageEnglish
dc.language.isoen_US
dc.publisherWorld Bank, Washington, DC
dc.relation.ispartofseriesPolicy Research Working Paper;No. 6595
dc.rightsCC BY 3.0 IGO
dc.rights.holderWorld Bank
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/igo/
dc.subjectACCOUNTABILITY
dc.subjectACCOUNTING
dc.subjectADMINISTRATIVE COST
dc.subjectAUTHORITY
dc.subjectAUTHORIZATION
dc.subjectBASIC
dc.subjectBEST PRACTICES
dc.subjectBLOG
dc.subjectBUDGET EXECUTION
dc.subjectBUDGET FORMULATION
dc.subjectBUDGET MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectBUDGET MONITORING
dc.subjectBUDGET SYSTEM
dc.subjectBUREAUCRACY
dc.subjectCAPABILITIES
dc.subjectCAPABILITY
dc.subjectCAPACITY BUILDING
dc.subjectCITIZENS
dc.subjectCOMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
dc.subjectCONSENSUS
dc.subjectCONSTITUENCIES
dc.subjectCONSTITUTION
dc.subjectCORRUPTION
dc.subjectCUSTOMS
dc.subjectCUSTOMS CLEARANCE
dc.subjectCUSTOMS OFFICIALS
dc.subjectCUSTOMS REVENUE
dc.subjectCUSTOMS REVENUES
dc.subjectDECISION MAKING
dc.subjectDEVELOPED COUNTRIES
dc.subjectDEVELOPING COUNTRY CONTEXT
dc.subjectDOCUMENTATION
dc.subjectE-MAIL
dc.subjectECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectEMBEZZLEMENT
dc.subjectENTERPRISE SURVEY
dc.subjectENVIRONMENTS
dc.subjectEQUIPMENT
dc.subjectEVASION
dc.subjectEXECUTION
dc.subjectFINANCIAL INCENTIVES
dc.subjectFINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectFINANCIAL RESOURCES
dc.subjectFINANCIAL SUPPORT
dc.subjectFISCAL PRESSURES
dc.subjectFRAUD
dc.subjectGOOD GOVERNANCE
dc.subjectGOVERNMENT AGENCIES
dc.subjectGOVERNMENT ORGANIZATIONS
dc.subjectGOVERNMENT PERFORMANCE
dc.subjectHUMAN RESOURCE
dc.subjectHUMAN RESOURCES
dc.subjectHUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectINFORMATION SYSTEM
dc.subjectINNOVATION
dc.subjectINSPECTION
dc.subjectINSTITUTION
dc.subjectINSTITUTIONAL FOUNDATIONS
dc.subjectINSTITUTIONAL REFORM
dc.subjectINSTITUTIONAL REFORMS
dc.subjectINTERNAL AUDIT
dc.subjectINTERNATIONAL STANDARDS
dc.subjectLEARNING
dc.subjectLEGISLATION
dc.subjectLEGITIMACY
dc.subjectLITERATURE
dc.subjectMANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
dc.subjectMARKET ECONOMY
dc.subjectMINISTERS
dc.subjectMINISTRY OF FINANCE
dc.subjectNATIONAL BUDGET
dc.subjectNATIONS
dc.subjectOPEN ACCESS
dc.subjectOPERATIONAL PRINCIPLE
dc.subjectORGANIZATIONAL AUTONOMY
dc.subjectPERCEPTION
dc.subjectPERCEPTIONS
dc.subjectPERVERSE INCENTIVES
dc.subjectPOLITICAL AUTHORITY
dc.subjectPOLITICAL ECONOMY
dc.subjectPOLITICIANS
dc.subjectPOOR GOVERNANCE
dc.subjectPRIVATE SECTOR
dc.subjectPROCUREMENT
dc.subjectPROCUREMENT PROCESSES
dc.subjectPROJECT MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectPROSPECT THEORY
dc.subjectPUBLIC
dc.subjectPUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
dc.subjectPUBLIC FINANCE
dc.subjectPUBLIC FINANCE MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectPUBLIC GOODS
dc.subjectPUBLIC INSTITUTIONS
dc.subjectPUBLIC MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectPUBLIC OFFICIALS
dc.subjectPUBLIC RESOURCES
dc.subjectPUBLIC SECTOR
dc.subjectPUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT
dc.subjectPUBLIC SECTOR PERFORMANCE
dc.subjectPUBLIC SECTOR PROJECTS
dc.subjectPUBLIC SECTOR REFORM
dc.subjectPUBLIC SUPPORT
dc.subjectRATIONALIZATION
dc.subjectRESULT
dc.subjectRESULTS
dc.subjectREVENUE COLLECTION
dc.subjectREVENUE PERFORMANCE
dc.subjectSEARCH
dc.subjectSTATE FUNDS
dc.subjectSTATE SECTOR
dc.subjectSTONE
dc.subjectSUPERVISION
dc.subjectSUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
dc.subjectTARGETS
dc.subjectTAXATION
dc.subjectTECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
dc.subjectTECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROJECT
dc.subjectTECHNOCRACY
dc.subjectTECHNOCRATS
dc.subjectTRADE FACILITATION
dc.subjectTRAINING COURSES
dc.subjectTRANSACTION
dc.subjectTRANSPARENCY
dc.subjectTREASURY
dc.subjectUNEMPLOYMENT
dc.subjectUSERS
dc.subjectWEB
dc.titleBehavioral Economics and Public Sector Reform : An Accidental Experiment and Lessons from Cameroonen
dspace.entity.typePublication
okr.crossref.titleBehavioral Economics and Public Sector Reform: An Accidental Experiment and Lessons from Cameroon
okr.date.disclosure2013-09-01
okr.date.doiregistration2025-04-10T09:18:47.140613Z
okr.doctypePublications & Research::Policy Research Working Paper
okr.doctypePublications & Research
okr.docurlhttp://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2013/09/18220963/behavioral-economics-public-sector-reform-accidental-experiment-lessons-cameroon
okr.globalpracticeSocial, Urban, Rural and Resilience
okr.globalpracticeEnvironment and Natural Resources
okr.globalpracticeGovernance
okr.globalpracticeTransport and ICT
okr.globalpracticeTrade and Competitiveness
okr.guid234851468012655956
okr.identifier.doi10.1596/1813-9450-6595
okr.identifier.externaldocumentum000158349_20130909091538
okr.identifier.internaldocumentum18220963
okr.identifier.reportWPS6595
okr.language.supporteden
okr.pdfurlhttp://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2013/09/09/000158349_20130909091538/Rendered/PDF/WPS6595.pdfen
okr.region.administrativeAfrica
okr.region.countryCameroon
okr.topicEnvironmental Economics and Policies
okr.topicCulture and Development::Cultural Policy
okr.topicPrivate Sector Development::E-Business
okr.topicPublic Sector Economics
okr.topicGovernance::National Governance
okr.topicEnvironment
okr.topicPublic Sector Development
okr.unitDevelopment Research Group (DECRG)
okr.volume1 of 1
relation.isAuthorOfPublication8762e74d-2213-55a0-aa8d-dfe419512491
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery8762e74d-2213-55a0-aa8d-dfe419512491
relation.isSeriesOfPublication26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
relation.isSeriesOfPublication.latestForDiscovery26e071dc-b0bf-409c-b982-df2970295c87
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