EOpriv: Developing competent management

[jdoggett <jdoggett@kent.edu>]

The issue of management can become an issue of personnel training.  In a paper 
that I wrote about the need for institution building in the transitioning 
economies, which I will post to the COG library soon,  I cite an article by 
Wiatr.  He wrote about Poland's experience in transitioning.  What he stated 
was that change can not mean that we fire all of the people and get new ones.  
The reason for not firing everyone is that there are too few people to go 
around.  One can not simply opt for a new cadre of faces that will solve all 
of the problems.  Rather, one must take the time necessary to inculcate 
personnel into the desired practices.
        The obvious starting point that one can utilize is that of education.  
In an 
earlier posting, I stated that education can become a double-edged sword.  The 
student learns from the teacher.  If the teacher instructs in a manner that it 
is inconsistent with desired outcomes, then the student will follow the 
teacher's instruction and perform in the undesired manner.
        What could occur is that technical assistance could be given in the 
form of 
instruction on how to manage in a market economy.  Most of the information of 
which I am aware states that technical assistance from international 
organizations occurs at the macro level.  (Perhaps David Ellerman or others 
more familiar with this process could correct me.)  However, macro-level 
change unaccompanied by micro-level change could result in implementation 
failure.  Teaching managers at the base level would require a massive 
overhaul.  However, failure to do so results in the situation that currently 
exists in many countries: Old managers performing in a manner that is 
consistent with pre-reform measures.