CLEANING UP AND INVIGORATING THE CIVIL-SERVICE

Reliable quantitative estimates are not available of: (1) the quality of civil service performance and changes therein as the result of deve lopment projects, or (2) the importance of civil service performance f or various development outcomes. Nonetheless, anecdotal evidence indic ates that in some countries government performance has indeed collapse d, with calamitous effects on development. Although poor government pe rformance is theoretically overdetermined-there are many possible caus es, which we cannot disentangle in practice-a plausible story can be t old based on institutional economics, using such concepts as informati on, incentives, and credible commitment. This version of both problems and solutions is supported by examples of successful reforms. The art icle argues that ''institutional adjustment' deserves more considerati on as a basis for reforms. Two practical examples are discussed in som e detail: improving incentives in the public sector and strategies to combat corruption. (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.