Comilla University

Department of Public Administration

Assignment on:
“Why does coordination matter in Urban Governmence ”

Submitted to :
Dr. Mohammad Rezaul Karim
Associate professor
Department of Public Administration
Comilla University
Submitted by :
Marjahan Maria
ID NO : 11803019
Department of public Administration
Comilla University

Date of Submission: 16 -04-2021

  Introduction:
Municipal or Urban Governance is of course not merely the function of the Municipality or City
Corporation alone, rather it is the function of a complex combination of many organizations -
governmental, autonomous, bodies as well as the private sector, the civil society, the community and
also now a days, increasingly development partners and international agencies. All these different types
of organizations and institutions have their roles to play in establishing functional, efficient and
progressive urban governance system. The prime role of course should remain with the municipal
administration or the office of the Mayor and his / her leadership. Good governance in a city also
depends on a number of key indicators, such as transparency, accountability, responsiveness, authority,
rule of law, democratic participation, decentralization, coordination, efficiency and leadership [5].
Among these indicators, this paper gives the emphasis the importance of co-ordination in urban
governance system. Coordination is indispensable when multiple actors are involved in the pursuit of
common goals. However, the obvious end of coordination is to have a harmonious relationship among
actors by synchronizing their actions to avoid conflicts inevitably arising in their activities, and wastage
of resources including time and energies. As to the implementation of a multi-actor policy, the process
of achieving coordination and how it leads to successful policy implementation can be seen in The lack
of coordination leads to discord, friction, chaos and confusion, ultimately causing inefficiency and
ineffectiveness in the activities of organisations involved [6]. Coordination suffers when there is lack
of division of labour. In the urban management the lack of division of labour causes insufficient
awareness of the duties and responsibilities among departments. In turn, duplication in performance
and role ambiguity occur. Duplication in operations does not only waste valuable time and scarce
resources, but also causes failure in meeting the deadline of policy implementation, ultimately
increasing the volume of expenditure. Role ambiguity leads to conflict among departments about who
will do what. As a result, coordination is hampered.

 Definition of Coordination:
The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary defines ‘coordination’ as ‘the action of coordinating;
harmonious combination of agents and functions towards the production of a result’ (cited in Robinson
et al. 2000:7)
According to Mooney and Riley (cited in Islam, 1994:2), coordination unites group efforts in a
concerted manner to achieve a common goal.

Coordination is a method of combining words, phrases, and clauses. Coordinated structures are
equal in importance. Thus, they should be parallel in structure.
Before an administration allows an operator to commence operation of a new system, other
administrations likely to be affected must be informed and agree to technical and operational
parameters, perhaps with conditions.

 Inter-organizational coordination:
When organizations operate as part of a wider environment involving different actors—governmental
institutions, regulatory bodies, trade unions, private organizations, etc.—it is of great significance to
study inter-organizational coordination, organization structure and the functions and behaviour of the
actors (Thompson 2003; Scott 2003; Hatch 1997). The emergence of the open-system perspective in
studying organizations has led to numerous studies, particularly in the 1960s and 1970s, of inter-
organizational coordination and networks as a precondition for organizational success and survival
(Christensen et al. 2007). In the context of these studies, ‘task environment’ refers to those actors in the
environment with whom an organization deals regarding decisions, services, and products. The areas
of inter-organizational relationships were termed ‘inter-organizational fields’ (IOF) by Warren (1967),
or ‘inter-organizational communities’ by Hawley in 1950, in order to ‘focus on a geographically
bounded collection of organizations rendered interdependent because of functional ties or shared
locality’
Organizations increasingly operate as part of a wider environment involving different actors —
governmental institutions, regulatory bodies, trade unions, and private organizations (Hatch, 1997;
Scott, 2003; Thompson, 2003). Interorganizational coordination is considered central to governance,
particularly to “good” governance (Hill & Hupe,2003, 2008)

 The essence of coordination in policy implementation:

The need for coordinating the implementation of policies by urban local bodies is beyond question.
Siddique (1994) identifies several reasons why coordination/ cooperation within and amongst different
urban local bodies is important. First, it could pave the way for identifying and solving common
problems. Second, it could lead to the pooling and sharing of costly machinery, financial resources,
expertise and experience, all of which could be used in providing certain common services. Examples
of such services include public health, planning of various kinds, election administration, staff training,
public works, tax assessment and collection, waste disposal, recreational facilities and civil defence.
Third, not only could it help resolve disputes without outside intervention; it could also engender joint
venture projects. Fourth, coordination and cooperation could be used for standardizing services, work
procedures, personnel systems and so forth. Finally, it is only through getting together that local
government bodies can challenge their existing peripheral status and strike a better deal with the national
government (Siddique 1994:304–305). Coordination may affect policy implementation in two ways:
either successfully or unsuccessfully. Sound coordination may lead to the successful implementation of
policies, while a lack of coordination may lead to unsuccessful policy implementation. As Pandey
(2006:49–50) puts it, ‘Good implementation means timely project completion, minimization of cost,
and satisfactory public service delivery. Bad implementation means delays in project completion, cost
increases, and unsatisfactory public service delivery’. Thus coordination within an organization and
between different organizations is one of the prime requisites for successfully implementing policies.
These issues are outlined in the following figure .

Importance of coordination in Urban Governmence :

 Coordination encourages team spirit

There exists many conflicts and rivalries between individuals, departments, between a line and staff,
etc. Similarly, conflicts are also between individual objectives and organizational objectives.
Coordination arranges the work and the objectives in such a way that there are minimum conflicts
and rivalries. It encourages the employees to work as a team and achieve the common objectives of
the organization. So , coordination enhance team sprit among various Urban Administration.
  Coordination gives proper direction

There are many departments in the Urban Administration. Each department performs different
activities. Coordination integrates (bring together) these activities for achieving the common goals or
objectives of the organization. Thus, coordination gives proper direction to all the departments of the
Urban government

 Coordination facilitates motivation

Coordination gives complete freedom to the administration or department. It encourage the various
department of Urban government to show initiative. It also gives them many financial and non-
financial incentives. Therefore, urban administration or department get satisfaction, and they are
motivated to perform better.

 Coordination makes optimum utilization of Urban resource :

Coordination helps to bring together the human and material resources of the organization . It helps
to make optimum utilization of resources of urban resource . These resources are used to achieve the
objectives of the organization. Coordination also minimizes the wastage of resources in the
organization.

 Coordination helps to achieve objectives quickly

Coordination helps to minimize the conflicts, rivalries, wastages, delays and other problems among
urban administration.. It ensures smooth working of the organization. Therefore, with the help of
coordination an organization can achieve its objectives easily and quickly.

 Coordination improves relations in the various department in Urban government :

The Top Level Managers coordinates the activities of the Middle Level Managers and develop good
relations with them. Similarly, the Middle Level Managers coordinate the activities of the Lower Level
Managers and develop good relations with them. Also, the Lower Level Managers coordinate the
activities of the workers and develop good relations with them. Thus, coordination, overall improves
the relations in the organization.

 Coordination leads to higher efficiency

Efficiency is the relationship between Returns and Cost. There will be higher efficiency when the
returns are more and the cost is less. Since coordination leads to optimum utilization of resources it
results in more returns and low cost. Thus, coordination leads to higher efficiency.

 Coordination improves goodwill of the administration

Coordination helps an organization to sell high quality goods and services at lower prices. This
improves the goodwill of the organization and helps it earn a good name and image in the market and
corporate world .
When Coordination is needed?

 Functional Overlap :
About 22 ministries and 51 agencies are involved in the governance of Dhaka Metropolitan Area. The
involvement of 51 institutions to decide the development of Dhaka Metropolitan Area has resulted in
gross overlap of functions and problem of co-ordination. The development functions or activities with
in metropolitan area such as- Land and Housing, Road Construction and Management, Traffic and
Transportation, Markets and Shops, Parks and Amusements, Industry Development, Town Planning,
Public Utilities, Flood Protection etc. In land development and housing, the involved agencies are
Capital Development Authority, Housing Settlement Directorate, Public Works Department, House
Corporation, Housing Estate, Divisional Commissioner and House Building Finance Corporation.
Similarly in case of development planning, physical infrastructure and traffic control related issues
about 15 agencies and their respective ministries are involved. These agencies are Capital Development
Authority, Urban Development Directorate, Dhaka Metropolitan Police, Public Works Department,
Dhaka Water and Sewerage Authority, Department of Public Health Engineering, Roads and highway
Department, Dhaka transport Co-ordination Authority, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority,
Bangladesh Railway, Bangladesh Power Development Board, Bangladesh Telephone and Telegraph
Board, Titas Gas, Bangladesh Road Transport Co-ordination Board, Department of Environment. A
study identified that an average there are more than 7 institutions involved in each activity .

 Create Strategic Leadership :

Dhaka City Corporation area is less than 10 percent of the total metropolitan area and therefore
the City Mayor cannot exercise his power in all areas under metropolitan jurisdiction. On the
other hand, RAJUK has jurisdiction over the metropolitan area, but it can apply only a limited
control over the planning and development activities as the Chairman of RAJUK has the rank
equivalent to a Joint Secretary where as Mayor of DCC is equivalent to the rank of a Minister.
Organizations like DWASA, DESA, TITAS Gas, T & T etc. provide
Significant services in Dhaka. But none of these organizations have a capacity to serve either
the whole DCC or Metropolitan territory [2,3]. They all suffer from serious institutional
limitations. Thus the urban planning and development has become fragmental and there is no
agency capable of exerting strategic policy leadership to maintain the development in a guided
way

 Reduce Public harassment :

In order to fulfil various needs, a citizen has to visit a number of organizations which are in many cases
unnecessary if the organizations are grouped and co-ordinated properly and effectively [10]. Land
clearance and building construction permissions given by RAJUK, environment clearance for high-rise
buildings given by DoE, commercial license by DCC, vehicle fitness by BRTA and utility bills are
collected by different organizations. For a new connection of utility service in a single property,
permissions are needed from different agencies at different locations, all these lead to public harassment
and loss of time, energy and money. That’s why coordination is necessary such crucial moment.
  To Create Consciousness of the authority:
It has been a common phenomenon in Dhaka City that a road, constructed or repaired by DCC
is dug up soon after by agencies like WASA, T&T, Titas gas etc. but it is not repaired again in
time. As a result it is very rare scene that the roads of the city are in a good condition. Again
when some roads are widened, the electric poles of DESA remain in the roads. This makes the
improvement works fruitless. Being responsible for commercial license, DCC is
indiscriminately permitting market, cattle hut, etc. along major roads and arterial road which
is fundamental violation of basic planning principle and a root cause of traffic congestion on
many important roads .RAJUK is totally helpless to impose control over activities of DCC.
Similarly REB, WASA, Titas Gas, T&T etc. do not care to take the permission from RAJUK
while providing services in unplanned new areas, for which planned development of city areas
become restricted.

Limitations of Coordination

Now, that you understand the importance of coordination in Urban governmence , you also need
to note that in practice, coordination faces some problems. Here are the limitations of coordination
in Urban Governmence .

 Lack of Administrative Talent – While hiring employees, it is possible that some

inefficient candidates get selected who do not understand the administrative procedures
properly. This can result in ineffective coordination.

 Misunderstanding: In a large organization, hundreds of employees work together and

interact on a daily basis. Ideally, they must have a mutual understanding and work as a
team. However, in many cases, misunderstandings creep in between employees which
creates a problem in coordination.
 External Factor Not in control : External factor like government policies technology
change ,change in fashion does not come under ambit of an organisation ,hence
coordination being part of the of the organization cannot control it .
 Less willingness of the various ministry
  Conclusion:
Coordination in policy implementation is essential, as it brings together separate agencies to make their
efforts more compatible in the interests of equity, effectiveness and efficiency. In order to ensure
coordination in policy implementation, it is necessary that proper rules and a hierarchical order are
followed. In formulating these rules, it is important that the functions of each actor are clearly specified,
rather than just emphasising the structure within which the actors should work. But in Bangladesh every
successive government seems to have overlooked the fact that a structure cannot work unless its
functions and the functions of those working within it are clearly specified in relation to each other.
Urban local government as a political institution that ensures public participation in development
activities has yet to take proper shape in Bangladesh. Since independence in 1971, successive
administrations have attempted to make structural changes in the urban local government system, but
have in the process ignored their functional implications.
That is why almost all local government bodies suffer from various problems. City corporations are
multi-unit organisations, and there are several government agencies working with them to provide better
urban services to the citizenry. However, the means and manner of coordination between these units
and agencies have not been specified in any meaningful way. Consequently, there is a prevailing lack
of both intra- and inter-organisational coordination and cooperation in the discharging of the duties and
the responsibilities of urban government bodies. As in the case of Rajshahi City Corporation, there is
an obvious absence of concrete rules regarding coordination within the entity 572 P. K. Panday & P. K.
Panday Downloaded By: [City University of Hong Kong Library] At: 07:09 23 October 2008itself, as
well as regarding other government agencies.
As a result, the Rajshahi City Corporation has deprived its residents of necessary and effective urban
services. One may wonder, if there is no coordination, how work gets done and services get provided.
There must be some mechanism behind it. The question is: what mechanism? The answer is: ‘a one-
man show’; the Mayor is all in all. He is the root of all powers, and everything gets done in his name.
The second answer is that there is a ‘solo’ dance rather than a well-orchestrated dance, which means
that departments act on their own, and if there is some degree of coordination that is fine, but they go
ahead anyway. In the latter case, of course, policy outcome rarely reflects policy objectives, and can
lead to cost increase, delay in implementation and other unsatisfactory elements in the delivery of
services. In both cases, the ordinary citizens of an urban area are likely to be getting less than their
entitlement.
Reference :
1. Chowdhury, A. I. (1997). Resource mobilization and Urban Governance in Bangladesh. In N.
Islam et al. (Eds.), urban governance in Bangladesh and Pakistan (pp. 27–45). Dhaka: Centre
for Urban Studies.
2. Islam, N., 1999. Urbanization, migration and development in Bangladesh: Recent trends and
emerging issues. CPD-UNFPA Series 1. Dhaka: Center for Policy Dialogue.
3. Khan, Md. Shan Alam, 1980. Coordination: A problem of municipal corporation. Local
government quarterly, 9 (3-4), 28-45.