Embracing the Ambiguity of Economic Development and its Implications for Good Governance
Presenter's country
United States
Start Date
27-5-2016 9:00 AM
End Date
27-5-2016 10:00 AM
Submission type
Keynote
Abstract
This study seeks to answer the following question: When countries, using any system or a collection of systems, are performing in relation to some prescribed theory of development, in a way that may be described as ‘developing’, or performing at some level that is discernable or desirable, what events and conditions may be observed in such countries? The question is then used to help identify a set of principles that could help identify responses from governance groups. The main question, stated as it stands, is constructed a bit loosely at the moment so as to allow us to engage in the acts of imaginative principles building (hypothesizing) the main focus of the paper, and identifying or relating their impact and influence on good governance. As might be expected, before developing a set of principles, one would be required to state some key underlying assumptions. These assumptions—not specifically outlined here-- would become obvious as we go through the presentation itself, and are being offered without defense or proof, as most are already familiar to most. I must admit at the outset that some of the principles I propose are “intuitive leaps” and deductions from development theory, although some take issue with prevailing theory; and others are both convenient as well as descriptive of the real world. Some of the principles I like very much, others are obligatory, as they have been proposed by others, and in all cases, however, I am least interested, at the moment, in commencing conventional research to determine and verify their validity. The suggested principles are interconnected, and the seemingly abstract discussion can bring about a concrete focus on what events and conditions may be observed in those developing countries that are said to be at any of the conventional stages of development. The effort is then systematically tied to ‘good governance as it will be argued that, at each stage of development, the discernable or desirable events observed would have direct bearing and significant impact on governance issues in developing countries—notably, Ethiopia.
Embracing the Ambiguity of Economic Development and its Implications for Good Governance
This study seeks to answer the following question: When countries, using any system or a collection of systems, are performing in relation to some prescribed theory of development, in a way that may be described as ‘developing’, or performing at some level that is discernable or desirable, what events and conditions may be observed in such countries? The question is then used to help identify a set of principles that could help identify responses from governance groups. The main question, stated as it stands, is constructed a bit loosely at the moment so as to allow us to engage in the acts of imaginative principles building (hypothesizing) the main focus of the paper, and identifying or relating their impact and influence on good governance. As might be expected, before developing a set of principles, one would be required to state some key underlying assumptions. These assumptions—not specifically outlined here-- would become obvious as we go through the presentation itself, and are being offered without defense or proof, as most are already familiar to most. I must admit at the outset that some of the principles I propose are “intuitive leaps” and deductions from development theory, although some take issue with prevailing theory; and others are both convenient as well as descriptive of the real world. Some of the principles I like very much, others are obligatory, as they have been proposed by others, and in all cases, however, I am least interested, at the moment, in commencing conventional research to determine and verify their validity. The suggested principles are interconnected, and the seemingly abstract discussion can bring about a concrete focus on what events and conditions may be observed in those developing countries that are said to be at any of the conventional stages of development. The effort is then systematically tied to ‘good governance as it will be argued that, at each stage of development, the discernable or desirable events observed would have direct bearing and significant impact on governance issues in developing countries—notably, Ethiopia.