The Comparative Rankings, Business and Governance
By: Amit Bhushan Date: 1st June 2015
The Government plans to reveal 'Relative Ranking' of states on 'Ease of Doing Business'. While the metric basis defined 'performance standards' could be an important determinant including guidance regards relative performance of state leadership. This is under assumption that it is not the procedural quality basis weights that are being given score but the overall impact is also assessed. That is to say that not only the procedural ease of doing business in say Uttar Pradesh but also the number of new business registered. If done so for all states and argued for in media, this can be an important barometer for measuring performance of leadership. However, one may also want to question why not a metric for 'social performance indicators' as well. Social performance indicators are different from social indicators which are released. They will indicate not only the literacy rate of people but also the number of functioning schools, attendance records for pupils and teachers and relative scores of leaning in some standard exams.
Political leadership and bureaucracy in India have long used stats to their convenience. These have generally been social indicators or 'as is metric' rather than something that pushes up performance. The leaders and bureaucrats were supposed to read and decipher these metrics and decide their own plans. However metrics like no. of schools or Primary health care centers per thousand/lac student/people, no. of teachers or doctors, mortality rate or other comparisons of states which immediately brings leadership performance to question is seldom revealed or discussed. The commercial news media with all its merits/demerits has played a stellar role in keep the information under the wraps. While some NGOs or activists might have attempted to assemble information however this has only been highlighted if it serves some political interests primarily for those in government rather than ordinary public. Present policy as per defined programs seems to be using them to initiate competition to improve performance. While this is encouraged, however this also needs to be built in 'social performance scores' so that we have metrics on overall performance of leaders, and not just in specific areas.
This will allow public to question leadership and leaders can be forced to innovate to perform in their areas of choice rather than just a single metric of ease of doing business. This will also allow greater insights into all hallowed imageries that are floated across by different Netas for political purposes and also expose commercial news media regards what they preach i.e. playing up certain perceptions basis certain incidence (and possibly reaping associated rewards either directly or via the supported interest groups) rather than putting things in context. Guess the time has already come for such and idea which has been simmering for long time although do not think that this is likely to be opened so easily due to possible repercussions..
By: Amit Bhushan Date: 1st June 2015
The Government plans to reveal 'Relative Ranking' of states on 'Ease of Doing Business'. While the metric basis defined 'performance standards' could be an important determinant including guidance regards relative performance of state leadership. This is under assumption that it is not the procedural quality basis weights that are being given score but the overall impact is also assessed. That is to say that not only the procedural ease of doing business in say Uttar Pradesh but also the number of new business registered. If done so for all states and argued for in media, this can be an important barometer for measuring performance of leadership. However, one may also want to question why not a metric for 'social performance indicators' as well. Social performance indicators are different from social indicators which are released. They will indicate not only the literacy rate of people but also the number of functioning schools, attendance records for pupils and teachers and relative scores of leaning in some standard exams.
Political leadership and bureaucracy in India have long used stats to their convenience. These have generally been social indicators or 'as is metric' rather than something that pushes up performance. The leaders and bureaucrats were supposed to read and decipher these metrics and decide their own plans. However metrics like no. of schools or Primary health care centers per thousand/lac student/people, no. of teachers or doctors, mortality rate or other comparisons of states which immediately brings leadership performance to question is seldom revealed or discussed. The commercial news media with all its merits/demerits has played a stellar role in keep the information under the wraps. While some NGOs or activists might have attempted to assemble information however this has only been highlighted if it serves some political interests primarily for those in government rather than ordinary public. Present policy as per defined programs seems to be using them to initiate competition to improve performance. While this is encouraged, however this also needs to be built in 'social performance scores' so that we have metrics on overall performance of leaders, and not just in specific areas.
This will allow public to question leadership and leaders can be forced to innovate to perform in their areas of choice rather than just a single metric of ease of doing business. This will also allow greater insights into all hallowed imageries that are floated across by different Netas for political purposes and also expose commercial news media regards what they preach i.e. playing up certain perceptions basis certain incidence (and possibly reaping associated rewards either directly or via the supported interest groups) rather than putting things in context. Guess the time has already come for such and idea which has been simmering for long time although do not think that this is likely to be opened so easily due to possible repercussions..