Problems currently treated on an ad hoc basis

Need for a World Management Information Network (Part #6)

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There is a range of problems within the world system bearing directly on the facilitation of global development strategy which are treated on a piecemeal, patchwork basis. These include:

5a. Lack of information on organizations: Information on bodies generating and implementing programmes and using project reports. Few countries or international agencies have attempted to build up a comprehensive systematic list of bodies which affect or are affected by their programmes. For example, in the UN system 'Most of the organizations have not up to the present handled the project information in a systematic way in a central location...' (E/4486/Add.l, 19 April 1968), although it is recognized that ' .. .much staff time and money could be saved by a pooling of data and an automatic exchange of new material. The material could be of particular usefulness at the stage when identification of needs was under study' (E/4486/Add. 1,19 April 1968).

Such a central data pool is important because the juxtaposition of programme and contact information is vital to the avoidance of any duplication of research and publications and to any overall analysis of programme priorities (problems raised by Mr Kotschnig). Such contacts are also vital to any awareness of, and utilization by, organizatons outside the UN system of the work already done. These are general problems faced by the UN and Agency Offices of Public Information.

The United Nations Ecosoc Administrative Committee on Coordination is 'interested in encouraging measures which could further facilitate the inter-agency dissemination of project information' (E/4486/Add. 1, 19 April 1968) as a solution to one aspect of this problem. One project envisaged is the creation of country information files to be placed on microfilm for use throughout the UN system. This would however be designed as an inter-agency solution only, irrespective of the supplementary information needs or logical interface requirements of organizations interacting with the UN system, on which the UN is dependent for the implementation and effectiveness of its programmes. This work would, therefore, have to be duplicated in a variety of forms outside the UN system thus reducing the utility of both and increasing the cost of the resultant inefficient information system.

The ACC states that 'The use of reports in project and programme formulation is mainly a matter for Governments.' (E/4486/Add.l) which apparently restricts and simplifies the management problem, although in terms of achieving UN global development objectives and evaluating programme effectiveness, study of the use made of existing programmes is a critical process in formulation of new programmes. This is vital to a management overview of development strategy. Current information on bodies using and supplying information to UN bodies, whether they are within the UN system, the government system, the nongovernmental, non-profit system, or the commercial system, appears to be split between and within each agency and maintained under at least five entirely separate functional groups:

• publication sales lists
• general information and public relations lists
• expert advisor lists
• consultative status international organizations
• programme implementation organization lists and directories by area or programme.

This is done for administrative convenience, even though the same body may be listed in more than one file and in more than one agency. Because of the ad hoc approach, there is likely to be duplication of effort in maintaining files within and between agencies, as well as important omissions in the pattern of contacts where bodies have not been detected by one or more agencies or departments. Any such file organization makes an overall view impossible on a basis useful for management and global strategy purposes, since even details on the programme significance of individual organizations in the world system,for the UN, are scattered through a number of departments which may not liaise.

Most UN system organizations are studying the maintenance of a central 'memory' on project information (E/4486/Add. 1, 19 April 1968) . It has apparently not yet been decided whether such memories would be computer based or what sort of material they should contain and have exchanged between agencies (e.g. programme contacts, programme objectives, report titles, or detailed project reports) . The current emphasis does however appear to favour an exchange of a large volume of reports or microfilmed documents rather than small quantities of management information . The latter could be fed into a central computer to maintain an up to date clear and comprehensive picture of the existing operational and research programmes and contacts which could be used to improve future programmes. As Mr Kotschnig points out, reports analysing problem and programme relationships contribute little to the solution of these problems. A more dynamic and highly ordered information system is required for this purpose.

This situation is reflected outside the UN system, both in and between other inter-governmental agencies, within the national government networks, and as regards the information requirements of specialized nongovernmental, non-profit organizations (e.g. science, medicine, youth, education, etc.). Although carefully collected figures are available each year on the estimated population of each town, country and for the world, no such systematic information is available on the number, nature and contact addresses of the organizations to which individuals and other organizations belong. The data collection focus in general has been on the problem areas rather than on the organizational network and its resources through which solutions can be focussed on a variety of problems.

There is therefore no body which is in a position to study, assess and recommend the allocation of organizational resources or attempt any form of global strategy formulation in the face of interacting problem areas. Where such recommendations are made, they are not conceived in terms of the overall organizational network through which they must be implemented. The only bodies in existence or envisaged with this sort of capacity are the multinational business enterprises working through the world trade centres. These have sophisticated computer facilities to assist in the rapid allocation of organizational resources in the face of problems and opportunities but are not directly interested in global development although their networks and coordination constitute important resources in development planning. The low degree of information availability and organization therefore:

• reduces ability to initiate and maintain contacts; leads to duplication, wasted effort and funds;
• leads to dilution of effort and non-optimum solutions because of lack of interaction between bodies interested in related fields;
• conceals important communication and coordination gaps which may be vital to effective programme implementation
.

 

5b. Lack of integrated information on organizations and programmes: Available information on organizations and programmes is structured in such a way that it is difficult to determine through what programmes, organizations and information networks organizations coordinate their activities and through which effort should be channelled

Most information on organizations and programmes is provided (whether within or outside the UN system) in the form of specialized lists without any structure or means of cross-referencing by programme or membership of some coordinating body. From a management point of view, it is therefore extremely difficult to pick out critical points in the world system where coordination is required and can be organized with minimum effort on an optimum cost/effectiveness basis. Similarly, it is difficult to determine where coordinating points already exist and may be used with minimum allocation of resources to ensure effective programme implementation and information processing.

As an illustration of the sort of management problem that should be automatically signalled once it arises, a United States National Commission for Unesco report concluded in 1964 that 'Communication is generally sporadic and uncertain between the international NGO and its national affiliates and individual members. . . Individual American members, for example, appear to know very little about what their international NGO is doing. In some cases, this includes even the executive secretary of the American affiliate. Much the same situation is believed to apply in other countries.' A report on the 1968 Freedom from Hunger Conference for National Committees in Asia and the Far East indicated a 'seeming lack of understanding' how the governmental and non-governmental organizations represented could help one another. Non-governmental organizations were reported as often not knowing what other national organizations in the same country were doing. An 1968 FAO brochure states that 'In some cases even the member governments of the Organization are not fully aware of the variety and scope of information readily obtainable through the FAO.'

It is probable that communication between many inter-governmental agencies and organizations, national government departments and national organizations is equally ineffective in many sectors. The degree and extent of ineffectiveness and its consequences are almost impossible to determine with present procedures.

The current procedure with regard to problem management appears to be to wait until a situation becomes critical and sufficient pressure is exerted through an ad hoc network of bodies (which may or may not be adequately funded despite the responsibility tacitly placed upon them) . When funds are finally obtained for the needed programme, information is then gradually built up on the organizations through which the programme should be implemented. This information may then be published in directory form, but not necessarily with any provision for regular updating or cross-reference to other directories in preparation for the next problem.

This is management by crisis with a long reaction time. It can only produce temporary solutions to specific problems. The procedure does not facilitate coordination of existing programmes either within a given subject or geographical area or where several problem areas interact across discipline and geographical boundaries. This is particularly important in environmental problems.

Lack of information on coordination increases the problem of fund allocation by organizations within and outside the UN system because it is difficult to pinpoint quickly and with certainty which bodies constitute the channels for effective fund allocation with respect to a particular problem area .

It is also difficult for the governmental and private bodies with funds to allocate, to know which problems are becoming critical in the face of the requests by all organizations. In a comprehensive information system, this would be indicated by the increase in the number of meetings and organizations in a sensitive problem and/or geographical area. This should be automatically signalled as an indication of the growing points in the world system to which additional aid needs to be channelled.

The lack of any information on the structural relationship between organizations also hinders the process of evaluation. Detection of the points to which project information is channelled through non-UN organizations, must be done on a lengthy ad hoc basis, programme by programme, to check on the utility of each, if such an evaluation is undertaken.

Linked to the problem of evaluation is the difficulty under present circumstances of rapidly detecting and initiating corrective programmes to combat new primary problems (e.g. natural disasters, etc.) and new secondary problems (e.g. ineffectiveness, inefficiency or breakdown in particular parts of the world system) . Global development cannot be effectively undertaken on a continuing basis but is dependent on intermittent action by ad hoc pressure groups whether within or outside government circles

Many problems within the world system are dealt with on a continuing basis through non-UN and non-governmental organizations, information systems, agreements, programmes and meetings. Any information system must be structured to assist and integrate the activities of such non-UN organizations and programmes. A UN or agency focussed information system does not improve the cost/effectiveness of the global information system by making full use of other Information systems wherever possible and facilitating the use of any such system by other bodies.

The consequent duplication does not contribute to the solution of issues identified by the Enlarged Committee for Programmes and Coordination and annotated by the Secretary-General (E/AC . 51/GR/15, 7 October 1968), namely: an optimum concentration of resources; a reduction in the burden on the administrative resources of Member States and of members of the United Nations family of organizations; a flexible, prompt and effective response to specific needs; the evolution of an integrated system of longterm planning on a programme basis; and the institution of systematic procedures for evaluating the effectiveness of operational and research activities.

The UN organizations need to be aware of what is being done and not done, by whom, and how effectively, in order to check that problems are dealt with either through UN or non-UN programmes before they become critical. This awareness needs to be on week by week basis and not subject to the lengthy delays required to locate retrieve, check and order information generated in all parts of the world. Current and envisaged plans do not, however, appear to be converging or cross-linking sufficiently to lead to systematic global problem management using management and data process techniques, which would be considered essential in, for example, any global commercial enterprise or military organization.

6. Implications of the Distinction between Management Techniques and Administrative Techniques

There is some confusion and overlap associated with the distinction between 'management' and 'administrative' techniques. Management techniques are sometimes considered to be only applicable to business management as developed through the schools of business administration. Schools of public administration and governments emphasize the use of administrative techniques in discussing government departments. Management techniques have, however, been developed to the point where they can be applied irrespective of the type of organization (business, government, private, military) or its objectives (profit, non-profit, etc.).

Management techniques are problem oriented. They are required: to evaluate on a continuous basis the internal and external problems an organization must face; to organize, coordinate and balance the resources of the sub-divisions of the organization, to deal with the problems and to guide their implementation of programmes; to initiate or recommend new programmes and long-term plans in the face of new problems; and to ensure that the process of management is constantly improved.

Administrative techniques are programme oriented. They are more concerned with the techniques of implementing voted programmes as opposed to the management problems of determing which programmes should be implemented on the basis of the resources available and the long-term objectives of the organization. Both techniques are required in any internation organization with an ability to initiate or recommend programmes .

The lack of compensation for the current political science bias towards governmental organizations (despite the practical necessity to gain acceptance from and work through other types of organization), together with the interests and low degree of interaction of the environments in which management and administrative techniques have been respectively developed, have had three important consequences for global development:

• analysis of the resources available for global development has focussed on the administrative problem of inter-governmental and national governmental organizations;
• management techniques applicable to the global development problem are not understood and have gained little acceptance outside the business circles in which they were mainly developed. There appears to be no channel through which this transfer of techniques could take place.
• no body analogous to the schools of business administration or public administration exists to foster the development and application of management techniques to all aspects of global development from an interdisciplinary and global perspective. (For example, UNITAR is primarily concerned with the UN perspective.)

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