Governance Unbound: Public Services, Players and Rules of the Game

The book points the finger at an unlikely 'whodunnit' for governance failure - the design of rules of the game. Based on the author's extensive experience and domain knowledge, the book demonstrates the relevance of a human centred policy in major areas of public policy such as donation of organs, road safety, smoking, female foeticide, licensing regulations and crime. It explains why: A zero tolerance policy may end up in zero compliance, Banning the sale of loose cigarettes is not a good idea if we want to discourage smoking, mandaing speed governors can be more effective than putting rash drivers in jail, performance pay and similar incentives are unlikely to work for the bureaucracy. The author proposes that the regime of 'noisy' rules and harsh penalties and sticks may need to be supplemented, if not supplanted, by a rule design which makes it easy and convenient for people to comply.