The role of government in setting an appropriate environment for public infrastructure development : a case study of hydropower development in Lao PDR : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Development Studies at Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
Loading...
Date
2011
DOI
Open Access Location
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Massey University
Rights
The Author
Abstract
The role of government in setting an appropriate environment for public infrastructure
development is explored to understand whether there are strong links between
infrastructure, development and government. In examining this subject, a number of
related issues are also considered, including why infrastructure is important to
development, how managing resources well leads to better infrastructure outcomes and
why is it essential that infrastructure is managed more effectively. Each of these leads
to a better understanding of the roles government should play in infrastructure
management.
The methodology is designed to develop a definition for infrastructure and understand
what the literature says about the links between government, development and
infrastructure. The manner in which infrastructure has been provided historically is also
considered and this research supports a system of infrastructure management. The
system is then investigated through a hydropower project in Laos that is examined as a
qualitative case study.
The links between government, development and infrastructure are found to be strong
in this thesis, but governments have had mixed involvement in infrastructure provision
through the ages. At the end of the last century government is seen to have increasingly
engaged with the private sector in a structured way. The core roles of government that
cannot be left to others are found to include planning, procurement and regulation of
infrastructure outcomes. These roles should be delivered within an overarching national
infrastructure plan that is carried out by a centralised Infrastructure Management Unit.
The case study project highlights some enhancements that can be made to the system
proposed in the thesis and helps explain why there are sometimes exceptions to
application of the whole system, although exceptions should be limited because caseby-
case project development is suboptimal to initiatives that are formed as part of a
national infrastructure planning process.
Description
Keywords
Infrastructure, Government policy, Economic development, Laos, Lao People's Democratic Republic, Development studies, Hydropower development, Hydroelectric power plants