Interorganizational co-ordination in development programms: a case on integrated child development services

Abstract

In recent years integrated approach has been adopted and multi-agency effort envisaged in the implementation of government development programmes in sectors like agriculture, health, education. Some of these programmes are Integrated Rural Development Programme (IRDP), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS), National Adult Education Programme (NAEP).

The critical relevance of inter-organizational co-ordination (IOC) in implementing development programmes (DPs) has been discussed in literature (Cheema, 1985, Desai 1987) where IOC is deemed as an important intermediate variable in the implementation of DPs.

Literature on evaluation of these programmes have indicated that co-ordination between organizations have been a recurring problem. Yet there have been few empirical studies on IOC in the context of development/public services programmes in India (or for that matter perhaps in other countries too). Kessler (1987) has pointed out that inter-organizational approach has been seldom used in the study of public policy and programmes.

With the above context in mind, the present research explores the nature and determinants of IOC in one specific development programme, viz. The Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS). ICDS programme aims at improving the health and nutrition status of children in the age group of 0-6 years and expectant and nursing mothers in the weaker sections of the society. The package of services planned out for the purpose includes immunization, pre-school education, supplementary nutrition health, nutrition education, health check-up and referral services. ICDS, a centrally sponsored programme, mainly implemented through the development administration, was launched in 1975 on a pilot basis with 33 projects, which by Sixth Five Year Plan had increased to 1000 projects. The scheme has emphasized on an integrated approach and envisaged. The scheme has emphasized on an integrated approach and envisaged co-ordination between various development programmes.

ICDS projects in Gujarat State were examined adopting the case study research methods. Yin’s (1984) model of case analysis was used. Data was collected through official documents, detailed interviews with the programme officials and functionaries at the State, District and Block level, and through extensive field visits to the project sites observing the operations of the programme.

The research questions addressed were (i) what constitutes IOC, (ii) How does it take place, (iii) What are the determinants of IOC, in the ICDS programme.

It was found that for understanding IOC in the development programme context, organizations- in-effect (OE), involved in implementing the programme, need to be delineated. IOC was found to be essentially taking place between different organization sets with different tasks at hand. The nature and determinants of IOC with these different organizations set were further explored. Several propositions have emerged which point towards an IOC model in the development programme context.