24.07.2014 Views

Public Financial Management for PRSP - Deutsches Institut für ...

Public Financial Management for PRSP - Deutsches Institut für ...

Public Financial Management for PRSP - Deutsches Institut für ...

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

<strong>Public</strong> <strong>Financial</strong> <strong>Management</strong> <strong>for</strong> <strong>PRSP</strong> Implementation in Malawi<br />

Part III: Analysis and Recommendations<br />

7 <strong>Public</strong> <strong>Financial</strong> <strong>Management</strong> under Uncertainty:<br />

The Case of Malawi<br />

This section draws together the empirical findings in each of the key areas<br />

described in the preceding section and presents some more general results<br />

regarding actual PFM practice in Malawi. The main finding shows that actual<br />

PFM practices and, in particular, the budget process differ significantly from<br />

<strong>for</strong>mal rules and procedures. Instead of being guided by this generally well<br />

designed framework, the actual PFM process is characterised by three main<br />

features. These are:<br />

— Ad hoc mode of planning and budgeting: Malawi’s PFM is not characterised<br />

by routinised and standard bureaucratic procedures but rather by<br />

an ad hoc mode of action throughout the system.<br />

— In<strong>for</strong>mal practices: Apart from deliberate manipulation of processes <strong>for</strong><br />

personal gain, in<strong>for</strong>mal practices are often used as pragmatic solutions<br />

to cope with unexpected problems and shortcomings.<br />

— Uncertainty: Uncertainty has many dimensions in Malawi’s PFM system.<br />

The two most important ones are uncertainty with regard to financial<br />

resources and <strong>for</strong>mal rules. Uncertainty in terms of financial resources<br />

denotes the fact that various actors in Malawi’s PFM system do<br />

not know the amount of money they will have at their disposal <strong>for</strong> implementing<br />

policies during the next financial year. Even after their<br />

budgets have been approved, cutbacks occur frequently. Furthermore,<br />

various actors do not know when they will be told how much money<br />

they will receive as the official schedule is not being adhered to (ceilings<br />

and time of disbursement). Uncertainty in terms of <strong>for</strong>mal rules thus refers<br />

to a twofold problem: For one, it describes the problem that stakeholders<br />

do not know <strong>for</strong>mal rules and procedures, or are uncertain which<br />

rules apply in a particular situation. In addition, the term refers to the<br />

fact that given the constant non-adherence to <strong>for</strong>mal rules, most actors<br />

cannot be sure that others adhere to the rules and thus do not know<br />

whether they themselves will be able to follow <strong>for</strong>mal procedures in fulfilling<br />

their functions.<br />

German Development <strong>Institut</strong>e 125

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!