Perceptions of Civil Servants Toward Privatization and Development: A New Exploratory Study

This study examines the perceptions of civil servants towards privatization with respect to national development. Using case studies and official interview data, it also examines the efficacy and effectiveness of privatization programs in a developing country, Bangladesh. The study rejects the conventional beliefs about the role of bureaucracies as anti-privatization by revealing that civil servants of Bangladesh have positive perceptions towards privatization with respect to national development. The study, however, finds no significant differences in the perceptions of different levels of civil servants towards privatization with respect to national development; they all share a common goal. Research demonstrates that civil servants generally believe that privatization positively affects economic, social, political and administrative development, although it negatively affects equity, fairness and social justice issues by widening the gap between the rich and the poor. Additionally, the study demonstrates that privatization is not conducive to employee empowerment.

Ali FarazmandEmail: