Public Service and Bureaucracy: A Case Study of Central Bank of Gambia

This report examines the concept of system-level bureaucracy within the context of public service, using the Central Bank of Gambia (CBG) as a case study. It discusses how the CBG engages in public service activities, emphasizing the importance of legitimacy and corporate social responsibility. The report delves into the characteristics of system-level bureaucracy, including hierarchy, rules, and competence-based hiring, and its impact on the CBG's operations, CSR initiatives, and client satisfaction. It also explores relevant theories such as the triple bottom line and curtailment theory, highlighting the benefits and challenges of bureaucratic governance, including rigidity and potential power imbalances. The report further touches upon the role of IT in enhancing public services and the consequences of bureaucratic governance, concluding with an emphasis on maintaining a good management system and effective corporate governance to support public service activities.

Central bank of Gambia
PUBLIC SERVICE IN CENTRAL BANK OF GAMBIA in Notion of system level bureaucracy
Strategic Management and Information Systems
Name of the Author
University Name-

INTRODUCTION
With the changes in time, Notion of system level bureaucracy has been gaining
momentum throughout the time. The study topic of the current report recognises the scenario
wherein certain organisations tend to head towards a system level bureaucracy while
extending their share of services for the good of the public. These activities are termed as
activities done under the umbrella of corporate governance. However, in various cases the
governance structure somehow turns bureaucratic too. Organisation selected for completing
the research is Unga Group. The public service activities done by Unga Group have been
analysed by observing the street level bureaucracy as a subset of public agency or
government institutions where the civil servants works (Osborne, 2010).
PUBLIC SERVICE IN UNGA GROUP
It is the Central bank of Gambia abbreviated to CBG. This bank is located in Banjul
and was established in 1971. The central bank of Gambia is indulged in providing the
banking public services to clients with a view to satisfy client’s need and regulate other small
banks in Gambia
PUBLIC SERVICES
Public services are the activities undertaken by the organisations with a view of
legitimate theory. In context with the Central bank of Gambia, it means that the activities
done by the Central bank of Gambia should be legitimate in the eyes of the society in which
they operate. Apart from profit making, the aim of an entity should also consist of working
towards the good of the common (McWilliams, 2015). It is so because the entity uses all the
resources that the society fosters. As a return the entity should at least make good for all
that’s exploited (Bache, and Flinders, 2014). As a result it has become mandatory nowadays
to invest certain percentage of revenues to the corporate social activities by a company
(Donaldson, 2013).
NOTION OF SYSTEM-LEVEL BUREAUCRACY in context with Central bank of
Gambia
Bureaucracy, now-a-days is established as the most significant way of running an
organisation. It provides set code of conduct, undertaken strategic approach and rules and

regulations to meet the set objectives and goals. The dominant character of this level of
management is the presence of hierarchy of authority or autonomy and a well-defined set of
rules. It focused on delivering the more outcomes to society and public at large. This system
gives power to the position and not to the person holding that position (Weber, 2015). This
has obligatory for Central bank of Gambia to provide the best possible banking services and
protection to general public from any kind of wrong acts in market. Simply speaking, every
position comes up with certain power and every action is to be supported by evidence
recorded in writing (Naschold, 2017). The hiring in such offices is to be made on grounds of
the competence that the person applying to the position holds, and not on the basis of
nepotism. The offices follow a strict structure of hierarchy. The ownership management and
the working management are different. In easy words, notion of system- level Bureaucracy is
defined as the presence of hierarchy of authority or autonomy and a well-defined set of rules
which strengthen the overall outcomes and efficiency of the organization. The main
significant notion of system- level Bureaucracy is focused on strengthens the CSR activities
and increased business outcomes towards the society. System-level-bureaucracy turns to be
advantageous for the public service organizations which provides best possible outcomes to
society and assists public service organization to comply with the CSR activities (Head, and
Alford, 2015).
The system-level-bureaucracy provides benefits in terms that it focuses more on the
competence that an individual holds rather than a favour they may extend. It allows Central
bank of Gambia to increase the satisfaction level of clients. Proper rules are framed and
followed for any work to be done and hence the chances of fraud come down to minimal as
there are departments cross checking even the management. As a clear system of authority is
there, hence the organisations can focus more on the clearly laid down goals (Gatt, 2014).
However, this makes the organisation rigid at times, when a need to take decisions urgently
arises. Flexibility is lost and a standard is there for every work and every task, the customers
may feel lack of customisation. Sometimes the senior management may exercise their powers
forcefully on the working management (Dimock, 2018). The theory of triple bottom line is
also undertaken in system-level-bureaucracy in the public service organization. This theory
emphasises upon the people, planet and profit. Public services in context with the system-
level-bureaucracy focused on delivering the best outcomes to society and public at large
(Bommert, 2010). These theories establish the set code of conducts and strengthen the overall
outcomes delivered to society in effective manner. However, there are below given theories

of system of level bureaucracy in context with the public services which could assist in
implementing the undertaken work in determined approach (Koppenjan,.and Klijn, . 2015).
Theories of system level bureaucracy in context with the public
services
The public service is carried with a view to amalgamate with the communities in
which the entity operates in order to benefit the members of the community who are highly
needy and helpless. The viewpoint is “Connecting To Grow”. This connection stands not
only between the community and the organisation but between the members of the entity
themselves. The main focus of the current Corporate Social Responsibility programme of
Unga Group is development of girls’ literacy (Pollitt, and Bouckaert, 2017). The funding for
same is done by utilising the revenue generated by the company from the sale of additional
production. If these theories of system are undertaken in the organization then it would not
only increase the overall outcomes but also assists in undertaking the theories of system level
bureaucracy in context with the public services. If these theories are followed in proper
manner then it will not only strengthen the implication in the organizations but also motivate
other stakeholders to give their optimum efforts in the process (Lipsky, 2010).
Curtailment theory is also one of the best theories which strengthen the transparency
of the process work. It is analyzed that if public service organization follows the Curtailment
theory then it will ultimately strengthen regulation compliance program in public services and
also curb the insider trading program (Koh, 2017).
The CSR theory emphasises upon delivering the best outcomes to society while
earning profit from the undertaken public service projects. The administration of these CSR
projects is done both from the individual plants and the central administration offices. As
every level of employee is being involved in the whole process, they all have developed high
level of motivation with a boost in their commitments and have learned a varied range of new
skills. As the observation suggests the bureaucracy levels are equivalent to a perfect
percentage as the whole work is being bifurcated into different administrations, making the
administration less complex and more effective. The triple bottom line and CSR program is
the major base for sustainable business practice of the public services. However, in many
cases, public organizations are more inclined towards adopting the street- level bureaucracy
to strengthen the direct contact with the general public. This process method is used to

strengthen the overall outcomes for the public through the undertaken public agency work
program (Adshead, 2017).
The governance system seems well formed as the resources are completely utilised to
attain the benefits as desired by the entity for self-growth and the excess is fertilised in a way
to pay for the costs of increasing the literacy level of female. This whole idea seems like an
investment as more educated population shall add to the skilled workforce in future providing
a dual benefit of increased literacy levels and as well as increased employment levels. The
system of system-level-bureaucracy turns out to be advantageous for the companies to
strengthen the overall outcomes and making entities more suitable to deliver the social
benefits. It is analyzed that if public service entities embed its business process with the
system-level-bureaucracy then it could deliver more positive results to organization which
could add value to society and environment at large. The theory of the viewpoint is
“Connecting To Grow is also used by public service organizations to establish harmonization
in context with the social and economic development with the organizational development at
large. These theories have suggested the valuable outcomes and effective use of resources for
the benefits of the societies if adopted while rendering the public services. It is further
analyzed that governance system is well formed with the notion of system- level Bureaucracy
which divulges presence of hierarchy of authority or autonomy and a well-defined set of rules
and increased business outcomes at large (Imperial, et al. 2016).
PUBLIC SERVICES AND NOTION OF SYSTEM LEVEL BUREAUCRACY
Maintaining a good level of public service activities by any organisation calls for
having a good system of management and shall include every management level from top to
bottom. In context with the Central bank of Gambia, It includes framing policies, code of
conduct, undertaken strategic approach and developed business plans of Central bank of
Gambia which strengthen the process work of public service provided by bank. The reason
being, unless a proper system is framed by the entity to perform in the areas that are not cored
to its business, it shall not be able to outperform there. To undertake the same, when an entity
establishes a corporate social responsibility committee to decide upon what is to be done and
how it is to be done; an audit committee to see how much it is done and with what accuracy it
is done; top management to oversee the whole process; working management to work upon
the whole process etc., it seems from an overview that entity is proceeding towards a notion
of system level bureaucracy (Dimock, 2018)

The intention isn’t to formulate a bureaucratic management system, yet the entity’s
formulation of such system makes it look like the same. However, sometimes the rigidity
with which the public services are undertaken by the organisations makes them actually go
bureaucratic. The flexibility is lost and the time taken to get approvals is also increased as the
chain of authority gets longer and the decision making power generally lies with the top
management. The main intention of system-level-bureaucracy is to promote the proper work
program and establish the effective CSR activities for the organization. These programs will
assist entities to strengthen the overall outcomes and efficiency of the business at large. It is
further observed that in organizations corporate governance plays pivotal role in supporting
the system level bureaucracy (Gatt, 2014).
IT aspect in NOTION OF SYSTEM LEVEL BUREAUCRACY
With the intensive use of information and communication technologies, governments
are transforming into E-governance system with a view to increase attention to strengthen the
public services and protect the clients from any wrong acts for their better satisfaction. It
emphasises upon curtailment thesis which lower down the discrepancies of the frontline
policies and increasing the transparency of the notion of system level bureaucracy undertaken
in the public services.
CONSEQUENCES FOR BUREAUCRATIC GOVERNANCE AND ALTERNATIVE
APPROACH
Governance in a simple language means the way any organisation is led by its
management. It is based on complying with the applicable rules and regulations, set code of
conducts and undertaken strategic program which strengthen the overall outcomes in
effective manner. The main consequence of this governance and system level of bureaucracy
is related to strengthen Central bank of Gambia or other public services’ codes of conduct
and compliance program to satisfy and protect clients in long run. It includes managing
almost everything including acquiring resources, utilising resources, taking decisions, making
policies, hiring people etc. (Donaldson, 2013). As already discussed about bureaucratic
governance system, the organisation faces certain consequences with such management
(Imperial, et al. 2016). The benefits include having a complete set of rules that are to be
followed in case of any dispute or any misunderstanding. The powers that are to be exercised
by every officer at every position are already established and the same are evidenced with

written documents. Every action is witnessed with written contracts and laws with clear
approach to duties of all personnel included. The officials are being promoted on merit basis
and not on any favourable basis. The level of notion of system- level Bureaucracy is used to
make the public service more reliable and effective for the better society. The main
consequences of this process are to implement the undertaken program and make public
services more people oriented (Jessop, 2016).
But, this calls for too much of rigid procedures and longer time being invested on decision
making. The chances of any innovation are less as everyone is just following the same
process they are assigned at. The best way to curb it down is introducing alternative
management approach which is more flexible and less burdensome. Transcending the
conventional management approach and coming up with more efficient techniques that
manages functions as well as promotes growth should be the motive. If these newly concept
of work undertaken by the public services organization in system-level-bureaucracy then it
would assist organization to add value and increasing the overall outcomes in effective
manner (Weber, 2015). Now in the end, after assessing all the details and presence of
hierarchy of authority or autonomy in the notion of system- level Bureaucracy, it could be
inferred that if public services embedded these notion of level of bureaucracy then it could
strengthen the overall output to society at large. In addition to this, notion of system- level
Bureaucracy is used to make the public service more reliable and delivering the better
outcomes to the public in society. It also strengthens the sustainability of the public
organization in long run (McWilliams, 2015).

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