Project Summary

Improving civil service quality is central to strengthening governance and reducing corruption in developing countries. Yet, civil service reforms often lack impact due to limited data on what works. This project addressed that gap through a systematic, evidence-based investigation into civil service management practices.

The team partnered with national governments to conduct surveys in Ghana, Uganda, Malawi, Bangladesh, Nepal, Brazil, Chile, Estonia, Kosovo and Albania. Surveys were tailored to local contexts and covered merit recruitment, performance management, pay structures, and staff experiences with corruption, nepotism and job satisfaction.

In addition to a cross-country comparative report, the team produced individual country reports with detailed findings to support local reform agendas. These outputs have informed institutional reforms and new policy tools in multiple countries.

Key Findings

• Three basics matter: Merit-based hiring, effective performance management, and competitive pay are consistently associated with better motivation, lower corruption and improved public service outcomes.
• Personal connections are common: Many civil servants gain jobs, promotions or pay raises through personal or political ties, especially in lower-income settings.
• Institutional variation is significant: Differences in corruption and management quality exist more between institutions than between countries, suggesting reform should focus at the organisational level.
• Pay affects retention, not motivation: While better pay does not necessarily increase motivation, it helps retain more capable and ethical staff.
• Reform must be context-specific: Successful reform requires tailoring interventions to each institution’s strengths and weaknesses, rather than applying blanket solutions across sectors.

Impact Highlights

• Policy uptake in Chile, Kosovo, Uganda, Brazil and Nepal, including incorporation of survey tools into civil service legislation and reforms.
• Institutional partnerships with the World Bank, OECD, Inter-American Development Bank and others to improve civil service diagnostics and reform design.
• Government requests for support with ethics training and civil service performance management.

Methodology

The study combined literature reviews, institutional diagnostics and a major survey effort across ten countries. Surveys were delivered online as well as through in-person interviews in settings lacking digital infrastructure. Analysis focused on understanding how civil service practices shape outcomes at individual, institutional and national levels.