Engaging project beneficiaries : a comparative analysis of government and NGO practices in the development context of Bangladesh

Abstract

This thesis provides a comparative analysis of the practices of government (GOs) and non-government organisations (NGOs) in engaging project beneficiaries in the development context of Bangladesh. The research investigation considers the concept of integrating people into development, in which the engagement of project beneficiaries is embedded in the policies and practices in a given country and carried out by both state and non-state actors. However, development literature is yet to generate any evidence-based comparison between GOs and NGOs in terms of their strategies, roles and practices of engaging beneficiaries specific to any country context. With this gap in development discussions, it is relevant to compare the existing practices that GOs and NGOs adopt to engage project beneficiaries in a development context specific to Bangladesh. The research investigation uses interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs) to gather data. It analyses findings from 42 interviews involving government and NGO officials, field workers, project staff and development partners and three FGDs with GO-NGO officials and beneficiaries. The data collection also involves secondary sources that triangulate the information obtained through the primary sources. Through an analysis of the findings, this study argues that the integration of beneficiaries into development does exist and it is practiced by both GOs and NGOs within the project management cycle though varies in individual service sectors. The study reveals that both GOs and NGOs equally experience advantages, challenges and limitations in engaging beneficiaries. Thus none of these organisations can ensure the integration of beneficiaries without mutually coordinated and dependent relationships not only between service sectors and NGOs but also between local government and NGOs at the grass roots level. This thesis also makes a significant contribution to identifying emerging opportunities in the development field of Bangladesh that determines GO-NGO partnership to integrate people and to accept roles of both GOs and NGOs in engaging beneficiaries relevant to the country’s development aspirations.

Date of Award	2021
Original language	English
Supervisor	Tahmina Rashid (Supervisor), Shahbaz Khan (Supervisor), Bethaney TURNER (Supervisor) & Jason Flanagan (Supervisor)