CUI BONO? - MEASURING INCOME-REDISTRIBUTION EFFECTS OF CAPITAL PROJECTS (FROM EVALUATION STUDIES REVIEW ANNUAL, V 2, 1977, BY MARCIA GUTTENTAG AND SHALOM SAAR SEE NCJ-47177)

• NCJ Number: 47185
• Author(s): J D MONTGOMERY; M KATZMAN
• Date Published: 1977
• Length: 14 pages
• Corporate Author: Sage Publications, Inc
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

THE USE OF THE CRITICAL INCIDENT TECHNIQUE AND OTHER METHODS TO EVALUATE THE INCOME-REDISTRIBUTING PERFORMANCE OF A PUBLIC UTILITY PROJECT IN A DEVELOPING COUNTRY IS DESCRIBED.

Abstract

THE STATE WATER SUPPLY PROJECT, WHICH INVOLVED THE CONSTRUCTION OF A BARRAGE, STORAGE RESERVOIRS, AND TRANSMISSION MAINS IN AN (UNNAMED) ASIAN COUNTRY, WAS INTENDED TO BENEFIT PRIMARILY THE URBAN AND RURAL POOR. POSTEVALUATION RESEARCHERS WERE ABLE TO INTERVIEW PLANNERS ABOUT THEIR INTENTIONS, ASSUMPTIONS, AND PERCEPTIONS; TO TEST THESE ASSUMPTIONS BY ANALYZING WATER-USE BEHAVIOR; AND TO MEASURE THE EXPERIENCES AND PERCEPTIONS OF THE PROJECT'S INTENDED BENEFICIARIES. FOUR MAJOR FINDINGS SUGGEST THAT THE CAPITAL PROJECT DID IN FACT BENEFIT THE RURAL AND URBAN POOR: (1) MANAGEMENT ATTEMPTED TO REDUCE HIDDEN COSTS OTHERWISE BORNE BY THE POOR BY SUBSIDIZING THE EXTENSION OF SERVICES TO OUTLYING AREAS AND BY PROVIDING LOW-INTEREST CREDIT FOR HOUSEHOLD CONNECTION; (2) THE POOR WERE USING THE SERVICES AS MUCH AS WEALTHY HOUSEHOLDS, ACTUAL CONSUMPTION BEING RELATED SIGNIFICANTLY TO FAMILY SIZE AND NOT INCOME; (3) THE PROJECT'S PROGRESSIVE RATE STRUCTURE GENERALLY BORNE MORE HEAVILY ON THE RICH THAN ON THE POOR; AND (4) USERS' ACCOUNTS OF 'CRITICAL INCIDENTS' INVOLVING WATER USAGE AND OTHER USER SURVEY DATA INDICATE THAT ALL SOCIETAL GROUPS PERCEIVED THE PROJECT AS BENEFICIAL TO THE ENTIRE SOCIETY AND ESPECIALLY TO THE RURAL POOR. IMPLICATIONS OF SUCH FINDINGS FOR POLICYMAKERS IN INTERNATIONAL AGENCIES AND FOR PROJECT MANAGERS ARE NOTED. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHOR ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)