Participative Management and Rural Development

Participative management and development including planning have assumed greater significance, particularly, in the developing countries whose economies are basically rural. Development participation, particularly rural development participation, involves a complex process of change in rural subsystems and their interactions resulting into desired improvements in rural incomes, employment opportunities, rural welfare and allied aspects of rural life. A good deal of literature has appeared in recent years and is continuing to appear on management, development, local level planning, people’s participation, basic minimum needs and target group oriented approaches to development and related topics. But unfortunately very little has been written as to how the new approaches could be implemented. The present study being the first full-length study on the problem provides a theoretical framework in finding out proper management techniques for achieving development targets through effective participation of the masses. The book divided into eleven chapters discusses different dimensions of people’s participation and management techniques. It also throws fresh light on eliminating poverty by way of effective and decentralised planning. The book will be found highly useful for management experts, development administrators, planners, researchers and students.

Dr. S.N. Mishra (b. 1942), a known scholar in the field of development administration is presently Professor at the Indian Institute of Public Administration, New Delhi. Prof. Mishra having 27 years research, training and teaching experience served Magadh University from 1964 to 1980 prior he joined IIPA. Prof. Mishra, a keen student of Political Sociology, Indian Political System, Development Administration and Panchayati Raj in prolific writer. Apart from sixteen scholarly books and more than hundred research paper to his credit he has been associated with prestigious twenty volumes set of Encyclopaedia of Environment, Ecology and Pollution Control (Mittal Publications, 1992) in coeditorship of Dr. R. Swarup and Shri V.P. Jauhari, Along with his own researches, he has successfully guided more than two dozen research scholars for their doctoral and post-doctoral degrees. Prof. Mishra is presently engaged in research on Participative Rural Development Management.