Lexington Books Privatization and Sustainable Economic Growth and Human Development in Developing Countries: A Case Study from Tanzania

Privatization and Sustainable Development in Developing Countries: A Case Study From Tanzania, by Richard J. Mushi and Maurice Y. Mongkuo, provides an in-depth assessment of the impact of sustainable development reform through privatization of public functions on economic growth and human development in a developing country setting. Beginning with a comprehensive discussion of the evolution and conceptual framework of sustainable development, this book presents major public policy issues involved in governments' reliance of privatized management strategy and its propensity to achieve both economic growth and human development in the long term. Using the United Republic of Tanzania as a country-specific case study, a longitudinal comparison of the economic growth and human development trends during the period when the government shifted from a non-privatized to a privatized management strategy, authors Mushi and Mongkuo found that, with the exception of dead rate, reform through privatization of public functions seem to have resulted in sustained economic growth and human development over time. The contents and methodological approach presented in Privatization and Sustainable Development in Developing Countries contribute significantly to research and scholarly discourse of major public policy reform which scholars and practitioners will find invaluable in formulating and implementing effective public policy reforms in developing countries. Review Privatization, Sustainable Economic Growth, and Human Development in Developing Countries is a "must read" for researchers, scholars, and development studies students whose focus is on Africa and other developing areas of the world. The authors certainly articulate the role of the private sector in the sustainability of economic prosperity and the capacity building in developing countries. It must be emphasized that this book is particularly useful to students who are seeking development models that can be operationalized in an African community. The book is strongly recommended for research libraries, university libraries, scholars, mid-management development officers, and both governmental and non-governmental entities.--Valentine James, Clarion University of Pennsylvania This path-breaking study provides important insights regarding the relationship between economic growth and improvements in the quality of life of ordinary Tanzanian citizens. The authors' find that government policies promoting private sector investment also led to increased educational attainment and life expectancy between 1991 and 2003. This conclusion will undoubtedly spur additional research examining the experience of other countries. The study will also add fuel to the ongoing debate about how to develop policies that result in more equitable distribution of the benefits of twenty-first century economic globalization.--James B. Stewart, Professor Emeritus at Pennsylvania State University, Greater Allegheny About the Author Richard J. Mushi is assistant professor of rural public policy and planning at the Mississippi Valley State University. Maurice Y. Mongkuo is associate professor of public administration at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina.