Bureaucratic Delay, Local-Level Monitoring, and Delivery of Small Infrastructure Projects: Evidence from a Field Experiment in Bolivia

Decentralization of public services to local governments and community participation in the monitoring of the delivery is now regarded as the key to improved public service delivery in developing countries. This paper examines bureaucratic delay within the allocation of small infrastructure projects in Bolivia, and it presents a randomized field experiment designed to improve public service delivery by promoting voice, transparency, and accountability among grassroots organizations. The findings of this paper suggest that monitoring tools designed to promote transparency and access to information by grassroots organizations might play an important role in improving public service delivery outcomes. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.