Developing insights from Total Quality Management (TQM) principles for Local Government in Pakistan.

Local Governments play a significant role in the development of a nation. These are the only institutions that are present at the grass root level, and thus are fully aware of the local culture, local problems and domestic resources, with having the potential to formulate effective strategies for utilization of its resources and welfare of the common man. Pakistan in 1947, the year of its independence, inherited these institutions where they have been functioning under various Provincial Governments from time to time. The Local Governments established in Pakistan, however, faced several political, constitutional, administrative, operational, functional, financial, organizational, developmental, and cultural problems. And the ultimate result is the growing concern and distrust that this system has never been able to fulfill the expectations of the citizens in providing quality services. . These issues can be effectively addressed if a proper mechanism is introduced in the Local Government System, applicable to the particular culture and political situation of Pakistan, and the emerging pressures from the international community. This paper will focus upon the application of various TQM principles in the Local Government System of Pakistan. This study assumes that Local Government is a system, comprised of several subsystems, and involves several processes and actors, which can promote the quality of its output by involving the whole system to focus on the processes involved, decentralization of authority, team work, people-orientation, performance measurement, organizational learning, innovation, and transparency in decision making.