Irrigation management / Irrigation systems / Performance evaluation / Organizations

Kyi, K. M.

English

Research Papers in Economics

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I  Use  of Management' PrOcess' as an Ariaiytical Grid 
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- I  in Appraising the Irrigation System 
KHIN  MAUNG  KYI 
Organizing research activities of the institute into 
meaningful  themes is an integral part of a  strategic exercise.  However,  'when 
this thematic approach is applied at the institute, country or individual 
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irrigation system level,  coordinating, at times overlapping,  activities in 
various  themes can be problematic.  The specialty or discipline-oriented 
nature of the themes will tend to encourage the overgrowth of one theme  in 
relation to others.  In addition,  though  themes  indicate what general 
directions one should be going,  it is difficult to know  what among  themes 
should take precedence or be given priorities in any given setting or a 
system.  There must also be some  way  of looking at the system and its parts 
by Hhich  its strengths,  its weakness,  its valued contributions can be 
identified.  Inter-relating themes  and setting priorities among  them calls 
for an analytical  frame  work  which will serve as a  basis for such a  process. 
It is likely that relating projects among  themselves or elaborating them 
according to certain priorities at the country level could be difficult 
unless an over-view of country programme  or a  basis for some  logical order of 
these projects are devised. 
Process Analysis  in irrigation systems 
Themes,  as they stand now,  can be considered as functional requisites of 
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the irrigation sYstem.  The  management  of water flow,  im:,rx:!rtance  of 
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maintaining existing physical system,  management  of finance,  management of 
organizations,  and establishing and reorganizing or re-innovating 
institutions are various facets which must be performed in an irrigation 
system.  However,  these functions or themes do  not constitute a  flow or 
process which can be integrated as a  continuous whole or a  system.  Looking 
at this thematic analysis as a  process may  not only complement it bu~also 
help coordinate various functions or themes  in a  meaningful manner.  Any 
systems in an input-output  format  involves the inflow of inputs,  the 
processing of inputs to finished products,  and delivery of products.  If 
these rudimentary mode  is extended to any management  system,  the system will . 
consist of setting objectives,  translating and elaborating these objectives 
into programmes,  organizing activities to implement  the programmes,  training 
and placing people to take care of the organizational activities,  measurement 
of performance and control of operations,  finally leading to reappraisal and 
return to another process of this cycle.  This way  of looking at the system 
treat the management  as a  process or continuous cycles of activities each 
inter facing with other forming a  complete whole. 
Analogously,  we  can view  the irrigation system as consisting of 
processes  such as; 
1.  information diffusion and setting objectives 
2.  demands/operations  system designs 
3.  operating decision-making and  implementation 
4.  delivery and usage 3 

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5.  performance evaluation and control.  ! 
-Managing any systems will require,  first of all, setting objectives, 
plans and programmes.  This is largely a  prerogative of management,  preceded 
by the diffusion of information about environment,  problems,  possibilities 
and alternatives.  Once  the management  has set out objectives,  plans and 
programmes,  the elaborating these  ~nto operating systems  follows;  in the case 
of irrigation systems.  this will be concentrated with predetermining or 
designing operation systems  in accordance with needs and demands  of the 
users.  The  next will be the actual  implementation involving making decisions 
at various levels of operations.  The decision making at this stage will in 
turn involves  two  process,  allocating decision and conveyance decisions. 
Allocating decisions will be pre-seasonal wherein the next year demands  and 
supply of water are matched and general  flow,  dir~tions, priorities are 
determined.  However,  when  the season a.c:tually starts,  adjustment and 
continuous matching between flow and needs will be done.  Conveyance 
decisions on the other hands are operational rules of the water  flow which 
specify different procedures to be followed  in differing conditions,  that is, 
if-then decisions for operations at various levels and stages.  It may  be 
noted that at this stage,  we  are concerned with how  decision makers at 
operation levels actually apply these decision rules.  It is also foreseen 
that actual decisions thus made  may  deviate from  the original design of the 
operations as the decision-making is the function of the capabilities and 
preparation of decision makers,  their perception of decision environments, 
particularly of pressures,  constraints of the environments,  and motivators of 
the systems. 4 

Next,  the delivery and usage of the rmter system will~nsue: the way  the·
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user's needs are satisfied,  the extent of fulfillment of the demands  or 
needs,  and end results of the whole process of the supply from  another phase 
of the chain.  This will be  in turn followed by another or the 
last phase of the cycle,  performance evaluation and control.  In any 
management  process,  the results of individual operations, as well as the 
performance of the sub-systems and the system should be compared with.'the 
objectives,  or standards predetermined at the earlier phase of the cycle. 
This will provide not only a  picture of how  well the system and its parts are 
performing but also a  basis for corrections to be made  in regard to various 
operations of the-system which may  have deviated from its original path• 
. 
This will give an opportunity to reset the interim or the short run 
objectives which may  need a  revision in the light of changing circumstances. 
The  last item to be mentioned in the process is the problem of interface 
with other systems.  This  is not a  part of the cycle or process but an inter 
system relationship which  could influence the performance of the irrigation 
system itself.  The  availability of resources,  prompt dispatch of the 
administrative approval,  providing efficient support systems are important 
factors  the performance of the irrigation system will depend on. 
The  process cycle can also be  viewed as a  value-chain.  Any  enterprise, 
either for survival or for  success will have  to produce physical· or non­
physical,  product or service outputs acceptable to customers,  users,  or . 
supporters.  Because of the value provided,  these buyers,  users or supporters 
are willing to pay the price for the output.  If providing valued service or 5 

product is the outcome  of an enterprise,  the next question is how  this final 
. value is generated by the organization.  Each  proc~ss in the  ~hain is a 
creator of this value  though the relative importance of various processes may 
vary depending on  the time,  circumstances,  and the phase in the life of the 
enterprise.  In the case of irrigation system,  how  the system was  planned, 
the way  water flow is managed,  how  it is designed,  or how  one  process is 
interlinked with others will each be an important value-creating element. 
I  . 
In addition,  how  well these processes in the system jell or coalesce into one 
system will be another important part of value creating process.  Analyzing 
each process or a  set of activities from  the point of view of what 
significant contributions this particular process is making  or not making 
towards the predetermined objectives will be a  very useful exercise in 
evaluating the performance of the system. 
When  the author of this paper was  suggesting the use of the process 
cycle or the system as analytic grid in the recent Internal Programme  Review 
meeting he was  unaware  of the application of this model  in the general 
presentation of Irrigation Management  process done  by  Easter,  R.W.,  (1986): 
in fact Easter dwelled on the same  idea as he was  presenting the general 
conception of management  in irrigation. 
Easter,  R.W.,  "Introduction and Conceptual Model"  in R.  William Easter (Ed.), 
Irrigation Investment,  Technology,  and Management  (Boulder:  Westview Press, 
1986) 6 

The  use of Matrix Approach 
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To  use the process approach in thematic analysis,  the cycle or process 
can be superimposed on the thematic functions,  treating the whole system as 
a  matrix.  A country study or a  single irrigation system study can be looked 
at from,  ooth process and thematic point of views. 
In other words,  each activity or project can be classified as primarily 
belonging to one aspect of the process cycle or falling to a  particular 
theme. 
The  matrix and its implications be described as follows:  (Figure  1) 
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1. 	 The  rows  in the matrix represents various themes or functions the 
irrigation management  system perfonn or emphasizeI  but at a  national 
level or at each irrigated system level. 
2. 	 The  processes or columns  represent an extension of input-output process 
in the system sense.  It also indicates a  value chain,  sets of 
sequential activities which make  the organization distinct,  productive 
or beneficial.  In other words,  an organization or a  system derives its 
strength from  making  each set of activities enjoy distinctive 
comparative advantage or contribute distinctive values. 
3. 	 The  organization or the system may  also derive its advantage  from  being 
able to operate as a  complete whole or from  inter-facing or dove-
these set s  of activities.  Of course it must also be 
recognized that some  systems may  not be well integrated;  in that case 
the system may  subsist or exist at a  suooptimal level. 
This matrix will give the following advantages: 
1. 	 It would  look at any irrigated system as a  complete whole  and may  be 
able to identify how  well each process is performed and how  well each is 
integrated with others. 7 

.... ·2.·  Such analytical grid also indicates where  the efforts should be 
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concentrated for improving :Performance. 
3. 	 This will also integrate the process or value chain with the thematic 
functions.  It would be much  easier to set the priorities. 
4. 	 In the case of country programming,  it will be most useful.  It will 
indicate not only where  efforts are concentrated but also Where  these be 
directed. 
5. 	 It will also indicate the location of each intervention or research 
activities,  how  each is related to others,  and What  follow up is needed 
for improving the contribution of each intervention or research 
project. 

Use of management process as an analytical grid in appraising the irrigation system

http://publications.iwmi.org/pdf/H07973.pdf

Use of management process as an analytical grid in appraising the irrigation system

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