Seminar in Public Managemeent_ADS656

Group AM2286C, Oct 2023- Feb 2024

FSPPP, Seremban

ISSUE OF RED TAPE IN DEVELOPED AND

DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Nurfarizah Ameruddin 1 , Nur Ainaa’ Shazana Azman 2 , Nur Azreen Ismail 3,

Nur Syafiqah Athirah Zamri 4 , Nazatul Iffah Firzanah Johan 5

1
Bachelor of Administrative Science, Faculty of Administrative Science & Policy Studies ,
MARA University of Technology (UiTM), Negeri Sembilan Branch

ABSTRACT

Max Weber established bureaucracy as one of the ideas of administrative

organization. According to him, this bureaucracy serves its purpose since it is ideal,
reasonable, and efficient. However, it has a side effect or consequence known as red tape.
Red tape, often known as bureaucratic barriers and unnecessary administrative procedures,
is an ongoing problem confronting governments in both developed and developing countries.
Academic studies on the comparison of red tape issues between developing and developed
countries are still insufficient. This is because, while red tape has a negative overall impact,
it also has a good impact. However, the negative impact of red tape exceeds its positive
benefit to the point that inefficiency in government administration results. So, there are not
many governments that are aware of the need to reduce administrative burdens. Therefore,
the purpose of this paper is to study more deeply the symptoms, causes and solutions among
developing and developed countries for other developing countries to seek guidance to
overcome the red tape problem in their countries. This type of research method is a
document analysis with a qualitative approach. Sources of data used are based on secondary
data, namely document data derived from news, papers, books, and journal articles related
to the focus of this research. The study begins by focusing on the symptoms and causes of red
tape as Traditional Public Administration (TPA) continues to be employed. However, by the
end, New Public Management (NPM) is highlighted as an approach used by developed as
well as developing countries to reduce red tape.

Keywords: Red Tape, Developed and Developing Country, Bureaucratic, Traditional

Public Administration (TPA), New Public Management (NPM)

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INTRODUCTION

The public sector delivery system is the most important element in the public organization
system. It is the front machinery of the government in dealing with the people. In general,
complaints with various criticisms of bureaucratic performance have emerged, and this is not
a new phenomenon in the field of administration. This criticism emerged alongside the
establishment of bureaucracy. Until the 1980s, Weberian bureaucracy, also known as
Traditional Public Administration (TPA), dominated the model of structure and management
of public institutions. Weberian bureaucracy is based on the idea and the basis that all people
should be handled equally and fairly. Next, one of the most notable ideas in the field of
organizational theory is the notion of bureaucracy, which was created by Max Weber, an
influential German sociologist and economist (Kechot, 2017). Furthermore, bureaucracy is
viewed as a formal organizational system pioneered by Max Weber in 1922, and according to
Weber, it is an ideal management style for all formal organizations.

Initially, Weber described bureaucracy as a form of administrative structure

developed in an organization when legal authority exists (N., 2009). Furthermore, there are
three sorts of legal authority. The first is traditional, in which a leader is considered as the
legitimate heir from the previous generation in power. Secondly, rational-legitimate authority
refers to a system of rules that respect instructions. The last kind of authority is charismatic
authority, which refers to the sort of leadership of an individual who demonstrates great
authority and personality in order to develop a special bond with his followers. The natural
tendency that arises in the bureaucrat's body that arises from the regularity of the bureaucrat's
activities develops red tape. Following processes makes bureaucracy seem complex. The
term "red tape" refers to when rules are too strictly adhered to, everything is done in a very
formal and routine manner, and there is a lot of redundant paperwork. This can cause delays
and cause things to slow down or perhaps become stuck.

Thompson believes that bureaucratic red tape is used to force obedience with the
rules, routines, and procedures that have been established in service delivery, and it is
supported by Pandey (Samboteng, 2019). Besides, according to Merton defined red tape as a

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source of issues in bureaucracy. It indicates that bureaucracy becomes firm, dislikes sharing
power, keeps

things hidden from view and does not adapt well to changes in its environment. This may
trigger problems and make the system less effective (Chuen, 2004). After 1993, multiple
studies on red tape took place and Bozeman appeared by classifying the notion of red tape
into two components. The first idea is organizational red tape, which refers to rules which
organizations must follow but might not assist the organization achieve its goals. Meanwhile,
the second concept, stakeholder red tape, is concerned with how individuals within the
organization perceive these rules. It occurs if rules exist but do not benefit the persons
engaged.

Red tape comes in two different types. The first is internal red tape, which consists of
bureaucratic regulations and practices that regulate how government entities operate on the
inside. The second type of red tape is external red tape, which consists of procedures and
rules that make it difficult for people and others to deal with these authorities or comply with
legal obligations. According to one of the researchers, in order to tackle the issue of
bureaucratic red tape, New Public Management (NPM) is viewed as the ideal approach since
it helps reduce red tape in organizations. NPM focuses on improving productivity,
effectiveness, and transparency. It promotes the use of performance assessment tools to
monitor developments and control government spending. The change in NPM toward
assessing impact corresponds with the goal of decreasing red tape by prioritizing results over
bureaucratic procedures (Muslim Har Sani Mohamad, n.d.).

ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS

Symptoms of Red Tape in Developed Countries (Canada)

In Canada, the term "top-down decision-making" describes a system of hierarchy in which

decisions are determined at the top of an entity or administration before being passed down
for execution (Koplowitz, 2008). Frontline employees who are closely involved in regular
business activities may not have as much say in decisions taken at the upper levels of an
organisation. Inefficiencies may arise from rules and procedures that are not in line with the
reality experienced by individuals working on the front lines as a consequence of this lack of
participation. One reason for the low level of feedback from frontline employees could be a
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lack of interaction between operational employees and upper management. Decisions taken at
the top of the organisation may not be properly conveyed, creating confusion and ambiguity
that can result in misunderstandings.

For example, Canada frequently manages its forests in a hierarchical manner, with
decisions being made at the highest levels of industry and government organisations (Amani,
2022). The laws, rules, and operational standards pertaining to forestry operations are
influenced by this hierarchical approach. This means that major decisions about forestry
management policies are usually decided upon by centralised forestry management
organisations or at higher echelons of government. The process of creating rules, regulations,
and guidelines that control different facets of forestry activities is known as forestry
management policy formulation. Government representatives, forestry management
specialists, and high-level executives usually have an impact on this process.

The centralization of decision-making authority in forestry management decisions at

the highest levels may impede local managers' capacity to address critical issues particular to
their contexts. This concentration can impede efficient, localised decision-making and lead to
a bureaucratic atmosphere. This means that, in their particular contexts, local managers are
frequently in an optimal place to comprehend and react to urgent challenges and possibilities.
Since decisions may require approval from higher authorities, centralised decision-making
may cause delays in resolving local difficulties.

The other symptoms of red tape in Canada is the lengthy approval process. The
approval process might result in a lengthy and complex system if it has several procedures,
documentation specifications, and inspections. One of the main characteristics of
organisational red tape may be its intricacy. This implies that lengthy decision-making
procedures, particularly those involving approvals, may result from superfluous steps or
several levels of hierarchy. Projects typically need permission from a number of
governmental organisations and regulatory entities. Lack of cooperation among various
agencies, resulting in repetitive analyses and authorizations, may lead to red tape.

Taken together, these symptoms make it difficult for things to go forward quickly,
which leads to inefficiencies and dissatisfaction for people and companies navigating the
nation's approval process. This indicates that the existence of this drawn-out procedure could

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worry project managers and lead to project delays (Dick-Sagoe, Lee, Odoom, & Boateng ,
2023). Furthermore, every hour spent juggling pointless paperwork and intricate compliance
issues costs revenue that might have been spent running and growing a company. Both

individuals and corporations may find it challenging to comply with complex regulations,
which raises the volume of paperwork, reporting, and administrative tasks that need to be
completed.

One of the example that can be taken is a construction in Canada which require a lot
of approval process (Singleton & Vogel, 2019). Regarding permissions and approvals, for
instance, different regulatory agencies at various governmental levels must grant distinct
permits and approvals. Permits for land use, water management, and the preservation of
delicate ecosystems are a few examples of these. Getting these permits can be a long
procedure that involves coordinating with several entities. Bureaucratic obstacles include
varying interpretations, amended regulations, and protracted approval processes. Occurrences
of people taking advantage of flaws, ambiguities, or delays for their own benefit might arise
from the complexity of the permitting and approval processes, which involve several
regulatory bodies and phases.

Causes of Red Tape in Developed Country (Canada)

Stakeholder limitations in Canada may lead to red tape by decreasing the variety of
viewpoints that influence decision-making processes. When a small minority wields power, it
may result in less thorough evaluations of numerous aspects, leading to rigid regulations and
bureaucratic inadequacies that characterise red tape. Stakeholders frequently have crucial
knowledge and feedback, notably communities at large, organisations, indigenous groups,
and environmental organisations. Reducing their engagement may lead to a loss of important
information and ideas needed for well-informed decision-making, which may result in
policies that are poorly thought out. For instance, decisions about the management of forests
frequently have an impact on a number of stakeholders, such as local citizens, environmental
organisations, Indigenous communities, and business representatives. Decisions taken by a
top-down method might not involve adequate feedback from these varied groups, which
could spark resistance and conflicts.

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According to the on Principle of the Natural Resource Governance Framework (NRGF) by
(Springer, Campese, & Nakangu, 2021):

“Rights-holders and stakeholders have the capacities and support they need to participate in
decision making, including through appropriate representation.”

As stated above, the greatest involvement creates a more equitable distribution of

power and gives individuals impacted by decisions a voice in how the process turns out. This
point of view highlights how important fairness and equity are while making decisions. In
addition, including stakeholders and the general public in the decision-making process
increases information sharing, introduces fresh perspectives, lowers uncertainty, and
produces better results.
According to interviews included in the report by (Amani, 2022), there is a dearth of
participation from stakeholders in forestry management in Canada, including environmental
organisations. This can be attributed to a variety of factors, including mistrust towards
programme sponsors, a lack of funding, and geographic difficulties. Lack of involvement
from stakeholders increases the possibility of inefficiencies due to missed chances for pooled
resources, cooperative problem-solving, and synergies. This is because engaging stakeholders
encourages collaboration as well as cooperation amongst different parties.

One instrument the government may use to boost economic growth and protect the
environment and people of Canada is well-crafted and executed regulations. Regulating at all
levels of government, Canada unfortunately has an intricate structure of conflicting rules that
make a lot of processes more complicated and costly than they should be. Red tape is defined
as excessive bureaucratic procedures, laws, and administrative requirements that can impede
the functioning of government as well as establish barriers for individuals and businesses.
The complexity of Canadian policies may play a role in this phenomenon. Regulations that
are imprecise, convoluted, or inconsistent may cause confusion for both people and
organisations. This uncertainty gives low-level bureaucrats the ability to utilise the law to
their advantage, which gives them the chance of seeking bribes in return for favourable
results.

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For instance, in Canada, the intricacies of government procurement processes may
lead to red tape. When assessing bids and proposals, street-level bureaucrats engaged in
procurement may have discretionary powers, which could cause delays and uncertainty.
Canada's government procurement is subject to a complicated regulatory environment. Each
level of government—federal, provincial, and territorial—has its own procurement
regulations,

and certain laws may be applicable to particular industries or sectors. Government

procurement frequently entails a number of bureaucratic procedures, such as the issuance of
requests for proposals (RFPs), tendering processes, and contracts discussions. Respecting
these protocols is essential to preserving equity and openness, but it can also increase
bureaucracy, particularly in more extensive and intricate projects. This means that the
procedures involved in government procurement might be drawn out and comprise several
steps, such as pre-qualification, tender evaluation, negotiations over contracts, and approval
(OECD, 2016). Organisations may experience delays and dissatisfaction as a result, which
may hinder their capacity to perform their duties on time.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce released a report that stated (Assaf, Hejazi , & Manget,
2023):

“Canada’s regulatory system is smothering business in Canada, thanks to a growing mix of

complex, costly, and overlapping rules from all levels of government”.

This claim makes it clear that businesses and organisations frequently criticise
Canada's laws and regulations for being unduly complicated and challenging to understand.
Multiple layers of government engagement and redundant rules and regulations are some of
the contributing causes to this. Additionally, regulations from several governmental levels
frequently overlap, which can cause ambiguity and effort redundancy. As a result of this, it
may be challenging for organisations to determine which regulations to abide by.

Construction of a significant highway or bridge in Canada serves as one piece of

demonstrable evidence (Singleton & Vogel, 2019). Numerous legal requirements,
environmental impact assessments, public hearings, and multi-phase procurement procedures

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are all part of these projects. Red tape can be caused by the requirement to adhere to safety
standards, land acquisition laws, and complex finance procedures.

Symptoms of Red Tape in Developing Countries (Indonesia)

Red tape and corruption are almost certainly linked. People may be willing to pay bribes to
'darken the wheels' of their applications if there are too many constraints and complicated
procedures. People and businesses will often pay more to have their application processed or
completed faster. Businesses can also use regulatory constraints to keep competitors out by
working with the authorities. It also more difficult to navigate the system when information
about bureaucratic processes is not publicly available or easily accessible. In result,
confusion, frustration, and delays in obtaining permits, licenses, or other government
approvals. Citizens, businesses, and even other government agencies struggle to understand
the steps involved in various processes when government procedures are opaque. Issue
nowadays when the permit management process a long procedure has happened in the
population and civil registry office in the management of the Residential Identity Card
(Amrullah, 2014). Registering a birth or death can entail navigating a complex system with
ambiguous procedures and contradictory requirements from various agencies.

Additionally, businesses and individuals may be forced to pay bribes or engage in

other corrupt practices if the requirements for obtaining permits and licenses are not clearly
defined or easily accessible. For instance, a company may need to bribe a government official
in order to obtain a building permit or a business license. This is because it is haunted by long
and numerous desk procedures and many pre-requisites from different government agencies
when obtaining a specific license that must be completed by public officials. Construction,
mining, and forestry are especially vulnerable to corruption because permits for these
activities can be highly profitable and difficult to obtain. Hence, corruption erodes trust
between the public and the government. People become less willing to report problems or
cooperate with authorities, making effective law and regulation enforcement more difficult.

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This can lead to even more inefficiencies and inhibit progress. The complex and bureaucratic
environment discourages citizen participation and input into policy decisions.

Furthermore, from educational perspective, according to Mahmood and Saeed (2002),

teacher competence is the content of abilities, knowledge and beliefs that are owned and used
for effective teaching and learning processes. The Minister of Education, Culture, Research,
and Technology is concerned about the quality of teachers in Indonesia. The country now has
four million teachers, three million of whom are formal teachers and one million of whom are

informal teachers (Widowati, 2023). Unfortunately, the majority of them lack certification, in
contravention of the requirements outlined in the Teachers and Lecturers Law of 2005, which
requires the fulfillment of qualification and competence criteria. This is because variations in
the quality of teacher training institutions and curricular can lead to graduates with
insufficient pedagogical skills or subject knowledge. This is partly due to the lack of attention
from the Indonesian government. According to UNESCO, qualified teachers make up 90%
and 96% of primary and secondary school staff, respectively, compared to 100% in Thailand
and the Philippines. Reduce the number of honorary teachers while increasing the number of
positions held (Huang, 2019). In the meantime, low pay in both public and private
educational institutions have encouraged teachers and academics to take on extra work,
sometimes non-academic in nature.

However, in Indonesia, continuous teacher education has been hampered by a lack of

incentives, poor adaptation to teacher experience, and a lack of follow-up (Revina, 2020). As
a result, training does not improve teaching quality, and recent government initiatives have
failed to yield significant results. This situation is unlikely to change unless the education
system rewards highly skilled teachers and increases investment in training low-skilled
teachers who fall short of minimum standards. Another significant challenge for teachers is
digital literacy. Since Indonesia's high rate of technological adoption, many people have
access to smartphones and the internet, but not all of them know how to use them effectively.
COVID-19 has put global education systems to the test, reinforcing the incentive for faster
digitalization while also worsening inequalities across and within countries. Only 40% of
primary schools and 67% of upper-secondary schools have computers for learning purposes.
Poor integration of ICT in the curriculum, a lack of expertise, and education gaps in some
provinces make developing digital skills at school difficult (Hermawan, 2018). As a result of

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COVID-19, student inequalities have increased. For example, the low competence of teachers
in mastering teaching materials, methods and strategies in Merauke Regency, Papua
Indonesia shows that initial training is not good enough to develop the knowledge and skills
needed by teachers to effectively deal with the challenges they face in today's classrooms
(Manik, 2013). Due to the concentration of teachers in urban areas, the ratio of students to
educators is low in some districts, including Kota Jayapura, Merauke, and Nabire Regencies.
Teachers are typically only found in urban areas because they are more easily accessible.
Other subject teachers were unable to incorporate ICT into their lesson plans due to
insufficient ICT skills and knowledge,

whereas ICT teachers were perplexed by the removal of the subject from the National
Curriculum 2013.

Causes of Red Tape in Developing Countries (Indonesia)

The Indonesian government's bureaucracy is widely recognized as inefficient and

cumbersome, creating significant obstacles for businesses, citizens, and the overall
development of the country. The emergence of Bureaucratic Pathology is known as the
existence of routine activities that keep the bureaucrats busy and give rise to complicated
activities. Then this condition became known as Red Tape, namely convoluted bureaucracy,
giving rise to bureaucratic behavior that was very contrary to the noble goals of the presence
of bureaucracy itself in society (Rudiyansyah, 2020). Lack of transparency and accountability
is a major factor contributing to red tape in Indonesia's administration. This is because when
there is a lack of openness and accountability, it becomes difficult for businesses and
individuals to know what is required of them, how to navigate the bureaucracy, and how to
hold government officials accountable. This can lead to lengthy and convoluted processes,
duplication of effort, and delays in processing applications.

Joko Widodo, a President of Republic of Indonesia at the Annual National Coordination

Meeting Regional Leadership said (Sulaeman, 2023):

“New licenses for spatial planning and building, both products of the Job Creation Law, had
caused a backlog of investment projects”

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According despite reforms to streamline investment regulations under a single law,
bureaucratic hurdles remain the main obstacle cited by businesses in Indonesia. The Job
Creation Law's new licenses for space planning and construction have resulted in delays in
investment projects. While some regions have implemented the necessary regional detailed
spatial planning (RDTR) rules, over 300 regions are still lacking such regulations. As a result,
it can take over 200 days to obtain crucial permits in those regions without the rules in place.
The President Joko “Jokowi” has urged regional leaders to resolve outstanding permits
quickly to boost investment and economic growth.

Moreover, the reconstruction work in the Aceh region that was hit by the tsunami is
progressing slowly (Tupai, 2005). Foreign aid groups say there is plenty of money, but it is
difficult to spend it quickly and efficiently because of excessive bureaucracy, poor
coordination and other constraints. Aid workers in Aceh say the reconstruction process is also
hampered by a lack of coordination between foreign non-governmental organizations
themselves, as different groups have carried out overlapping work competing for the same
project. This lack of responsiveness leads to feelings of frustration while reinforcing
perceptions of the government as uncaring and unresponsive to the needs of the public. One
of the related examples is building a home or commercial property often requires navigating a
long and difficult process with multiple approvals from different government agencies. This
can cause delays and increased costs for developers.

Meanwhile, the country's problem with education and learning quality has also been
rooted in politics and power. This is due to poor government management of public education
institutions, specifically excessive government control over their operations. Public
educational institutions were formally bureaucratic units rather than separate legal entities
under the New Order, and their employees were classified as civil servants. Poor education in
Indonesia could end up having a negative impact in the future. The quality of students
remains low, teachers are unprofessional, education is expensive, and education laws appear
immature. For instance, The Ministry of National Education (Depdiknas) also admits that
only about 2% of Indonesian students excel in science at the moment. They are the ones who
frequently win national and international science competitions. UNESCO published the
findings of a reading culture survey of ASEAN residents in 2011. Reading culture in

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Indonesia is ranked last, with a value of 0.001 (R. Madhakomala, 2022). This means that
only one Indonesian in a thousand has a strong reading culture. Reading interest is constantly
being developed in order to create a society with a reading culture.

Other than that, the quality of schooling in Indonesia is lagging behind other
countries. In fact, the rapid growth of enrollment has yet to produce graduates with the
consistently high quality of knowledge and skills required to be a valuable input to economic
production. International comparisons confirm poor learning outcomes in Indonesia. In fact,
universities in Indonesia are also largely isolated. They do not have strong connections with
the international higher learning network in research and development. They have also not
established strong

links with the business and industry networks. Their curriculum is rigid and incompatible
with the needs of industry (Latif, 2015). As a result, graduates from higher education are less
prepared to meet the industry's growing demand for more broad-based and flexible skills.
Moreover, the traditional view of literacy in education, such as reading, writing, and
arithmetic is no longer adequate. There are many schools and colleges with abandoned
buildings, low ownership and use of learning media, and library books that are out of date.
Despite the fact that the laboratory is not up to standard, the use of information technology is
insufficient, and so on. Indeed, there are still many schools that do not have their own
buildings, libraries, or laboratories.

Teachers and students must be able to interpret new digital literacy, which includes
data literacy, the ability to read and analyze digital information, and technology literacy.
Teacher competence is important in explaining whether education quality is still low and
uneven, as well as the lack of a robust learning outcome evaluation method. Low levels of
digital literacy are strongly linked to a lack of Internet access. Inexperienced users are
unlikely to be as competent or resilient as regular Internet users. The Ministry of Education
removed ICT from the list of compulsory subjects in the National Curriculum 2013 in order
to integrate ICT learning across all school subjects (Bona, 2018). However, many public
schools responded by abandoning the subject entirely. According to Statistics Indonesia
(2018), internet access is available in only 69% of primary and junior secondary schools and
74% of senior secondary schools (Amanta, 2011). As a result, Indonesian teachers have low

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and widely varying levels of ICT competence and digital literacy especially in Papua,
Indonesia.

APPROACHES TO REDUCE RED TAPE IN DEVELOPED COUNTRY

Regulatory Review

As part of larger initiatives to revise Canada's regulatory framework, the government of

Canada introduced the Regulatory Reviews in Budget 2018. One of the internal review that
the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat oversees is called a Departmental Regulatory
Review where it identifies and eliminates regulations that are unnecessary, ineffective, or out-
of-date with the collaboration with other departments and agencies (Canada, 2023). In line
with NPM, which encourages active stakeholder consultation when developing policies to
ensure that regulations are realistic and address genuine concerns, these reviews frequently
include

stakeholder feedback mechanisms to ensure the process is driven by multiple perspectives.

For instance, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) launched its online platform,
MyCFIA, in 2019 with the goal of increasing the number of digital tools and services
available to stakeholders (Canada, 2023). Through this platform, stakeholders can access a
variety of services such as managing service requests, requesting export certificates,
requesting licenses and permits, and setting up reminders for when licenses or registrations
are about to expire or become due. With this, stakeholders no longer have to get in touch with
local offices to find out the status of their applications. Considering this uptake, the CFIA
discovered that since 2019, nearly all applications for food licenses have been filed through
MyCFIA, indicating that the Canadian government's initiative to introduce the Departmental
Regulatory Review and cut bureaucracy in the public sector has proven successful.

Additionally, the Canadian Federation of Independent company (CFIB) publishes an

annual Red Tape Reduction Report that serves as an external regulatory assessment in
Canada by assessing the status of red tape reduction projects nationwide based on
businesses feedback. The report assigns a grade to each Canadian jurisdiction based on how
well it performed in three main areas: regulatory burden, political priority and regulatory
accountability (Marvin Cruz, 2023). The report's ability to compare the performance of
various jurisdictions allows businesses and policymakers to identify best practices and areas

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for improvement. The report also offers governments concrete suggestions on how to cut red
tape and enhance the business climate. For example, a few of provinces offer an online portal
for citizens to discuss comments and issues regarding red tape with the administration
(Marvin Cruz, 2023). These tools not only provide governments a chance to hear what the
public has to say about issues that are important to them, but they may also result in better
public services. "Closing the loop" with those who offer feedback and disclosing the
treatment of irritants in public are seen as best practices.

Red Tape Reduction Act

Red tape reduction is a priority for the Canadian government, which is why it has started a
regulatory reform package called the Red Tape Reduction Act, a federal law passed that aims
to lessen the administrative burden that regulations place on businesses (Secretariat, 2012).
The Red Tape Reduction Act is the result of a year of feedback from the business community
to the

commission. It tackles structural barriers that cause unnecessary delays, costs, and
bureaucracy for businesses in Canada, in addition to business-specific irritants. This can be
associated with the New Public Management (NPM) principle which is debureaucratization.
This principle aims to simplify government rules and procedures to make them more efficient
and user-friendly. In order to represent simplicity and clarity in Canadian government
administration, the Red Tape Reduction Act was enacted to minimize the amount and
complexity of rules, laws, and documents, making them easier to comprehend and comply
with. Decision-making can be accelerated and service delivery can be enhanced by getting rid
of redundant bureaucracy. The Act includes a number of other provisions aimed at
simplifying regulatory compliance for businesses, including (Secretariat, 2012):

 A mandate that before enacting new regulations, regulators must confer with
businesses. This makes it possible to guarantee that rules are created in a way that is
realistic and feasible for businesses.
 The need that the regulator release an explanation of the regulations in easily
understood terms so that businesses know what is expected of them.

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 The requirement that authorities advise companies on how to adhere to rules. This can
help businesses save time and money by preventing mistakes.

Tony Clement, chief minister for the Action Plan and president of the Treasury Board,
remarked (Secretariat, 2012):

"The reforms in the Act are a game changer for doing business in Canada."

Accordingly, one of the most crucial actions a government can do to promote a robust and
healthy business environment—which is the cornerstone of job creation and sustained
prosperity—is cutting back on red tape. As an evidence, with a total net reduction of 205
regulatory titles, the yearly net burden has decreased by about $59.5 million since these
regulations were put into effect in 2012–2013 (Marvin Cruz, 2023). By using a one-for-one
rule, the government of Canada came to the conclusion that the Act has been successful
controlling the administrative burden of regulation on businesses as intended.

APPROACHES TO REDUCE RED TAPE IN DEVELOPING COUNTRY

E-Government Policy

The Indonesian government establishing a management procedures, optimising information

technology, and strengthening public participation in the public service process. It is because
of the advancement of technology that are wide especially in Indonesia should be used
wisely. In a developing country, utilizing technology can improve efficiency, transparency,
and citizen engagement in government processes. Implementing e-government initiatives
such as online service delivery platforms and digital identification systems can significantly
enhance government effectiveness. Other than that, it also significant in data-driven in
decision making. It will be utilize of data analytics which can help government agencies
make informed decisions and target resources effectively. In order to carry out the policy
effectively and efficient manner a professional and well-trained civil service is essential for
effective implementation of government policies and programs. This requires adequate
investment in training and development programs especially for public officials.

For instance, Indonesia’s E-Government Policy has been applying information

technology and good governance principles in order to engage and serve the people. E-

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government implementation in Indonesia is the result of New Public Management (NPM)
(Anshori, 2012) and this ultimately seeks to make government become more efficient. The
use of digital devices and Internet-based information technology that are managed by the
government for the purpose of providing information from the government to communities,
business partners, employees, business entities, and other institutions online. These
technologies can be used for a wide range of purposes, such as more effective government
management, better citizen delivery of services, enhanced relationships with business and
industry, and citizen empowerment through accessibility to data. The evidence that can be
taken in Indonesia is through e-Gov in South Jakarta Municipality that reflected on the
implementation of a management information technology to improve services to the
community by creating a website. It will enhance a good participation in a good governance
system especially in Indonesia governance. Thus, the information presented and obtained in
South Jakarta Municipality website includes tourism, local regulations, and other information
of Municipality of South Jakarta.

Dian Istanti, Head Of e-Government Sector, Department Of Communication and Information,

West Java Province, Indonesia (Basu, 2020):

“Providing changes towards an Electronic-Based Government System (SPBE)”

Correspondingly, the most crucial initiatives taken by the head of e-government sector in
order implementing transformations to create an Electronic-Based Government System
(SPBE) that is integrated, successful, and effective that offers the best services to the
public and government. The government action also has provided convenience facilities
for citizen by providing Access Points, or Free Hotspots, are available in 120 public
spaces located throughout West Javan districts and cities (Basu, 2020). Through this
implementation the people can easily facilitate access of information and gaining the
technology freely. the approaches used to accomplish this goal is by implementing
various eGovernment initiatives, such as developing ICT Governance policies, services,
and ICT Infrastructure Management, in order to establish West Java as a Digital
Government Centre of Excellence under the Jabar Digital Province Concept.

Thus, the government, society and the people must all commit over the long term in
implementing the aforementioned concepts into practice. In order to achieve sustained good

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governance in Indonesia, policies and programmes must be continuously monitored,
evaluated, and improved.

Introducing Results-Based Management (RBM)

Result-based management can be define as comprehensive management approach

designed to improve programmatic focus, delivery, performance, and institutions' overall
operations (Mohamad, 2019). It shows and represents on how an organization uses
procedures and resources to carry out interventions meant to produce widely accepted
outcomes. It is intended to enhance programme delivery and bolster the efficacy,
accountability, and efficiency of management. Programming, managing, and decision-making
can shift their attention from inputs and procedures to the goals that need to be achieved with
the aid of RBM. RBM supports and monitors the continued use of all available human and
financial resources to support the desired outcomes during the implementation stage. All
organisational divisions and initiatives are obliged to employ the RBM method consistently
in order to optimise

relevance. Due to RBM, programme managers in the public sector are now expected of using
evaluation techniques in searching for reliable information and affirms about development
initiatives and outcomes that are supported by facts and evidence (Mohamad, 2019). In
Indonesia, it can be used in policy development in order to create policy based on data and
results which can bring subsequent impact on government policies.

Primarily, it is imperative that forthcoming studies tackle the most essential query
either the public sector can adopt private sector concepts of performance evaluation and
responsibility? The public sector surely can adopt and implementing the principles results-
oriented management which can speeding up the process decision making and increase
transparency and accountability in the public service process. The RBM emphasises
transparency by making accessible reports on performance data from government entities.
For instance, after being included in the Education Master Plan 2010–2035, the Indonesian
Ministry of Education has actively embraced result-based management (Mark Heyward,
2011). The Indonesian government is transforming the country's education system from a
centralised one to one that encourages school-based management. The implementation of
school-based management into practice has two main benefits which to improve governance

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and management and to help foster the environment that supports better teaching and
learning. Thus, RBM encourages decentralization in education management, empowering
schools and local communities to have greater autonomy in planning and implementing
programs based on their specific needs and context.

As an illustration, Indonesia used Results-Based Management (RBM), a collaborative,

team-based approach to programme planning that concentrates on attaining specific,
measurable results and effect, to administer public sector organisations under the NPM
methodology (UNESCO Results-Based Programming, Management and Monitoring (RBM),
2008). The aim of this initiative is to boost managerial effectiveness, efficiency, and
accountability while also enhancing the implementation of programmes. RBM focuses on
reaching specific objectives and evaluating progress towards those outcomes, therefore it will
undoubtedly increase performance and responsibility (Binnendijk, 2000). This may result in
higher accountability to the public and better performance across all government entities.

CONCLUSION

In accordance with this study conducted between developed and developing countries on the
issue of red tape that occurs, it can be concluded that the time required to dissolve red tape
bureaucracy will prove to be very lengthy. The delays and inefficiencies caused by red tape
limit responsiveness, service quality, and citizen satisfaction. As evidenced by the instances
of emerging countries such as Indonesia, significant problems associated with red tape in
public services exist. Complicated policies, confusing procedures, and a lack of transparency
may hinder the government's capacity to offer citizens with efficient and effective services.
Similarly, developed countries such as Canada have recognized the negative impact of red
tape on entrepreneurs and company expansion.

Furthermore, this red tape problem can be solved through proactive actions
implemented by the organization, which highlights the use of creative management
techniques and practices to improve public sector efficiency and performance, as well as
strategic approaches to regulation. To summarize, organizations in both developing and
developed countries can enhance the organization performance by using NPM concepts and

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techniques to address the red tape dilemma. It can boost citizen satisfaction, create public
trust, and achieve better outcomes in handling complicated social issues by focusing on
efficient and effective service delivery. The research conducted is still insufficient to
demonstrate that red tape must be eliminated. As a result, we urge other academics to delve
deeper into this red tape issue.

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