Governance Constraints and Institutional Dynamics in Road and Bridge Infrastructure Development: Evidence from Kokas District, Indonesia

Aulia Saraswaty; Aqilah Attamimi

doi:10.30598/publicusvol4iss1p97-109

Aulia Saraswaty Fakfak State Polytechnic
Aqilah Attamimi Fakfak State Polytechnic

DOI: https://doi.org/10.30598/publicusvol4iss1p97-109

Keywords: Infrastructure Governance, Public Administration, Road and Bridge Development, Local Government

Abstract

Infrastructure development plays a critical role in promoting regional connectivity, improving public service delivery, and supporting socio-economic growth, particularly in remote and decentralized regions. However, infrastructure projects in peripheral areas frequently encounter governance-related challenges that constrain their effectiveness and sustainability. This study examines governance challenges in road and bridge infrastructure development in Kokas District, Fakfak Regency, Indonesia, using a public administration perspective. The research focuses on four key governance dimensions: institutional capacity, policy implementation processes, accountability mechanisms, and stakeholder participation. A qualitative case study design was employed to capture contextualized insights into administrative practices and governance dynamics. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 purposively selected informants, including local government officials, district administrators, project implementers, and community representatives. Document analysis of planning reports, regulatory frameworks, and project records was conducted to triangulate interview findings. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis to identify patterns and relationships across governance dimensions. The findings indicate that governance challenges significantly influence infrastructure development outcomes. Limited institutional capacity, coordination constraints, procedural accountability practices, and predominantly symbolic participation mechanisms collectively shape project implementation processes. These governance conditions contribute to administrative inefficiencies, implementation delays, and reduced infrastructure sustainability. The study highlights that infrastructure development constraints in remote districts are deeply embedded in governance structures rather than technical factors alone. This research contributes to governance and decentralization scholarship by emphasizing the importance of strengthening institutional capacity, coordination mechanisms, transparency practices, and participatory governance to improve infrastructure development effectiveness in decentralized and peripheral contexts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Andrews, M., Pritchett, L., & Woolcock, M. (2017). Building state capability: Evidence, analysis, action. Oxford University Press.

Ansell, C., & Torfing, J. (2021). Public governance as co-creation: A strategy for revitalizing the public sector. Cambridge University Press.

Aspinall, E. (2020). Indonesia’s decentralization and local governance dynamics. Journal of Contemporary Asia, 50(4), 1–19.

Bovens, M., Goodin, R. E., & Schillemans, T. (2017). The Oxford handbook of public accountability. Oxford University Press.

Creswell, J. W., & Creswell, J. D. (2018). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches (5th ed.). Sage Publications.

Denhardt, J. V., & Denhardt, R. B. (2019). The new public service: Serving, not steering (5th ed.). Routledge.

Flick, U. (2018). An introduction to qualitative research (6th ed.). Sage Publications.

Flyvbjerg, B. (2017). Megaproject governance and the problem of risk. Project Management Journal, 48(6), 1–18.

George, A. L., & Bennett, A. (2016). Case studies and theory development in the social sciences. MIT Press.

Grindle, M. S. (2017). Good governance revisited. Governance, 30(1), 1–18.

Hill, M., & Hupe, P. (2019). Implementing public policy: An introduction to the study of operational governance (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

Lodge, M., & Hood, C. (2016). Accountability and governance in public administration. Regulation & Governance, 10(3), 1–14.

Nowell, L. S., Norris, J. M., White, D. E., & Moules, N. J. (2017). Thematic analysis in qualitative research. International Journal of Qualitative Methods, 16(1), 1–13.

OECD. (2020). Infrastructure governance and public investment. OECD Publishing.

OECD. (2021). Government at a Glance 2021. OECD Publishing.

Patton, M. Q. (2019). Qualitative research & evaluation methods (4th ed.). Sage Publications.

Peters, B. G. (2018). The politics of bureaucracy: An introduction to comparative public administration (7th ed.). Routledge.

Pierre, J., & Peters, B. G. (2020). Governance, politics and the state (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Smoke, P. (2018). Fiscal decentralization and service delivery. Public Administration and Development, 38(2), 1–10.

Tracy, S. J. (2020). Qualitative research methods: Collecting evidence, crafting analysis, communicating impact. Wiley-Blackwell.

Torfing, J., Peters, B. G., Pierre, J., & Sørensen, E. (2021). Interactive governance: Advancing the paradigm. Oxford University Press.

World Bank. (2017). World Development Report 2017: Governance and the law. World Bank Publications.

World Bank. (2021). Well-spent: How strong infrastructure governance can end waste in public investment. World Bank.

World Bank. (2023). Public investment management and infrastructure governance. World Bank.

Yin, R. K. (2018). Case study research and applications: Design and methods (6th ed.). Sage Publications.