Arne Olav yhus (minilecture)

Defining Development Management:

Management of environmentally sound development
processes.

The DM Master study programme is a social science programme with

an interdisciplinary approach, focusing on the direct and indirect
interaction between environment, development and management
issues.

The concept of development management refers to the various

measures that are applied in the process of enabling sound and long-
lasting (sustainable) betterments/improvements for social groups
(communities)

Management: Practical and theoretical measures that are applied in

order to enable (create) a process of long-lasting (sustainable)
development process. (See Categories of management measures
below).

The management component within the Development Management

programme: Refers to the practice of identifying, analysing and
monitoring the various measures needed to create development
activities and processes.

Development/social development: A broad and encompassing process

that brings a social group or community (see Social groups below)
from a lower to a higher level of humanity (see Aspects of humanity
below).

Environment: The geographical factors (natural resources, climate,

land, water, populations, infrastructure, etc.) which have an impact on
the livelihoods of social groups/communities.
Sustainable development: A development process that is long-lasting
and environmentally sound and secures an improved livelihood for the
general public, with a special concern to vulnerable social groups or
communities.

Social groups (communities/societies):

Social groups vary in size and composition. It is the researcher that
defines the boundaries of a group/community according to the
objective of the research:
Size (range): From a household (family) to a region (continent).
A household, a village, a district or a town can be defined as a
community, but it is possible for certain analytical purposes to define
e.g. Africa as a community (world trade, impact of climatic change,
etc.).
Composition: From very simple to extremely complex. Some
groups have a very simple composition or structure (e.g. small ethnic
groups), others have a complex composition or structure, e.g. a city in
USA. Some groups are characterized by unistranded/single status
relationships (modern cities), others are characterized by
multistranded/plural status relationships (traditional communities).

Aspects of humanity (both for individuals and groups):

- Freedom from fear, violence and threats
- Freedom from hunger
- Freedom from discrimination
- Freedom from ignorance
- Freedom to believe
- Freedom to participate (social, cultural, political and economic)
- Freedom to choose (job, marriage, mobility, education)
- Freedom to utilize ones own mental and physical resources
(endowments)
Parameters of humanity (both at an individual and community level):
- Social security
- Food security
- Health
- Livelihood security
- Education
- Self-reliance/independence
- Respect for (non-discrimination of ) individuals and groups
- Political, civil rights
- Possibility of getting knowledge, information
- Active and functioning social relationships and networks

Categories of Management measures:

- Political
- Legal/judicial
- Economic, finances, funds
- Administrative
- Educational
- Organisational
- Health/medical
- Net-working and collaboration