Until the late 1980s governments pursued three primary forms of decentralization:
deconcentration, devolution, and delegation.9 Deconcentration sought
to shift administrative responsibilities from central ministries and departments
to regional and local administrative levels by establishing field offices of national
departments and transferring some authority for decisionmaking to regional
field staff. Devolution aimed to strengthen local governments by granting them
the authority, responsibility, and resources to provide services and infrastructure,
protect public health and safety, and formulate and implement local policies.
Through delegation, national governments shifted management authority for
specific functions to semiautonomous or parastatal organizations and state
enterprises, regional planning and area development agencies, and multi- and
single-purpose public authorities