Book Review: Hossein Jalilian and Vicheth Sen, eds., 2011. Improving Health Sector Performance: Institutions, Motivations and Incentives - the Cambodian Dialogue. Singapore: ISEAS Publishing.

Abstract

This volume presents a set of papers prepared by a mix of international and Cambodian scholars, researchers and practitioners originally discussed at an international conference organized by the Cambodian Development Resource Institute and the Oxford Policy Institute in April 2010. A useful overview chapter sets out the a conceptual framework for understanding the role of formal as well as informal – or ‘intrinsic’ incentives as determinants of health worker behavior and performance, arguing that policy to harness changes in incentive environment for improving health system performance must be carefully matched to specific national and local contexts. The volume then presents a set of specific country cases which document and discuss evidence of effectiveness of a range of different schemes which sought to enhance incentives for performance. Not surprisingly, various experiences in Cambodia receive the lion’s share of attention (five of the ten cases), but experience and lessons learned in the UK, Italy, Indonesia , Bangladesh New Zealand and Curtiba, Brazil are also presented.