Reducing Red Tape

Governments all over the world are embarking on programmes to reduce red tape and improve services and the environment to do business.

This course addresses local government officials and development facilitators tasked to reduce red tape as a means to improving the local enabling environment. This course assumes that applicants have some existing knowledge of local governance and local economic development and the typical issues that may arise. This course provides the theoretical background as well as practical steps on how to embark on a red tape reduction exercise in a locality.

From our experience, the content of this course can be applied to businesses, universities and also international organisations. Red tape is red tape! However, this course is particularly aimed at reducing red tape at the local level.

Course Content

A working definition of red tape
The aim of cutting red tape
The enabling environment and red tape
1 Topic
The impact of red tape on business
Three main kinds of red tape
3 Topics
Red tape caused by rules and regulations
Red tape caused by inefficient procedures and administrative systems
Red tape caused by ineffective communication and information exchange
Approaching red tape from different perspectives
The rationale for reducing red tape
2 Topics
Cutting costs
Improving service delivery
Important considerations when addressing red tape
Diagnosing and addressing a specific red tape issue
Problem identification, description and exploration
3 Topics
Determine the scope and description of the issue
Identify the symptoms and causes
Assignment: Diagnose a specific red tape issue in your context
Designing interventions and solutions: Quick wins
Diagnosis and identification of potential solutions
5 Topics
Using a cause and effect diagram for deeper analysis
Mapping procedures and interfaces
Detailed mapping of potential entry points
Design better interfaces with service blueprinting
Analysing issues resulting from rules, regulations and policies
Summary of the Reducing Red Tape course