Governance reform in the public sector in Pacific Island countries: Understanding how culture matters

International aid agencies have emphasized governance reform in Pacific island countries for more than a decade. Despite this, there is little evidence that governance reform programs have improved public sector operations in most of these countries. Past reviews of governance reform programs by international aid agencies have stressed the importance of understanding local culture, but there has been a failure to follow up with research into Pacific culture, especially its political culture. Current Pacific political culture shares many of the same values that were in place prior to contact with European societies. Three Pacific political values are identified: distribution, transparency, and competition. Working with these values, rather than against them, could lead to better design of international aid efforts in the Pacific.