The influence of organisational and staff characteristics on local governments’ efficiency: the case of Mexican municipalities

Abstract

ABSTRACT Administrative capacity depends on organisational and human factors that can enhance or diminish the performance of local governments. To analyse the effect of these factors, efficiency scores of municipal governments were calculated and regressed against organisational and staff characteristics, using double bootstrap data envelopment analysis, on a sample of 1470 Mexican municipalities. Of the variables related to staff characteristics, the proportion of employees with college education, and remunerations, have a positive and statistically significant effect on efficiency. Of the organisational characteristics of local governments, the number of computers per employee was the main variable explaining the efficiency of municipal governments.