Conceptualization Of Accountability Research Articles

Perceptions and Experiences of Health Care Workers on Accountability Mechanisms for Enhancing Quality Improvement in the Delivery of Maternal Newborns and Child Health Services in Mkuranga, Tanzania

BackgroundMaternal mortality estimates globally show that by 2017 there were still 211 deaths per 100,000 live births; more strikingly, 99% of them happen in low and middle-income countries, including Tanzania. There has been insufficient progress in improving maternal and newborn health despite the efforts to strengthen the health systems, to improve the quality of maternal health in terms of training and deploying human resources for health, constructing health facilities, and supplying medical products. However, fewer efforts are invested in enhancing accountability toward the improvement of the quality of maternal health care. This the study was conducted to explore the perceptions of healthcare workers regarding accountability mechanisms for enhancing quality improvement in the delivery of maternal newborn and child health services in Tanzania.MethodsWe adopted phenomenology as a study design to understand how health workers perceive accountability and data were collected using semi-structured interviews. We then used thematic analysis to analyze themes and sub- themes.ResultsThe study revealed four categories of perceptions namely, differences in the conceptualization of accountability and accountability mechanisms, varied opinions about the existing accountability mechanisms, perceived the usefulness of accountability mechanisms, together with perceived challenges in the enforcement of accountability mechanisms.ConclusionPerceived variations in the understanding of accountability among healthcare workers signaled a proper but fragmented understanding of accountability in maternal care. Accountability mechanisms are perceived to be useful for enhancing hard work in the provision of maternal health services. Moreover, inadequate motivation resulting from health system bottlenecks tend to constrain enforcement of accountability in the provision of maternal care services. Thus, we recommend that the government should deal with health system constraints and enforce regular monitoring and supervision.

Accountability in the Public Sector: The Role of Professional Accountants in the Present Democracy in Nigeria

The main objective of this paper is to highlight the essential role of professional accountants in enhancing public sector accountability in the present democratic era. The spate of public sector unaccountability scandals in the present democratic era in Nigeria evidently engenders the quest for proper accountability in the public sector. The paper begins with a conceptualization of accountability from the public sector perspective. It also attempts to cursorily highlight the nexus between public sector governance and accountability, before examining the issues currently undermining public sector accountability in Nigeria. It ends by pointing out the ways in which professional accountants can contribute to public sector accountability in Nigeria. In line with the many issues articulated in this paper, it is believed that a sense of value reorientation and strict adherence to professional code of ethics by professional accountants, among others, would reposition professional accountants to effectively contribute to public sector accountability in Nigeria.

지역 청년고용사업의 정책 일관성에 대한 연구 : 대구광역시를 중심으로

본 연구는 대구지역에서의 중앙정부 및 광역자치단체의 청년고용정책 사업을 정책 일관성의 관점에서 공급측면(정책주체 간의 파트너십, 정책 간 조정)과 수요측면(수요 형성 및 전달체계, 지역적 특성 반영)으로 구분하여 분석하였다. 첫째, 정책주체 간 파트너십에서는 광역자치단체 단위의 행위자들이 개별적으로 사업을 추진할 뿐만 아니라 중앙정부사업에 대해 정책 조정을 할 수 있는 권한이 없어 정책 연계를 위한 활동이 활발하지 않아 협력적 파트너십이 미흡한 것으로 보인다. 둘째, 중앙정부와 대구시 간의 사업에서는 일부 유사성이 나타나고 있는데, 광역자치단체장의 공약이행에 대한 높은 관심, 중앙정부 정책에 대한 미숙지와 고용정책에 대한 경험 미축적 등에 그 원인이 있다고 할 수 있다. 셋째, 수요 형성 및 전달 체계의 측면에서 보면, 청년위원회 운영 등을 통해 수요발굴을 위해 노력하나, 청년들의 일자리에 대한 다양한 기대수준과 지역 산업 간의 격차 등을 반영할 수 있는 체계가 미흡하여 청년들의 수요를 반영한 정책 공급이 어려운 것으로 보인다. 넷째, 지역적 특성 반영과 관련해서는 지방 고용노동청에서는 지침에만 따른 사업추진으로 지역 특색을 반영하는 것이 용이하지 않고, 광역자치단체는 담당 공무원의 수가 적고, 순환보직 등으로 전문성이 낮아 지역 노동시장 및 산업구조의 체계적 분석과 그에 따른 사업기획이 쉽지 않은 것으로 보인다. 이런 문제를 해결하기 위해서는 지방 정책 행위자들의 재량권 확대와 나아가서는 지방 고용노동청의 업무 중 고용업무의 광역자치단체로의 이관, 지방의 특성 반영을 위해 상향식 방식과 하향식 방식을 혼합하는 형태의 사업 확대, 지방 공무원들의 정책적 역량 강화 등이 필요할 것으로 보인다.

Neglecting human rights: accountability, data and Sustainable Development Goal 3

ABSTRACTIn this paper we examine the Sustainable Development Goal 3 through the lens of state obligations to respect, protect and fulfil people’s human rights entitlements. We critique some of the Transforming Our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ‘follow-up and review’ arrangements for the health goal, SDG3. To assist in this analysis, we draw from a tripartite conceptualisation of accountability and focus particularly on monitoring and review. We use a human rights framework to explore whether the agreed SDG3 indicators for ‘follow-up and review’ promote the collection of data that could demonstrate health rights entitlements are being respected, protected and fulfilled. We find there are gaps through which breaches of human rights could fall undetected, especially around participation and quality health care. We find statistics are frequently absent in countries and communities most ‘left behind’, and suggestions that Big Data could fill these statistical gaps ignore the realities of poor information systems and the digital divide. We conclude that well resourced countries have human rights obligations to provide assistance where needed to national statistics offices to improve their capacity to contribute to human rights accountability mechanisms.

Grassroots accountability promises in rights-based approaches to development: The role of transformative monitoring and evaluation in NGOs

The aim of this study is to investigate the rights-based approach to development and how its embedded promise of self-determination is enacted in the accountability relationships between NGOs and their beneficiaries. In doing so, the study seeks to highlight accountability as a process that enacts a specified promise. This occurs not simply in terms of promising to provide an account of conduct or behaviour; instead the promise can stem from moral responsibilities, ones which have transformational and societal implications, and initiate strategic choices (for example, appropriate accounting practices) regarding the enactment of this promise (Brown & Moore, 2001; Dubnick, 2005). This conceptualisation of accountability is proposed as particularly relevant in the context of rights-based NGOs as this development approach has important moral, societal and strategic implications for the manner in which NGOs are accountable to their beneficiaries. The study uses insights from transformative learning theory (Mezirow, 1978) to understand how the promise of self-determination is enacted in these accountability relationships. It presents two case studies of NGOs – RuralLife and Unison - who sought to transform their target communities into active, engaged and self-determined citizens with the support of grassroots accountability practices of monitoring and evaluation.

Rethinking accountability in new governance

Prominent theorizations of new governance – innovative, collaborative, or experimentalist modes of governance – depict it as enhancing accountability. Yet they have not clarified precisely what accountability is, or identified the range of accountability mechanisms in new governance. Based on case studies from Irish and Portuguese social inclusion policy, this study builds on existing theoretical traditions to develop a model of how new governance affects accountability. This multidimensional conceptualization of accountability provides a nuanced fraework for analyzing accountability in new governance, while casting doubt on claims that new governance undermines accountability.

EXPECTATIONS AND CAPACITY OF PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT IN NGOs IN THE DEVELOPMENT CONTEXT

SUMMARYThere are many obstacles to promoting learning as an outcome of performance measurement in non‐governmental organizations (NGO) social service providers, especially in less developed countries. Building upon a conceptualization of accountability as a multifaceted set of relationships through which funders, or principals, and non‐profit providers, or agents, jointly shape organizational learning, and performance, this study expands our understanding of how accountability mechanisms affect learning within service providers. This paper explores the role that funders play in shaping performance measurement, or monitoring, practices within NGOs serving disadvantaged children in developing countries. We examined the experience of service providers in Egypt and Colombia to assess how the barriers to use of performance data and learning may be addressed. We conducted interviews using the same protocols with program managers in six non‐profit providers in each country that provide services to children, and we also interviewed major donors in the arena of children's services in the USA. We probed the NGO managers' experiences with performance measurement to identify obstacles and potential solutions to improve the use of the data to promote learning. Our findings support previous research about the potential for upward accountability mechanisms to influence internal learning. We suggest that funders should be held accountable for how the incentives and disincentives they provide to grantees affect their internal learning about how to improve their services. This notion of ‘reverse accountability’ means that funders need to be strategic and intentional when they design reporting mechanisms that affect the learning behaviours within their grantees. In line with our call for reverse accountability, we offer a model demonstrating our notion of the two‐way flow of accountability and we offer recommendations to help improve the performance reporting environment for NGOs who are addressing complex problems with less than adequate capacity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

From Reimagining to Repositioning Accountability

This article contributes to reimagining a ‘new generation’ of accountability. It draws on country studies and a workshop organised by ActionAid International. The studies highlight the need for further clarifying roles between development actors, the importance of allowing sufficient time for organisational and relational changes and strengthened accountability, the continuing significance of meaningful participation and the need to recognise power in accountability relationships and practices. The author proposes making accountability a central driver in a development actor's theory of change, which would give the organisation a resilient spine as well as flexibility and manoeuvrability. A new relationship between accountability and monitoring and evaluation is also proposed. Such a conceptualisation of accountability provides the clarity and simplicity needed to leapfrog the myriad initiatives created in response to donor pressures for accountability and the measurement focus that currently grips the development sector.

Shifting conceptualization of accountability in light of shifting governance patterns

Public accountability is a sign of modern and democratic administration. Accountability has become a topic of concern in governance literature. The question of holding politicians and administration accountable in new governance environment, where many traditional means for controlling government no longer fully apply, has gained wide recognition. As a consequence, new types of accountability have been sought and identified. The article discusses the shifting conceptualization of accountability on the basis of Erkkila typology in light of changes in the patterns of administration (governance) in the literature of public administration. It argues that this shift can be related to the structural changes that have taken place in politics and public administrations from the late 1980’s to the present. Also, the argument is made that instead of trying to identify new mechanisms of accountability more attention should be paid to the transformations taking place among traditional mechanisms of accountability and their potential in the new institutional design. Key words: Public accountability, governance, patterns of administration, performance, deliberation.

New Mechanisms of Incentives and Accountability for Higher Education Institutions

This article aims to examine the new mechanisms of and incentives for higher education institutions (HEIs) that are emerging at regional level in relation to the development of knowledge-based economies and new structures of governance. A new landscape of higher education emerging in a particular region in the United Kingdom will be analysed, and the influence of multiple levels of public policy instruments will be considered, including national and European policy initiatives as well as the influence of the globalisation of the economy. The seeks a new conceptualisation of accountability in a decentralised national framework in light of the formation of localised learning systems in the global learning society. The different roles and functions ascribed to at various geographical levels, namely, local, regional, national and international, are becoming highly complex, and will need to share more effectively some of their key functions with other institutions in society. Incentive mechanisms are needed to create links between entrepreneurial universities and other stakeholders in society within a strategic framework.

The Question of Accountability in Historical Perspective

Grassroots ecosystem management (GREM), and the reinventing government movement, more generally, suggest that the American polity is on the verge of redefining a broadly acceptable system of democratic accountability. The problem is: What does an effective system of accountability look like in a world of decentralized governance, shared power, collaborative decision processes, results-oriented management, and broad civic participation? This article examines how the theory of accountability has been reconfigured to fit the new paradigm for governance and places accountability in historical context to gain perspective for contemporary discussions of bureaucracy in a democracy. It finds that the conceptualization of democratic accountability varies dramatically over time. The Jacksonian, Progressives/New Deal, public-interest-egalitarian, neoconservative efficiency, and GREM models are all distinct conceptualizations of accountability. Each emphasizes different institutions and locates the authority for accountability in differing combinations and types of sectors (public, private, intermediary), processes, decision rules, knowledge, and values.