Fiscal Issues Research Articles

Core Functional Requirements for Fiscal Management Systems

This paper presents a framework for planning the development of computerized government budgeting and accounting systems in economies in transition and developing economies. It argues that a comprehensive framework is needed to enable fiscal management issues to be addressed effectively, then outlines a methodology for planning systems development and proposes strategies for implementing the methodology in transitional and developing economies.

The Budget Deficit in Transition: A Cautionary Note

This paper discusses major fiscal issues faced by the previously centrally planned economies in their transition to market economies. It focuses on the extent to which the budget deficit should guide policy and the interactions between fiscal policy and other aspects of the macroeconomy.

Governance of Hospitals in Canada: A Survey of Business Leaders Who Serve as Hospital Trustees

The Caldwell Partners Amrop International, in the course of conducting executive search, are often in contact with business executives across Canada, many of whom serve as hospital trustees. Because of the concerns being expressed informally by these trustees, it was decided to conduct a formal survey. The University of Toronto's Department of Health Administration was involved in designing the survey instrument and tabulating the results. The survey's findings cover many governance issues, such as board size, composition, terms, representation, roles, mergers, evaluation, quality of care, research institutes, fiscal issues and government relations.

Fiscal Policy and the Economic Restructuring of Economies in Transition

This paper discusses major fiscal issues faced by the previously centrally planned economies in their transition to market economies. It focuses on three main topics: (a) the extent to which the budget deficit should be a guide to policy; (b) the reforms that must be carried out in tax legislation and tax administration; and (c) the required changes in public expenditure and in the setting up of institutions to manage public spending.

Fiscal Policy and the Economic Restructuring of Economies in Transition

This paper discusses major fiscal issues faced by the previously centrally planned economies in their transition to market economies. It focuses on three main topics: (a) the extent to which the budget deficit should be a guide to policy; (b) the reforms that must be carried out in tax legislation and tax administration; and (c) the required changes in public expenditure and in the setting up of institutions to manage public spending.

The effect of leadership training on child care program quality

Twenty-two individuals participated in a 16-month Early Childhood Leadership Training Program. The content of the training covered all components of the child care center director's role: personal and professional self-knowledge; child development and early childhood programming; organizational theory, leadership style, legal and fiscal issues; parent and community relations/public policy and advocacy; and research and technology. This article documents training outcomes in three areas: (1) participants' level of perceived competence; (2) the quality of classroom teaching practices; and (3) the quality of work life for the staff at their programs. Self-report feedback from participants indicated a statistically significant increase in their perceived level of knowledge and skill in all five task performance areas. Posttest observations of classroom quality revealed a significant improvement in the quality of classroom teaching practices compared to a comparison group not receiving training. A pretest-posttest comparison of organizational climate showed a significant improvement in clarity of program policies, degree of program innovativeness, opportunities for professional growth, and staff's level of perceived decision-making influence.

Fiscal Solvency in Europe: Budget Deficits and Government Debt under European Monetary Union

Fiscal policy issues and EMU The prospect of monetary union in Europe has led to an increase in interest in the size and evolution of the govern ment debt of the members of the European Community. The Maastricht Treaty on Monetary Union has laid down convergence criteria that potential members of the Union must meet. The Treaty explicitly refers to the need to 'avoid excessive public deficits', and sets the following thresholds which should not be exceeded:

Responsibilities and training needs of mental health administrators

This paper reports findings of a needs assessment in the area of training programs for senior mental health administrators. Questionnaires (N=530) were sent; 169 to county and regional state mental health administrators; 331 went to community mental health administrators. The response rate was 43%. Thirty-four percent of the public sector respondents listed “general administration” as their first topic; “fiscal issues” were listed by 19%; 18% listed “personnel administration” first. Second topics chosen for training by the public sector administrators were general administration (17%), financial management (24%), and personnel (20%). As their first topics of choice for future training, 37% of the community mental health administrators selected general administration areas, 27% selected financial management, and 10% personnel. Training for mental health administrators has the potential for substantial enrichment through the design and implementation of carefully planned programs. Results from this needs assessment show the continued strong need for such training.

The Literature on Nigerian Federalism: A Critical Appraisal

There is a large body ofliterature on federalism in Nigeria covering such major issues as the origins ofNigerianfederalism, requisites offederalism,federalism versus otherforms ofassociation, the number of state units in the system, fiscal issues, political parties, distributional issues, and intergovernmental relations. However, a number of issues have received relatively little scholarly attention, including the economic aspects ofNigerianfederalism, population movements and the arrangement, language policies,federal ethics, and various critical governmental and nongovernmental institutions. There is a need to establish institutions for the study offederalism in Nigeria and to reduce ethnic and ideological biases in research on Nigerian federalism. The fact that Nigeria is regarded as Africa's only federal state commands the interest not only of political scientists but also of policymakers and all those concerned with the future of constitutional government in Africa. At the same time, however, the political history of the country (e.g., a civil war, periodic coups d'etat aimed at civilian and military leaders, a declining economy, and the fact that many scholars see Nigeria as a unitary state) dilutes one's enthusiasm about the Nigerian system. Nevertheless, a large literature has accumulated on the Nigerian experience, authored both by Nigerians and by non-Nigerians from various perspectives. A fairly comprehensive, even though dated, listing can be found in

The Central Witwatersrand metropolis: divided it falls, united it stands

ABSTRACT This article explores and places in perspective the complexities which characterise the Greater Johannesburg Metropole. After defining the term “metropolis” and identifying the Greater Johannesburg metropole, it reflects on some of the major features of the city. The impact of racial fragmentation is highlighted with reference to the various structures which are supposed to be managing the area. The fiscal and administrative predicament of black local authorities comes under the spotlight. The positive influence of Regional Services Councils in addressing many of these problems is then discussed. Finally, a range of constitutional possibilities at the local, metropolitan and regional levels are analysed, with reference to recent models like the city state, twinning, amalgamation, and metropolitan government. The debate is also related to fiscal issues, such as the need for revenue‐sharing and demands for a “single tax base “.

OPTIMAL FISCAL OPERATION

Japanese economy which had enjoyed high growth for about twenty years greatly changed its growth pattern with the occurence of the first oil crisis, pointing toward low economic growth. With such conversion of economic growth pattern, the national public finance as it should be was forced into a great reform. Especially, contradiction of annual revenue and expenditure between increase in expenditure centered in natural increase due to the fiscal system established in the latter half of the period of high economic growth and decrease or slump in revenue due to slower growth led the fiscal operation to extremely difficult situation. The fiscal policy in fiscal 1975-fiscal 1990 was in the distress concerning adjustment of these two factors. This paper considers measures to solve today's fiscal issues by looking back on this period. When considering the fiscal policy fiscal 1975-fiscal 1990, we can classify this period into four phases by types of the fiscal policy, which are called respectively Phase I (fiscal 1975-fiscal 1979), Phase II (fiscal 1980-fiscal 1982), Phase III (fiscal 1983-fiscal 1985) and Phase IV (fiscal 1986-fiscal 1990). In Phase I, annual expenditure grew larger due to influence of inflation caused by the oil crisis in addition to increased expenditure owing to maturity of the fiscal system toward the welfare state which was established in the earlier half of 1970's, while tax revenue

Management Accountability: The Signals sent by Auditing and Evaluation

ABSTRACTAuditing and Evaluation are two strategies which governments may use to ascertain if existing policies and programs are being administered as they ought. They provide critical information by which to determine the economy, efficiency, and effectiveness of government action and are the basis for holding accountable those responsible for the government policies and programs. The analysis compares the strengths and weaknesses of auditing and evaluation as means of monitoring accountability. Three types of accountability are discussed. Auditing makes its strongest contributing to managerial accountability through a focus on fiscal or regulatory issues.

Administrative, educational and fiscal issues

Administrative, educational and fiscal issues

Capital Market Imperfections and Tax Policy Analysis in the Life Cycle Model

One issue often overlooked in dynamic fiscal policy analysis is the importance of assumptions made regarding individuals' abilities to use capital markets to transfer income across time. We focus on the impact of borrowing restrictions on consumption functions within the life cycle framework, and address a set of fiscal policy issues. Our principal concerns are two. First, taking into account the effect of borrowing constraints affects the calculation of the efficiency costs of taxation substantially. Second, we address within the life cycle model the importance of precautionary saving in response to capital market imperfections and consequent implications for effects of social insurance programs.

BOOK REVIEWS

Book reviewed in this artilces: Export‐Oriented Industrialization: The ASEAN Experience . By Mohamed Ariff and Hal Hill. The Singapore Economy: New Directions . Report of the Economic Committee, Ministry of Trade and Industry. The Cassava Economy of Java . By W. P. Falcon, W. O. Jones, S. R. Pearson and others. The Small Developing State: Comparing Political Economies in Costa Rica, Singapore and Jamaica . By Dennis John Gayle. Development Economics on Trial: An Anthropological Case for the Prosecution . By Polly Hill. The Sovereign Entrepreneur: Oil Policies in Advanced and Less Developed Capitalist Countries . By Merrie Gilbert Klapp. Models of Development: A Comparative Study of Economic Growth in South Korea and Taiwan . Edited By Lawrence J. Lau. The Pacific Century: Economic and Political Consequences of Asian‐Pacific Dynamism . By Staffan Burenstam Linder. Import Controls and Export‐Oriented Development: A Reassessment of the South Korean Case . By Richard Luedde‐Neurath. Development in Malaysia: Poverty, Wealth and Trusteeship . By Ozay Mehmet. Modernization in China ‐ The case of the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone . By Kwan‐Yiu Wong and David K. Y. Chu. Indonesia: The Rise of Capital . By Richard Robison. Japan's Response to Crisis and Change in the World Economy . Edited by M. Schmieglow. Fiscal Issues in South‐East Asia . Edited by Parathasarati Shome. Industrialization Policies and Regional Economic Development in Malaysia . By Dean Spinanger. Pacific Growth and Financial Interdependence . Edited By Augustine H. H. Tan and Basant Kapur. ASEAN ‐ South‐Asia Economic Relations . Edited by C. D. Wadhva, and M. G. Asher. Asia's ‘Miracle’ Economies: Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong . By Jon Woronoff.

Devaluation and Monetary Policy in Developing Countries: A General Equilibrium Model for Economies Facing Financial Constraints

The IMF Working Papers series is designed to make IMF staff research available to a wide audience. Almost 300 Working Papers are released each year, covering a wide range of theoretical and analytical topics, including balance of payments, monetary and fiscal issues, global liquidity, and national and international economic developments.

The “new monetary economics,” fiscal issues, and unemployment

The “new monetary economics,” fiscal issues, and unemployment

Future Commercial Directions in Environmental Remote Sensing from Space

Potential developments are considered for commercial applications of environmental remote sensing from space. The key areas affecting the possible growth of commercial markets that apply the sciences of meteorology, oceanography, and hydrology are discussed and projections made for 1985-2000. These areas include technology developments, markets, fiscal issues, political/legal/regulatory issues, and others. The growth will not be primarily limited by technology, but important uncertainties exist in the fiscal, political, and market development areas. With proper definition of government and commercial roles, both sectors can continue to maintain U. S. leadership in this area.

A Theoretical Framework for Surveying Citizens' Fiscal Preferences

Survey research has been advocated as a vehicle for eliciting information relevant to the policy decisions of public administrators as evidenced by recent articles in the Public Administration Review.' To the extent that public policy makers feel entrusted to satisfy constituent preferences, it is imperative they be cognizant of citizens' attitudes toward fiscal policy issues. The citizen, in effect, should be viewed as a consumer. Random sample surveys of the population provide data which increase the public administrator's awareness of citizen attitudes and, thus, facilitate the satisfying of citizen preferences. Sample survey data permit inferences to be made about the fiscal preferences of all citizens, not just those who actively participate in the political process via special interest groups.2 The potential of attitudinal surveys of individuals' public sector preferences for improving public sector budgeting and financing decisions is underscored by the closer scrutiny given to public expenditure and revenue policies in an era of fiscal retrenchment. Properly designed survey instruments can elicit information pertaining to various dimensions of public sector expenditure and revenue decisions: (1) desired spending levels and (2) desired financing schemes.3 In ascertaining citizen fiscal preferences, it is desirable to develop survey instruments based on an explicit theory. A theoretical framework aids in questionnaire design. It permits development of attitudinal questions which accurately reflect the preferences of interest to policy makers as well as the identification of relevant social, economic, and demographic attributes of the respondents necessary for analysis and interpretation. Equally important, survey research based on an explicit theoretical framework provides a better understanding of the determinants of citizen preferences. This knowledge permits the prediction of shifts in fiscal preferences resulting from changes in the socio-demographic profile of the constituency or the fiscal environment. Wellarticulated and properly designed survey research provides public officials making public spending and financing decisions with additional information of citizens' fiscal preferences. Such information will enhance their ability to make responsive decisions. The purpose of this paper is to articulate a model of citizen public sector fiscal preferences which serves these purposes. Based on the economic theory of consumer

The Reform of Japan's Public Administration and Finance: A Critical Assessment

Since the Second Temporary Investigative Commission on Government Administration (the Temporary Commission) published its First Report on Administrative Reform on July 10, 1981, the administrative and fiscal reform issues that were the focus of attention at the governmental level and also the measures about to be taken have gradually become clear.