High Degree Of Decentralization Research Articles

A National Park split by an internal border. Analysing the case of Sierra de Guadarrama (Spain)

In countries characterized by a high degree of decentralization, the limits between their main administrative units – that is, their ‘internal borders’ – with jurisdiction over protected natural areas prove critical for their management. This article analyses a national park split by just such an internal border, its objective being to determine the extent to which this border compromises the classic notion of a national park and how it impacts its management. The case study described is that of the Sierra de Guadarrama National Park, located in the centre of Spain, straddling the autonomous regions or communities of Castile and León and the Community of Madrid. The study exploits qualitative techniques, specifically semi-structured interviews with prominent actors in this territory, which allow us to analyse their perceptions of the national park and the implications of the border between the two autonomous communities in which it lies. Our research shows that the effects of internal borders can be similar to those of a border between two States, and that in decentralized countries the concept of transboundary protected areas is valid at the intra-state level. Additionally, the important political role played by national parks at different scales is verified as is the fact that cooperation between Spain’s autonomous communities remains weak.

FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS OF SUBANG REGENCY LOCAL GOVERMENT

The aim of this research is to assess the Financial Performance of Subang District Local Government by analyzing the Budget Realization Reports (LRA). This study adopts a quantitative descriptive approach involving calculations based on financial data obtained to address the research objectives. The research is conducted at the Subang District Financial and Asset Management Agency (BKAD). Data collection relies on the documentation method. The data analysis technique used is quantitative descriptive, employing the following formulas: (1) Budget Growth, (2) Analysis of Revenue Budget Ratios: Degree of Decentralization, Local Financial Dependence, Local Financial Independence, Effectiveness and Efficiency of Local Own-source Revenue (PAD), Effectiveness and Efficiency of Local Taxes, (3) Analysis of Expenditure Alignment: Operating Expenditure to Total Expenditure, Capital Expenditure to Total Expenditure, Direct and Indirect Expenditure, (4) Expenditure Efficiency. The results indicate that the financial performance of Subang District Government during 2015-2017 can be considered excellent. This is evident through positive revenue growth, a high degree of decentralization with an average percentage of 100%, very low local financial dependence at 0%, and high local financial independence with a delegative relationship pattern of 100%. The average effectiveness of PAD is highly effective at 122.53%, while the average efficiency is very efficient at 4.01%. The average effectiveness of local taxes is highly effective at 115.48%, while the average efficiency is very efficient at 4.22%. The analysis of expenditure alignment shows that the average operating expenditure to total expenditure is 94.15%, and capital expenditure is 5.85%, indicating insufficient attention to regional development. The average direct expenditure is 74.24%, and indirect expenditure is 25.76%. The average expenditure efficiency is 81.89%. Based on this research, for future studies, it is recommended to include additional financial statements for analysis, such as the balance sheet and income statement. Furthermore, the Subang District Government is advised to maintain its current performance.

FEATURES OF TAX SYSTEM IN CANADA

The state of Canada’s tax system has been studied. The structure of taxation in Canada, in particular current issues of tax control over taxpayers, have been considered. In the course of the study, regulative, complex methods of studying the tax system in Canada, general scientific and special methods of scientific knowledge: systematic and functional-structural, comparative analysis were used. It has been revealed that the tax system in Canada is more sparing and effective then in other countries. Canada, unlike other developed countries, has a higher degree of decentralization, when, with a significant impact of federal authorities, the provinces play a significant role in the formation of the concept of the national economy. This state is able to provide its citizens with a high standard of living, decent wages and quite loyal tax system.

Истоки и потоки

Истоки и потоки

Economic Inequalities And The Level of Decentralization In European Countries: Cluster Analysis

This submitted article identifies relations between the degree of decentralization and economic imbalances on the basis of a cluster (exploratory) analysis. Two indicators have been chosen for measuring economic inequalities: an indicator of dispersion of regional GDP per capita as representative of the performance imbalances within countries (it measures the economic development gap among regions in European countries); and a multidimensional inequality-adjusted human development index as representative of inequalities in the distribution of wealth in the countries. Decentralization is measured by means of a decentralization index, which contains both quantitative and qualitative components. Although groups of countries characterised by a high degree of decentralization do not necessarily show the lowest degrees of economic imbalances, it is however possible to conclude that the countries in groups with a higher degree of decentralization are among those countries with more favourable values of the economic imbalances indicators monitored. As a part of the research, two clusters of countries were identified which are identical in their degree of decentralization, but differ in the results connected with economic imbalances. The differences are caused by different institutional qualities in the two groups.

FISCAL DECENTRALIZATION AND REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN INDONESIA: A DYNAMIC PANEL DATA EVIDENCE

The public sector decentralization advantages and disadvantages are widely discussed in economics and political science. While some economists argue that decentralization leads to an optimal provision of public services and a promotion of economic growth, others emphasize the dangers of competition associated with decentralization between subnational governments especially for interregional redistributive reasons. This research studies empirically the impact of fiscal decentralization on regional disparities using dynamic panel data for 33 provinces in Indonesia from 2001 to 2008. Fiscal decentralization is represented by revenue decentralization (revdec) and regional disparity by gini coefficient. The major result of this study is that a high degree of decentralization is connected with low regional disparities. Hence, poor regions have no disadvantages from decentralization, quite the contrary. Keywords: decentralization, regional disparity, inequality, dynamic panel data evidence

AGIS: The ATLAS Grid Information System

ATLAS, a particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, produced petabytes of data annually through simulation production and tens of petabytes of data per year from the detector itself. The ATLAS computing model embraces the Grid paradigm and a high degree of decentralization and computing resources able to meet ATLAS requirements of petabytes scale data operations. In this paper we describe the ATLAS Grid Information System (AGIS), designed to integrate configuration and status information about resources, services and topology of the computing infrastructure used by the ATLAS Distributed Computing applications and services.

Deuda viva municipal en un contexto de crisis económica: análisis de los factores determinantes y de las formas de gestión

As a result of the current economic crisis, with the consequent borrowing constraints imposed on municipalities and curbs on public deficit, the resources of local governments have been severely reduced. In this context, the creation of devolved organizations provides municipalities with a means of eliminating certain forms of debt from their budget items. The aim of this study is to determine whether inter-municipal cooperation, public-private collaboration and decentralization, together with the political and financial characteristics of the local authority in question, are factors constraining it to present a particular level of debt in times of economic crisis. To achieve these goals, various databases were used to study a sample of 1,238 local authorities for the period 2008-2011, to determine which of these factors influence municipal debt in Spain. Application of a pooled regression model showed that financial variables are factors that influence the level of municipal debt, as does the political orientation of the governing local party. We also found that local councils presenting higher levels of inter-municipal cooperation and those with a higher degree of decentralization have higher levels of debt.

AGIS: The ATLAS Grid Information System

ATLAS is a particle physics experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The experiment produces petabytes of data annually through simulation production and tens petabytes of data per year from the detector itself. The ATLAS Computing model embraces the Grid paradigm and a high degree of decentralization and computing resources able to meet ATLAS requirements of petabytes scale data operations. In this paper we present ATLAS Grid Information System (AGIS) designed to integrate configuration and status information about resources, services and topology of whole ATLAS Grid needed by ATLAS Distributed Computing applications and services.

The Value of Negotiating Cost-Based Transfer Prices

This paper analyzes the potential of one-step transfer prices based on either variable or full costs for coordinating decentralized production and quality-improving investment decisions. Transfer prices based on variable costs fail to induce investments on the upstream stage. In contrast, transfer prices based on full costs provide strong investment incentives for the upstream divisions. However, they fail to coordinate the investment decisions. We show that negotiations prevent such coordination failure. In particular, we find that the firm benefits from a higher degree of decentralization so that total profit increases in the number of parameters being subject to negotiations.

The Value of Negotiating Cost-Based Transfer Prices

AbstractThis paper analyzes the potential of one-step transfer prices based on either variable or full costs for coordinating decentralized production and quality-improving investment decisions. Transfer prices based on variable costs fail to induce investments on the upstream stage. In contrast, transfer prices based on full costs provide strong investment incentives for the upstream divisions. However, they fail to coordinate the investment decisions. We show that negotiations prevent such coordination failure. In particular, we find that the firm benefits from a higher degree of decentralization so that total profit increases in the number of parameters being subject to negotiations.

Fiscal Decentralization and Regional Disparity: Evidence from Cross-Section and Panel Data

The advantages and disadvantages of public sector decentralization are widely discussed in economics and political science. Some authors argue that decentralization leads to an optimal provision of public services and promotes economic growth, while others emphasize the dangers of competition between subnational governments, especially those associated with interregional redistribution. Using cross-section and panel data for twenty-three OECD countries, from 1982 to 2000, this paper empirically studies the impact of fiscal decentralization on regional disparities. It is found that a higher degree of decentralization is associated with lower regional disparities. Hence, poor regions experience no disadvantages from decentralization and, instead, appear to benefit.

The Political Economy of Corruption in Bosnia and Herzegovina

This article contends that the complex administrative mechanics prescribed in the Dayton Accords presented opportunities for nationalist leaders to abuse public office. At the same time, economic reforms and a high degree of decentralization gave elites and local communities the facility to resist externally induced structural adjustment. The economic paradigm introduced for transition limited any attempt to establish a social contract between individual and the state. Consequently, a degree of social cohesion remains through adherence to local, clientelistic loyalties and informal economic activity. This provides the cultural and structural economic context in which the abuse of public office flourishes.

TQM and Teamwork Effectiveness: The Intermediate Role of Organizational Design

This article presents a qualitative study that examines how design variables contribute to the improvement of teams' effectiveness. The analysis is carried out in an engineering firm developing advanced total quality management (TQM) practices. Results show that this management philosophy has created a culture and a set of values that have facilitated an adequate use of design variables in order to improve teams' effectiveness. In this sense, decentralization and formalization reinforce, respectively, autonomy and coordination inside and among teams. Also, the participative style of leadership, reinforced by the high degree of decentralization, facilitates the allocation of the resources required by teams, thus contributing to their effectiveness. Managers are provided with a set of key design variables that can modify and improve the team's effectiveness.

Fiscal Decentralization and Regional Disparity: Evidence from Cross-Section and Panel Data

The advantages and disadvantages of public sector decentralization are widely discussed in economics and political science. Some authors argue that decentralization leads to an optimal provision of public services and promotes economic growth, while others emphasize the dangers of competition between sub-national governments, especially those associated with interregional redistribution. Using cross-section and panel data for 23 OECD countries from 1982 to 2000, this paper empirically studies the impact of fiscal decentralization on regional disparities. We find that a higher degree of decentralization is associated with lower regional disparities. Hence, poor regions experience no disadvantages from decentralization and instead appear to benefit.

Executives, Legislatures, and Decentralization

This article considers the role of executives and legislatures in authoring decentralizing legislation to study the type of decentralization each sought to achieve. I find that differences across branches are more significant than differences across political parties. The executive played a significant role in the process of decentralization emphasizing administrative forms of decentralization. Congressional efforts to write laws, on the contrary, focused on the political aspects. Thus, the involvement of both branches in policymaking contributed to the multidimensional form and high degree of decentralization in Colombia.

Diseño Actual de las Políticas Activas de Empleo en España

In Spain, a serious and rigorous study of the active policies of use destined the working immigrants must start off of two basic factors in its configuration: its context within the model adopted by the European Union and the high degree of decentralization in the competences, services and functions that concern to them. The active policies of labour try contribute to increase the possibilities of incorporation and maintenance of immigrants, combining, at the same time, with high flexibility and security.

Implementing the Help America Vote Act

The 2000 election made us all dimly aware of the intricacies of our elections. We learned about the high degree of decentralization merely from watching television reports of the court actions in more than six Florida counties, all seemingly independent from each other and from any significant state control. We also learned about the massive number of people involved in a recount as we watched the lines of observers line up day after day at the Emergency Operations Centers of Broward and Palm Beach counties. These institutional arrangements were not peculiar to Florida. As we have learned since 2000, U.S. elections are very complex undertakings:

Poverty Alleviation and the Degree of Centralization in European Schemes of Social Assistance

In this paper, the relationship between the degree of centralization and the distributive outcomes in European schemes of social assistance is investigated. For this purpose, a scheme of classification suitable for grouping the EU15 schemes according to features related to centralization is established by using cluster analysis and an indicator for centralization is developed by employing multidimensional scaling. Subsequently, on the basis of Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) data, the effectiveness and efficiency in reducing poverty through social assistance payments are calculated using several measures of poverty for five selected EU systems and the linkage of their distributive impacts to the degree of centralization is examined. Concerning effectiveness in poverty alleviation, the results provide some evidence that extremely centralized systems are more effective with regard to redistribution than extremely decentralized schemes. However, for systems with a medium degree of centralization, the hypothesis that greater decentralization leads to more effectiveness is not supported. With respect to efficiency, no support is lent to the hypothesis that a higher degree of decentralization is accompanied by a better distributive efficiency. Rather, the results seem to suggest that systems with a medium degree of decentralization do better than either extremely centralized or extremely decentralized systems.

UNIMED: history and characteristics of a Brazilian medical cooperative

This article describes the organizational characteristics of the UNIMED medical cooperative in Brazil. After an overview of UNIMED's share in the current health plan market, the author analyzes its organizational structure, historical evolution, and contractual regimen with member physicians, including the formula used to calculate the payment schedule for physician services. The plan currently includes 367 local member cooperatives, operating in over 80% of Brazil's counties, with 41% of existing physicians to serve 7% of the population. The organization's history began with local cooperatives and subsequently federations, the confederation, and other companies in the group. The organizational design and dynamics favor a high degree of decentralization and autonomy, subordination of all components in the system to the physician cooperative command, and the occurrence of internal disputes and conflicts between individual interests and those of the organization.