Local Government Management Research Articles

Technology in government: How organizational culture mediates information and communication technology outcomes

The adoption of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in public organizations promises to better connect managers with citizens, increase public participation in government decision making, improve the efficiency of service delivery, decrease uncertainty, and improve information dissemination. While each of these outcomes is important for both public managers and citizens, we know little about how organizational culture mediates the effectiveness of ICTs on producing these outcomes. This research, using data from two points in time, investigates the relationships between ICTs and managerial outcomes (e.g. improved decision making and public participation) and how they are mediated by organizational culture such as centralization and routineness. Technology variables include technology use and capacity. Models will control for other organizational and technological factors such as size, structure, task and department to investigate the mediating effects of organizational culture on ICT outcomes for local governments. The data come from two national surveys of 2500 local government managers in the United States in 2010 and 2012. The results are important for understanding how organizational mechanisms, in particular organization culture, mobilize ICTs in ways that affect managerial outcomes.

English

Public administration has always been the tool available to African governments for the implementation of developmental goals and objectives. It is seen as being crucial to the growth and development of African economies. To this end efforts have been made in many African countries to increase efficiency through decentralization, restructuring and privatization. This study presents Eritrea’s public administration reform experience, and assesses the extent to which Eritrea has taken up New Public Management reforms. The aim is to show the outcome of reforms on civil service, public enterprises and local government management. It is found that in Eritrea there is a need for periodic review and continuous administrative reform. In the civil service there are absence of promotion, retirement, and lack of competitive wages and salary increments. In local government there are lack of administrative capacity, absence of clear accountability lines and fiscal decentralization, and lack of coordination and information sharing among local government units and line ministries. The Eritrean government should now emphasize on investment in developing human capital towards effective policy formulation, analysis, implementation and evaluation, and on the reform of the public sector itself besides privatization aimed at allowing public enterprises to operate more efficiently and effectively. Key words:  Eritrea, reform, public administration, local government, civil service, public enterprises.

The Effect of Poor Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Implementation on the Wellbeing of the KwaMathukuza Community, Newcastle Municipality in South Africa

This study investigated the possible health impacts a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) will have on a community that reside near it. The study area was a low cost housing residential area within the Newcastle municipality in South Africa due to its close proximity to a WWTP. The data was acquired through informal interviews, questionnaires and observations. The participants were recruited mainly from the residents who resides about 5.0 km from the plant, local health caregivers, municipality official and the local government management. A survey of the study area showed no other possible source of the odorous gases except the WWTP. About 97.0% of respondents have smelt the bad odour that is probably released from the plant. The results also indicates that a significant number of people suffer from headaches, vision, olfactory and breathing problems which could be linked to the nearby WWTP. It was also discovered that the respondents who are at a distance of more than 5.0 km from the WWTP were also negatively impacted by the gases as the residents who are within 5.0 km. Looking into the future, every development needs to follow the proper procedure of EIA to reduce negative impact on human health. It also means that governments should review the buffer distances between such facilities industry and human settlements.

Yerel Yönetimlerde Suç Önleme Politikası Olarak Farklılıkların Yönetimi: Seferihisar Belediyesinde Bir Uygulama

The aim of this essay is to research the studies that local governments can do on the subject of crime prevention within the frame of security governance concept. To make study more concrete, Seferihisar Municapility which is a good example in this field is researched. Today, Local Governments not only fulfil duties described in law but also lay schemes and be shareholder in various fields such as rural development, urbanization, industrialization and agriculture. One of these new duty fields is policy of crime prevention. In our country, authorized organization at fight against crime and criminals is Law Enforcement Agency, but it is impossible for Law Enforcement Agency to cope with crimes and criminals alone. In this subject, by security governance; universities, private organizations, non-govermental organizations, associations and other government agencies have a lot of responsibilities, but we are going to handle just local goverments in this study. Local goverments have the possibility and structure which can develop policies to prevent crime before it appears. Changes in social and municipal structure have parallels with crime phenomenon. Migration regions or people with different qualities which lives in a specific region of city contain potential conflict sources and transgressive behaviours. Policies decreasing conflict sources and accordingly crime will be supplied by making good use of concept of difference management of local governments. Management of differences is institutional systems' ,which is planned and praticed to manage different people effectively within the aspects such as age, gender, religion, belief and personality, construction to minimize problems and disabilities while maximizing benefits of difference. Including practices of management of differences in local goverments will give an effective result about crime prevention. Seferihisar Municapility of Izmir which is an example of our study made various studies on the subject of management of differences. In the activities done with the theme of 'Peace', it is aimed that people having different cultures coming from various parts of Turkey to Seferihisar know and socialize each other. In this way, differences are no more conflict source, accordingly crimes which can occur can be prevented because of differences

Local Autonomy and Inter-Sector Performance-Based-Governance in Lampung Province

The dramatic shift in the management of local government in Indonesia, from the centralised, authoritarian New Order Era to the more democratic Reformation Era since 1996, met public demands for, among other things, more accountability. Decentralised local government requires a system that allows the Central Government to supervise and, at the same time, gives local governments the capacity to carry out their duties. This paper compares the institutional capacity of three regencies in Lampung using a ten-part inter-sector performance evaluation method developed by the Sustainable Capacity Building for Decentralization , project funded by the Indonesian Ministry of Home Affairs. Three separate surveys between 2007-2011 used the data from a 10% sample of all civil servants in each rank. We show that local government institutional capacities in Lampung Province differ not only regionally, but also within inter-sectors functions. All three regencies performed poorly in the inter-sector function of information and communication, and all three performed best in procurement of goods and services. In terms of local autonomy, the single recipe of symmetric decentralization which applies similarly all over Indonesia, needs to be replaced, we suggest, with asymmetric decentralization, which is more suited to the local governments’ varied institutional needs. Keywords: local autonomy, inter-sector performance based governance

Assessments on the Role Beliefs Play on the Self-concept and Behaviour of Local Government Managers in South Africa Towards Diversity in the Workplace

Recognition of diversity awareness initiatives and problems’ relating to diversity were not acknowledged and diagnosed in many local authorities in South Africa. Adequate research with regard to the problem of managing diversity has been slow making it difficult for managers working within local authorities to identify which positive behaviour is acceptable in acknowledging and managing diversity. Also, the introduction of a diversity awareness climate in local authorities has not been encouraged. There has not been an unfreezing, changing or moving and refreezing process for behavioural change in many local authorities. Diversity and the management of diversity is not something new to managers working for local government in South Africa. Diversity has become one of the most frequently used words of our time and a word almost never defined. Diversity has been used in discussions ranging from politics to entertainment. Diversity is also used in so many different ways in so many contexts that it seems to mean all things to all people”. To prosper in the future it is important to understand and make better use of diversity in business, education, government, and in society in general. The solution to South Africa's racial problems will not only be solved by managing diversity, managing change and affirmative action programmes, but by the recognition and acceptance of the diversity of others and by acknowledging and valuing the same.

Concurrent Sourcing in the Public Sector: A Strategy to Manage Contracting Risk

ABSTRACT Public administration scholars utilize transaction cost theory to explain the contracting dichotomy between make or buy. However, recent theoretical developments point to a mixed position, “make and buy,” as a strategic management choice. We draw insights from the private sector management literature on what it terms “concurrent sourcing” to build a theory for public sector mixed contracting, but argue that public managers face a broader range of contracting agents (both private for-profit and public intergovernmental) than private sector managers. The choice of contract agent makes local government contracting important in elaborating a theory of concurrent sourcing. Our empirical findings show that local government managers use concurrent sourcing as a strategy to mitigate potential contracting risks. We find mixed contracting is more common with for-profit agents and total contracting out is more common in contracts to other governments. When contracting with for-profit partners, mixed delivery helps reduce risk, promote market complementarities, and ensure attention to citizen interests.

Assessments on the Role Beliefs Play on the Selfconcept and Behaviour of Local Government Managers in South Africa towards Diversity in the Workplace

Assessments on the Role Beliefs Play on the Selfconcept and Behaviour of Local Government Managers in South Africa towards Diversity in the Workplace

City Management in the United States and Norway: A Comparative Analysis of Professional Orientations

This analysis examines the effects of political culture on the nature and practice of professional local government management by comparing the structures, responsibilities, and relationships of city administrative executives in the democratic countries of the United States and Norway. The findings suggest that, despite fundamental differences in societal institutions and settings, American and Norwegian city managers serve similar roles in their respective local government organizations. However, the notable variations in the processes of municipal management identified between the two nations appear to reflect the contextual influence of divergent political foundations on the operational environment of professional public administrators.

Assessments on the Role Beliefs Play on the Self Concept and Behaviour of Local Government Managers in South Africa towards Diversity in the Workplace

Recognition of diversity awareness initiatives and problems’ relating to diversity were not acknowledged and diagnosed in many local authorities in South Africa. Adequate research with regard to the problem of managing diversity has been slow making it difficult for managers working within local authorities to identify which positive behaviour is acceptable in acknowledging and managing diversity. Also, the introduction of a diversity awareness climate in local authorities has not been encouraged. There has not been an unfreezing, changing or moving and refreezing process for behavioural change in many local authorities. Diversity and the management of diversity is not something new to managers working for local government in South Africa. Diversity has become one of the most frequently used words of our time and a word almost never defined. Diversity has been used in discussions ranging from politics to entertainment. Diversity is also used in so many different ways in so many contexts that it seems to mean all things to all people”. To prosper in the future it is important to understand and make better use of diversity in business, education, government, and in society in general. The solution to South Africa's racial problems will not only be solved by managing diversity, managing change and affirmative action programmes, but by the recognition and acceptance of the diversity of others and by acknowledging and valuing the same.

Barriers to open data release: A view from the top

The pressure for governments to release much of the vast reservoir of data that they collectively hold continues to grow. This pressure is grounded not just in principles such as the right of the public to know or freedom of information, but in beliefs about the economic, social, administrative and political benefits that will flow from the wide availability of such data. However it is also acknowledged that there is a considerable gap between such expectations and current realities one component of which is the many barriers to open data release. This paper examines these barriers from the perspective of senior managers in Irish central and local government. A taxonomy of such barriers is proposed and compared with other classifications of barriers in the literature. The paper concludes with some reflections on the implications for the opening up of government data.

Local Government Management

This special issue of ARPA seeks to fill a void in the public administration literature by bringing to the forefront analyses of local government and metropolitan challenges from the perspective of public administrationists: Those who manage cities and counties, and those who both teach and study local government management. The public administration perspective on local government and metropolitan governance has traditionally been grounded in jurisdictions—cities, counties, school and special districts. Today, however, there is often a disjuncture between problems to be solved and jurisdictional boundaries. Accordingly, local governments have changed, and continue to change in response to boundary-crossing challenges as Wheeland, Paulus and Wood evaluate, and new patterns of metropolitan governance are emerging, as Leland and Thurmeier analyze. According to Agranoff, these patterns of change are both horizontal, between and among connected units of local government and vertical, among local governments, states, and the national government. Civic engagement in local public affairs is growing in creative new ways as citizens seek to participate, a topic probed by Nabatchi and Amsler. In the same way that all politics is local, all policy is also local and none is more important than the need to balance the risk of disaster with the need for preparedness, as Donahue, Eckel, and Wilson explore. Together these articles are a timely treatment of compelling challenges facing governments and governance nearest at hand: Our cities, counties, districts and metropolitan areas.

Examining Auditing as an Essential Element of Financial Management and Good Governance in Local Government

The purpose of the article is to address issues of auditing in the context of financial management as a contribution to good governance. Generally, not all local governments have effective and operational audit units and committees. As a result, auditing is not used as an essential element of good governance and this leads to bad audit outcomes like disclaimers and adverse opinions. The bad audit outcomes in local government have motivated the researcher to conduct the study on auditing. There are internal factors within the municipalities as well as external factors that are of interest and directed the researcher to have desire and commitment to make a contribution in this particular field of research. The key issues, amongst others, are principles of financial management, financial strategy, auditing functions such as forensic auditing, fraud auditing, forensic accounting and detection of fraud, including accounting systems and auditor’s role. This article will also attempt to reinforce existing theories and add value to local government financial discourse and good governance.

Political and Functional Local Government Consolidation

This analysis explores the options for a theoretical model to guide regional collaboration by local governments that is both politically feasible and consistent with core public administration values. The analysis first examines the research on the adoption, implementation and performance of political consolidation. We then examine the theory and research that underlie functional consolidation and assess both types in lieu of the values of public administration. We find that local government managers and elected officials need a theoretical model for regional collaboration that addresses a key obstacle to service consolidation among local governments: the perceived loss of political power and control associated with consolidation efforts. We suggest multilevel governance theory and the concept of shared sovereignty offer an approach to regional problems with an eye to the political as well as administrative issues, and with instruments that promote core public administration values. The concept of shared sovereignty that underpins the regional collaboration of the countries in Europe has both descriptive and predictive theoretical potential as a multilevel governance theory. The EU functions from a web of interlaced, interdependent agreements to share sovereignty in ways that manage political issues, economic factors, and administrative values, and in a fashion aligned with core PA values in the US.

Local Government Performance Measurement: Developing Indicators Based on IWA 4: 2009

The purpose of this study was to create a framework on how a local government should develop its performance measurement indicator. This study main concern was local governments in Indonesia which are currently required to obtain international accreditation for their services as well as satisfactions from both central government and their citizens. This article sought to translate the requirements made by IWA 4: 2009 standard, a derivative product of ISO 9001: 2008, into an applicable framework for developing performance measurement indicators. The proposed framework was expected to generate relevant indicators that could facilitate defects detections, performance improvement, compliance to law and regulations, the absorption of citizens’ needs, and the certification process of public services in Indonesia. This article limits its scope to one of many ways to generate performance measurement indicators and does not suggest any specific ones. Each local government is supposed to decide its own performance measurement indicators. Since the article on IWA 4: 2009 was fairly limited in time of this study took place, this article was also expected to give small contribution to the literature on quality management in local government.

The Great Survivor: The Persistence and Resilience of English Local Government

This article is about the persistence and resilience of the form of local government that emerged in England in the nineteenth century and took shape in the twentieth century. English local government has adapted to successive reorganisations and changes to its functions; it has survived centralisation, privatisation, the imposition of quangos, regional governance, elected mayors, performance management and latterly fiscal austerity by responding to opportunities and meeting the continual need for administrative tasks at the local level. The centralised structure to political management in English local government has generated a high level of organisational capacity and a pragmatic sensibility that ensures the institution remains in place even in unpropitious circumstances. Other local organisations, such as voluntary sector bodies and quangos, have less capacity to compete and work to shorter timescales. Such resilience has come to the fore in the period of fiscal austerity since 2009 when local authorities have had to manage severe declines in their budgets whilst taking on additional functions, such as council tax benefit. The organisational capacity and pragmatism of English local government create path dependence as its very efficiency at managing services may have shut off options for democratic renewal and participation.

A Century of Municipal Reform in the United States

In this article, we examine the legacy of four progressive reforms intended to secure “good” government—the model city charter, the council-manager plan, city management professionalism, and bureaucratic service delivery. Our analysis integrates research by historians, political scientists, sociologists, and public administration scholars, and provides a unique multidisciplinary perspective on the legacy of success and adaptation of the municipal reform movement. We use Hofstadter’s concept of a reform “impulse” in American political culture to frame our analysis. We conclude with four observations on the future of municipal reform, ultimately arguing that the impulse to “reform” continues to be a dominant driver across both local government management and institutions.

Managing health impacts of heat in South East Queensland, Australia.

Heatwaves kill more people than any other natural hazard in Australia. Current literature on managing health risks of heatwaves highlights the importance of implementing urban planning measures, and engaging with vulnerable groups on a local level to better understand perceptions of risk and tailor health protection measures. This paper reviews arrangements to reduce heatwave health risks in South East Queensland in response to these themes. A literature search and document analysis, stakeholder interviews, and multi-stakeholder cross-sectoral workshops revealed that although heatwave management is not always considered by local government and disaster management stakeholders, many urban planning measures to minimize urban heat have been pursued. However, greater information from vulnerable groups is still needed to better inform heatwave management measures.

Perceived Effectiveness of Municipal Financial Management on the Performance of Inventory Stock Management in Local Government of South Africa

This paper reports on the perceived effectiveness of municipal financial management (MFM), on the performance of inventory stock management, by South African local government. The study aimed to evaluate and discuss various factors affecting the effectiveness of MFM on the performance of inventory stock management, in a local municipal government of South Africa, with specific reference to the Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) Province. The MFM Act was used as a theoretical framework for the study, and a quantitative research method was applied. The questionnaire was formulated based on information obtained from the literature, and was distributed to only one KZN local government department. The sample consisted of 57 respondents, selected using a census sampling method. The results indicate that there is significant relationships between experience and performance of inventory stock management (p=.003a,b*), experience and effectiveness/efficiency of MFM (p=.000a,b*),as well as experience and the economic viability of MFM (p=.000b,c*).Interestingly, the respondents also indicated that, although there is good inventory stock management, there is a weak relationship between the effectiveness/efficiency, economic viability, and transparency of MFM. This study recommends that further research should aim to advance financial management skills in South African local government, in order to build financial management capacity to deal with inventory stock management issues. This should enable communication with other related structures and improve the understanding of each other’s efforts in the organization.

Communication and quality service delivery in Uganda's local government: the mediating influence of total quality management

The study aimed at understanding the role of total quality management (TQM) as a mediator between communication and quality service delivery (QSD) in Uganda's local government (LGs). Data were collected using a cross-sectional research design from 212 LGs whose heads of department and section heads formed the unit of inquiry. The paper utilises the Med Graph program, Sobel's z-test and the Kenny and Baron procedure to test the role of TQM as a mediator between communication and QSD. The findings revealed that TQM is a significant mediator between communication and QSD, and enhances the relationship by 24.3%. In addition, a partial type of mediation was established. Overall, the results show that communication predicts QSD directly and also indirectly via TQM. The study was cross-sectional with its inherent flaws. Future studies should consider mediation studies from a longitudinal perspective. In addition, the data were collected only from Uganda's LGs. Therefore, the findings may be limited to the sample studied and negate the possibility of generalisation. In terms of practical implications, LG managers should consider TQM as stimuli for communication to ensure QSD. The paper contributes to the service literature by extending the role of communication for QSD within the context of LGs whose empirical stance is still scanty. In addition, it contributes to literature on TQM by highlighting its mediatory role for QSD in LGs.