Public Resource Management Research Articles

Participatory and incremental development in an African local government accounting reform

AbstractDespite significant donor funding, government accounting reforms seeking transparent and effective management of public resources often fail or have limited success, especially in Africa, prompting questions about donors’ implementation approach and calls for studies of successful reforms. This paper investigates a local government accounting reform in Benin supported by a German development agency–perceived as successful due to the participatory, pragmatic, and incremental approach reinforced by conditionalities in the face of neo‐patrimonial leadership.

The Human Resource Component and the Role of Societal Membership in the Public Administrative Organization in Pre- and Post-Colonial Sri Lanka

Public sector management in Sri Lanka has a long history which goes centuries beyond colonial administration. With the introduction of the colonial administrative system, drastic changes were made in the traditional indigenous public management mechanism that existed in pre-colonial Sri Lanka, resulting in extensive modifications in the human resource component. Although both traditional and post-colonial societies have been researched under many aspects, attention paid on the social organization in a human resource management perspective, focusing the human resource component and the role of organizational members in the administrative effort is near to the ground. Thus, this paper aims at distinguishing the attributes of traditional and post-colonial public administrative organization of Sri Lanka, with special emphasis on its human resource component and the role of societal members in the public administrative domain. Further, this paper searches the possibilities of reframing the role of citizens in order to improve the public service in the modern era, utilizing the themes underlying the attributes of the traditional system. This, being a desk research, the secondary data gathered for it from archival sources was comprehensively reviewed and analyzed with the support of memoing and constant comparison, in order to arrive at conclusions. In the traditional system, public administration was organized extending its structure over the entire social organization and all the societal members were acknowledged as direct stakeholders of the public administrative organization, constituting its human resource. In contrast, the colonial administrative mechanism formed a separate organization consisted of officers to manage the public affairs. As a result, the societal members’ role as active members of the public administrative system diminished and the citizens became mere service receivers. Alienation of citizens from direct involvement in public services created a sense of loss of ownership which made ground for less accountability, less responsibility and less commitment in communal matters. Even though the contemporary society is quite different from the traditional context, the shared values arising out of the traditional system may open new arenas for enforcing the commitment of citizens for better management of public resources and services by increasing their involvement.

Enhanced connectivity index – A new measure for identifying critical points in urban public transportation networks

This paper describes a novel methodology for identifying critical nodes in urban public transportation networks. The methodology, which is based on graph theory, transportation and urban planning, seeks to optimize the use of city resources. The term “criticality” is defined in terms of the connectivity and activity density of a transportation node over time. The connectivity of a node is defined by the operational characteristics of the system (e.g., vehicle capacity, velocity, distance and frequency) whereas the urban activity density is based on urban planning indicators (e.g., population density, land use and urban form) along with the time factor. These two components are used to create the enhanced connectivity index that reflects the interaction between a transportation network and an urban environment. Detecting critical nodes in a transportation network over time is important because knowledge about the nodes that are likely to be more occupied supports strategy development, public resource management and funding prioritization. Moreover, the enhanced connectivity index can be used to enhance the intelligence of existing transportation systems. The application of the methodology to the bus system of a medium-sized city provides valuable insights into the spatial and temporal distributions of critical nodes. The results demonstrate that node criticality fluctuates considerably over time, because nodes with high activity during the morning hours are less critical during the evening hours, and vice versa. Additionally, high functional connectivity does not necessarily imply high node criticality.

Public Finances: Transparency, Accountability and Ethics of Responsibility

A first approach to the concept of public finances, requires clearing the veil between public and private. This first differentiation is what gives sustenance and subject to the study of public finances, since it deals with the management and administration of public money, through the rules of operation and rules, to channel the public resource to respond to the needs of society. From the recognition of public character, from here arises, a first look of complexity, not only for the management of public resources refers, but because it is expected a correct application of them to give attention to the needs that pose to citizens to the State, who is ultimately responsible for decisions regarding economic and fiscal policy, and who seek to respond to social needs, whose outcome is expected, has a positive social impact. A subject as complex as it is observed, requires the support of the sciences such as economics, administration, sociology, psychology, and mainly of law, philosophy and political science, among others, in the construction of decision and operation for the management of public resources, in which transparency and adequate management of public resources are privileged. In Mexico, the management of public resources has been harshly questioned to the State, mainly in its three levels of government, by the lack of transparency in the application of these, by the public administration, is so far, matter of a process subject to constant revision. This paper presents the proposal of the citizen alert as an element that allows the operation of the National Anticorruption System and the State Anticorruption System where citizens' denunciation of events that may be constitutive of crime and based on a protection system is privileged. of witnesses that guarantees the full exercise of the citizen's demand before the State in the fulfillment and application of public resources to solve social needs.

Modern Public Finances as a Proposal for an Emerging Country: The Social Approach in the Fight Against Poverty in Mexico

In Mexico, the management of public resources has been questioned by the State, and mainly the results that the public administration at its three levels (federal, state and municipal), by the lack of transparency in the application and verification of public resources. The experience that gives us the operation of different emerging programs that focused on reducing social and economic inequality in the country, we can locate them as the first attempts in the search for a solution that is complex. Moving from the role of the benefactor and welfare state to the promoter of the regions and in the recognition of the focalization of priority attention areas, the path that has been taken is not only the beginning. Recognizing the public nature of public finances as a promoter of social development, we must understand it as the one assumed by the State through social, political and economic co-responsibility to solve poverty and marginalization of its own public policy orientation and vision of solution has been made since the eighties. From the above, we can point out some preliminary conclusions including the study of the indigenous language-speaking population with a high level of social exclusion in the methodology for the definition of multidimensional poverty in Mexico, will allow the allocation of public resources in the fight against poverty to be effective since it will make it possible to identify to the target population that is subject to social exclusion and marginalization. This invites us to a final reflection: What to do to address the just social demands of the indigenous population that is immersed in poverty, marginalization and exclusion? What to do so that they do not leave their communities, and if they have already done so, how to attend to the needs of family groups that are due to the expense of a remittance that may never arrive?

MODERN PUBLIC FINANCES AS A PROPOSAL FOR AN EMERGING COUNTRY: THE SOCIAL APPROACH IN THE FIGHT AGAINST POVERTY IN MEXICO

In Mexico, the management of public resources has been questioned by the State, and mainly the results that the public administration at its three levels (federal, state and municipal), by the lack of transparency in the application and verification of public resources. The experience that gives us the operation of different emerging programs that focused on reducing social and economic inequality in the country, we can locate them as the first attempts in the search for a solution that is complex. Moving from the role of the benefactor and welfare state to the promoter of the regions and in the recognition of the focalization of priority attention areas, the path that has been taken is not only the beginning. Recognizing the public nature of public finances as a promoter of social development, we must understand it as the one assumed by the State through social, political and economic co-responsibility to solve poverty and marginalization of its own public policy orientation and vision of solution has been made since the eighties. From the above, we can point out some preliminary conclusions including the study of the indigenous language-speaking population with a high level of social exclusion in the methodology for the definition of multidimensional poverty in Mexico, will allow the allocation of public resources in the fight against poverty to be effective since it will make it possible to identify to the target population that is subject to social exclusion and marginalization. This invites us to a final reflection: What to do to address the just social demands of the indigenous population that is immersed in poverty, marginalization and exclusion? What to do so that they do not leave their communities, and if they have already done so, how to attend to the needs of family groups that are due to the expense of a remittance that may never arrive?

Climate-related community knowledge networks as a tool to increase learning in the context of environmental change

Statements made at the recent UN Climate Conference 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP23) clearly indicated that Pacific islands, countries, and territories (PICTs) are particularly susceptible to sociocultural, economic and environmental impacts of climate change. The Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) are one such group of islands where internal and external climate forcing has observable detrimental impacts on local public health, water quality, agriculture and resource management. Here, we present the outcomes of a collaboration between graduate students and a PICTs-focused non-profit organization to facilitate a climate-related knowledge network that addresses adaptation to climate-related vulnerabilities in Pohnpei, FSM. Through a series of workshops targeting K-8 science teachers, this network strengthens lines of communication between educators, resource managers, stakeholders and environmental leaders and provides a forum for ongoing information exchange to encourage adaptation to climate change in island communities. Additionally, teacher participation in the workshops resulted in a marked increase in community engagement in other local and regional educational venues. We propose that the knowledge network piloted here serves as an interdisciplinary model of a sustainable educational partnership that can be adapted for use in a multitude of PICT communities to improve preparedness and reduce susceptibility to climate-associated stressors, thereby providing an example of means to achieve key goals of the COP23.

Παρατηρhσεισ για τον «Kαθολικον απογραφeα» Ιωaννη Βατaτζη

This article examines the case of the protokynegos Ioannes Batatzes, who is mentioned by the rather unique designation of the “katholikos apographeus” in a judicial decision of the governor of Thessalonike, Ioannes Doukas Apokaukos (1344). By carefully studying the preserved documentary material and the narrative sources, we reach the conclusion that Batatzes was a fiscal official who served for at least five or even ten years and whose district of authority included the entire Byzantine empire. We also try to investigate the administrative relationship between the katholikos apographeus and the contemporary apographeis, operating in large or small districts. Finally, we note that such an extended assignment could be regarded as a personal distinction given exceptionally to Batatzes. However, it is more likely that it was related to a project set on by Andronikos III Palaiologos in an attempt to improve the management of public resources and to reduce fiscal disorder. In any case, this new administrative practice did not obtain a permanent and institutional quality, as the aggravated political and military conditions no longer favoured general-scale fiscal activities.

Efficiency of municipal service providers in the Republic of Croatia

Municipal services, such as the collection, removal and disposal of waste, are just some of the necessary activities carried out by public authorities. Efficient management and utilization of public resources improves the general well-being of a community, and benefits especially the users of municipal services. Hence, the optimal provision of public services is essential. This paper gives a comprehensive overview of municipal services, related primarily to waste collection and disposal, and other related municipal services. The purpose of the paper is to determine the relative cost efficiency of twenty public utility companies that collect household waste in different Croatian cities and surrounding municipalities. The method employed in the study is Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), using a non-controllable input-oriented model with variable returns to scale. In addition to the relative efficiency results of each utility company, by means of projections on the efficiency frontier, sources and amounts of relative inefficiency were determined, which represent potential improvements for all inefficient utility companies. The results indicate that all inefficient utility companies can improve their efficiency by reducing the corresponding inputs. Thus, company material costs should be drastically reduced, i.e., the relatively inefficient utility company (with the exception of two companies) should reduce costs by at least 50%. Considering employee costs, half of the relatively inefficient utility companies should reduce such costs by up to 50%, while the other half should reduce those costs by 58.11% to about 70%. Furthermore, five of the inefficient companies should reduce total assets input by a relatively small amount (up to 38.00%), whereas the remaining seven companies should reduce the company's total assets from 60.96% to 70.99%. This means that management at inefficient companies take into account the obtained results when making decisions in the future in order to increase company efficiency, which is one of the characteristics of an optimal business.

Migration and gender in South Africa: Following bright lights and the fortunes of others?

AbstractInternal migration in South Africa has a strong gender dimension. Historically, the apartheid‐era migrant labour system meant that predominantly black African men moved to urban areas without their families. After the abolition of influx controls in 1986, many women relocated, presumably to join their male partners. The period of migration feminization was also coupled with labour market feminization. However, existing research shows that increased female labour supply was poorly matched by labour market absorption, leading to rising unemployment among black African women. This paper studies incentives for female migration in this context, by building a gravity model of male and female inter‐municipal migration. We find that neither men nor women move primarily for family reasons. Instead, they follow the traditional male migrant route to well‐lit economic centres. Women also do not migrate primarily for increases in their own labour market opportunities, but tend to flock to regions where other fortunate groups have higher earnings potential. While this might signal that migrants base relocation decisions on incorrect information (and could in turn explain why many migrants have unfulfilled expectations), our results also show that women not only move for work, but for public services. The implications are twofold if migration is to alleviate poverty in the long run: first, in the short run, management of public resources must improve, as poor (women) place large emphasis on their effect; and second, labour market barriers – especially into the informal sector – should be better understood.

RISK OF OVERINVESTMENT IN MUNICIPALITIES

This article describes investment activities of self-government territorial units. Its aim is to present the importance of investments for the provision of public services by municipalities. The opinions of the respondents about the causes of excessive or misguided investments and the ways of reducing their scale were presented. Surveys were conducted in 2015 and the temporal scope of the analysis is 2009–2014. The importance of investments for the provision of public services, shaping the living conditions of inhabitants, and conducting business activity were described. Based on that, overinvestment was identified as a negative trend in public resources management. The most frequent causes of excessive investment are megalomania of the municipality authorities and their desire to gain the support of the inhabitants (voters). Another important aspect is the lack of sufficient social control in the decision-making process regarding investment tasks execution. It was also demonstrated that overinvestment is due to the purpose of spending financial resources, not to the relative amount of investment expenses. Among the actions preventing excessive or misguided investments, the cost and benefit analysis was indicated the most often. Using strategic planning tools is also beneficial for the effectiveness of investing in self-government.

Political Will for Effective Reform Management and Sustainable Development Goals Achievement in Nigeria

Political will is important for effective and sustainable reform management because anticorruption reforms must focus on the internal management of public sector resources to reduce incentives and opportunities for corruption and mismanagement. It is the driver of a robust private sector, resilient media, vibrant civil society, transparent judiciary and good administrative reforms that lead to national integrity and sustainable development. The absence of political will is responsible for a situation where it is estimated that one out of every six out-of-school children worldwide is a Nigerian, and which brings to more than 10 million, the number of Nigerian children that are out-of-school. Consequently, the ranking of Nigeria as 39th out of 54 African countries in overall governance is a reflection of lack of political will, weak leadership and overall governance. This must be overcome as the world heads towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030 Agenda. The sample comprised of 494 participants generated from a cross section of the population in Nigeria. Data were analyzed through descriptive and Chi-Square statistical methods. It was found that effective reform management in Nigeria requires political will.

Characterizing the influence of transportation infrastructure on Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in urban area-A case study of Seoul, South Korea.

In highly urbanized area where traffic condition fluctuates constantly, transportation infrastructure is one of the major contributing factors to Emergency Medical Service (EMS) availability and patient outcome. In this paper, we assess the impact of traffic fluctuation to the EMS first response availability in urban area, by evaluating the k-minute coverage under 21 traffic scenarios. The set of traffic scenarios represents the time-of-day and day-of-week effects, and is generated by combining road link speed information from multiple historical speed databases. In addition to the k-minute area coverage calculation, the k-minute population coverage is also evaluated for every 100m by 100m grid that partitions the case study area of Seoul, South Korea. In the baseline case of traveling at the speed limit, both the area and population coverage reached nearly 100% when compared to the five-minute travel time national target. Employing the proposed LoST (Loss of Serviceability due to Traffic) index, which measures coverage reduction in percentage compared to the baseline case, we find that the citywide average LoST for area and population coverage are similar at 34.2% and 33.8%. However, district-wise analysis reveals that such reduction varies significantly by district, and the magnitude of area and population coverage reduction is not always proportional. We conclude that the effect of traffic variation is significant to successful urban EMS first response performance, and regional variation is evident among local districts. Complexity in the urban environment requires a more adaptive approach in public health resource management and EMS performance target determination.

Beyond the consultation room: Proposals to approach health promotion in primary care according to health-care users, key community informants and primary care centre workers.

BackgroundPrimary health care (PHC) is the ideal setting to provide integrated services centred on the person and to implement health promotion (HP) activities.ObjectiveTo identify proposals to approach HP in the context of primary care according to health‐care users aged 45‐75 years, key community informants and primary care centre (PCC) workers.MethodsDescriptive‐interpretive qualitative research with 276 participants from 14 PCC of seven Spanish regions. A theoretical sampling was used for selection. A total of 25 discussion groups, two triangular groups and 30 semi‐structured interviews were carried out. A thematic interpretive contents analysis was carried out.ResultsParticipants consider that HP is not solely a matter for the health sector and they emphasize intersectoral collaboration. They believe that it is important to strengthen community initiatives and to create a healthy social environment that encourages greater responsibility and participation of health‐care users in decisions regarding their own health and better management of public services and resources. HP, care in the community and demedicalization should be priorities for PHC. Participants propose organizational changes in the PCC to improve HP. PCC workers are aware that HP falls within the scope of their responsibilities and propose to increase their training, motivation, competences and knowledge of the social environment. Informants emphasize that HP should be person‐centred approach and empathic communication. HP activities should be appealing, ludic and of proven effectiveness.ConclusionsAccording to a socio‐ecological and intersectoral model, PHC services must get actively involved in HP together with community and through outreach interventions.

Fatores motivadores e facilitadores dos relacionamentos em redes: como os gestores públicos reconhecem esses fatores em dados governamentais abertos

Open Government Data (DGA) aim at the provision of data from public institutions on the Internet, so that these can be reusable by third parties. These initiatives aim to meet new demands of society for increased transparency, greater involvement in the management of public resources, greater control and quality of public services, and increased accountability among public officials. Thus, they assume a wide participation and collaboration between government and society, constituting a network between these two spheres. In light of the theory of interorganizational networks, this article aims to understand what the motivational factors and facilitators present in open government data initiatives are. In order to meet this goal, we adopted a qualitative methodological strategy through structured interviews, to understand, from the perspective of the DGA public managers project, the main motivators and facilitating factors present in these initiatives. The results of the research demonstrate that the main motivating factors of DGA projects are: (I) reciprocity, (II) efficiency, (III) legitimacy. In complementation, aspects related to (I) power, (II) reputation, (III) exchange of information, and (IV) specific assets are considered as facilitators of DGA in the perspective of public managers. These results allow for a better comprehension of the relationship between government and society.

Fallas del mercado de salud colombiano

Introducción. En la prestación de servicios de salud, tanto por parte del sector público como el privado, existen importantes fallas en el aseguramiento a nivel mundial.Objetivo. Realizar una revisión del sistema actual de salud en Colombia a partir de la descripción, organización y análisis de las fallas del mercado.Materiales y métodos. Se realizó una clasificación de las fallas del mercado de la salud en Colombia, basada en información recolectada a través de referencias bibliográficas y artículos disponibles en términos económicos para Colombia y Latinoamérica en las últimas dos décadas.Resultados. Los mercados de aseguramiento y prestación de servicios de salud resultan complejos para garantizar la competencia perfecta que plantea el modelo neoliberal. La necesidad de monopolios naturales; los problemas de información asimétrica de los usuarios y los prestadores; el riesgo moral y evasión en el aseguramiento; la selección adversa que hacen aseguradores y prestadores, y la corrupción en el manejo de los recursos públicos son las causas de este comportamiento. Además, el modelo actual de salud falla estructuralmente en tres dimensiones: 1) oferta y demanda de servicios, 2) acceso y calidad de los servicios y 3) sostenibilidad financiera.Conclusión. Existen importantes fallas del mercado de salud en Colombia que hacen ineficiente e inequitativo el sistema y obligan a replantear un modelo económico de financiación y operación bajo un nuevo paradigma.

The Brazilian Fiscal Responsibility Law: Cultural and Structural Changes of State Management

This paper aims to evaluate the changes of state management in Brazil promoted by the Fiscal Responsibility Law (FRL). Sanctioned on May 4th, 2000 as the outcome of a long process of maturation of Brazilian public management resulting from the joint effort of both government and society, the FRL has since then guided the state bureaucracy as well as the citizenry in regard to monitoring and supervising public expenditure. As the catalyst of a shift in the traditional patrimonialism inherent to the Brazilian culture of public management, the aforementioned law has delivered good results in the management of public resources despite some backlashes experienced during its effectiveness. As it stands, it is our conviction that the current economic crisis in the country bears a direct relationship with the neglect of the FRL by the last governments. Ultimately, we maintain that the institutional settings of the more recent crises in Brazil, from the 1980s and 1990s to the present, as well as of the current crisis in Europe, do not call into question the efficiency of international covenants on fiscal adjustment, but rather the laxity in their making.

Participatory Water Resources Management in Phraek Nam Daeng Community, Samut Songkhram, Thailand

This study was purposed to explore issues concerning water resources management, participatory water resources management and the outcomes of which in Phraek Nam Daeng Subdistrict, Amphawa District, Samut Songkhram, Thailand, through qualitative research methodology, collecting data by interviewing 15 relevant individuals from the public sector and the community. It was found that the issues observed in water resources management of the subdistrict originated from the inappositeness of public water resources management schemes for such areas with three-water ecosystem (saline, brackish, and fresh), and the subdistrict’s resolution in response to such problems was derived from community-based participatory adaptation and mitigation under development of problem-solving knowledge through practice of research, amalgamation of local wisdoms, and encouragement of practical execution of problem solving approaches. Recognition and cooperation towards involving public agencies in concern therewith would bring about effectual water resources management, reinforcement, and experience in public water resources management policy to the community.

EVALUATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BUDGETARY CONTROL IN UKRAINE

Introduction. Provision of sustainable development requires efficiency in the management of public financial resources. Every year the number of detected financial irregularities supervisory authorities increases. Reduce the amount of possible financial irregularities by increasing the efficiency of budgetary control. The main purpose of the scientific research is to evaluate the efficiency of budgetary control in Ukraine. Results.The effectiveness of budgetary control is a complex economic category .It is characterized by certain criteria and depends on many parameters and factors. In assessing the effectiveness of budgetary control and the development of practical methods of calculation and formation performance criteria should take into account not only the economic component but also various other components efficiency. Monitoring the effectiveness of budgetary control carried out according to certain criteria by examining different interrelated indicators. In our opinion, the most thoroughly evaluate the effectiveness of budgetary control are the following criteria: performance criteria, the criterion of concentration, structuring criterion, criterion validity, criterion dynamism. Conclusion. The introduction of a single integrated system of indicators to assess the effectiveness of budgetary control will help assess the achievement of goals to improve the efficiency of budget resources of the state through a set of criteria: performance, concentration, structuring, efficiency and agility. Using the general method facilitate assessment of the effectiveness of public spending as between different supervisory authorities and between the different territorial units of those bodies.

Evidenciação do Controle Social nas Prestações de Contas do Programa Dinheiro Direto na Escola no Município do Rio de Janeiro

Education in Brazil have expanded the debate concerning the quality offered, as well as being a constitutional guarantee, there are the State's efforts in the allocation of financial resources annually. In the case of Basic Education was created in 2007 the Direct Money in School Program (DMSP) that the Union transfers financial assistance to state and local public schools, and encourage widespread participation in resource management. Thus, the study’s objective was to investigate how civil society involved in the management of public resources of TSA, in a descriptive research with a quantitative and qualitative approach. The data collection was a documentary research: 29 accounts rendered digitized Direct Money in School Program (DMSP) from schools and day care centers located in the municipality of Rio de Janeiro for the year 2012. Consolidating research, we sought to understand the perception of the Director of School / Day Care and President of the Community Council-School on the subject employing a questionnaire. In addition to the Audit Services scanned the TSA was checked for evidence of compliance with the principle of accountability and encouraging the social control in the electronic media. The results show the need to improve the participation of civil society, given that this study found that schools/nurseries do not provide the program information on official websites, minimizing transparency, and there is the existence of oversight failures in the assessment of benefits accounts and composition of the Councils.