Municipal Management Research Articles

Federal transfers to municipalities through parliamentary amendments: implications for SUS funding.

The present article analyzes the transfers from parliamentary amendments by the Ministry of Health to municipalities to finance public health actions and services from 2015 to 2021. A descriptive and exploratory study was carried out with secondary data, including all Brazilian cities. Resources from amendments showed an increase, particularly from 2018 onwards, indicating the expansion of their relevance for financing SUS. From 2016 to 2021, over 80% was allocated to municipalities, representing 9.5% of all federal transfers, with 91.2% for operational expenses. Transfers from amendments differ from regular transfers due to greater instability and per capita variation among the amounts collected by municipalities and due to the fact that they allocate most resources to the Northeast and primary care to the detriment of the Southeast and medium and high complexity care. These transfers represent a differentiated modality of resource allocation in SUS that produces new distortions and asymmetries, with implications for intergovernmental relations, as well as between the executive and legislative powers, increasing the risk of the discontinuity of actions and services and imposing challenges for the municipal management.

Passive transparency in small brazilian municipalities

Purpose: This work aims to analyze the factors that influence passive transparency in municipalities with less than 50,000 inhabitants. Methodology: To achieve the objective of the study, at first, based on the cluster formation technique results, the municipalities were grouped into 03 groups according to the performance obtained in the variables that determine transparency. In a second moment, these clusters were evaluated and compared regarding the result of EBT- a Brazilian Scale of Transparency. Results: It was found that economic and social development and the fiscal capacity of the municipality are variables which influenced the results of EBT in its two editions. Thus, we concluded that a differentiated policy should be used for the transparency in small municipalities, considering the respective economic, fiscal and social development. Finally, it was observed that the performance of control bodies, the debate and development of metrics capable of measuring transparency are possible ways to improve passive transparency rates in municipalities. Contributions of the Study: The study results can support managers in promoting improvements in the passive transparency of their municipalities. In addition to it, they can support municipal managers in identifying the factors that influence their passive transparency.

A dataset of the 1 km-grid road network density in China (2019)

Road network density is a basic index of evaluating regional road development scale and road network development degree. The measurement and monitoring of road network density (as a comprehensive characterization index) plays an important role in the assessment of regional traffic and economic development, and provide reference for urban road management and control measures, which is of great significance to urban planning and municipal management. In this paper, based on the vector data of railway land, highway land, urban and village road land and rail transit in the Third National Land Survey, we extracted the road center line, using the km-grade network production software, to obtain a dataset of the 1km-grid road network density in China in 2019. Rigorous quality control and quality inspection measures throughout all stages of data processing have been implemented, including road surface vector extraction, road skeleton line extraction, and kilometer grid density calculation, to ensure the correctness, integrity and consistency of the data. This dataset can be used for the study on the preparation for the national territory development plan, the evaluation of plan implementation, the calculation of status factors for regional transportation development, and accessibility calculation.

Gospodarowanie odpadami komunalnymi w czasie kryzysu geopolitycznego z punktu widzenia budżetu gminy

The article aims to present the problem of paying for municipal waste management in the face of the influx of refugees caused by the war in Ukraine. The number of people residing in Poland has significantly increased, and as a result more waste is generated. The authors analyse current legal regulations and judgments of administrative courts and the Constitutional Tribunal to determine who is obliged to pay the municipal waste management fee and what proper steps this entity should take. Due to the nature of the problem, the dogmatic-legal method was used to analyse the texts of legal acts, court decisions and available literature. The solution proposed by the authors can be used in practice by the bodies of local government units adjudicating the determination of the municipal waste management fee amount.

Analysis of the hydrological disaster occurred in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in September 2023: Vulnerabilities and risk management capabilities

Analysis of the hydrological disaster occurred in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in September 2023: Vulnerabilities and risk management capabilities

Electrochemical Wastewater Treatment Technologies Through Life Cycle Assessment: A Review

AbstractElectrochemical wastewater treatment technologies are gaining attraction as sustainable alternatives for industrial and municipal wastewater management. This study conducts a comprehensive life cycle assessment to assess the environmental and economic sustainability of electrochemical methods such as electrocoagulation, electrooxidation, and electroreduction. By analyzing key stages, from raw material extraction to end‐of‐life disposal, the review aims to provide insight into their overall sustainability performance. The study also delves into environmental impact categories and utilization of methods used in quantifying the environmental implications. Moreover, a cost structure analysis and cost‐effectiveness evaluation offer insights into the economic viability of these technologies. Despite facing challenges like high initial costs and regulatory constraints, electrochemical technologies demonstrate competitive advantages in treatment efficiency and energy savings. Collaborative efforts and supportive policy frameworks are deemed crucial for overcoming barriers and fostering the widespread adoption of electrochemical technologies, thereby advancing sustainable wastewater management practices.

WHICH DETERMINANTS EXPLAIN MUNICIPALITIES' DEBT? THE CASE OF PORTUGUESE MUNICIPALITIES FROM 2014 TO 2017

Objective: Municipality sustainability is crucial for promoting the country's wealth and the citizens' well-being. Therefore, understanding municipalities' indebtedness is relevant to avoid situations of severe financial constraints. This work aims to understand the determinants that explain Portuguese municipalities' debt levels (both total and excess of debt), after the introduction of the Regime Financeiro das Autarquias Locais e Entidades Intermunicipais (RFALEI) published in 2013 (Law no. 73/2013). Theoretical Framework: In this work, the indebtedness of Portuguese municipalities is studied, from the perspective of net debt and excess indebtedness in order to give a broader picture of this topic and to be able to characterize the main determinants that explain debt in Portuguese municipalities. Method: Municipalities' debt is measured using not only the net debt ratio (as most of the works) but also the excess of municipalities' indebtedness. Institutional, political, and financial-economic variables are analyzed to explain debt using a linear regression model with fixed effects. The sample includes all Portuguese municipalities for the period from 2014 to 2017. Results and Discussion: Results show that only institutional and financial-economic determinants are relevant to explain municipalities’ indebtedness. Municipalities with less tourism, less State transfers, and with more capital revenues are the ones more indebtedness. Beyond these factors, municipalities with more investments and less tax revenue tend to present more excess debt. Research Implications: The results of this work are useful to a group of users of the information provided by municipalities: By knowing the main reasons that lead to debt, municipal managers can somehow reduce debt; Regulatory entities can create laws to limit debt and citizens know how public money is being managed. Originality/Value: This work analyzed all Portuguese municipalities, during four years, a larger sample than used in previous works. Moreover, institutional, and financial-economic determinants are also used, in addition to political variables, and these determinants show relevance to explain municipalities' debt. Finally, we focus not only on the debt ratio but also on excess of debt which was the main concern of RFALEI.

FEATURES OF TERRITORY MANAGEMENT DURING MARITAL STATE IN UKRAINE

The article discusses the current problems of territory management in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war, which has been going on for two years. A description of the real state of territorial communities is offered, their problems caused by the war are outlined. A cluster model of the distribution of territorial communities depending on the situation during the war is presented. Possible ways of solving the main problems arising in the management of territories during martial law are determined. The article emphasizes that Russia's war against Ukraine, which has been going on for two years, has become the sharpest and most dangerous test of Ukrainian society since independence. Virtually all state and public institutions and organizations, government and executive institutions underwent significant changes in form and content. This especially applies to territorial communities, which, despite their short existence, have actually become the centers of the reconstruction of Ukrainian civil society on the lines of martial law. Territorial communities shouldered the main burden of volunteer assistance to the Armed Forces of Ukraine and territorial defense, reception and accommodation of forced migrants, provision of humanitarian aid, educational, medical, legal, communal services, organization of business and employment, as well as mobilization work. The article notes that under the conditions of martial law, the forms and content of territory management activities, in particular municipal management bodies, have changed: military-civilian administrations have appeared in regions and former districts. During the two years of the war, the functions and boundaries of the administrative activities of local self-government bodies were agreed upon, taking into account the challenges that were caused by the full-scale aggression of Russia. The article notes that the burden of the war had the greatest impact on the stability and vitality of territorial communities. Despite the fact that today it is generally possible to positively evaluate the administrative-territorial reform that was carried out on the eve of the war, territorial communities are in unequal conditions of life, have different possibilities of functioning, and require management decisions that are adequate to the real situation. The article emphasizes that the primary task at the moment is to improve relations between the central government and local self-government bodies, taking into account the actual military, economic, demographic, social, political, and humanitarian situation. We are talking about a significant expansion of the powers of territorial communities in all spheres of social life. It is impossible to rule in wartime by peaceful methods. This is all the more important because the administrative and territorial reform depends on the results at the front.

Ethical Tensions in Municipality Management

This study investigates ethical tension situations that municipal managers face in their everyday working life by identifying the occurrence and nature of such situations, their contextual and organizational dependence and what resources are available to handle and/or solve them. The study is based on in-depth qualitative interviews with 21 municipal managers from various sectors. In total, 222 ethical tension situations were revealed. The main finding of the study is the identification of the importance of contextual and organizational dependencies, regarding not only managers’ experience of ethical tensions but also the resolution of such tensions. In the paper a contextual model of managerial tensions is presented that gives account to the different logics, value systems, norms, regulations, and ethics, that make up the complex world in which municipal managers find themselves and need to handle.

Public Benefits Valuation of Dynamic Green Roof Stormwater Retention

This study evaluates the public benefits associated with different green roof systems to manage stormwater runoff in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. An internet-based stated-preference conjoint choice experiment was administered to residents of Milwaukee to ascertain the public benefits value of different potential green roof infrastructure programs. This study contributes to the literature on the public benefits of green roofs in two ways. First, this study examined the perceived value of dynamic stormwater retention facilitated using “smart” green roofs with access to real-time weather data versus traditional extensive green roofs. Second, a wider range of public benefits associated with green roofs, including improved water quality, air quality, biodiversity, and urban heat island effects, were estimated. Estimation of these public benefits allows for determination of the optimal public policy for supporting green roofs as a component of decentralized stormwater management in municipalities.

The Role of Digital Technologies in the Formation of Soft and Hard Skills among State and Municipal Managers

The authors consider the above-described skills as strategic competencies of a modern manager and look for innovative ways to master them. The substantiation of the importance of developing soft skills in people in general, as well as the relevance and necessity of their development specifically by managerial personnel, is given. An analysis of the benefits of using digital technologies in the process of developing these skills among employees is also presented.

Municipal waste management in the context of economic and organisational conditions at the local level in Poland

Municipal waste management in the context of economic and organisational conditions at the local level in Poland

Review of Municipal Organic Waste Management in Uttar Pradesh State, India

Organic waste is the main fraction of municipal solid waste in most developing countries. Despite various efforts, municipalities often fail to properly handle generated waste due to poor source segregation, inefficient collection system, insufficient financial resources, and a lack of proper treatment and disposal facilities. In India, organic waste mainly ends up in open dumpsites. The Government of India launched the Swachh Bharat Mission and enacted legislation to improve solid waste management. This notwithstanding, the most populous state of the country, Uttar Pradesh (UP), faces serious challenges in terms of achieving the national environmental policy goals. This study attempts to assess organic management practices in UP by analyzing the existing situation. The study reviewed the legal and financial frameworks governing the waste sector, the responsibility of stakeholders, waste segregation and collection mechanisms in place, and treatment and disposal methods. The identified gaps were analyzed to provide recommendations for the local conditions. The study recommends the control of incoming materials in centralized facilities compost facilities to enhance compost quality and enhance the management of organic waste via source segregation, animal feeding, and treatment in a decentralized manner.

Structure, agency and local climate governance: how do individual actors exploit local contexts to shape policymaking in smaller cities and towns?

ABSTRACT Previous studies stress that structural conditions influence local climate action, but often neglect the role of agency in policymaking. Drawing on fieldwork in 11 German towns, we show how municipal managers frame climate-related policies in different ways to gain local support for action. Although these framings are influenced by each town’s socio-economic, demographic and political conditions, as well as its vulnerability to climate threats, they nonetheless highlight the importance of individuals in policymaking. We then present a two-dimensional framework to inform future research into structure and agency in local governance, whilst cautioning that undertaking such studies can be difficult.

Dynamic systems analysis of waste generation in Banda Aceh: a comprehensive evaluation

Abstract Many researchers state that municipal waste management is a city service that must be provided effectively to all residents to achieve prosperity because this problem has been considered a serious problem facing cities. One alternative to look at the waste problem is to evaluate the waste management system using a dynamic system model. The research aims to evaluate the conditions of waste generation in order to optimize waste management efforts in Banda Aceh. A simulation model was conducted in this research based on a dynamic system using Powersim and Stella software. The treatment carried out include collecting primary and secondary data, creating Causal Loop Diagrams and Stock Flow Diagrams, as well as simulations of waste generation based on existing data spanning the years 2017 to 2022. Results show that Banda Aceh City’s waste generation continues to increase with exponential growth behavior during 2017-2022. Simulation results show that in 2030, this waste will reach 255,043 tons with a waste generation rate of 0.63761 tons per year. Results of dynamic system modeling show a sustainable increase in waste production caused by an increase in population. Model validation analysis shows that AVE and MAVE values obtained were 0.0037 and 0.0631, respectively. These results were considered acceptable since they were both less than 10%.

Finacial Aspects of Municipal Waste Management

Abstract Municipal waste management plays a crucial role in our communities and has far-reaching implications. Effective waste management contributes to environmental conservation. By reducing waste, recycling, and implementing sustainable practices, we protect our ecosystems and natural resources. Due to the increasing volume of waste and the increasingly complex administration of its collection and disposal, solid waste management is quickly becoming a demanding issue for municipalities all over the world. The objective of the paper was to describe the impacts of communal waste management on municipal budgets and to compare waste management expenditure intensity. The legislative changes, the focus on minimising waste for disposal and promoting a material recycling orientation will have a significant impact on municipal budgets. Local authorities must adjust to the standards established by the European Union. The Slovak Republic will need to progressively adopt these standards by incorporating them into national law

The impact of circular economy strategies on municipal waste management: A system dynamics approach

The impact of circular economy strategies on municipal waste management: A system dynamics approach

GreenRoute Ballari: A Hybrid Approach for Optimizing Waste Collection Routes Using K-Means Clustering and Genetic Algorithm

Abstract: The exponential growth of the population in Ballari has exacerbated the challenge of municipal waste management, necessitating the development of efficient waste collection strategies to address environmental and social concerns. In response to that our system introduces a hybrid approach that employs K-means clustering and Genetic Algorithm, for optimizing waste collection routes tailored to the unique waste generation profiles of the region. By utilizing Geographic Information System (GIS) data that is in the form of GeoJSON files containing the spatial distribution of waste collection points, we propose a methodology that combines K-means clustering and Genetic Algorithm to develop intelligent and fuel-efficient routes. Our system not only benefits municipal authorities in resource deployment and planning but also aids waste carrier vehicle drivers in prioritizing routes. Our findings contribute to the transformation of Ballari City towards eco-friendly and smart urban development

Analysis of the functions of open government and its relationship with management in local municipalities in Peru

Analysis of the functions of open government and its relationship with management in local municipalities in Peru

Optimization-driven artificial intelligence-enhanced municipal waste classification system for disaster waste management

Optimization-driven artificial intelligence-enhanced municipal waste classification system for disaster waste management