Private Sector Contributions Research Articles

FINANCIAL PLANNING IN HIGHER EDUCATION: INSIGHTS FROM INTERNATIONAL PRACTICES

In recent years, the financing of higher education has undergone significant transformations, influenced by shifting economic policies and the increasing demand for educational services. This article examines the evolution of financial planning in higher education institutions (HEIs) worldwide, highlighting the interplay between public and private funding sources. It explores various financing models adopted by countries, particularly focusing on the roles of government and private sector contributions. Comparative case studies from the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom illustrate the diverse strategies employed to ensure access, quality, and sustainability in higher education. The article concludes with key lessons for HEIs aiming to navigate financial challenges and achieve long-term growth, emphasizing the importance of strategic financial planning, revenue diversification, and institutional autonomy.

Determinants of Public Support for Fee-Contracts in Uzbekistan's Higher Education

This study examines the impact of fee-contract funding (FCF) systems on state higher education (SHES) in Uzbekistan, addressing a gap in existing literature that has primarily focused on standard tuition fees and state subsidies without exploring fee contracts, especially in emerging markets. Using a logistic regression analysis on survey data from 120 participants, the study aims to identify predictors influencing policy support for fee contracts. Findings indicate that income level and education are the strongest predictors of policy favorability, while cultural factors elevate support for "fee contract will make college access easier" as a predictor, though with weaker direct effects. Age and private sector contributions, though correlated with the outcome, were not statistically significant. These results suggest that policy elites in high-income and educated groups favor FCF systems, yet promoting fee contracts as accessibility-enhancing may garner broader support. The study underscores the need for policy interventions and expanded financial aid to promote equitable access, recommending further research into the long-term social and economic effects of fee contracts in similar contexts.

Sociological Study of Deurbanization Through Sustainable Village Development in Indonesia

This study aimed to analyze deurbanization through sustainable village development from a sociological perspective. The study was conducted in Bantaeng Regency, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. This area was selected because sustainable village development can change the number of "underdeveloped" and "very underdeveloped" villages into "developed" and "independent". A qualitative method was adopted to explore sustainable village development by referring to the village development index (IDM), namely social, economic, and environmental resilience. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with informants selected using purposive sampling. The data include elements of village government, community institutions, and society, such as community leaders, educators, religion, youth, traders, farmers, as well as representatives of women and poor groups. Observations were carried out at the study location while collecting documents related to regulations and reports on sustainable village development. The Qualitative Data Analysis (QDA) Software Program was used to analyze the data collected as well as write study reports. The results show that sustainable village development has led to the development of social, economic, and environmental resilience, which has an impact on deurbanization. Ruralization also occurred, where people living in the city moved to villages for economic, social, and cultural reasons, especially those who have kinship relations. In conclusion, private sector contributions can improve rural areas, because professional workers from cities move to villages to work in private companies, thereby supporting rural economic growth.

Rural electrification efforts from the perspective of ASEAN Energy Awards

Access to reliable and affordable electricity remains a cornerstone of sustainable development and renewable energy in the ASEAN region. While all member states strive for universal electrification, progress varies significantly, influenced by diverse national landscapes and approaches. This research sheds light on rural electrification efforts through the lens of ASEAN Energy Awards, uncovering stakeholder roles, quantifying impacts, and promoting cross-learning among member states. Through analysis of project submissions and winners from 2010 to 2023 (N = 62), the study delves into three key areas. First, there has been a shift beyond traditional government-led initiatives. While state-owned enterprises, government agencies, and international development agencies remain active, the emergence of universities, private enterprises, non-profit organisations, and even communities themselves signals the growing importance of bottom-up approaches. The analysis delves into the prevalence of technologies like solar PV (photovoltaics) and micro-hydropower, revealing trends in installed capacity and cost-effectiveness (the dominance of projects below US$100,000). The study identifies consistent rural electrification efforts across countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand, which recorded the most project submissions. Findings reveal a dynamic landscape of rural electrification efforts in ASEAN. The rising presence of non-state actors and community-driven initiatives presents opportunities for increased private sector contributions and bottom-up solutions.

Digital inclusion initiatives: Bridging the connectivity gap in Africa and the USA – A review

This paper provides a comprehensive overview of digital inclusion initiatives aimed at mitigating the connectivity gap in Africa and the United States. As the world becomes increasingly reliant on digital technologies, the importance of ensuring equitable access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) has become a global priority. This review explores the current state of digital inclusion efforts in two distinct regions, Africa and the USA, to understand the challenges, successes, and lessons learned in bridging the digital divide. The first section of the review focuses on Africa, where disparities in digital access are particularly pronounced. Examining various initiatives, policies, and strategies implemented by governments, non-governmental organizations, and international partners, the review delves into the multifaceted approaches taken to extend connectivity to underserved populations. It highlights the role of innovative solutions such as community networks, mobile technologies, and public-private partnerships in fostering digital inclusion across diverse socio-economic landscapes. In the second section, the review turns its attention to the United States, where digital inclusion efforts also face challenges despite higher overall connectivity rates. By analyzing federal and local initiatives, as well as private sector contributions, the review explores the nuances of digital inclusion in an advanced technological landscape. The examination encompasses efforts to address urban-rural disparities, promote digital literacy, and ensure affordable broadband access for marginalized communities. Comparative analysis between the two regions identifies commonalities and differences in the approaches to digital inclusion. The review assesses the impact of cultural, economic, and political factors on the effectiveness of initiatives, emphasizing the need for context-specific strategies. Furthermore, it evaluates the role of regulatory frameworks and policy interventions in shaping the trajectory of digital inclusion initiatives. Drawing from the experiences of both continents, this review contributes insights to inform future digital inclusion policies and practices globally. By synthesizing the lessons learned from Africa and the USA, policymakers, researchers, and practitioners can develop more nuanced and contextually relevant strategies to bridge the connectivity gap, fostering a more inclusive and equitable digital future for all.

Private Sector Contributions to National Malaria Surveillance Systems in Elimination Settings: Lessons Learned from Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

Comprehensive malaria case surveillance is necessary to achieve and sustain malaria elimination. In the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS), the private sector plays a substantial role in malaria treatment. Yet, none of the six GMS countries collects complete case data from private sector points-of-care. Between 2016 and 2019, the GMS Elimination of Malaria through Surveillance program supported national malaria programs in Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam to execute elimination strategies by engaging the private sector in malaria case management, generating private sector case data, and integrating these data into national surveillance systems. The project enrolled 21,903 private sector outlets, covering between 52% and 80% of the private sector in targeted geographies, which were trained and equipped to perform rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) and report malaria case data. By 2019, the private providers enrolled in the program reported a total of 3,521,586 suspected cases and 96,400 confirmed malaria cases into national surveillance systems, representing 16% of the total reported caseload by these countries (Cambodia, 25%; Lao PDR, 5%; Myanmar, 12%; Vietnam, 8%). Results demonstrated that with comprehensive support, such as training, provision of free or subsidized RDTs, first-line treatments, and routine supportive supervision, private providers can provide quality malaria case management and achieve high reporting rates.

Employment sector and respiratory mortality in Rome and Turin longitudinal metropolitan studies

to assess the association between the occupational sector and respiratory mortality in the metropolitan longitudinal studies of Rome and Turin. retrospective cohort study. the 2011 census cohorts of residents of Rome and Turin aged 30 years and older who had worked for at least one year in the private sector between 1970s and 2011 was analysed. The individuals included in the study were followed from 9 October 2011 to 31 December 2018. Occupational history was obtained from archives of private sector contributions at the National Social Insurance Agency (INPS) and then was linked to data from the longitudinal studies. the study outcome was non-malignant respiratory mortality. The exposure of interest was whether or not individuals had worked in one of the 25 occupational sectors considered (agriculture and fishing, steel industry, paper and printing, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, textile, energy and water, food and tobacco industry, non-metal mining, glass & cement industry, metal processing, electrical construction, footwear and wood industry, construction, trade, hotel and restaurants, transportation, insurance, healthcare, services, laundries, waste management, hairdressing, cleaning services, and gas stations). The association between the occupational sector and respiratory mortality, adjusted for potential confounders (age, marital status, place of birth, educational level), was estimated using Cox models. All analyses were stratified by sex and city. a total of 910,559 people were analysed in Rome and 391,541 in Turin. During the eight years of follow-up, 4,133 people in Rome and 2,772 people in Turin died from respiratory causes. The sectors associated with high respiratory mortality in both cities among men were footwear and wood industry (adjusted HR for age: 1.37 (95%CI 1.07-1.76) and 1.48 (95%CI 1.08-2.03) in Rome and Turin, respectively), construction (HR: 1.31 (95%CI 1.20-1.44) in Rome and 1.51 (95%CI 1.31-1.74) in Turin), hotel and restaurant sector (HR: 1.25 (95%CI 1.07-1.46) in Rome and 1.68 (95%CI 1.20-2.33) in Turin), and cleaning services (HR: 1.57 (95%CI 1.19-2.06) in Rome and 1.97 (95%CI 1.51-2.58) in Turin). Some sectors had high respiratory mortality only in one of the two cities: in Rome, the food& tobacco industry, and gas stations, while in Turin, the metal processing industry. Among female workers, the cleaning services sector was associated with higher respiratory mortality in both Rome and Turin (HR: 1.52, 95%CI 1.27-1.82, e 1.58, 95%CI 1.17-2.12, respectively). the data confirm the previously known associations between occupational sectors and respiratory mortality for exposures characteristic of specific sectors, such as construction, hotel and restaurant sector, and cleaning services. The differences reported between the two cities reflect the different composition of the workforce and the size of the two study populations. Administrative social insurance data can provide helpful information for epidemiological studies of occupational exposure.

Perception and Attitude of Pakistani Doctors Toward the Use of Telemedicine Technology.

Healthcare providers may improve healthcare delivery and make it available to more people by combining advanced technologies with high-quality network services. In this regard, telemedicine has improved healthcare providers' ability to provide services for a large number of individuals without their physical presence. Pakistan's healthcare system is a mix of government infrastructure, parastatal healthcare, the private sector, civil society, and charitable contributions. However, unawareness, poor education, lack of skills, lack of resources, and technical issues including internet connectivity, and load shedding have limited the accessibility of the Pakistani population towards advancement in the healthcare industry. It was a cross-sectional study conducted at a private tertiary care hospital from April to June 2022 in Karachi. To recruit the study participants, a purposive sampling technique was used. Practicing doctors (n=100), who were aware of telemedicine technology and agreed to participate in the study, were included as study participants. A self-developed proforma was administered to doctors to assess the study's objectives. Out of 100, 64% (n=64)of the participants have no experience working in telemedicine while only36% have worked with telemedicine for at least one year. When asked about the applicationof telemedicine technology only 46% of the doctors knew the technology used. While only 42% of the doctors were familiar with the telemedicine tools, including a virtual stethoscope, pulse oximeter, etc. views regarding continue using telemedicine,26% of the participants having no experience with telemedicine agreed that they would like to use telemedicine,35% agreed to use telemedicine with improvement whereas 3% of them do not want to use the telemedicine technology. The participants of the current study were aware of telemedicine technology and its advantages. However, despite their agreement, the majority of the doctors emphasized the improvement of the system to deliver better services by using this technology.

A triple helix of market failures: Financing the 3Rs of the circular economy in European SMEs

The Circular Economy (CE) shows hope to tackle our unprecedented climate catastrophe. However, there are market failures of double externality related to such environmental innovations (EI). CE market is evolving and has a unique financial circular risk attached to its business model that challenges standard financing instruments. The double externality market failures and the circular risk are termed as three (environmental-knowledge-financial) reinforcing market failures – a triple helix of market failures. The environmental externality, knowledge spillovers, and financial risk, all make a strong case for private and public sector contributions. Financing of CE is crucial, especially, in the case of European SMEs due to their traditional barrier to accessing finance including private costs, industry standards, lack of human and technological capital, limited information, and low market demand. In this paper, working with EU-wide SMEs data we investigate the impact of different sources of finance on a core reduce-reuse-recycle (3R) strategy of CE. The paper contributes to the literature by providing an empirical analysis of the different forms of finances including new instruments i.e., crowdfunding and capital market funding. In addition, the research contributes by assuming and encouraging discussion on embedded socio-institutional differences among countries. The study groups European countries into leaders, performers, and catchers, using the EI index that proxy measures underlying regional heterogeneity – EI frontiers – to support CE-related activities. The Probit estimates support this heterogeneity amongst the EU countries in utilizing financial instruments and assess the impact of a cohesive financing policy in terms of adopting 3Rs in SMEs. Under a cohesive policy, the adoption level is estimated at 61% for leaders, 65% for performers, and 49% for catchers. The results also show self-financing to be the most effective method of internal financing, which implies that the problem of double externality does not discourage internal financing. Moreover, alternative financing is the most effective method of external financing, which shows that the financial sector is offering innovative solutions to the circular risk of CE. The results of this study are relevant for a smart, sustainable, and inclusive global transitional CE policy.

Challenges on tuberculosis care in health care facilities during COVID-19 pandemic: Indonesian perspective.

Indonesia is among the top three countries globally with the highest tuberculosis burden. During the past decades, Indonesian health authorities have struggled to improve tuberculosis care quality in health care facilities by optimizing the regulation and strengthening the private sector contributions. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has hardly affected the Indonesian health care system, including the National Tuberculosis Control Program. While the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia is uncertain, the measure to control tuberculosis must not be weakened. Early identification and measurement of the problem size are essential to decide the most appropriate approach to maintain the sustainability of National Tuberculosis Control Program, particularly in health care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article points out the possible threats to the sustainability of TB care in Indonesia during the COVID-19 pandemic, including some approaches to overcome those problems.

Inclusive WASH and sustainable tourism in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia: needs and opportunities

Abstract Rapid tourism growth can place unprecedented strain on water resources and reduce access for local communities. This study explored the state of Inclusive water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in the tourism sector and local communities of Labuan Bajo, one of Indonesia's ‘super-premium’ tourism destinations. The formative research applied an Inclusive WASH-at-Work framework; data were collected using a case study methodology through semi-structured interviews (n = 20) and focus groups (n = 6) with government, tourism and community stakeholders. The findings identified growing tensions over inequitable water service levels and WASH access. Significantly, reported negative impacts were disproportionately experienced by women and girls, elderly and disabled members of the community, who suffer most from inadequate WASH facilities in hotels, public settings and their homes. Governance of and capacity constraints around WASH management highlighted the value of Inclusive WASH solutions to overcome the challenges Labuan Bajo faces as a rapidly developing tourism destination. Critically, solutions must be locally-driven, build local capacity and open pathways to collaboration between the community and decision-makers in the national government, provincial government and private tourism sector. Enhanced stakeholder collaboration and increased private sector contributions are needed to ensure a more equitable distribution of tourism benefits to underpin WASH and destination sustainability.

The role of UNCTAD-ISAR guidance in monitoring the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals by enterprises

Purpose: The aim of the article is to present the activities of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Accounting and Reporting Standards (UNCTADISAR), and to explain and evaluate the importance and the role of its Guidance on Core Indicators for Entity Reporting on Contribution Towards Implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), which were set by the United Nations in the 2030 Agenda. Methodology/approach: The general review article was based on an analysis of the literature on the subject, an analysis and synthesis of UNCTAD materials and guide-lines, as well as regulations and other documents regarding sustainable development and corporate reporting in this area. Findings: The UNCTAD-ISAR guidance, issued in 2019, contains 33 core indicators designed for enterprises to measure the economic, environmental, social, and institutional aspects of sustainable development. The guidance and the training materials need to be disseminated globally in order to become a real tool for monitoring private sector contributions to SDG implementation. Their application by enterprises in Po-land, especially SMEs, may contribute to improving the perception of sustainable de-velopment and reporting issues in this regard by their skeptics and opponents. Research limitations/implications: Increased awareness of academics, students and accounting practitioners in Poland about the importance of global SDG and the need for their implementation and monitoring at the micro level. Originality/value: The article expands knowledge in the accounting research commu-nity about the ability of enterprises to measure and report their sustainability perfor-mance in line with the goals and tasks set out in the 2030 Agenda.

Increasing domestic financing for the HIV/AIDS response in Nigeria: a catalyst to self-reliance

BackgroundAlthough Nigeria has the second largest HIV-positive population in the world, the country relies mostly on external donors for its HIV control. International donors account for over 81% of Nigeria's HIV spending, which is unsustainable and creates funding gaps that can be closed by identifying alternative domestic financing sources. The Health Policy Plus Project (implemented by Palladium), funded by the US Agency for International Development, supported the Nigerian government between July, 2020, and June, 2021, to assess challenges to HIV financing and to collaboratively identify feasible strategies to raise domestic resources for HIV control. MethodsA two-pronged approach that included desk reviews of relevant literature and key interviews with fourteen major stakeholders from government, donor, private, partner, and civil society organisations was adopted. Stakeholders were selected on the basis of their knowledge and involvement in the country's HIV response or their history of supporting health-system strengthening activities. The multisectoral approach helped to identify robust and feasible strategies that can easily be implemented across the 36 states and the federal capital territory in the country. FindingsChallenges to HIV financing include inadequate budgetary allocation, mostly caused by government perception of the HIV programme as the responsibility of donors; delays in fund releases; inefficient use of the HIV funds; poor tracking of funds and commodity use; inadequate country ownership; and poor accountability structures. With these findings, through a collaborative and multisectoral process, 12 strategies that can mobilise up to US$ 662 million in 5 years for HIV control were identified and included in a National Domestic Resource Mobilisation Strategy, which has been adopted for implementation across the country. The strategies included increasing government budgets and execution rates for HIV control; integration of HIV into health insurance; increasing private sector and philanthropic contributions to HIV control; raising funds from diaspora bonds, local HIV commodity production; strengthening governance, efficiency, and accountability structures, and increasing Civil Society Organisations' involvement in HIV resource mobilisation and tracking. InterpretationOverdependence on donors for disease control programmes, especially in low-income countries, is a global health problem. A multisectoral approach can be adopted by global health stakeholders to review and select appropriate and effective domestic resource mobilisation strategies with reduced contextual barriers, such as HIV integration in key universal health coverage programmes, enhancing private sector contribution, and strengthening efficiency for implementation as a global policy to mobilise health resources. Implementation of the strategies will reduce dependence on donor funds, reduce out-of-pocket payments for HIV, improve access to HIV services, and subsequently lead to improved HIV outcomes. FundingUS Agency for International Development.

Tuberculosis care quality in urban Nigeria: A cross-sectional study of adherence to screening and treatment initiation guidelines in multi-cadre networks of private health service providers.

Nigeria has a high burden of tuberculosis (TB) and low case detection rates. Nigeria's large private health sector footprint represents an untapped resource for combating the disease. To examine the quality of private sector contributions to TB, the USAID-funded Sustaining Health Outcomes through the Private Sector (SHOPS) Plus program evaluated adherence to national standards for management of presumptive and confirmed TB among the clinical facilities, laboratories, pharmacies, and drug shops it trained to deliver TB services. The study used a standardized patient (SP) survey methodology to measure case management protocol adherence among 837 private and 206 public providers in urban Lagos and Kano. It examined two different scenarios: a "textbook" case of presumptive TB and a treatment initiation case where SPs presented as referred patients with confirmed TB diagnoses. Private sector results were benchmarked against public sector results. A bottleneck analysis examined protocol adherence departures at key points along the case management sequence that providers were trained to follow. Except for laboratories, few providers met the criteria for fully correct management of presumptive TB, though more than 70% of providers correctly engaged in TB screening. In the treatment initiation case 18% of clinical providers demonstrated fully correct case management. Private and public providers' adherence was not significantly different. Bottleneck analysis revealed that the most common deviations from correct management were failure to initiate sputum collection for presumptive patients and failure to conduct sufficiently thorough treatment initiation counseling for confirmed patients. This study found the quality of private providers' TB case management to be comparable to public providers in Nigeria, as well as to providers in other high burden countries. Findings support continued efforts to include private providers in Nigeria's national TB program. Though most providers fell short of desired quality, the bottleneck analysis points to specific issues that TB stakeholders can feasibly address with system- and provider-level interventions.

Voices of Those Who Bear the Brunt – Experiences of Programme Personnel Concerning Private Sector Tuberculosis Notifications in Bengaluru City, India

ABSTRACT This study aims to assess private and public sector contributions to Tuberculosis (TB) notification in Bengaluru city (2011 to 2016) and identify challenges of program personnel in their interaction with private practitioners and procedural barriers for TB notification from the private sector as perceived by them. A mixed methods study was carried out in Bengaluru city, India with TB notification data obtained from TB Units in addition to in-depth interviews with key program implementers. Results showed the contribution of private practitioners to TB notification to be about 20%. Barriers and challenges were: the private practitioners’ hesitancy to refer the patients to public sector due to their fear of losing patients and dishonoring of diagnosis from private practitioners, lack of awareness about TB notification, lack of legal punitive measures and constant glitches on the notification website. These need to be resolved on priority to achieve the national target of TB elimination by 2025.

The partner myth: analysing the limitations of private sector contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals

ABSTRACT This viewpoint paper considers how companies are engaging in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Based on a review of the SDG engagement of 70+ of the world's largest companies, we challenge the assumption that business is making significant contributions to the SDGs. We develop an argument for how companies have continued with “business as usual” while reaping the reputational gains of being associated with the SDGs. We suggest four practices companies use to manage expectations to contribute to the SDGs (repackaging, cherry picking, agenda setting and decoupling) and offer recommendations on how business can make more meaningful contributions to the SDGs.

Estimated Impact of Public and Private Sector COVID-19 Diagnostics and Treatments on US Healthcare Resource Utilization.

IntroductionCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has imposed a considerable burden on the United States (US) health system, with particular concern over healthcare capacity constraints.MethodsWe modeled the impact of public and private sector contributions to developing diagnostic testing and treatments on COVID-19-related healthcare resource use.ResultsWe estimated that public sector contributions led to at least 30% reductions in COVID-19-related healthcare resource utilization. Private sector contributions to expanded diagnostic testing and treatments led to further reductions in mortality (− 44%), intensive care unit (ICU) and non-ICU hospital beds (− 30% and − 28%, respectively), and ventilator use (− 29%). The combination of lower diagnostic test sensitivity and proportions of patients self-isolating may exacerbate case numbers, and policies that encourage self-isolating should be considered.ConclusionWhile mechanisms exist to facilitate research, development, and patient access to diagnostic testing, future policies should focus on ensuring equitable patient access to both diagnostic testing and treatments that, in turn, will alleviate COVID-19-related resource constraints.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12325-020-01597-3.

PRIVATE SECTOR CONTRIBUTIONS ON TEACHING AND LEARNING RESOURCES IN PUBLIC PRE-PRIMARY CENTRES IN KEIYO SOUTH SUB COUNTY, KENYA

Access to early childhood education, equity in access and quality education provision, is constrained by various factors, including an insufficient number of trained teachers, an inadequate number of ECDE centres and limited availability of teaching and learning materials. When the government fails to provide adequate support to pre-primary centres, schools are encouraged to forge partnerships with non-governmental organisation (herein referred to as private sector) to enhance quality education provision in pre-primary institutions. Therefore, the paper focuses on the contribution of private sector on teaching and learning resources in public pre-primary centres in Keiyo South Sub County. This study adapted a descriptive survey research design. The target population for this study was 155 head-teachers, 273 pre-school teachers and 1 ECDE programme officer. One set of questionnaires was used to collect data from pre-school teachers. Structured interview guides were used to collect data from the education programme officer and head teachers. Study results showed that the private sector contribution to the quality of ECDE curriculum provision in public pre-schools in Keiyo Sub County was positive but weak for provision of teaching and learning resources. The study concluded that private sector contributions to education sector through provision of teaching and learning materials on quality education provision in public pre-primary institutions. The study recommends that public pre-school centres need to work together with private sector players through creation of open door policy for them to invest in the sector. Article visualizations:

La empresa privada y los objetivos de desarrollo sostenible: legitimidad o «greenwashing»

El objetivo de este artículo es analizar la legitimidad de las contribuciones reportadas a los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible, ODS, y distinguirlas de las que son más aparentes que reales, que podríamos llamar lavado de cara (greenwashing). En este sentido es importante entender que quiere decir para las empresas “contribuir a los ODS” y para ello hay que hacer la distinción entre lo que son las actividades de la empresa “asociables a algún ODS” de lo que son actividades que “tienen impacto en el logro de los ODS”. Para hacer esta distinción primero analizaremos el ecosistema de los ODS, los integrantes y sus diferentes motivaciones y la estructura de los ODS y sus metas para poder entender porque se prestan y son aprovechados por esos integrantes para sus intereses particulares, los que pueden incluir la exageración y la tergiversación de las contribuciones a su logro. Dentro de este contexto analizaremos dos áreas donde los ODS se prestan para ello, el reporte de sus contribuciones y el financiamiento de sus proyectos y actividades, analizando ejemplos en cada caso, para luego proponer cinco criterios que deberían cumplir esas contribuciones para mejorar su legitimidad. Analizamos además las contribuciones negativas, que en general no se reportan. Por último, haremos un llamado a la creación de un mecanismo institucional para monitorear y reportar sobre las contribuciones que puedan ser consideradas abusivas y destacar las legítimas.

THE (UN)SEEN IN THE CONTRIBUTIONS TO POLITICAL FUNDING: LESSONS FROM THE 2014 BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN FINANCE, CORRUPTION SCANDALS AND NEW DIRECTIONS IN THE ELECTORAL RULES OF THE GAME

This paper combines Public Choice with Austrian Economics perspectives to provide an interpretation of the logic and the consequences of the Brazilian 2014 presidential campaign finance, often related to corruption scandals uncovered by the “Car-Wash Operation†investigation. Section 1 discusses how Public Choice Theory intersections with Austrian Economics provide a richer understanding of patterns of political behavior in the real world. Section 2 analyzes the rules of the Brazilian political game until 2014. Section 3 shows the top corporate contributors donated to all political candidates, regardless of their parties. We found that they already kept close connections with government infrastructure projects and received subsidized credit from the government. Section 4 wraps the overall argument and concludes that some posterior moves to constrain private sector contributions to political candidates are a kind of smokescreen that reduces transparency, while a bigger role of the government in electoral funds might foster corruption and crony relations.