Evaluation Of Public Policies Research Articles

Guaranteed Basic Income from the Perspective of Self‐Determination Theory

AbstractIn capitalistic societies the concepts of income and labour are inseparable, and as such, providing all citizens with an unconditional living wage is a contentious issue. Capitalist ideals that emphasize individual effort, competition, and financial prosperity have spurred tremendous economic growth but underestimate human motivation and have implications for human wellbeing. The aim of this essay is to examine the implications of guaranteed basic income based on existing data from the perspective of self‐determination theory, a humanistic theory of motivation that considers both practical performance‐related outcomes as well as human flourishing. I discuss the motivational dynamics involved in labour participation rates, how basic income may impact basic psychological needs and wellbeing, how basic income may impact workplace environments, and whether neoliberal capitalist values are a useful framework through which to discuss basic income. From this perspective, the benefits of basic income to individuals and society are promising. A shift in values from hyper‐rational competitive ideologies towards more humanistic frameworks such as self‐determination theory may be beneficial for not only for basic income and management research, but also the evaluation of public policy.

Research of Innovation and Digital Transformation in Justice: A Systematic Review

Objective: To develop a mapping of studies on innovation and digital transformation in the justice sector, publishes from 2001 to 2022. Five research questions were defined: 1) How to define innovation and digital transformation introduced in the justice sector? 2) What types of innovations and digital transformations are implemented in the justice sector? 3) What are the objectives of introducing innovation and digital transformation in the justice sector? 4) What are the antecedents that influence the process of innovation and digital transformation in the justice sector? 5) What are the results of the innovation and digital transformation process in the justice sector?Methods: The systematic review of sources (scientific articles, conference proceedings, monographs and institutional documents) presented in this paper was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol. Selected by “research field”, “topic”, “research design”, “year of publication” and the keywords “public administration”, “public sector”, “e-justice”, “digital transformation”, and “innovation”, the sources were analyzed and evaluated according to five main aspects: (1) definition of innovation; (2) types of innovation; (3) objectives of innovation; (4) antecedents of innovation; and (5) results of innovation.Results: The heuristic model for studying innovation in the public sector developed by Vries et al. (2015) was adapted and applied to the research field of justice. The adaptation of the heuristic model allowed forming the following areas of analysis: contextual antecedents in justice; institutional antecedents in justice; characteristics of innovation and digital transformation in justice; individual antecedents in justice; types of innovation and digital transformation in justice; results of the process of innovation and digital transformation in justice.Scientific novelty: a comprehensive review of the literature in the field of innovation and digital transformation in justice is presented by adapting the approach to conducting systematic studies of the literature in the social sciences. It helped to identify gaps and define directions for further research in the given field, including the activation of comparative legal research, expansion of the methodological base, reliance on the theories of public administration, etc.Practical significance: the obtained results allow forming a heuristic map of innovation and digital transformation in justice, create antecedents (contextual, institutional and individual) and the basis for future empirical research in the field of justice, analysis, evaluation and improvement of public policy in the field of innovation and digital transformation in this area.

Promoting policy evaluation across government: The contribution of the OECD recommendation to public policy evaluation

Policy evaluation is now recognised by many governments as fundamental to ensuring that policies are informed by quality evidence. Nevertheless, the practice of policy evaluation is still difficult to systematise inside governments. Building on more than 20 years of work on this topic, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Recommendation on Public Policy Evaluation, adopted in 2022, represents the first international legal guidance on the topic. It identifies three essential pillars to ensure the impact of policy evaluation: institutionalisation, quality and use. This article explains how the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Recommendation was developed, what these three pillars cover, and reflect on how the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development can further help countries developing a sound evaluation system.

Time-varying microplastic contributions of a large urban and industrial area to river sediments

The quantification of microplastic (MP) pollution in rivers is often constrained by a lack of historical data on a multi-decadal scale, which hinders the evaluation of public policies. In this study, MP contents and trends were analyzed in dated sediment cores sampled upstream and downstream of a large metropolis, in environmental deposits that exhibited consistent sedimentation patterns from the 1980s to 2021. After a thorough sedimentological analysis, MPs were quantified in samples by micro Fourier Transform InfraRed spectroscopy (μFTIR imaging) and a density separation and organic matter digestion procedure. Microplastics recorded in the upstream core are relatively ubiquitous all along the dated sequence. The results also confirmed a sever increase of microplastics levels in the downstream core, by one order of magnitude, and an increase of polymer types. Polypropylene, polyethylene, and polystyrene represent ubiquitous contamination and were predominant at the two stations, whereas polyvinyl chloride and polytetrafluoroethylene were suspected to be abundant at the downstream station, but were not detected at the upstream station. Their presence could be linked to local contamination from specific industrial sources that manufactured and utilized these polymers. Surprisingly, in the downstream station sediment has recorded a relative improvement in polymers associated with industrial sources since the 2000s and, to a lesser extent, for ubiquitous ones since the 2010s. This trend of mitigation diverges from that of global assessments, that assume uncontrolled MP pollution, and suggest that European Union wastewater policy and regulation on industrial discharges have positively influenced water quality, and certainly also on MPs. However, the accumulation of microplastics remains high in recent deposits and raises the emerging concern of the long-term management of these reservoirs.

Inter and transdisciplinarity strategies for evaluating and improving water quality monitoring systems: Uruguay as a study case

Developing robust systems for monitoring and evaluating water quality is crucial for assessing ecosystem integrity and the impacts of human activities on nature. It also enables the assessment of water management effectiveness, governance systems, and the design and evaluation of public policies. However, designing such monitoring programs is complex due to multiple constraints like eco-hydrological knowledge, economic resources, human capital availability, and governance dynamics. This study combines quantitative and qualitative analyses (virtual watershed methodologies, empirical modeling, and theoretical frameworks of water governance) to evaluate the robustness of water quality monitoring systems and identify strengthening alternatives (including institutional design and public policy). The inter and transdisciplinary strategy is tested in the evaluation of eutrophication processes in Uruguay. Major spatial patterns of water quality at a national scale were identified, highlighting the influence of land use, soil types, point sources of pollution, and livestock on nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Current monitoring efforts and spatial coverage fall short of adequately addressing water management needs, especially in Uruguay's socio-economic context. Based on the weaknesses identified, an increase in the number of stations (and their spatial distribution) is proposed to have a better representation of biogeophysical and socio-economic conditions diversity. The challenge involves an important transformation (i.e. establishing a network system of public institutional nodes at national and regional levels) due to the country's centralism, fragmented water governance system, and scarce economic assets.

On the measurement of cause of death inequality.

Attempts at assessing heterogeneity in countries' mortality profiles often rely on measures of cause of death (CoD) diversity. Unfortunately, such indicators fail to take into consideration the degree of (dis)similarity among pairs of causes (e.g. 'transport injuries' and 'unintentional injuries' are implicitly assumed to be as dissimilar as 'transport injuries' and 'Alzheimer's disease')－an unrealistic and unduly restrictive assumption. We extend diversity indicators proposing a broader class of heterogeneity measures that are sensitive to the similarity between the causes of death one works with. The so-called 'CoD inequality' measures are defined as the average expected 'dissimilarity between any two causes of death'. A strength of the approach is that such measures are decomposable, so that users can assess the contribution of each cause to overall CoD heterogeneity levels-a useful property for the evaluation of public health policies. We have applied the method to 15 low-mortality countries between 1990 and 2019, using data from the Global Burden of Disease project. CoD inequality and CoD diversity generally increase over time across countries and sex, but with some exceptions. In several cases (notably, Finland), both indicators run in opposite directions. CoD inequality and diversity indicators capture complementary information about the heterogeneity of mortality profiles, so they should be analysed alongside other population health metrics, such as life expectancy and lifespan inequality.

Value per Statistical Life at the Sub-National Level as a Tool for Assessing Public Health and Environmental Problems.

This article aims to estimate the Value per Statistical Life (VSL) and Value per Statistical Life Year (VSLY) at the sub-national level, which can be used to calculate the economic impact of health and environmental problems. We estimate the value of life for Mexico and its 32 states, grouped into 5 regions for 2021. We used the OECD's guidelines on "Mortality Risk Valuation in Environment, Health and Transport Policies," which applies the measure of Willingness to Pay (WTP) and Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA). Mexico's overall VSL of $2 000 000 USD in 2021 showcases the value placed on human life. The variation in VSL across the 32 states, with Chiapas having the lowest VSL of $400 000 USD and Mexico City boasting the highest VSL of $3 300 000 USD highlights the different levels of regional development and people's willingness to pay to reduce the risk of mortality. Our estimates of VSL and VSLY have the potential to contribute to the evaluation of public policies in the fields of health and the environment. Monetizing human life through these estimates can offer valuable insights to policymakers at both the national and sub-national levels. By quantifying the economic value placed on human life, this paper helps decision-makers prioritize investments, assess the cost-effectiveness of interventions, and allocate resources to maximize societal well-being.

Estimation of the Departmental Female Employment Rate: Towards a New Strategy Based on Combining Spatial and Non-spatial Small Area Estimators

Abstract Local statistics are in high demand in almost all countries due to their relevance for public policy monitoring and evaluation, decision-making, and strategic planning. However, traditional sources of local statistics, such as general censuses, administrative statistics, and national and local surveys, have limitations. This has led to the development of several techniques for estimating parameters over small areas. In this article, we use both spatial and non-spatial estimators for small domains to estimate the local employment rate of women in Algeria. We find that the empirical spatial estimator is the most appropriate and efficient estimator as more spatial correlations are considered. We also find that an approach based on the combination of spatial and non-spatial small area estimators is very beneficial because it allows for obtaining efficient estimates with lower Root Mean Squared Errors (RMSEs). This finding is significant for Algeria and similar countries, where traditional sources of local statistics are limited. The combination of spatial and non-spatial estimators can provide more accurate and reliable estimates of local statistics, which can be used to inform public policy and decision-making.

Financial Management of Regional Public Service Agency

The Regional Public Service Agency (BLUD) is a work unit in the Regional Work Unit which provides services to the community with flexibility in financial management, different fromregional financial management patterns in general. BLUD is part of local government and has flexibility in implementing business practices to improve community services. The BLUD financial management pattern provides flexibility in managing income, expenditure, cash, debts and investments. The Community Health Center (Puskesmas) has used the BLUD system since 2018, requiring the ability and awareness of human resources to run the system. Based on this, the aim of the research carried out is to see an overview of the implementation of government policies in the form of financial management of Regional Public Service Bodies which have been regulated in the Sumbawa Regent's Regulation Number 5 of 2020 concerning Financial Management Guidelines for Regional Public Service Bodies linked to Sumbawa Regency. To obtain the objectives of this research, the researcher used qualitative descriptive research using interview and observation instruments to collect data both directly and through documents. The results of the research that has been carried out provide an illustration thatPublic policy evaluation is closely related to the level of compliance and satisfaction with the financial management performance of BLUD community health centers. The results of this research can complement William Dunn's opinion or theory regarding public policy evaluation to focus on the level of compliance and performance satisfaction in evaluating public policies, which does not only focus on the values, goals and targets of a policy as measured by numbers

Systems approaches to public service delivery: methods and frameworks

Abstract Researchers and practitioners are increasingly embracing systems approaches to deal with the complexity of public service delivery and policy evaluation. However, there is little agreement on what exactly constitutes a systems approach, conceptually or methodologically. We review and critically synthesize systems literature from the fields of health, education, and infrastructure. We argue that the common theoretical core of systems approaches is the idea that multi-dimensional complementarities between a policy and other aspects of the policy context are the first-order problem of policy design and evaluation. We distinguish between macro-systems approaches, which focus on the collective coherence of a set of policies or institutions, and micro-systems approaches, which focus on how a single policy interacts with the context in which it operates. We develop a typology of micro-systems approaches and discuss their relationship to standard impact evaluation methods as well as to work in external validity, implementation science, and complexity theory.

The INFORMAS healthy food environment policy index in Brazil: Benchmarking, current policies, and determining priorities for the future.

Obesity and non-communicable diseases are the most important cause of death and inability in Brazil and worldwide. Public policies are an important strategy to prevent obesity. This study analysed the scope of Brazilian public policies for preventing and controlling obesity using the INFORMAS/Food-EPI protocol. The public policies evaluation was conducted based on the INFORMAS/Food-EPI protocol. Experts from academia, civil society, and government assessed the level of implementation of food policies compared with international best practices and proposed new actions to be developed nationally. The protocol consisted of five phases: (1) A comprehensive review of the implementation of food environment-related public policies; (2) validation with experts; (3) comparison of the national actions with the international best practice and due to the level of implementation; (4) list a set of actions to improve the current policies; and (5) evaluation of the actions due to their importance and achievability. Brazilian actions were focused on monitoring, leadership, governance, and resources and financing domains. The results will provide elements to support and improve the national policies that aim at the promotion of a healthy food environment and obesity prevention.

A primeira Mesa Técnica do Tribunal de Contas do Estado do Mato Grosso: desafios e avanços na aplicação de métodos consensuais de resolução de conflitos

In recent decades, the application of consensual methods of conflict resolution in various spaces of public administration has fostered debate about its fit and limits within the Brazilian Courts of Auditors. In this thematic line, inserted in contemporary debates on Democracy, State and Public Administration, this paper describes and analyzes the emblematic but little known case of the First Technical Bureau of the Court of Auditors of the State of Mato Grosso (TCE/MT). This is an experience related to the problem of paving the BR-174, which lasted for years, in which the Technical Table was thought of as a possible tool for conflict resolution. Methodologically guided by bibliographic research and fieldwork, this research reflects on legal-structural problems, which involve the evaluation of public policies and matters of competing competence among federative entities. The conclusions go in the sense that the Normative Resolution regulating the instrument in the TCE/MT is an administrative advance, but lacks full validity requirements for the conclusion of administrative agreements provided for in the Law of Introduction to The Rules of Brazilian Law (LINDB), as well as various procedures to deal with different cases.

Development of Theoretical and Methodological Approaches to Public Administration: From The “Iron Cage” Bureaucracy to Digital Governance and Client-Centeredness

This article presents an analysis of classical (“Old Public Administration”, “New Public Management”, “Good Governance”) and relatively new approaches in public administration (E-government, Digital Public Administration, client-centered, process and project approaches). The purpose of the study is to conduct a comprehensive analysis of each approach and explore how their combined use can lead to more effective delivery of public services. The study used the method of a systematic literature review of relevant scientific sources, followed by a comparative analysis of the key features and characteristics of each approach. The results of the analysis show that each approach has unique contributions and limitations, and their effectiveness depends on a number of contextual factors. Old Public Administration focuses on hierarchy, rules and procedures and is effective in ensuring administrative efficiency and accountability. New Public Management emphasizes market principles, such as results-based budgeting, decentralization and competition, and aims to improve efficiency, effectiveness. Good Governance emphasizes democratic values, transparency, accountability and citizen participation in decision-making processes. E-government and digital government approaches aim to use technology to improve the efficiency of government, accessibility and quality of public services. The customer-centered approach focuses on understanding the needs and preferences of citizens and providing customized services that meet their expectations. The process approach emphasizes the importance of systematic planning, implementation and evaluation of public policies and services to achieve the desired results. The project-based approach focuses on the use of project management principles, such as stakeholder engagement, risk management and performance monitoring, to implement complex public projects. The design and implementation of public policies and services must take into account the context, citizen needs and preferences, and broader societal interests. The study emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and adaptation in public administration to meet the changing challenges and needs of society. The study concludes that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to public administration, and a multifaceted approach is necessary for the effective and efficient functioning of the state apparatus.

Mexican legal and administrative framework for the evaluation of sea turtle restoration programs

This document provides a historical overview of the National Sea Turtle Conservation Program (pnctm) from the perspective of public policies on environmental matters. Initially, a timeline is presented, highlighting some of the most significant events since the beginning of the pnctm, considered one of the oldest conservation programs in Mexico. In the second part, the conceptual framework that underlies the Conservation of Species at Risk Program (pace) is analyzed as the tool for managing public policy and that, as such, must be subject to processes essential for project management, such as evaluation. In this context, the importance of the evaluation processes of public policies (their programs and projects) is highlighted as a means for insight that led to improvements in their contents and in the processes of program implementation, orienting them towards adaptive management to improve results. In this case, this entails the recovery of sea turtle populations. An overview of some exercises for the evaluation of species recovery plans at the international level and in Mexico is presented. From this we conclude that there is a critical urgency to evaluate the results of the recovery plans, such as pace. Keywords: Environmental public policy, public policy evaluation, sea turtles, PACE

1.M. Workshop: Health Services Research in Europe: time to dust off the field

Abstract Since the 90s, and in spite of major transformations in health systems and the new challenges they face (e.g. rising social inequities, labour shortages), the health Services Research (HSR) field has seen little evolution in the definition of the ground it covers. In 2021, researchers from the EHESP School of Public Health (France) launched a CNRS- and INSERM-funded research team devoted to Health Services and Management Research. To mark the event, a seminar was held to reflect on what HSR stands for today and the specific contributions of our team to the field. In this workshop, Eric Breton will first briefly present the summary of the conclusions of the seminar and the topic areas our research team addresses. He will point to the specificities of HSR in the context of strong European welfare regimen and the importance of recognising the impact upstream social determinants of health have on health systems. We will then move on to our panellists who will, through their own research, question the current perspectives on HSR and highlight new advances in methodological approaches and tools at hand. Here is the list of topic we will cover. For our first panellist, Nicolas Sirven, the HSR scene is witnessing the coming of age of public policy evaluations in Europe, which is reflected in enhanced capacities to inform health system governance. He will argue that European health systems are increasingly collecting and giving access to large datasets. These datasets stand out as they cover whole populations or at least large shares of them. They will stress the importance of making the best of new evaluation approaches and methods that not only inform on impacts and outcomes but also on contextual conditions for policies to deliver. Drawing lessons from his work on access to kidney transplantation waiting list, Latame Komla Adoli will raise the issue of gender discrimination in health services. After presenting the evidence of this gender gap, he will demonstrate the capacity of HSR to provide valuable insights on how to close the gender gap and the importance of combining bio-statistical analyses with qualitative investigations. Nolwenn Le Meur-Rouillard will share insights on how big data and new data collection tools are opening up a new landscape for HSR. E-health devices, social networks, and electronic medical records (EHR) are all sources that can feed HSR making possible ‘real-life’ longitudinal studies on the entire population of a territory. This is offering a renewed vision of the disparities in access to and use of healthcare services. Carla Perrota, from the University College Dublin will conclude the workshop by offering some general remarks on the French HSR agenda and provide an account of her vision on the future of HSR. This interactive workshop will be facilitated by a web-based survey tool to further engage members of the audience. Highlights of the workshops will be published in a short paper. Key messages • Most definitions of health services research limit investigation to health care services; a situation that does not reflect the scope of actions of the strong welfare systems of Europe. • From a social determinant of health perspective, health services research needs to address programmes and policies governments deliver beyond health care to promote population health and equity.

The African origin of public policy, programme and project monitoring and evaluation (M&E) practices

The literature has robust contestation about the origin of public policy, programme and project monitoring and evaluation (M&E). Cloete (2016) argues that public policy, programme and project M&E originated in Europe and America and was introduced in Africa by colonisers who divided the African continent among themselves in the early 1880s. Cloete (2016) does not explain why there was no public policy, programme or project M&E in Africa or any other non-western part of the world before the arrival of western colonisers. Mouton (2010) also argues that M&E was introduced in Africa by international development organisations and financial organisations in the 1980s. According to Mouton (2010), these western development organisations and financial institutions introduced M&E to the African continent as a condition for accessing foreign aid and as a funding requirement for the projects these institutions were funding. Neither Mouton (2010) nor Cloete (2016) accounts for ample literature which demonstrates that M&E practices existed in Africa (and in China) thousands of years before the arrival of the international development organisation and international financial organisations in these parts of the world. This paper uses the Secondary Data Analysis (Archival Study) approach to provide a systematic and chronological analysis of the available literature to trace the genesis of public policy, programme and project M&E as a practice. The findings in this paper indicate that M&E could potentially have become a practice in African countries such as Egypt and Asian countries such as China long before it was a practice in the U.S. and European countries. However, evidence suggests that academics and practitioners in the U.S. and European countries could have compiled the first recorded theoretical academic content about M&E models and approaches currently being used to train people who want to take up a career or profession in M&E.

Fine-grained mathematical modeling for cost-effectiveness evaluation of public health policies for cervical cancer, with application to a Colombian case study

BackgroundCervical cancer (CC) is globally ranked fourth in terms of incidence and mortality among women. Vaccination against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) and screening programs can significantly reduce CC mortality rates. Hence, executing cost-effective public health policies for prevention and surveillance is crucial. However, defining policies that make the best use of the available resources is not easy, as it requires predicting the long-term costs and results of interventions on a changing population. Since the simpler task of predicting the results of public health policies is difficult, devising those that make the best usage of available resources is an arduous challenge for decision-makers.MethodsThis paper proposes a fine-grained epidemiological simulation model based on differential equations, to effectively predict the costs and effectiveness of CC public health policies that include vaccination and screening. The model represents population dynamics, HPV transmission within the population, likelihood of infection clearance, virus-induced appearance of precancerous lesions and eventually CC, as well as immunity gained with vaccination and early detection with screening.ResultsWe offer a compartmentalized modeling approach that separates population, epidemics, and intervention concerns. We instantiate models with actual data from a Colombian case study and analyze their results to show how our modeling approach can support CEA studies. Moreover, we implement models in an open-source software tool to simultaneously define and evaluate multiple policies. With the support of the tool, we analyze 54 policies within a 30-year time horizon and use as a comparator the CC policy that has been used until recently. We identify 8 dominant policies, the best one with an ICER of 6.3 million COP (Colombian Pesos) per averted DALY. We also validate the modeling approach against the available population and HPV epidemic data. The effects of uncertainty in the values of key parameters (discount rate, sensitivity of screening tests) is evaluated through one-way sensitivity analysis.ConclusionsOur modeling approach can provide valuable support for healthcare decision-makers. The implementation into an automated tool allows customizing the analysis with country-specific data, flexibly defining public health policies to be evaluated, and conducting disaggregate analyses of their cost and effectiveness.

Performance evaluation of the national tuberculosis control program 2016–2020: Souss-Massa region, Morocco

BackgroundTuberculosis constitutes a public health problem in Morocco. In an environment where results-based management and the evaluation of public policies become an imperative; the evaluation of the performance of the national tuberculosis control program finds its interest. ObjectivesThis study aims to analyze the performance of the tuberculosis control program in the Souss Massa region, based on the systemic approach model over a five-year period 2016–2020. MethodsThis is a descriptive secondary data analysis carried out in the Souss-Massa region in southern Morocco over a five year period 2016–2020. Data collection was carried out through the health information system of the NTCP and the various periodic reports produced by the primary health care establishments and diagnostic centers for tuberculosis and respiratory diseases, the delegations and the regional health directorate of the Ministry of Health. ResultsThe incidence of tuberculosis has fluctuated between 63 and 72 cases/100,000 inhabitants; the average number of cases detected is 1871 cases per year; the survey completion rate is 57.10%; the therapeutic success rate varies between 82% and 89%, the treatment failure rate varies between 0.62% and 2.32%; the death rate varies between 0.63% and 2.92%; the failure rate for tuberculosis/HIV cases is between 3.10% and 6.09%. ConclusionsThe results of the program tracer indicators at the level of the Souss-Massa region show that the latter combs to achieve the target objectives.

Explaining transmission rate variations and forecasting epidemic spread in multiple regions with a semiparametric mixed effects SIR model.

The transmission rate is a central parameter in mathematical models of infectious disease. Its pivotal role in outbreak dynamics makes estimating the current transmission rate and uncovering its dependence on relevant covariates a core challenge in epidemiological research as well as public health policy evaluation. Here, we develop a method for flexibly inferring a time-varying transmission rate parameter, modeled as a function of covariates and a smooth Gaussian process (GP). The transmission rate model is further embedded in a hierarchy to allow information borrowing across parallel streams of regional incidence data. Crucially, the method makes use of optional vaccination data as a first step toward modeling of endemic infectious diseases. Computational techniques borrowed from the Bayesian spatial analysis literature enable fast and reliable posterior computation. Simulation studies reveal that the method recovers true covariate effects at nominal coverage levels. We analyze data from the COVID-19 pandemic and validate forecast intervals on held-out data. User-friendly software is provided to enable practitioners to easily deploy the method in public healthresearch.

Gender Responsiveness in District and Department Competitiveness Index for Female Entrepreneurship: A Comparative Study in Two Mountainous Provinces of Vietnam

Objective: The District and Department Competitiveness Index (DDCI) has its main focus on the development of Enterprises and Women Entrepreneurs, towards inclusive socio-economic growth and development. How about the level of gender responsiveness that DDCI has in reality?   Theoretical Framework: The DDCI in a Vietnam-related initiative, which aims to assess the reality of economic management capacity and to improve the business environment in districts, cities and provincial departments in provinces/cities of Vietnam. The theoretical formation of it becomes a major source for analytical framework used.   Method/design/approach: This study has been conducted in both qualitative and quantitative approaches, mainly based on measuring the DDCI in a survey of 1000-1500 samples in each of the two Vietnamese mountainous provinces throughout 2019 - 2022. Findings and conlusions are derived from the combination of the two approaches.   Results and conclusion: From a gender perspective, we notice some major differences in the assessment of the business environment, the impact of natural disasters and epidemics, business prospects and confidence in the market's recovery for the genders.   Research implications: This affects the viability of business models, the sustainable development of enterprises, and in the immediate future, the prospects for recovery of businesses that are owned and led by women, who have suffered from many disadvantages in work and life.   Originality/value: The study provides effective tools to enliven a picture of local production, businesses and business environment, as an input for public policy evaluation and improvement.