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Government Level (government + level)
Kinds of Government Level Selected AbstractsEmergency preparedness consultants at the local government level: the Israeli experienceDISASTERS, Issue 4 2010Moshe Maor This study evaluates the effectiveness of the Municipal Emergency Consultation project in eight Israeli local authorities. The initiative centres on the appointment of independent emergency preparedness consultants entrusted with tailoring an emergency preparedness package to suit the specific needs of each locality. Regarding emergency preparedness improvements, in all of the municipalities examined, a concept of municipal emergency operation was consolidated and the derived emergency plan tested. Emergency work processes were structured and service-level agreements reached between municipality departments. Where necessary, a-linear patterns of municipal functioning in an emergency were established. Concerning a ,spillover' of emergency preparedness improvements into routine operations, and a ,spillover' of routine management improvements into local emergency preparedness, two municipalities near Gaza, which typically function in an emergency routine, saw a significant ,spillover' of emergency preparedness into routine functioning. In other localities, local managers chose to improve a number of municipal structures and procedures in times of routine functioning, which are also related to the functioning of the municipality during an emergency. [source] EXPLAINING THE UTILIZATION OF RELATIVE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT: A MULTI-THEORETICAL STUDY USING DATA FROM SWEDENFINANCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY & MANAGEMENT, Issue 2 2009Tobias Johansson One of the more lasting imprints that New Public Management (NPM) has made in the public sector is an increase in the popularity of performance measurement. In Sweden, performance measurement has gained popularity in the public sector, not least at the local government level with the use of relative performance evaluation (RPE). Because utilization of RPE is a decentralized and optional mode of governance, a somewhat heterogeneous practice has evolved. The aim of this paper is to examine the causes of this differentiated practice. We jointly examine economic, political and institutional/cultural explanations in order to account for the utilization of RPE. The empirical material consists of archival data and a questionnaire sent to all Swedish municipalities in late 2005. We show that RPE adoption and use partly has different antecedents and that the institutional/cultural perspective appears to have greater explanatory power than economic and political, not least as a consequence of the potential to explain decoupling and the importance of change facilitating capabilities. The investigation contributes specifically to the literature on the utilization of RPE in local governments and more generally to the literature on why and to what extent management accounting practices are utilized. [source] Institutional Performance And Social Capital: An Application To The Local Government LevelJOURNAL OF URBAN AFFAIRS, Issue 5 2005Hilde Coffé This literature reveals that societies characterized by higher levels of social capital tend to achieve superior performance. Still, enquiries to date predominantly concentrate on country-level data or large sub-national units. The primary purpose of this article is to extend the empirical work to the local government level, while retaining the use of objective data to gauge institutional performance. This use of local data has the advantage of increasing the data set available and provides a more stringent test of the effect of social capital because social capital is likely to vary less at lower levels of government. The results,based on an empirical analysis of 305 Flemish municipalities in 2000,support the view that social capital leads to government (out)performance also at the local level of government. [source] The Water Poverty Index: Development and application at the community scaleNATURAL RESOURCES FORUM, Issue 3 2003C.A. Sullivan The article details the development and uses of the water poverty index (WPI). The index was developed as a holistic tool to measure water stress at the household and community levels, designed to aid national decision makers, at community and central government level, as well as donor agencies, to determine priority needs for interventions in the water sector. The index combines into a single number a cluster of data directly and indirectly relevant to water stress. Subcomponents of the index include measures of: access to water; water quantity, quality and variability; water uses (domestic, food, productive purposes); capacity for water management; and environmental aspects. The WPI methodology was developed through pilot projects in South Africa, Tanzania and Sri Lanka and involved intensive participation and consultation with all stakeholders, including water users, politicians, water sector professionals, aid agency personnel and others. The article discusses approaches for the further implementation of the water poverty index, including the possibilities of acquiring the necessary data through existing national surveys or by establishing interdisciplinary water modules in school curricula. The article argues that the WPI fills the need for a simple, open and transparent tool, one that will appeal to politicians and decision makers, and at the same time can empower poor people to participate in the better targeting of water sector interventions and development budgets in general. [source] Die Übertragung westdeutscher Institutionen auf die ostdeutsche Wirklichkeit , Ein erfolgversprechendes Zusammenspiel?PERSPEKTIVEN DER WIRTSCHAFTSPOLITIK, Issue 3 2001Kommunale Finanzausgleichssysteme im sozioökonomischen Kontext In spite of its long history, reform of financial equalization at local government level has not brought the necessary improvements in efficiency. Therefore, it is surprising that the criticized West German system was transferred almost unchanged to the East German Laender in the course of reunification. Obviously the politicians were in conflict between testing new promising alternatives and preserving the calculable institutional structure. Therefore, this paper compares the financial equalization law of two Laender (Baden-Wuerttemberg and Saxony) in order to research its suitability under different socio-economic conditions. In the analysis we can clearly show the impact of socio-economic characteristics on the carrying ability of institutions, so any transferability of local financial equalization systems has to be rejected. [source] Local Budgeting and Finance: 25 Years of DevelopmentsPUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCE, Issue 4s 2005DANIEL R. MULLINS This article traces developments in budgeting and finance at the local government level over the past 25 years. In doing so, it uses the 290 related articles published in Public Budgeting & Finance over this period as its foundation and as a sieve for topic selection. Specific attention is directed to intergovernmental finance, financial management, budgeting and budget reform, alternative service delivery, and capital budgeting. The intent is to sift through important developments in each area, highlight their significance at the time and their importance to the present and future. [source] Rights, sexuality and relationships in Ireland: ,It'd be nice to be kind of trusted'BRITISH JOURNAL OF LEARNING DISABILITIES, Issue 4 2009Grace Kelly Accessible summary ,,This paper talks about what a group of people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland had to say about their experiences of relationships and sexuality, and the type of support they might like in this area of their lives. ,,Many people did not get enough information about sexuality. There were lots of things they did not understand properly and they wanted more information. ,,Many people wanted to have boyfriend and girlfriend relationships, but relationships were not allowed in their service. Some people had to have relationships in secret. ,,In Ireland it is against the law to have a sexual relationship with a person who cannot live without support, or protect themselves from abuse, unless you are married. ,,The law needs to be changed because some people with intellectual disabilities who need support in their lives are still capable of having sexual relationships and protecting themselves from abuse. ,,People with intellectual disabilities need better sexual information and need support to have their voices heard by government. Summary How to translate the right of people with intellectual disabilities to a full sexual and intimate life into proactive support remains a challenge for disabilities services in Ireland. Little formal research has been undertaken in this country into what people with intellectual disabilities think about these issues and what they would like to see happen in this area of their lives. This paper presents a preliminary analysis of the first author's PhD research into the views and experiences of a small group of Irish people with intellectual disabilities in the area of sexuality and relationships. Initial findings suggest that people with intellectual disabilities are getting insufficient sex education and that changes are needed at a disabilities service level to ensure that people with intellectual disabilities can express their sexuality in an open and supportive climate. At a government level, changes will need to be made to Irish legislation concerning the sexuality of vulnerable adults so that this country is meeting its obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006). The authors argue that people with intellectual disabilities' views must come first in all debates concerning their sexuality. [source] Restructurer peu, restructurer mieux : leçons d'expériences ministérielles récentes au CanadaCANADIAN PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION/ADMINISTRATION PUBLIQUE DU CANADA, Issue 1 2010Luc Bernier Sommaire: Dans cet article, nous nous intéressons aux restructurations de ministères fonctionnels. Nous revoyons d'abord les raisons recensées pour restructurer. Puis, nous comparons ce qui s'est passé récemment dans trois provinces du Canada ainsi qu'au gouvernement fédéral dans ce domaine. Les exemples utilisés nous informent sur les raisons de restructurer et sur les conséquences des restructurations. Les cas relatés, tous territoires confondus, nous amènent à constater que certains domaines semblent plus problématiques que d'autres (par ex. : développement économique, environnement), c'est-à-dire qu'ils font plus souvent l'objet de restructurations sans que la solution choisie ne soit satisfaisante par la suite. Les raisons évoquées pour expliquer les restructurations ont trait à la complexité du dossier et aux priorités gouvernementales. Par ailleurs, pour ce qui est des conséquences, elles sont de trois ordres : à savoir les conséquences administratives et budgétaires (coûts liés aux déménagements, à l'imprimerie, etc.), les conséquences relatives à l'orientation du ministère (sa mission et sa vision), et les incidences sur le personnel (pertes d'emploi, impact sur le moral des employés, etc.). Sur le plan pratique, les premiers ministres doivent particulièrement éviter de restructurer lors de remaniements ministériels. Abstract: In this article, we take a look at restructuring initiatives involving functional departments. First, we review the documented reasons leading to the decision to restructure. Next, we compare recent restructuring activities in three Canadian provinces and at the federal government level. The examples used provide us with information on the reasons for engaging in the restructuring process, and its implications. The cases reported (all territories combined) reveal that some areas seem more problematic than others (for example, economic development, environment) , that is, they are the focus of more frequent restructuring, and the subsequent outcome is not always satisfactory. The reasons for explaining the restructurings point to the complexity of the file and government priorities. Furthermore, the consequences of the restructuring process fall into three main areas: implications at the administrative and budgetary levels (costs related to moving, printing, etc.), implications revolving around the department's direction (mission and vision), and implications on personnel (loss of employment, impact on employees' morale, etc.). On a practical level, the premiers must particularly avoid the restructuring of departments during Cabinet shuffles. [source] Triggers for Late Twentieth Century Reform of Australian Coastal ManagementGEOGRAPHICAL RESEARCH, Issue 3 2000B. G. Thom This paper identifies four triggers that underpinned the late 20th century reform of coastal management in Australia. These have operated across federal, state and local levels of government. The triggers are global environmental change, sustainable development, integrated resource management, and community awareness of management issues and participation in decision making. This reform has been driven by international and national forces. A number of inquiries into coastal management in Australia culminated in the production of a national coastal policy in 1995. This has led to fundamental changes in coastal management and to the recognition of the inevitability of changes in coastal systems. Federal policies and programs are being translated into action at the state and local government levels through a variety of funding mechanisms and programs. These involve capacity building, a memorandum of understanding between all levels of government, an enhanced role for state advisory or co-ordinating bodies, and an increased role for public participation. [source] Evaluation across an intergovernmental context: Issues raised through different perspectives on Even StartNEW DIRECTIONS FOR EVALUATION, Issue 95 2002Susan Boser Although the authorizing environment may dictate the nature and use of evaluations, state and locally conducted evaluation provides a distinct lens for understanding the conditions affecting program implementation and the outcomes of programs under study. The learning that transpires at the state and local government levels through evaluation can motivate stakeholders to use evaluation to influence the policy agenda. [source] Toward a Theory of Performance Reporting to Achieve Public Sector Accountability: A Field StudyPUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCE, Issue 2 2005Gary M. Cunningham Governments in many countries are implementing performance reporting systems. Many advocates claim that performance reporting results in accountability and effectiveness. There is no theory to justify these claims and guide implementation. This paper presents five field studies of five performance-reporting systems to begin building theory. Four locations are optimistic; one is not. Mere adoption of performance reporting is not effective. Broad involvement across all government levels is important. Communication and integration with strategic planning and agency management are essential. Two theoretical streams, accounting in organized anarchies and the constitutive role of accounting, are useful theoretical bases. [source] | |||||||||||||