Public accountability and the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability tool: an assessment

2015 ◽  
Vol 83 (4) ◽  
pp. 806-825 ◽  
Author(s):  
André Loozekoot ◽  
Geske Dijkstra
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Public Expenditure ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Public Accountability ◽  
Data Set ◽  
The Public ◽  
Financial Accountability ◽  
Donor Agencies ◽  
Financial Oversight

Since 2005, the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability tool has been widely used in developing countries and emerging economies to evaluate the performance of public financial management systems. In this article, we assess the strengths and weaknesses of the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability instrument tool for evaluating public financial accountability. We examine the theoretical literature on public accountability in order to derive a suitable normative framework to assess the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability tool. However, given that this literature is based on experiences in developed countries, we must extend it to also take into account the political cultures and practices in developing countries. Using this extended framework, we assess the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability indicators related to, in particular, parliamentary committees for financial oversight and Supreme Audit Institutions. We conclude that the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability tool could devote more attention to the independence of Supreme Audit Institutions, the nature of accountability debates, democratic inclusion and horizontal accountability mechanisms Points for practitioners The Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability tool has been applied in more than 116 countries and its reports offer valuable information for practitioners and researchers around the world. It is the only publicly available data set that measures the performance of financial committees of parliament and Supreme Audit Institutions. The strengths and weaknesses revealed in this article should be taken into account when using the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability tool for research or for evaluating the quality of financial accountability systems in particular countries. The international financial institutions and donor agencies governing the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Secretariat can use the recommendations of this article to further improve the framework.

Accounting Reforms for Accountable Public Sector Management

2020 ◽  
pp. 41-64
Author(s):  
Chitra Sriyani De Silva Lokuwaduge ◽  
Keshara M. De Silva Godage
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Sri Lanka ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The Public ◽  
New Public ◽  
Public Sector Accounting

Accounting reforms in the public sector have become one of the most debated aspects of the public sector financial management during the last three decades. Following the steps of developed countries around the globe, Sri Lanka as a developing country made initiatives to adopt international public sector accounting standards (IPSAS). The purpose of this study is to analyse the progress and the challenges they face in adopting IPSAS as a new public management (NPM) reform in Sri Lanka to enhance public sector accountability. Public sector accounting reforms in the developing countries in Asia is relatively under researched. Using the NPM concept, this study attempts to fill this gap. This chapter argues that even though Sri Lanka has initiated the move towards adopting IPSAS, developing countries face practical problems in adopting reforms due to their contextual factors such as limited institutional capacity and resources, high political involvements in decision-making, and high informality.

Research on Financial Supervision System Design in the Public Finance Framework

2014 ◽  
Vol 926-930 ◽  
pp. 3894-3897
Author(s):  
Hui Li
Keyword(s):  
Public Finance ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Financial Supervision ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Main Function ◽  
Supervision System ◽  
The Public ◽  
Financial Management System ◽  
Financial Oversight

First define connotation of financial supervision in the framework of public finance. Through the nature of the financial supervision. Discussion on that the financial supervision is an important part of the financial management system, whose main function is to detect. And correction of deviations in the implementation of the budget, ensure the financial distribution of scientific, accurate and effective. Subsequent financial in the Western developed countries on the basis of the successful experience in the oversight policy, finally pointed out that under the framework of public finance further patching mechanism design of the necessity and urgency of the financial supervision, and financial oversight mechanisms designed to provide practical implementation.

scholarly journals Public Sector Finances as Determinants of Private Investment in PPP Projects – Experiences from Select Countries

2019 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Satinder Bhatia
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Private Investment ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Financial Health ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Checks And Balances ◽  
Private Partnership ◽  
The Public

Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects have been gaining in popularity in many developing countries along with developed countries. While there has been sufficient research on private sector capacity to make the partnership successful, not much research exists on the importance of the financial health of the public sector in PPP projects. The premise of the current research is that strong public sector finances instil confidence in the private sector of governments’ ability to honour PPP commitments and that, in turn, increases the attractiveness of PPP projects. Through a number of case studies relating to government finances of Indian states and other countries, it is seen that governments which have checks and balances to issuance of guarantees and other forms of indirect support for PPP projects are actually able to attract higher levels of PPP investment.

Rivers, policies, and interests

2020 ◽  
pp. 386-396
Author(s):  
S. Nazrul Islam
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
External Influence ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Arena ◽  
Vested Interests

Chapter 13 examines the determinants of river-related policies and considers ways of making further progress toward the Ecological and Open approaches to rivers. It shows that there are broadly two types of obstacles impeding adoption of the Ecological and Open approaches. These are, first, paucity of required knowledge, and, second, vested interests favoring the Commercial and Cordon approaches. External influence from developed countries, until now, has mostly favored the Commercial and Cordon approaches in developing countries. Informing and engaging the public is the main way in which both the obstacles of paucity of knowledge and vested interests can be overcome. Moving the discussion of river policies to the public arena is therefore important.

scholarly journals Integrated Financial Management Information System: a conceptual framework for Migori County, Kenya

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45
Author(s):  
Otieno Okello Jared ◽  
Stephen Migiro ◽  
Emmanuel Mutambara
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Technology Acceptance ◽  
Management Information System ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Public Expenditure ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
Management Information ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Expenditure Management

In the modern world, developing countries like Kenya, Tanzania, Ethiopia and several others in the African continent have been encouraged to reform their public expenditure management systems through computerization of the entire public sectors in response to the increasing volume of data or information that need to be processed. There are, however, various factors to be considered prior to the implementation of the public expenditure management information systems. This paper undertakes a theoretical review of the critical success factors that impact on the implementation of an Integrated Financial Management Information System (IFMIS) with a view to identify factors applicable to the Migori County of Kenya. The paper, then, identifies the key factors to be incorporated in the proposed IFMS framework. The proposed framework draws from the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) and the Work Around Theory (WAT). The paper fuses these theories towards a successful adoption of use of modern technology within the public sector IFMS. The key factors include technical, organizational, environmental, cultural and ethical behavior. These factors could improve efficiency and transparency through direct payments to suppliers and contractors, reduced prices due to gains based on the time value of money, as well as the comparative analysis of market rates and advanced relations across the numerous organizational units within government on execution, reporting, and thoroughness of budget transactions.

Persistence of profitability in top firms: does it vary across sectors?

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-287
Author(s):  
Parneet Kaur Bhangu
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Economic Sectors ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mean Values ◽  
Long Run ◽  
Short Run

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze variations in the degree of persistence of profitability across diverse economic sectors and industry groups over the time period of 1990-2014 for a sample of top publically listed firms belonging to a selected set of developed and developing economies. Design/methodology/approach Degree of profit persistence has been estimated using Mueller’s (1990) autoregressive methodology. Firms were classified into different economic sectors and industry groups as per the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS). The examination of inter-sectoral variations in profit persistence has been performed by comparing mean values of estimated short-run and long-run profit persistence parameter for all firms and between firms belonging to the developed and developing countries, respectively. Findings Firms in consumer staples, consumer discretionary and health care enjoy persistent above the norm returns, unlike firms in traditional industries, utilities and energy sectors, which are characterized by low persistence and below the norm returns. A high degree of profit persistence is observed in health care and idea- and technology-intensive sector in the developed countries; however, in the developing countries, profits persist higher in consumer discretionary and capital-intensive telecommunication services sectors. Originality/value The study provides a holistic examination of inter-sectoral variations in profit persistence of top firms in developed and developing economies using a uniform methodology and data set. It can serve as an aid to the competition commissions and anti-trust regulatory authorities to formulate policies for curtailing anti-competitive activities in certain sectors.

The Public Library's Role in Enabling E-Government

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 18-32
Author(s):  
Cherry-Ann Smart
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Public Libraries ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Information Provision ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
The United States ◽  
The Public ◽  
Rich Countries

In most developed countries, linking citizens with e-government through Information Communication Technology (ICT) is an important social role for public libraries. Public libraries partner with government agencies; acting as intermediaries to bridge government with citizens in a way which adds value. In developing countries, public libraries have not attained that intermediary level. Instead, the role of public libraries is constrained to performing a tangential role to e-government. This includes its focus on the provision of access to information. As Caribbean governments progress further with e-government implementation, public libraries may need to expand their role beyond information provision to help citizens in their adoption of e-government, as well as enhance their service provision to them. This highlights some of the digital divide issues that developing countries experience versus information rich countries (i.e., developed nations) such as the United States of America. Thus, the digital divide is not only about access to ICTs; it also now includes citizens' capacity to use ICTs. This paper examines the capacity and role of the public libraries in Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica in enhancing e-government efforts.

The Evolution of ICT, Economic Development, and the Digitally-Divided Society

2008 ◽  
pp. 91-103
Author(s):  
Sadayoshi Takaya
Keyword(s):  
Social Capital ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Digital Divide ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Cooperative Effort ◽  
The Public ◽  
Digital Devices ◽  
Divided Society

In this chapter, we mention that a digital divide could bring about an income divide both within a country and between countries. The more the uses of the Internet diffuse, the more the divide may introduce serious concerns. From a macroeconomic point of view, the increase in the digital divide diminishes ICT investments and delays the innovation of ICT. As a result, we propose that the public policies of each government provide the devices of ICT as social capital and infrastructure. On the global stage, the digital divide exists between developed and developing countries. Therefore, international provision of the digital devices should be achieved through a cooperative effort between developed countries and international organizations.

Dichotomous impacts on social and environmental sustainability: competitiveness and development levels matter

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Eleanor Doyle ◽  
Mauricio Perez Alaniz
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Dynamic Panel Data ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Global Competitiveness ◽  
Development Levels

Purpose Whereas in developed countries, sustainability primarily focuses on environmental topics, in developing countries the issues of poverty, development and equity are equally, if not more, important. The purpose of this paper is to apply measures of social and environmental sustainability to assess sustainable development for the period 2005–2015 across a sample of 94 countries for which relevant data are available. Countries include two groups: developed and developing countries. Design/methodology/approach Using the index-based approach introduced by the World Economic Forum in its Global Competitiveness Project, a range of indicators are collected for estimating trends in both social and environmental sustainability. For the panel of data identified, a dynamic panel data estimator method is applied to the data set constructed. This paper presents the empirical results identifying key competitiveness factors related to social and environmental sustainability (separately and combining both aspects in a comprehensive sustainability framework). Findings This study explores how sustainable competitiveness offers a comprehensive assessment of the inter-related dynamics of the social, the environmental and economic building blocks of sustainable development simultaneously. Performance impacts are found to differ substantially across two groups of countries depending on their development level. This highlights the challenges in shaping and achieving sustainable development goals. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is novel in examining the intersections between economic competitiveness and environmental and social sustainability addressing an identified research gap. In addition, the paper investigates the most important competitiveness pillars focusing on both strengths and weaknesses in sustainable competitiveness across developed and developing countries.

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