scholarly journals Delegation and Decentralization: Reform Ideas for Bihar’s Economic Transformation

2021 ◽  
pp. 2633190X2199193
Author(s):  
Stuti Khemani
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Economic Activity ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Public Expenditures ◽  
Local Elections ◽  
Policy Selection ◽  
Development Institutions ◽  
Public Policy Implementation ◽  
Decentralization Reform

This article proposes reform ideas for Bihar using advances in economics research on the role of institutions in economic development. Institutions—the formal and informal rules of the ‘game’ of how people interact in society—are fundamental determinants of economic activity and entrepreneurship. Historical institutions of caste-based feudalism in Bihar have been regarded as depressing entrepreneurship and encouraging lawlessness and corruption. New survey data–based evidence shows the potential of two reforms to bring about Bihar’s institutional and economic transformation: greater delegation of public policy implementation in bureaucracies and greater decentralization of public policy selection to local governments. Greater delegation means giving autonomy and discretion to agents in bureaucracies, and promoting professional norms for service delivery rather than hierarchical monitoring and disciplining to achieve performance. Greater decentralization means that more policy choices—such as on the composition of public expenditures, tariffs and fees for public infrastructure—are made by local leaders who gain the power to make these choices by winning more local elections. Communication within bureaucracies and through local media about the performance of public policies is part of these institutional reforms. Taken together, these can reduce the influence of patronage politics and enable the selection of leaders who pursue policies in the broad public interest. In turn, these institutional changes can spur greater economic activity and entrepreneurship, including all social groups in growth and prosperity.

The Empirical Research of the Northeast Local Governments Public Policy Implementation Ability

2010 ◽  
Vol 171-172 ◽  
pp. 760-763
Author(s):  
Zhao Ji Yu ◽  
Na Chao ◽  
Chang Hai Su
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Common Phenomenon ◽  
Healthy Development ◽  
The Public ◽  
Implementation Problem ◽  
Public Policy Implementation ◽  
Correlation Factors ◽  
Public Decision

Public policy implementation problem is a kind of common phenomenon. It needs to consider the influence of the correlation factors in order to analyze the obstacle factors of policy implementation. The policy implementation is the very important link and extremely complexly in the process of the policy implementation. It is very significant to analyze the factors in the process of policy implementation, it can help us to understand the public decision-making. In the current, there are many problems in local government public policy implementation, those problems have affected the implementation of national public policy and the healthy development of society, Through the research of the northeast local governments public policy implementation ability, several suggestions can be given in order to enhance the implementation ability.

Evaluating 10 Years' Experiences of Decentralization: The Emphasis of Intergovernmental Relations and Decision-Making Structure

2002 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 11-22
Author(s):  
Tobin Im
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Intergovernmental Relations ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Actual State ◽  
Local Elections ◽  
Local Council ◽  
Iron Triangle ◽  
Decentralization Reform

The purpose of this paper is to examine the evolution of the intergovernmental relations in Korea since the decentralization reforms begun in 1991. This study evaluates the Korean experience of 10 years of decentralization has significantly changed the decision-making structure in the country. Even though the apparent framework of tiers and local governments are the same as those before decentralization reform, the real number of decision-making units has increased and a new decision making structure has emerged since the introduction of local elections. The creation of local council as well as the elections of heads of local government brought about the loss of the central government’s controlling power over local governments. However many people are not satisfied with the actual state of decentralization. Constrains and limits that most local governments face support this thesis. In this point of view, the experience of the last ten years can be summarized as ‘controlled decentralization’. However, the central government is not totally responsible for this dissatisfaction. Citizens’ low participation and local governments’ incapacity and inefficiency are also responsible. These resulted in ‘the New Iron Triangle’ Model of decision making.

Applying punctuated equilibrium theory to municipal and county operating and capital budgets

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Kovari
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Punctuated Equilibrium ◽  
Equilibrium Theory ◽  
Capital Expenditures ◽  
Public Expenditures ◽  
Punctuated Equilibrium Theory ◽  
Institutional Differences ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Dominant Theory

Although punctuated equilibrium theory (PET) is widely hailed as the dominant theory regarding public policy and budgets, little research has extended PET to the local government arena or to capital expenditures. This article utilizes a panel dataset of public expenditures from Wisconsin counties, cities, villages, and towns from 1990-2009 to show that local operating and capital budgets fit the contemporary PET framework. However, the article also offers some discussion about methodological problems in assessing PET for local governments, and highlights the importance of differentiating between expenditure types (e.g. capital versus operating spending) as well as institutional differences between counties, cities, villages, and towns.

Local Elections and the Politics of Small-Scale Democracy

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Eric Oliver ◽  
Shang E. Ha ◽  
Zachary Callen
Keyword(s):  
Voter Turnout ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Voting Behavior ◽  
Local Governance ◽  
Electoral Politics ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Local Elections ◽  
Daily Lives ◽  
Personal Connections ◽  
Community Ties

Local government is the hidden leviathan of American politics: it accounts for nearly a tenth of gross domestic product, it collects nearly as much in taxes as the federal government, and its decisions have an enormous impact on Americans' daily lives. Yet political scientists have few explanations for how people vote in local elections, particularly in the smaller cities, towns, and suburbs where most Americans live. Drawing on a wide variety of data sources and case studies, this book offers the first comprehensive analysis of electoral politics in America's municipalities. Arguing that current explanations of voting behavior are ill suited for most local contests, the book puts forward a new theory that highlights the crucial differences between local, state, and national democracies. Being small in size, limited in power, and largely unbiased in distributing their resources, local governments are “managerial democracies” with a distinct style of electoral politics. Instead of hinging on the partisanship, ideology, and group appeals that define national and state elections, local elections are based on the custodial performance of civic-oriented leaders and on their personal connections to voters with similarly deep community ties. Explaining not only the dynamics of local elections, Oliver's findings also upend many long-held assumptions about community power and local governance, including the importance of voter turnout and the possibilities for grassroots political change.

A Real Or a Marginal Trend in Participatory Budgets in Local Governments

e-Finanse ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 12-21
Author(s):  
Beata Zofia Filipiak ◽  
Marek Dylewski
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Social Participation ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Current Practice ◽  
Public Policies ◽  
Local Communities ◽  
Public Expenditures ◽  
Public Funds ◽  
Depth Analysis ◽  
Participatory Budget

AbstractThe purpose of the article is analysis of participatory budgets as a tool for shaping decisions of local communities on the use of public funds. The authors ask the question of whether the current practice of using the participatory budget is actually a growing trend in local government finances or, after the initial euphoria resulting from participation, society ceased to notice the real possibilities of influencing the directions of public expenditures as an opportunity to legislate public policies implemented. It is expected that the conducted research will allow us to evaluate the participatory budget and indicate whether this tool practically acts as a stimulus for changes in the scope of tasks under public policies. The authors analyzed and evaluated the announced competitions for projects as part of the procedure for elaborating participatory budgeting for selected LGUs. Then, they carried out an in-depth analysis of the data used to assess real social participation in the process of establishing social policies.

Compliance and Conflict of Value in Public Policy Implementation: Comparison between the New Order and the Reformation Era

2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwiyanto Indiahono ◽  
Erwan Purwanto ◽  
Agus Pramusinto
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Group Discussion ◽  
New Order ◽  
The Reformation ◽  
Public Policy Implementation ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Conflict Of Value ◽  
The Relationship

This research aims to examine differences in the relationship of bureaucratic and political officials during the New Order (Soeharto’s era) and the Reformation (post-Soeharto) era within the arena of public policy implementation. This is a matter of importance given that there is a change in relations between the two from integration in the New Order to bureaucratic impartiality in the Reformation Era. This study attempts to answer the question: How were the relations of bureaucratic and political officials in the implementation of local level public policy during the New Order and the Reformation Era? A qualitative research has been conducted in Tegal Municipality using the following data collection techniques: interview, focus group discussion, documentation, and observation. Tegal Municipality was selected as the study location because of the unique relationship shown between the mayor and the bureaucracy. Its uniqueness lies in the emergence of bureaucratic officials who dare to oppose political officials, based on their convictions that bureaucratic/public values should be maintained even if it means having to be in direct conflict with political officials. This research indicates that the relationship between bureaucratic and political officials in the arena of local level policy implementation during the New Order was characterized as being full of pressure and compliance, whereas during the Reformation Era bureaucrats have the audacity to hinder policy implementation. Such audacity to thwart policies is considered to have developed from a stance that aims to protect public budget and values in policies. The occurring conflict of values here demonstrates a dichotomy of political and bureaucratic officials that is different from the prevailing definition of politics-administration dichotomy introduced at the onset of Public Administration studies.

Industrial Policy and Local Economic Transformation: Evidence From the U.S. Rust Belt

2021 ◽  
pp. 089124242110228
Author(s):  
Ben Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Industrial Policy ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
State Level ◽  
Economic Transformation ◽  
Local Economy ◽  
Rust Belt ◽  
Industrial Policies ◽  
Cast Doubt ◽  
State And Local

State and local governments frequently invest in policies aimed at stimulating the growth of new industries, but studies of industrial policy and related economic development initiatives cast doubt on their effectiveness. This article examines the role of state-level industrial policies in contributing to the different economic trajectories of two U.S. metro areas—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Cleveland, Ohio—as they adapted to the decline of their legacy industries. Comparative case studies show that industrial policies in Pittsburgh, which empowered research universities as local economic leaders, contributed to the transformation of the local economy. In Cleveland, by contrast, state industrial policies invested in making incremental improvements, particularly in legacy sectors. The article concludes that by empowering new local economic actors—such as universities—industrial policies can foment political change that enables structural economic change to follow.

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