scholarly journals Implementing Water Policies in China: A Policy Cycle Analysis of the Sponge City Program Using Two Case Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 5261 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Liang ◽  
Yuqing Liang ◽  
Chong Chen ◽  
Meine Pieter van Dijk
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Policy Cycle ◽  
Water Projects ◽  
Sponge City ◽  
Private Sector Involvement

This study carries out an in-depth analysis of urban water policy implementation in China through a policy cycle analysis and case study of Sponge city program. The policy cycle analysis articulates discrete steps within the policy formulation and implementation process, while the case studies reflect the specific problems in water project implementation. Because of the principal–agent relation between central and local government, a ‘‘double wheel’’ policy cycle model is adopted to reflect the policy cycles at central level and at local level. Changde city and Zhuanghe city, two demo cities in the Sponge city program, are chosen for the analysis. The policy cycle analysis shows that the central government orders local government to implement policy without clear direction on how to attract private sector participation. The evaluation of central government did not include private sector involvement, nor the sustainability of the investments. This promotes the local government’s pursuit of project construction completion objectives, without seriously considering private sector involvement and operation and maintenance (O&M) cost. The local governments do not have political motivation and experiences to attract private investments into project implementation. The case study in the two demo cities shows that local government subsidies are the main source of O&M funding currently, which is not sustainable. The water projects are not financially feasible because no sufficient revenue is generated to cover the high initial investments and O&M cost. The lack of private sector involvement makes it difficult to maintain adequate funding in O&M, leading to the unsustainability of the water projects. It is not easy to achieve private sector involvement, but it could be the key to realizing urban water resilience in a more sustainable way.

scholarly journals Commercial property tax in the UK: business rates and rating appeals

2016 ◽  
Vol 34 (6) ◽  
pp. 602-619 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Michael Greenhalgh ◽  
Kevin Muldoon-Smith ◽  
Sophie Angus
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Service Sector ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Detailed Examination ◽  
Multiple Perspectives ◽  
Local Authorities ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the introduction of the business rates retention scheme (BRRS) in England which transferred financial liability for backdated appeals to LAs. Under the original scheme, business rates revenue, mandatory relief and liability for successful appeals is spilt 50/50 between central government and local government which both share the rewards of growth and bear the risk of losses. Design/methodology/approach The research adopts a microanalysis approach into researching local government finance, conducting a case study of Leeds, to investigate the impact of appeals liability and reveal disparities in impact, through detailed examination of multiple perspectives in one of the largest cities in the UK. Findings The case study reveals that Leeds, despite having a buoyant commercial economy driven by retail and service sector growth, has been detrimentally impacted by BRRS as backdated appeals have outweighed uplift in business rates income. Fundamentally BRRS is not a “one size fits all” model – it results in winners and losers – which will be exacerbated if local authorities get to keep 100 per cent of their business rates from 2020. Research limitations/implications LAs’ income is more volatile as a consequence of both the rates retention and appeals liability aspects of BRRS and will become more so with the move to 100 per cent retention and liability. Practical implications Such volatility impairs the ability of local authorities to invest in growth at the same time as providing front line services over the medium term – precisely the opposite of what BRRS was intended to do. It also incentivises the construction of new floorspace, which generates risks overbuilding and exacerbating over-supply. Originality/value The research reveals the significant impact of appeals liability on LAs’ business rates revenues which will be compounded with the move to a fiscally neutral business rates system and 100 per cent business rates retention by 2020.

scholarly journals The implementation of Cost-Effective in Spanish local governments: Analysis of institutional work in a case study

2020 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-90
Author(s):  
José María González-González ◽  
Manuel Jesús García-Fénix
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Longitudinal Case Study ◽  
Institutional Work ◽  
Different Types

Este trabajo se propone analizar las formas de trabajo institucional desarrolladas por distintos actores para la emergencia e implantación del Coste Efectivo de los Servicios de las Entidades Locales (CESEL). Los resultados del estudio de caso longitudinal realizado ponen de manifiesto que los principales actores, Gobierno Central y Ayuntamiento, llevaron a cabo diferentes formas de trabajo institucional (político, cultural y técnico), surgiendo conflictos durante su desarrollo debido a las distintas lógicas institucionales en las que se apoyaron: eficiencia económica e interés social, respectivamente. Este trabajo contribuye a la perspectiva teórica adoptada evidenciando que las formas en las que se desarrolla el trabajo institucional por distintos actores determinan la configuración final de la nueva institución que quiere crearse. Así, aunque la regulación estableció como finalidad del CESEL profundizar en el cumplimiento de los principios de eficiencia y de transparencia de la gestión pública local, las formas en las que se ha desarrollado el trabajo institucional durante su implantación lo han configurado como un instrumento de transparencia, presentando además serias limitaciones para que ésta sea efectiva. This paper aims to analyze the forms of institutional work carried out by different actors with regard to the emergence and implementation of Cost-Effective of Local Government Services (CESEL, Coste Efectivo de los Servicios de las Entidades Locales). The results of the longitudinal case study evidence that the main actors, Central Government and Local Government, carried out different types of institutional work (political, cultural and technical), by arising conflicts during their development due to the different institutional logics in which they were supported: economic efficiency and social interest, respectively. This work contributes to the theoretical perspective adopted by evidencing that the ways in which institutional work is developed by different actors determine the final configuration of the new institution that is to be created. Thus, although the regulation established that the purpose of CESEL is to deepen on compliance with the principles of efficiency and transparency of local public management, the ways in which the institutional work has been developed during its implementation have configured it as an instrument for transparency and also it presents serious limitations so that transparency is effective.

scholarly journals Best and worst practice: a case study of qualitative gender balance in Irish broadcasting

2017 ◽  
Vol 39 (2) ◽  
pp. 259-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne O’Brien ◽  
Jane Suiter
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Gender Bias ◽  
News Coverage ◽  
Worst Case ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Gender Balance ◽  
Public And Private Sector ◽  
Radio News

This article focuses on the gender of voices chosen as sources and presenters of radio news coverage in Ireland. The study examines the best and worst case studies across public and private sector broadcasters and argues that the question of gender balance in broadcasting goes beyond the simple issue of quantitatively proportionate participation to require a more complex and qualitatively fair and balanced presentation of women within news programming. We find a very clear gender bias with male-dominated coverage in both public and private sectors but with greater stereotyping by the latter.

scholarly journals Making computer science results reproducible - A case study using Gradle and Docker

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wilfried Elmenreich ◽  
Philipp Moll ◽  
Sebastian Theuermann ◽  
Mathias Lux
Keyword(s):  
Private Sector ◽  
Computer Science ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Software Tools ◽  
General Analysis ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Research Results

This paper addresses two questions related to reproducibility within the context of research related to computer science. First, requirements on reproducibility are analyzed based on a survey addressed to researchers in the academic and private sector. The survey indicates a strong need for open but also easily accessible results, thus reproducing an experiment should not require too much effort. The results from the survey are then used to formulate general guidelines for making research results reproducible. In addition, this paper explores a number of existing software tools that could bring forward reproducibility in research results. After a general analysis of tools a further investigation is done via three case studies based on actual research projects which are used to evaluate the previously introduced tools. Results indicate that due to conflicting requirements, none of the presented solutions fulfills all intended goals perfectly. However, we present requirements and guidelines for making research reproducible. While the main focus of this paper is on reproducibility in computer science, the results of this paper are still valid for other fields using computation as a tool.

scholarly journals Tacit knowledge in water management: a case study of Sponge City

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeyu Yao ◽  
Sarah Bell
Keyword(s):  
Water Management ◽  
Tacit Knowledge ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Urban Water ◽  
Urban Water Management ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sponge City ◽  
Qualitative Thematic Analysis ◽  
Sustainable Urban Water Management

Sustainable, resilient urban water management is fundamental to good environmental and public health. As an interdisciplinary task, it faces enormous challenges from project complexity, network dynamics, and the tacit nature of knowledge being communicated between actors involved in design, decisions and delivery. Among others, some critical and persistent challenges to the implementation of sustainable urban water management include the lack of knowledge and expertise, lack of effective communication and collaboration, and lack of shared understanding and context. Using the Chinese Sponge City programme as a case study, this paper draws on the perspectives of Polanyi and Collins to investigate the extent to which knowledge can be used and exchanged between actors. Using Collins’ conceptualisation of the terrain of tacit knowledge, the study identifies the use of relational, somatic, and collective tacit knowledge in the Sponge City pilot project. Structured interviews with 38 people working on a Sponge City pilot project provided data that was rigorously analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. The paper is original in using theories of tacit knowledge to explain barriers and pathways for information and messages being communicated between actors in urban water management. The methods and results provide the groundwork for analysing the access and mobilisation of tacit knowledge in the Sponge City pilot project, with relevance for other complex, interdisciplinary environmental projects and programmes.

scholarly journals Well-being at the Local Level

2019 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arthur Grimes
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Private Sector ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Local Level ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Policy Studies ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Local Decision ◽  
Local Decision Making

The Institute for Governance and Policy Studies, in partnership with Victoria University of Wellington’s Health and Wellbeing distinctiveness theme steering group, hosted a symposium on ‘The Four Wellbeings for Local Government’ on 26 February 2019. The symposium heard brief presentations from eight invitees from local government, central government, the private sector and NGOs: Justin Lester, Lyn Patterson, Karen Thomas, Peter McKinlay, Wayne Mulligan, Meg Williams, Danielle Shanahan and Suzy Morrissey. Inspired by these addresses and by the ensuing discussion, this article considers what the reintroduction of the ‘four well-beings’ into the Local Government Act might mean for local decision making.

scholarly journals Pelayanan Komunikasi Pemerintahan Dalam Pemberitaan Kebijakan Pemerintah Daerah Kepada Stakeholder di Kalimantan Selatan

2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-127
Author(s):  
Sarwani Sarwani
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Community Empowerment ◽  
Structural Factors ◽  
Government Officials ◽  
Communication Performance ◽  
Government Communication ◽  
Depth Interviews

This study was conducted in the midst of the lack of studies on local government communication in developing countries. Existing studies tend to attribute performance in this area to central government. The contribution of this study is related to exploring the practice of government communication in the context of local government in countries towards democracy. The author uses the communication of the local government of South Kalimantan Province in its services to stakeholders as a case study. The results of the analysis of various documents, observations and in-depth interviews related to the communication performance of local government in South Kalimantan from January to October 2020 were compiled and analyzed using Miles and Huberman data analysis techniques. In conclusion, the results of the study show that the quality of local government communication is influenced by various factors, both structural and management. Although management factors remain important, in the case of South Kalimantan, structural factors have more influence on local government communications. While the communication performance of local government has not involved active participation from the bottom, it is more elite-oriented than public-oriented. Local government officials are less responsive and still communicate downward, so that the ideas of professionalizing local government communication are still limited to expectations rather than reality. This study recommends that local government communication can be effective if it is participatory, ie has a vision and mission of community empowerment and citizen involvement in participation for local government policy planning and implementation.

scholarly journals Making Sanitation and Hygiene a Human Security Issue: The case of Nyamagabe District, Rwanda

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwizera, Maurice Kwizera, Maurice ◽  
Lambert Karangwa ◽  
Jeannette Murekatete ◽  
Gilbert Rukundo Mutabaruka ◽  
Jean Paul Mbarushimana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Central Government ◽  
Security Issue ◽  
Sanitation And Hygiene ◽  
Government Leadership ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Practical Experiences ◽  
National Governments

This case study was developed to inform subsequent research and analysis of local government leadership and prioritisation of sanitation and hygiene (S&H) in East Africa. Consolidated learning from across the three countries involved can be found in the Sanitation Learning Hub (SLH) Learning Brief: Strengthening sub-national systems for area-wide sanitation and hygiene. From late 2020 to early 2021, the SLH collaborated with local government actors and development partners from three sub-national areas to explore ways of increasing local government leadership and prioritisation of S&H to drive progress towards area-wide S&H. For some time, local government leadership has been recognised as key to ensuring sustainability and scale, it is an important component of the emerging use of systems strengthening approaches in the sanitation sector. It is hoped that this work will provide practical experiences to contribute to this thinking. Three case studies were developed to capture local government and development partners’ experiences supporting sub-national governments increase their leadership and prioritisation of S&H in Siaya County (Kenya), Nyamagabe District (Rwanda), and Moyo District (Uganda), all of which have seen progress in recent years. The development partners involved were UNICEF in Kenya, WaterAid in Rwanda, and WSSCC/ Uganda Sanitation Fund in Uganda. The cases were then analysed through three online workshops facilitated with staff from the local governments, central government ministries and development partners involved to explore them in further detail, review experiences and identify levers and blockages to change. Lessons from the workshops are documented in the SLH learning brief mentioned above. This is the case study developed by Nyamagabe District and WaterAid documenting their experiences and reflections from working together to increase prioritisation of S&H in Nyamagabe District, Rwanda.

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