Fiscal Decentralization Reforms and Local Government Efficiency: An Introduction

Plaček, Michal; Ochrana, František; Půček, Milan Jan; Němec, Juraj

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-46758-6_1

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 114 publications

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“…In general, as shown by Plaček et al (2020a, b), the framework of action of local leaders in the Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries is characterized by a number of factors. In the search for a response to RQ1, we identified the following factors that might have the most influence on the behavior of local governments responding to the pandemic crisis (see Table 1).…”

Section: Research Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public leadership and strategies of Czech municipalities during the COVID-19 pandemic – municipal activism vs municipal passivism

Plaček¹,

Špaček

Ochrana

2020

IJPL

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PurposeThis paper discusses the role of public leadership and the strategic response of local governments to the external shock caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors examine the typical Czech response with regard to how the leadership of municipalities in the Czech Republic responded to this extremely negative external stimulus.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use qualitative research methods for this investigation. They have chosen the case study method (see Yin, 2009; Stake, 1995; Klonoski, 2013). The general case is the Czech Republic. Mini-cases consist of municipalities from the Znojmo region, municipalities of the Central Bohemian region and the municipal districts in the capital city of Prague. Furthermore, the method of participant observation was used.FindingsThe authors’ analysis of the problem of local government responses to the pandemic crisis shows that municipal leaders responded with a variety of (non-)adaptation strategies. It appears that certain framework factors influenced the various local governments' behavior.Originality/valueThe article examines the strategic behavior of Czech municipal leaders regarding the pandemic crisis based on the observation of the reactions of local governments in the Czech Republic to the pandemic crisis and strives to define their basic strategies.

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Section: Research Results and Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Public leadership and strategies of Czech municipalities during the COVID-19 pandemic – municipal activism vs municipal passivism

Plaček¹,

Špaček

Ochrana

2020

IJPL

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“…Municipal authority varies between ‘home rule’, in which cities are delegated the full authority of the higher government, and models in which city powers are stated in specific, limited terms. These reflect national or provincial policies of centralization and decentralization, that may change over time and reflect prevailing beliefs about efficiency and good government—and politics ( Wilson, 2000 ; Plaček et al , 2020 ).…”

Section: The Place Of Law In Urban Health Promotionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The literature on public management does not provide strong or universal guidance on the optimum organization of local government ( Feiock and Scholz, 2010 ; Plaček et al , 2020 ), and in any case the complexity and time-lines of government reorganization render that ultimate avenue of governance reform a poor target for health promotion activities. Rather, in every urban center, proponents of health promotion will be faced with the challenge and opportunity of working within existing formal governance structures to have as much impact as possible.…”

Section: The Place Of Law In Urban Health Promotionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Urban planning, as a field, has embraced systems approaches and collaborative models that recognize most urban planning and management challenges as ‘wicked problems’ that are difficult to solve because of the complex intersecting forces, incommensurable values and feedback loops at play ( Rittel and Webber, 1973 ; Adams, 2011 ; Innes and Booher, 2018 ). Both the allocation of authority within government—the traditional organizational chart of police, health, education and so on—and an expanded role for actors outside government have been variables in this on-going experiment in the governance of complex social systems, and research in economics and public management has not found a universally desirable model for allocating authority within local governments or between national, regional and local levels ( Plaček et al , 2020 ).…”

Section: Introduction—why Law and Urban Governance For Healthmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Law and urban governance for health in times of rapid change

Burris

Lin

2021

Health Promotion International

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Summary Governance is an important factor in urban health, and law is an important element of healthy governance. Law can be an intervention local government wields to influence behavior and shape environments. Law can also be an important target of health promotion efforts: Law and the enforcement and implementation behaviors it fosters can promote unhealthy behaviors and environmental conditions, and can act as a barrier to healthy interventions or practices. Finally, law is a design and construction tool for the organization of governance. Law is the means through which cities are formally established. Their powers and duties, organizational structure, boundaries and decision-making procedures are all set by law. Regardless of the form of government, cities have legal levers they can manipulate for health promotion. Cities can use tax authority to influence the price of unhealthy products, or to encourage consumption of healthy foods. Cities can use their legal powers to address incidental legal effects of policies that they themselves cannot control. Cities may also have the authority to use law to address deeper determinants of health. The overall level of income or wealth inequality in a country reflects factors well-beyond a local government’s control, but city government nonetheless has levers to directly and indirectly reduce economic and social inequality and their effects. A renewed focus on law and urban governance is the key to assuring health and well-being and closing the health equity gap.

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“…In the last few decades, many Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) have engaged in processes of decentralization in which powers and responsibilities of the national government are transferred to local government units (LGUs) (see e.g. Plaček et al., 2020; Smoke, 2015b). One aim of decentralization in CEEC, next to democratization and adhering to EU accession criteria (Baun & Marek, 2006; Isufaj, 2014; Nemec, 2018), is to improve public services through citizen‐centered delivery.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Compliance with national standards of decentralized public services: The case of preschool services in Albania

Hegele,

Karakaçi,

Lang

et al. 2024

Public Admin & Development

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In the last few decades, many Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC) engaged in processes of decentralization in which responsibilities of the national government are transferred to local government units (LGUs). Yet, it is still unclear under what circumstances LGUs in recently decentralized CEEC can deliver high‐quality public services. We put forward the argument that political, administrative, and financial factors related to characteristics of the LGU, and their implementation structure can explain the quality of public services, understood here as the compliance with standards set at central government level. We deduce a set of hypotheses which we test with the example of the public service of preschool education in Albania using generalized linear mixed‐effects models. We find that albeit fiscal factors are important, the relation between money and high‐quality public services is more complex than previously assumed. We find that private donations can undermine central government standards, and that requirements not involving financial costs are more likely implemented. Further, political, and administrative factors, although previously often neglected, play an important role. We find that outsourcing certain functions leads to higher service quality, and that urban areas provide higher quality services indicating that political actors need to focus on rural areas.

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Fiscal Decentralization Reforms and Local Government Efficiency: An Introduction

Cited by 14 publications

References 114 publications

Public leadership and strategies of Czech municipalities during the COVID-19 pandemic – municipal activism vs municipal passivism

Public leadership and strategies of Czech municipalities during the COVID-19 pandemic – municipal activism vs municipal passivism

Law and urban governance for health in times of rapid change

Compliance with national standards of decentralized public services: The case of preschool services in Albania

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