Lack of reform in Israeli local government and its impact on modern developments in public management

Abstract

Lack of reform or the slow pace of reform in public management is an issue that plagues Israel, particularly in local government (Beeri & Razin, 2015; Levi et al., 2020; Razin & Lindsey, 2017). Based on the assumption that public reform, meaning changes to the structures and processes of public organizations designed to improve their performance (Pollitt & Bouckaert, 2017), is a feature of modern governance, studies investigating lack of reform have suggested it as evidence of non-governability, lack of management, lack of leadership and even public anarchy (e.g., Jeffery, 2008; Rahat & Hazan, 2011). However, its wide-ranging and theoretical influence has not yet been examined in depth, its connections to recent trends in public management have yet to be clarified, and its ramifications for the management of Israeli local municipalities are unclear. Thus, I explore the theoretical and practical interactions between the attributes and circumstances of the lack of reform of local government in Israel-especially in its management. I also examine how recent global trends such as the co-production of value and the coronavirus outbreak may postpone or accelerate such reform. KEYWORDS Lack of reform; Israeli local government; co-production of value; coronavirus outbreak; non-reform policy The relationship between the central and local governments in Israel Israel is a unitary state. Traditionally, public services have been very centralized. Local authorities do have the responsibility for providing municipal services. However, the power and strategic authority given to them are not commensurate with this level of responsibility (

Enhancing Local Service Effectiveness Through Purpose-Oriented Networks: The Role of Network Leadership and Structure

“…One explanation for this finding may lie in the characteristics of Israeli local authorities and the differences between various socioeconomic clusters. In low SES local authorities, there is greater intervention and greater centralization of power at the national level, with the local governments conducting themselves according to "Ultra Vires" (Latin: beyond the powers) rules (Beeri, 2020). In such situations, government bodies such as local authorities have limited power (McKendrick, 1997).…”

“…Trust between network actors facilitates cooperation through learning and by stimulating innovation (Huxham & Vangen, 2005;Nooteboom, 2002) and enhances network performance (Klijn, Steijn & Edelenbos, 2010;Klijn, Sierra, Ysa, Berman, Edelenbos & Chen, 2016;Provan, Huang & Milward 2009). However, in Israeli-Arab local authorities, new governance structures and networkbased collaborations are still in their infancy (Beeri, 2020). Thus, Arab local authorities that still use traditional, hierarchical management behaviors have a double challenge.…”

Merging, disaggregating and clustering local authorities: do structural reforms affect perceptions about local governance and democracy?

“…Issues of local governance and democracy remained at the margins of the strategic and public discourse. Ultimately, the failure to consider these factors, combined with mismatches between different communities, led to the abandonment of this type of reform (Beeri, 2020; The Committee for the Promotion of Regionalism in Israel, 2019).…”

“…Moreover, ad-hoc agreements for functional cooperation between local authorities multiplied, as did joint industrial zones that entailed the division of income among a number of bordering local authorities to improve regional economic development. Nevertheless, the most significant step in implementing the notion of regionalism, albeit slow and limited, involved encouraging local authorities to voluntarily adopt and operate under the auspices of regional clusters (Beeri, 2020). The Interior and Finance ministries adopted the model of regional clusters, which was regulated through two waves of calls for proposals in 2012 and 2017 inviting local authorities to join this process voluntarily.…”

“…In all, one should bear in mind the preconditions of Israeli local structural reforms. At least some local authorities that had been involved in structural reforms over the last two decades were in moderate to severe crisis before the reform took place, while other authorities that were merged, disaggregated and clustered performed well before the reforms took place (Beeri, 2020).…”