Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services

Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services

Author: Aehyung Kim

Publisher:

Published: 2016

Total Pages: 27

ISBN-13:

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This paper discusses decentralization (administrative, fiscal and political) of government in public service provision. It aims to facilitate understanding among practitioners, policy makers, and scholars about what decentralization entails in practice compared to theory. A review of the empirical literature and experience of decentralization is presented. The paper highlights issues that policy makers in developing and transitional countries should be aware of when reforming government, considering their unique political and economic environment. The author argues that decentralization produces efficiency gains stemming from inter-jurisdictional competition, enhanced checks and balances over the government through voting at the subnational level, and informational advantages due to proximity to citizens. By contrast, arguments against decentralization include the risk of an increased level of corruption, coordination problems stemming from multiple layers of government, low capacity of subnational government, and unproductive inter-jurisdictional competition. Decentralization itself does not render increased government effectiveness in public service provision. Instead, the effectiveness of government largely depends on the quality of human capital and institutions.


Book Synopsis Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services by : Aehyung Kim

Download or read book Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services written by Aehyung Kim and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper discusses decentralization (administrative, fiscal and political) of government in public service provision. It aims to facilitate understanding among practitioners, policy makers, and scholars about what decentralization entails in practice compared to theory. A review of the empirical literature and experience of decentralization is presented. The paper highlights issues that policy makers in developing and transitional countries should be aware of when reforming government, considering their unique political and economic environment. The author argues that decentralization produces efficiency gains stemming from inter-jurisdictional competition, enhanced checks and balances over the government through voting at the subnational level, and informational advantages due to proximity to citizens. By contrast, arguments against decentralization include the risk of an increased level of corruption, coordination problems stemming from multiple layers of government, low capacity of subnational government, and unproductive inter-jurisdictional competition. Decentralization itself does not render increased government effectiveness in public service provision. Instead, the effectiveness of government largely depends on the quality of human capital and institutions.


Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services

Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services

Author: Aehyung Kim

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 27

ISBN-13:

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Abstract: This paper discusses decentralization (administrative, fiscal and political) of government in public service provision. It aims to facilitate understanding among practitioners, policy makers, and scholars about what decentralization entails in practice compared to theory. A review of the empirical literature and experience of decentralization is presented. The paper highlights issues that policy makers in developing and transitional countries should be aware of when reforming government, considering their unique political and economic environment. The author argues that decentralization produces efficiency gains stemming from inter-jurisdictional competition, enhanced checks and balances over the government through voting at the subnational level, and informational advantages due to proximity to citizens. By contrast, arguments against decentralization include the risk of an increased level of corruption, coordination problems stemming from multiple layers of government, low capacity of subnational government, and unproductive inter-jurisdictional competition. Decentralization itself does not render increased government effectiveness in public service provision. Instead, the effectiveness of government largely depends on the quality of human capital and institutions.


Book Synopsis Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services by : Aehyung Kim

Download or read book Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services written by Aehyung Kim and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2008 with total page 27 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: This paper discusses decentralization (administrative, fiscal and political) of government in public service provision. It aims to facilitate understanding among practitioners, policy makers, and scholars about what decentralization entails in practice compared to theory. A review of the empirical literature and experience of decentralization is presented. The paper highlights issues that policy makers in developing and transitional countries should be aware of when reforming government, considering their unique political and economic environment. The author argues that decentralization produces efficiency gains stemming from inter-jurisdictional competition, enhanced checks and balances over the government through voting at the subnational level, and informational advantages due to proximity to citizens. By contrast, arguments against decentralization include the risk of an increased level of corruption, coordination problems stemming from multiple layers of government, low capacity of subnational government, and unproductive inter-jurisdictional competition. Decentralization itself does not render increased government effectiveness in public service provision. Instead, the effectiveness of government largely depends on the quality of human capital and institutions.


The Provision of Public Services in Europe

The Provision of Public Services in Europe

Author: Hellmut Wollmann

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2010-01-01

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 1849807221

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The book is the first of its kind to provide a comparative analysis of the provision of social and public services in France, Italy, Germany, the UK and Norway. This volume, co-authored by leading national experts, topically examines whether, when, how and why the delivery of social and public services, which was historically a responsibility of local authorities, has been significantly shifted to marketized and commodified forms. However, despite this considerable change, there have been recent indications of remunicipalisation in some sectors. Combining both cross-country and cross-policy co.


Book Synopsis The Provision of Public Services in Europe by : Hellmut Wollmann

Download or read book The Provision of Public Services in Europe written by Hellmut Wollmann and published by Edward Elgar Publishing. This book was released on 2010-01-01 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book is the first of its kind to provide a comparative analysis of the provision of social and public services in France, Italy, Germany, the UK and Norway. This volume, co-authored by leading national experts, topically examines whether, when, how and why the delivery of social and public services, which was historically a responsibility of local authorities, has been significantly shifted to marketized and commodified forms. However, despite this considerable change, there have been recent indications of remunicipalisation in some sectors. Combining both cross-country and cross-policy co.


Fiscal Decentralization and the Efficiency of Public Service Delivery

Fiscal Decentralization and the Efficiency of Public Service Delivery

Author: Moussé Sow

Publisher: International Monetary Fund

Published: 2015-03-17

Total Pages: 30

ISBN-13: 1475564031

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This paper explores the impact of fiscal decentralization on the efficiency of public service delivery. It uses a stochastic frontier method to estimate time-varying efficiency coefficients and analyzes the impact of fiscal decentralization on those efficiency coefficients. The findings indicate that fiscal decentralization can improve the efficiency of public service delivery but only under specific conditions. First, the decentralization process requires adequate political and institutional environments. Second, a sufficient degree of expenditure decentralization seems necessary to obtain favorable outcomes. Third, decentralization of expenditure needs to be accompanied by sufficient decentralization of revenue. Absent those conditions, fiscal decentralization can worsen the efficiency of public service delivery.


Book Synopsis Fiscal Decentralization and the Efficiency of Public Service Delivery by : Moussé Sow

Download or read book Fiscal Decentralization and the Efficiency of Public Service Delivery written by Moussé Sow and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2015-03-17 with total page 30 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper explores the impact of fiscal decentralization on the efficiency of public service delivery. It uses a stochastic frontier method to estimate time-varying efficiency coefficients and analyzes the impact of fiscal decentralization on those efficiency coefficients. The findings indicate that fiscal decentralization can improve the efficiency of public service delivery but only under specific conditions. First, the decentralization process requires adequate political and institutional environments. Second, a sufficient degree of expenditure decentralization seems necessary to obtain favorable outcomes. Third, decentralization of expenditure needs to be accompanied by sufficient decentralization of revenue. Absent those conditions, fiscal decentralization can worsen the efficiency of public service delivery.


Decentralization and Service Delivery

Decentralization and Service Delivery

Author:

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 29

ISBN-13:

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Dissatisfied with centralized approaches to delivering local public services, a large number of countries are decentralizing responsibility for these services to lower-level, locally elected governments. The results have been mixed. The paper provides a framework for evaluating the benefits and costs, in terms of service delivery, of different approaches to decentralization, based on relationships of accountability between different actors in the delivery chain. Moving from a model of central provision to that of decentralization to local governments introduces a new relationship of accountability-between national and local policymakers-while altering existing relationships, such as that between citizens and elected politicians. Only by examining how these relationships change can we understand why decentralization can, and sometimes cannot, lead to better service delivery. In particular, the various instruments of decentralization-fiscal, administrative, regulatory, market, and financial-can affect the incentives facing service providers, even though they relate only to local policymakers. Likewise, and perhaps more significantly, the incentives facing local and national politicians can have a profound effect on the provision of local services. Finally, the process of implementing decentralization can be as important as the design of the system in influencing service delivery outcomes.


Book Synopsis Decentralization and Service Delivery by :

Download or read book Decentralization and Service Delivery written by and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2005 with total page 29 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dissatisfied with centralized approaches to delivering local public services, a large number of countries are decentralizing responsibility for these services to lower-level, locally elected governments. The results have been mixed. The paper provides a framework for evaluating the benefits and costs, in terms of service delivery, of different approaches to decentralization, based on relationships of accountability between different actors in the delivery chain. Moving from a model of central provision to that of decentralization to local governments introduces a new relationship of accountability-between national and local policymakers-while altering existing relationships, such as that between citizens and elected politicians. Only by examining how these relationships change can we understand why decentralization can, and sometimes cannot, lead to better service delivery. In particular, the various instruments of decentralization-fiscal, administrative, regulatory, market, and financial-can affect the incentives facing service providers, even though they relate only to local policymakers. Likewise, and perhaps more significantly, the incentives facing local and national politicians can have a profound effect on the provision of local services. Finally, the process of implementing decentralization can be as important as the design of the system in influencing service delivery outcomes.


Fiscal Decentralization

Fiscal Decentralization

Author: Peter Friedrich

Publisher:

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 9783830507208

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Book Synopsis Fiscal Decentralization by : Peter Friedrich

Download or read book Fiscal Decentralization written by Peter Friedrich and published by . This book was released on 2004 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


The Decentralization of Public Services

The Decentralization of Public Services

Author: Jacques Crémer

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 56

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis The Decentralization of Public Services by : Jacques Crémer

Download or read book The Decentralization of Public Services written by Jacques Crémer and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1994 with total page 56 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


Decentralization and Local Government Performance

Decentralization and Local Government Performance

Author: Jean-Paul Faguet

Publisher:

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13:

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This paper reviews some of the more important rationales for decentralization to date, examines their theoretical underpinning, and the goes on to describe the elements of a nwe theory of decentralization which might take us far in our understanding of its effectiveness and implications. Lastly and most importantly, we review a large amount of nwe data on the effects of decentralization in Bolivia. We find strong evidence that devolving resources and power to local government has (i) increased the allocative efficiency of the bolivian public sector, (ii) led to greater stability in cross-sectoral public investment patterns, (iii) led to more responsive, needs-oriented government locally than was ever achieved by the center, and (iv) very likely increased the cost-effectiveness of the public sector.


Book Synopsis Decentralization and Local Government Performance by : Jean-Paul Faguet

Download or read book Decentralization and Local Government Performance written by Jean-Paul Faguet and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper reviews some of the more important rationales for decentralization to date, examines their theoretical underpinning, and the goes on to describe the elements of a nwe theory of decentralization which might take us far in our understanding of its effectiveness and implications. Lastly and most importantly, we review a large amount of nwe data on the effects of decentralization in Bolivia. We find strong evidence that devolving resources and power to local government has (i) increased the allocative efficiency of the bolivian public sector, (ii) led to greater stability in cross-sectoral public investment patterns, (iii) led to more responsive, needs-oriented government locally than was ever achieved by the center, and (iv) very likely increased the cost-effectiveness of the public sector.


Dangers of Decentralization

Dangers of Decentralization

Author: Remy Prud'homme

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 43

ISBN-13:

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Demand for decentralization is strong in most parts of the world. This close look at the negative side effects of improperly appled decentralization is not an attack on decentralization but an effort to prevent its misapplication -- and to promote fuller understanding and wiser use of this potentially desirable policy.


Book Synopsis Dangers of Decentralization by : Remy Prud'homme

Download or read book Dangers of Decentralization written by Remy Prud'homme and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1994 with total page 43 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Demand for decentralization is strong in most parts of the world. This close look at the negative side effects of improperly appled decentralization is not an attack on decentralization but an effort to prevent its misapplication -- and to promote fuller understanding and wiser use of this potentially desirable policy.


Public Sector Decentralization

Public Sector Decentralization

Author: Jerry M. Silverman

Publisher: World Bank Publications

Published: 1992-01-01

Total Pages: 128

ISBN-13: 9780821322796

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This paper is addressed to a broad audience of development professionals who are interested in both the substance of decentralisation issues and their impact on economic development. The paper summarises experience with alternative decentralisation arrangements and suggests a new analytical framework for assessing the impact of such arrangements on the performance of economic development programmes and projects. Consideration of alternative forms of decentralisation reveals the need to clarify and establish priorities among economic and political objectives. The potential for conflict among multiple objectives and the need to assess decentralisation policies in terms of acceptable trade-offs among those objectives summarises the importance of this paper.


Book Synopsis Public Sector Decentralization by : Jerry M. Silverman

Download or read book Public Sector Decentralization written by Jerry M. Silverman and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 1992-01-01 with total page 128 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper is addressed to a broad audience of development professionals who are interested in both the substance of decentralisation issues and their impact on economic development. The paper summarises experience with alternative decentralisation arrangements and suggests a new analytical framework for assessing the impact of such arrangements on the performance of economic development programmes and projects. Consideration of alternative forms of decentralisation reveals the need to clarify and establish priorities among economic and political objectives. The potential for conflict among multiple objectives and the need to assess decentralisation policies in terms of acceptable trade-offs among those objectives summarises the importance of this paper.