Accountability and Entrepreneurial Public Management: The Case of the Orange County Investment Fund

This article presents a conceptual framework that illustrates four distinct types of accountability environments facing public managers. The framework is used as a heuristic tool to examine the broad facts and contexts surrounding the bankruptcy of the Orange County, California investment pool. The framework also suggests management philosophies and strategies that are appropriate for each type of accountability environment.     

The Needs and Financial Problems of Small and Rural Localities: The Case of West Virginia

The areas of Public Finance and Financial Management present potential problems for small and rural local governments. Responses from a survey of West Virginia local public officials were used to examine the severity of these two issues. Both issues were thought to be of equal importance Instead, the findings showed that Public Finance issues rated very high while Financial Management issues rated very low. Potential influences, such as type of locality, professionalism, and metropolitan area status, fail to explain the differences. Thus, it is concluded that for small and rural localities, Public Finance issues are more important than Financial Management issues     

Revolving Fund Finance: The Case of Wastewater Treatment

This article examines the general topic of revolving fund finance by looking at the specific case of wastewater treatment. The analysis that follows focuses on the organization and administration of the fund to see what types of benefits are generated for the future rather than the present.     

Implementing Change on the Front Lines: A Management Case Study of West Feliciana Parish Hospital

In the policy implementation field, theorists are challenged to develop stepwise frameworks that facilitate the implementation of public policy. This case studies the implementation of a Medicare charity care policy in a small rural hospital using the top-down implementation framework. It offers an overview of top-down implementation theory and a discussion of top-down research findings as they relate to the real implementation experiences of hospital administrators. The case presents six recommendations for the effective implementation of a new policy on the front lines.     

中国西部农村"教育反贫困"战略研究

中国西部贫困地区是中国农村贫困地区反贫困战略的重点和难点地区.针对以往我国反贫困战略的缺陷与不足和中国西部农村贫困的发生机制,要完成反贫困的战略任务必须进行反贫困的制度创新.西部"教育反贫困"战略实施的内容包括"教育反贫困"战略的指导思想、奋斗目标、阶段、重点和难点、措施等一揽子方案.     

Managerial Necessity and the Art of Creating Surpluses: The Budget-Execution Process in West Virginia Cities

Budget execution traditionally has been defined as a straightforward process of implementing the budget as approved. Research into the process has been limited, particularly with regard to local government budgets. This article examines the rebudgeting process using a case study of 15 West Virginia cities. Rebudgeting displayed a consistent pattern for the various budget categories—personnel, contracts, commodities, capital, and contributions—closely resembling the "increase-then-decrease" pattern seen in the overall budget. Empirical data on budgetary adjustments and structured interviews with city finance officials helped to describe budget changes and explain probable causes and effects of behavior during budget execution for these smaller cities. Budget changes were found to be the result of managerial necessity and the exercise of discretion to generate and distribute surpluses.     

地方政府或有隐性负债问题研究--以农村合作基金会为例

20世纪的80年代末到90年代初,我国农村合作基金会经历了从兴起、发展到衰败的全过程.尽管农村合作基金会作为一种非正规金融组织从形式上已经消失,但随着时间的推移,由此而引发的地方政府或有隐性负债及财政风险问题却愈加突出.通过详述农基会的发展历史,分析了农村合作基金会及其债务形成的主要原因,并根据汉娜的"政府风险矩阵"理论分析农村合作基金会及其债务对地方政府及其财政带来的影响,进而提出增强地方政府财政风险意识、减少非理性行政干预和推动农村金融体制改革的建议.     

参与式预算的公共投资效率意义——以浙江温岭市泽国镇为例

主要的论题是政府在公共预算制定过程中,通过怎样的机制实现公共投资效率的最大化.采用了规范研究与实证案例研究相结合的研究方法.研究表明,公共投资效率的涵义是公共投入为相关民众带来福利的最大改进,其规范性制度意义是相关民众就公共预算方案达成一致同意.研究指出,实现公共投资效率的核心问题是居民偏好的有效表达与偏好的集结;基于偏好表达与偏好集结的不可能性困境,在居民偏好给定的情况下,通过居民参与公共预算方案的讨论与协商,居民的偏好能够有效表达,并在协商过程中理性地、非强制地改变自己的偏好,进而就公共决策达成一致同意.浙江省温岭市泽国镇实施的参与式公共预算模式,有效解决了公共投资决策中的偏好表达与偏好集结的问题,促进了公共投资效率的实现,在基层公共预算制度改革中具有普遍意义.居民在公共预算制定过程中的协商参与,不仅使得政府公共决策具有了政治上的合法性,公共决策满足了民众需求,更重要的是促进了公共投资效率的实现.     

论物业弃管个案折射出的法治进步

通过一起业主对小区物业去留的公决个案,阐述了改革开放以来公民的法治观念日益增强,法治理念深入人心。表明我国社会主义法制建设日臻完善,法治已成为治国理政的基本方式。我国人民的法治观念将进一步增强,国家的民主法治建设将进一步完备。     

区域产业适度投资规模的测度:以东北三省为例

面对当前以扩张投资促进经济增长的政策形势,研究区域性投资拉动产业增长的适度性规模具有显著的现实意义和研究价值.东北三省具有相似的产业特色、政策偏好,应当在投资导向中作出整体性研究.从"产业固定资产投资率"和"产业固定资产适度投资率"概念出发,依托产业产值的合理增长率确定产业的适度投资规模,这种方法较之于实际投资规模作出评析,为产业适度投资规模的预测提供了一种新的研究思路.     

行政补偿的法律性质探究

要想对行政补偿制度进行深入研究,则必须对行政补偿的性质进行深刻剖析。行政补偿本身的属性不是责任。它在行政主体主动实施积极合法的行政行为的情形下,是行政主体为实现公共利益而实施的公法上一种法定的义务,在行政相对人主动实施无因管理行为的情形下,又是行政主体一种补救性具体行政行为。     

西部开发：加强环境法治建设和道德建设

环境是人类赖以生存和发展的基础 ,一般说来 ,包括社会环境和自然环境。所谓社会环境是指人们为了生存 ,在劳动生产中相互形成的社会关系。所谓自然环境是指存在于人类社会周围的客观物质世界。随着人类社会的不断进步和发展 ,生产力水平的不断提高 ,人们对自然环境本质的认识越来越深刻 ,对休养生息人群的自然环境的质量要求越来越高 ,要想使人与自然达到真正意义上的和谐 ,还必须要有健全的法律和道德来维护。人既是环境的产物 ,同时也是环境的改造者和索取者。在实施西部大开发的重大战略过程中 ,如果不处理好开发与环境保护的关系 ,不在…     

英国政治的欧洲化:以欧洲政策制定为例

英国自加入欧共体伊始,其国内的政治体系就不可避免地受到欧洲一体化进程的影响.以英国欧洲政策制定过程为例,白厅、内阁、议会在机构设置上出现的变化以及政策制定者偏好的变化都说明英国政治欧洲化的趋势不可逆转,但其进程取决于有关各方利益的平衡,取决于政策制定者身份认同的转变,取决于英国能否变被动为主动,积极参与并影响欧盟政治进程.     

让祛魅的世界再着魅——上海团购网的案例

近些年,团购的出现改变了中国城市购物和消费形式的总体图景。越来越多的都市居民(以年轻白领为主)在网络媒体公司组织下,参加砍价师与供应商的集体砍价活动,获得比一般市场零售更优惠的价格和服务。基于实地研究和问卷调查,本文认为,团购是一种新的消费形式,但其内涵不同于西方消费者社会中流行的、意义消极的"新的消费形式"。赶集、集体砍价活动等显示出消费者参与、多方互动、个性化的特征,重新赋予"祛魅"的消费实践以魅力。团购不同于单位制下的集体主义,也有别于日本和法国的消费者运动,消费者更多的是在网络传媒等商业公司组织下"多快好省"地满足自身需求的相对弱者。团购中人际合作与信任的形成,对民间组织、公民互助合作、民间自治的积极推动,目前尚不明晰。理解和认识团购需要综合新的"消费的社会形式"的视角。     

社会保障资源安排中的逻辑与政治——以华北一个村庄为例

采用"质的研究"方式,对社会转型期华北一个村庄内各种保障或救济性质的资源安排进行了微观分析。相对于宏观政策层面的简单与明晰,正式的社会保障资源在农村社区的分配与利用过程中的功能、内容和形式都更为丰富,如作为消解其他政策和项目所带来的负面影响的工具,或演变为被争夺的竞争性经济资源,或将动态的保障制度异化为长期的养老保障,或作为维稳和社区治理的一种政策性工具等;这些变异一方面有悖政策初衷,使得政策目标发生偏离,另一方面也可能侵蚀社会公正。因此,社会保障政策制定与执行过程中需要充分考虑农村社区复杂而多元的现实,更具规范性、透明性和参与性,这也要求建立起更为健全的农村社会保障体系以及相应的监测与评估机制,厘清社会保障与社会治理的关系,尽可能避免进入政策资源异化与资源补偿型维稳的怪圈。与此同时,非正式的保障资源或社区内部的某些安排则在一定程度上弥补了正式的政策性资源的缺位或短缺,而如何将正式的保障政策资源与社区的、社会的力量有效结合起来是有待进一步研究的课题。     

The Boomerang Effect: A Case Study of the Murray‐Darling Basin Plan

In the period from 1997 to 2009 Australia experienced a severe drought, which significantly affected the Murray‐Darling Basin. The drought has broken but state governments are still in conflict over water allocations. The establishment of the Murray‐Darling Basin Authority (MDBA) in 2007 was intended to address these issues but the management of the Basin remains complicated by constitutional ambiguity. This paper addresses the question of whether it is possible to implement effective policies for the health of the Murray‐Darling Basin without the present danger of a drought. We suggest that the MDBA has encountered what Beck refers to as the ‘boomerang effect’. The MDBA's plans seem to have produced new challenges and the Authority might find the Basin is exposed to risks it has created.     

Surplus Expenditures: A Case Study of Colorado

In this study the concept of surplus expenditures is introduced, and a theory of surplus expenditures is explored. The study examines the disposition of surplus revenues that emerged from the imposition of a binding tax and spending limit in Colorado. The study concludes that the accumulation of surplus revenue requires a major overhaul of budgetary reporting and decision making to reflect the impact of binding tax and spending limits on the budgetary process. The reporting recommendations are designed to make the budget more transparent and provide both taxpayers and legislators the information they need to make more rational decisions. The policy recommendations explore options for a more efficient and equitable disposition of surplus revenue.