Is cooperation cost reducing? An analysis of public–public partnerships and inter-municipal cooperation in Brazilian local government

ABSTRACT

In local government systems worldwide, financial pressures have obliged local authorities to focus on cost-efficient methods for providing local services, including inter-municipal agreements and public–public partnerships. However, in comparison with municipal mergers, privatisation and other approaches to the problem, the cost impact of the cooperative provision has not yet been thoroughly examined empirically. Moreover, available empirical research has largely concentrated on waste disposal in developed countries. The present paper seeks to contribute to the empirical literature on inter-municipal agreements and public–public partnerships by comparing their impact on costs with ‘stand-alone’ provision in a range of non-waste local services. In contrast to the bulk of existing studies, our analysis takes place in a developing country context by examining Brazilian local government over the period 2013/15. We found that – on the whole – cooperative provision is less expensive than the ‘stand-alone’ provision for the services studied. Our results can be explained by the size and composition of the population, together with the politics for cooperation.     

Local government projectification in practice – a multiple institutional logic perspective

ABSTRACT

During the last couple of decades, we have witnessed a proliferation of the project as an organizational solution in sectors as diverse as IT, housing, social services, education and culture. Despite a growing interest in the phenomenon, we know surprisingly little of how processes of public sector projectification unfold in practice, especially at local government level. This article uses an institutional logic perspective to illustrate and argue that public sector projectification can be understood and conceptualized as the enactment of multiple, co-existing institutional logics, but where one particular logic is of growing importance – the project logic. It is argued that even though the project form is often perceived as more flexible than that of the bureaucracy, the practical outcome seldom represents a radical break with traditional, bureaucratic management models. Rather, it appears to aid a rediscovery and reuse of central bureaucratic practices and procedures such as reporting, documentation and standardization.     

地方政府执行力问题探析

政府执行力是维系一个政府机构生存和发展的决定性力量。提高政府执行力,是加强执政能力建设,推动政府工作落实,实践和落实科学发展观的重要保证。     

我国网络文明建设面临的挑战及对策

计算机互联网的延生,改变了人们的生产和生活方式,也在思想文化领域产生了重大而深远的影响。同时,信息网络的发展,也带来了一些网络社会问题,使网络文明面临严峻的挑战。因此,规范网民文明上网,增强网民的网络道德意识,建设网络文明,理应成为我国公民道德建设的一项重要内容。     

立足山区实际 促进英德经济社会协调发展

要促进粤北英德地区的经济社会协调进步,就要立足山区实际,确立切实可行的发展思路,因地制宜地制定发展政策;重点解决"三农"问题;实施工业化发展战略;积极发展文化、旅游产业和科技教育事业;深化行政体制改革,开发山区领导人才资源。     

从"四个文明"建设入手促进人的全面发展

按照江泽民关于实现人的全面发展的基本思路,就是要贯彻"三个代表"的要求,努力建设社会主义物质文明、政治文明、精神文明,还有生态文明,促进人的全面发展.     

从社会主义历史实践看“三个代表“重要思想

"三个代表"是科学社会主义理论创新的必然结果,来自全球社会主义历史实践的正反经验,是中国共产党在世界经济全球化和中国社会主义现代性经济社会结构转型背景下,向全体人民作出的领导建设中国特色社会主义伟大事业的执政承诺.中国共产党兑现这一执政承诺的主要途径是在意识形态意义上引导全体人民建立一种对小康社会目标的合理社会预期,同时把先进生产力、先进文化和人民根本利益以党的路线、方针、政策和制度形式展现在中国特色社会主义的经济、文化和政治文明建设实践之中.     

中国特色社会主义的再认识——从“五种社会形态说”的突破与创新谈起

五种社会形态说把马克思的相关论述不当地扩大了适用范围和理论外延,并作为理论公式被机械地套用。这样不仅无法解释大量历史现象,而且也造成了理论上的混乱。文明类型学说是对它的突破和创新:扩展了考察视野,转换了理论视角,变单线发展为多线互动,纠正了传统社会发展理论机械论的倾向,使马克思主义关于社会形态和社会发展的理论更加符合实际,更加具有解释力。文明类型学说对于认识世界社会主义运动实践、特别是中国特色社会主义具有重要的理论意义。