Is a problem shared a problem halved? Shared services and municipal efficiency

It has long been argued that shared services represent an efficacious means of securing efficiencies for municipalities. Indeed, pressures from fiscal austerity, taxation limitations, and the specter of forced amalgamations have resulted in an increasing uptake of shared service arrangements. However, the extant evidence is rather inconclusive and is largely restricted to analyzing the nett efficiency outcomes for the specific service shared. We broaden this evidential base by examining the association between shared service production and the efficiency of entire municipalities. Our analysis, employing a 5‐year panel of data, suggests that shared services are associated with a statistically significant reduction in overall municipal efficiency. We conclude by explicating on the public policy implications arising from our prima facie surprising results.     

底线思维的应用原则、实践图景和方法体系

从方法论维度尝试深化底线思维研究的相关探索,探讨在底线思维应用过程中需要遵循的主体性、历史性、能动性等基本原则;从单维和多维的角度描绘底线思维实践的逻辑图景;从基本路径、积极防御、最佳结果等三个层面讨论底线思维的方法体系。     

道路·体系·制度:中国共产党人对社会主义的伟大贡献

胡锦涛在“七一”重要讲话中归结了90年来所取得的三大成就:中国特色社会主义道路、中国特色社会主义理论体系以及中国特色社会主义制度,以上三者的统一是对中国特色社会主义的科学定位.中国特色社会主义道路是社会主义运动和人类现代化进程中的伟大创新,中国特色社会主义理论体系是与中国革命和建设内在逻辑相一致的理论指南,中国特色社会主义制度是当代中国发展进步的根本保证.     

投资条约仲裁制度改革的中国选择

投资条约仲裁制度有利于投资者保护,但其也存在易于导致东道国与投资者权益保护失衡等问题。中国应顺应国际上的改革大势和潮流,从实体规则和程序规则两个方面对投资条约仲裁制度进行改革,采取包括维护东道国的管理权、缩减仲裁庭自由解释条约的空间以及加强缔约国对条约解释的控制权等措施,以确保其能平衡保护投资者与东道国的权益。欧盟倡导的投资法院制度虽然对争端当事人的意思自治有一定的限制,但是能纠正投资条约仲裁制度的某些重要缺陷,中国可考虑在与欧盟的双边投资协定谈判中探索接受并改进这一制度的可能性。     

Voter responses to refugee arrivals: Effects of settlement policy

In this paper we leverage a sudden shift in refugee settlement policy to study the electoral consequences of refugee settlements. After the 2013 Norwegian parliamentary election, the newly elected right-wing government made a concerted effort to spread newly arrived immigrants across the country, with the consequence that some municipalities with limited experience in settling refugees accepted to do so. We propose that such policy changes have political consequences, increasing the salience of immigration issues and shifting voters’ preferences to the right. We further propose that successful refugee integration can move (parts of) the electorate to the left, with stronger political polarization as a possible effect of the policy change. Applying difference-in-differences techniques, we find no evidence of unidirectional shifts in voter sentiments, but support for the hypothesis of stronger political polarization.     

中国行政法学理论体系之重构——以行政指导的发展为视角

以强制性行政行为为主导是我国现行行政法的主要内容.社会主义市场经济以及民主政治的发展与进步已导致行政法理念由控权论向平衡论转变,以非强制的行政指导为主导将成为中国行政法的未来发展方向,这与现行行政法学理论体系存在诸多冲突.为此,必须重构中国行政法学的理论体系:重新定位行政行为的性质、重新构建非强制行政行为的合法性标准、行政救济的受案范围以及行政法律责任体系.     

整体推进惩治和预防腐败体系建设研究——以吉林省为例

惩治和预防腐败体系是由反腐倡廉若干事物和要素相互联系有机构成的统一整体。惩治和预防腐败体系的最大特点是惩防并举,注重预防。吉林省惩防体系建设取得了重大的成绩,同时也存在着一定的问题,这需要进一步加强惩防体系建设。     

Institutional Arrangements and State and Local Financial Forecasting

Abstract

The articles in this symposium present various consequences that effectively result in changes from adopted budgets during the implementation phase, which derive from institutional structure. The institutional structures referred to include such attributes as internal policy, procedural methodology, longevity in office, and reward and incentive systems related to performance outcomes

For local governments, structural influences studied include changes in leadership in the executive and legislative branches, longevity in office of budget administrators, and differences related to mayor-council vs. council-manager forms of government. Internal policies reported on cover methodology used to forecast revenues such as quantitative methods versus informed judgment, budgetary controls and spending policy related to mandated spending beyond local government control, and procedures for benchmarking within the agency as well as with peer groups and professional standards.

Consortia of governments are referenced regarding performance evaluation as is the process for gaining consensus between the executive and legislative branches, including expert outside opinion. Other influences on performance outcomes reported on are those tied to the risk-reward system built in to the institutional structure, which includes risk tolerance of the individuals who make pension fund investments.     

经济发达镇行政管理体制改革的思考

随着我国城镇化进程的快速推进,部分乡镇迅速发展成为经济发达镇,但传统的乡镇行政管理体制使经济发达镇长期处于责任大、权力小、功能弱、效率低的艰难境地,严重制约了经济发达镇自身的建设、发展和管理。本文在总结经济发达镇的基本特征的基础上,分析了经济发达镇的行政管理体制中目前存在的主要问题,并根据广东、浙江、山东等地在推进经济发达镇行政管理体制改革中的实践经验,对我国经济发达镇的行政管理体制改革提出相关对策建议。