Governance of the Amman water utility

In 1993 the World Bank assisted the Ministry of Water and Irrigation of Jordan in updating a review of the water sector, and thus began the process of Private Sector Participation (PSP) in service provision to improve the efficiency of the water sector and wastewater services. In this article, the privatisation of water and wastewater services is examined from the perspectives of stakeholders (input) and consumers (output). The goal is to assess the changes that have been taking place to date in relation to the principles of good governance. The results from interviews with stakeholders and from consumer questionnaires show that the privatisation process has to date shown only a few signs of ‘good’ governance. Despite the range of stakeholders involved, the state remains responsible for designing a good-governance approach that is responsive to the concerns and interests of all stakeholders.     

公共治理转型：整体主义复兴

自现代国家建立以来,历经了两次公共治理转型,即公共行政模式与公共管理模式.两种模式所留下的部门化、碎片化直接刺激了整体性公共治理兴起.整体性公共治理重新强调协调与整合,探索提供一体化、快捷公共服务的流程设计,主张将国内问题与国际问题合并思考和追求统一的解决方案.整体性公共治理理论是对公共管理时期的个体主义思维的反动,复兴了整体主义研究方法.     

试论当前县级执政能力建设的问题、原因及对策

县级政权在执政能力建设中存在一些亟待解决的问题 ,表现为 :执政能力建设比较薄弱 ;县级党委权力过分集中 ,等等。主要原因在于 :干部思想认识不到位 ;有关体制、机制不健全等方面。加强县级政权执政能力建设的对策包括 :提高干部的素质、健全和完善领导体制和工作机制。     

An epidemic of illicit fentanyl deaths in Cook County, Illinois: September 2005 through April 2007

Between September 2005 and April 2007, 350 fentanyl intoxication deaths were investigated and certified by the Cook County Medical Examiners Office. Investigations revealed that the majority of these fatalities were by intravenous injection of a white powder followed by a rapid collapse. The fentanyl was clandestinely produced in a lab in Toluca, Mexico and sold by the Mickey Cobra street gang. The term "Drop Dead" was coined for this "tainted heroin." Postmortem samples were screened by ELISA and confirmed by standard GC-MS methods. Fentanyl fatalities peaked at 47 per month in May and June 2006. Fifty-two percent were single fentanyl intoxications, with the remainder accompanied by either cocaine, morphine from heroin, or alcohol. This epidemic stressed the limited resources of the toxicology laboratory and autopsy service of the Medical Examiners Office. The clandestine lab was terminated, distributing gang members and leaders arrested, and the epidemic ceased in April 2007.     

Global principles for sustainable biofuel production and trade

This article examines international attempts to regulate the production of and trade in biofuels by establishing criteria and indicators and certification schemes. It focuses on the norms underlying the criteria and the community constructed on the basis of them. The theoretical approach here rests on a discussion of these norms and on their constitutive role. This role creates a community and gives an institutional basis for the global public domain. Accordingly, different norms create the network on which environmental governance is based. It is assumed that commonly accepted criteria form a common norm. The article analyses eleven criteria and indicator systems and compares the criteria adopted. Eight were created for biofuels and bioenergy and three are used in forest certification. Comparison reveals that the criterion aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is used in Northern systems, whereas commonly accepted environmental criteria are biodiversity and minimization of pollution. The web of norms on which biofuel production and trade is based comprises environmental norms together with the general norm of sovereignty and the norms of the market economy.

权责调整视角下的政府层级改革趋向——以地级行政建制的演变为例

省管县的讨论是中国政府层级体制改革的一个直观体现,地级市建制演变的历程和政府职能变革的历程联系在一起,中国政府正由政治统治型政府向经济管理型,再向公共服务型政府发展。政府职责权限调整与层级改革的内在关联就在于通过对政府、市场和社会三者之间关系的认识推进政府公共服务改革,提升政府能力。现阶段职责权限调整,也就落脚于转变政府职能,调整政府与市场、企业和社会的关系,强化政府社会管理和公共服务职能成了政府的改革方向。层级改革的指导原则,需要考虑政府及其组成成员、民众、施政环境以及利益集团等因素。     

当前形势下加快发展县域民营经济的对策建议——对宁津县民营经济的调查与思考

重视并大力扶持民营经济的发展,充分发挥民营经济在国民经济中的重要作用,已成为各级党委和政府的共识,特别是在县域地区,研究和探讨民营经济的发展问题,更具有积极意义。以宁津县为例,从研究当地的民营经济发展的历史入手,着眼全县当前民营经济发展实际,深入剖析县域民营经济在发展中存在的问题,并粗浅地提出加快县域民营经济发展的对策。     

试论对新公共管理的批评及其替代模式

文章从实践和理论出发 ,在归纳新公共管理主要内容的基础上 ,总结对新公共管理在理论基础、价值追求、公私差异、具体政策等方面的批评。而“治理”和“善治”理论 ,在学科基础、价值选择、公私部门关系、运行机制等方面能够纠正新公共管理的偏颇 ,补充其不足 ,可以成为新公共管理的替代模式     

社会治理与法治

法治是社会治理的一种,社会治理是人在认识自然的规律和人的本性的基础上调整人与自然、人与人的关系,并建立和维持秩序的过程。从民主的观点来看,社会治理的最高治权应当归于人民全体。执政者所掌握的只是使用权,因此他们对社会的治理不是一种统治,而是一种管理。好的社会治理称之为善治,而法治就是一种理想的善治。     

当代西方公共管理前沿理论述评

公共管理作为一门综合性的学科,其前沿理论五花八门,但其中比较宏观和有持续影响力的当属20世纪年70代末和80年代初兴起、到现在还在继续的长达二十多年的政府改革思潮.这一思潮的主要理论基础是20世纪60年代出现的公共选择学派.新公共管理、新公共行政/服务以及治理等前沿理论都与公共选择理论有着密切的关系,是公共选择理论的发展或是在批判公共选择学派的过程中形成的理论.这几个理论相关又不尽相同,与西方思想界都有着十分深厚的渊源,反映着不同思想阵营和不同理论之间的博弈,并没有达到能够相互替代的程度.它们的风行在中国的公共管理学界也引起了层层涟漪和概念上的混淆.从西方公共管理改革实践的历史背景出发,重点就这四大理论的特点、渊源和理论效度进行综述和评论,并讨论了它们对中国公共管理发展的启示.