Innovating Public Service Delivery in Transitional Countries: The Case of One Stop Shops in Kazakhstan

This article analyses the implementation of managerial ideas in Kazakhstan using the case of a combined public service delivery called “One Stop Shops”. Several public services are provided in a single building rather than different government offices in a business-like style of service delivery and in a modern physical environment. The service integration policy is an attempt of Kazakhstani government to improve the quality of public services and reduce corruption. Some positive progress in improving the accessibility of public services has been noted. However, as this article argues, the country-specific model of “alternative-access” service delivery was not able to implement in-depth changes in the work of the public sector and improve service quality. Implementation of the managerial ideas has been limited and constrained by the institutional framework and culture prevailing in the Kazakhstani bureaucracy. The main conclusion is that the governments of transitional countries need to critically analyze the pros and cons of the new policies and reflect on their cultures before making further steps to adopt Western managerial initiatives.     

Assessing Revenue Authority Performance in Developing Countries: A Synthetic Control Approach

In many developing countries, comprehensive reforms have been undertaken in tax administration during recent years and the implementation of semiautonomous revenue authorities (SARAs) constitutes one of their most visible expressions. To date, no comprehensive assessment has been undertaken to investigate how successful these SARAs have been in improving revenue collection in these countries. Therefore, this article attempts to fill this gap by assessing revenue collection trends in 20 developing countries after the SARA has been implemented. Using the synthetic control method, we show that in most countries, the implementation of a SARA did not significantly improve government revenues.     

中国在东南亚的国家角色构建及面临的角色冲突

根据角色理论,一国国家角色的构建需要在当前国际体系的背景下,通过内部定位与外部预期的互动才能得以实现。在互动的过程中,定位与预期往往会出现偏差,从而导致角色冲突的出现。角色冲突是国家角色构建过程中不可避免的现象,而中国在东南亚的国家角色构建正面临着不同程度的角色冲突,这些冲突不仅为中国推进周边外交带来挑战,也为与东盟国家共建“一带一路”和“命运共同体”带来一些阻碍。鉴于引发角色冲突的原因不仅涉及中国自身角色定位与东盟国家的传统认知思维,还受到来自域外守成国的影响,因此缓解角色冲突需构建一套完善自身角色、照顾他者情绪且能应对“不怀好意”冲击的“组合拳”。     

东北地区与周边国家经贸合作

东北地区与周边国家经贸合作在东北三省进出口贸易合作中占有重要地位,日韩一直是东北地区外资的主要来源国,而黑龙江省在东北地区对周边国家投资中地位比较突出.但同时,也存在着东北地区与周边国家贸易合作对该地区GDP拉动作用不明显、东北三省与周边国经贸合作发展不均衡、东北地区的对外投资水平较低的问题.在东北振兴、俄罗斯东部开发战略、中日韩自由贸易区步伐有所加快的背景下,东北地区与周边国家经贸合作将得到深化.     

摭采探析国外性别平等教育发展概况

摭采探析国外在性别平等教育方面的法律法规建立与教育行政管理，教育中的性别平等问题学术研究，社会性别意识教育的学科、课程研究与建设以及教师教育概况，发挥女性组织的助推作用，凸显女子高校的特色示范作用等方面积累的丰富经验，将有助于探索在国内进行性别平等教育的实践范式，以在学校领域推动我国当前的性别平等教育、推进教育公平和落实男女平等基本国策。     

共产党执政规律史鉴

认真总结东欧各国共产党的经验教训,对我党更好地掌握共产党的执政规律,在改革开放的新形势下,按照“三个代表”重要思想的要求,加强中国共产党的建设,把党建设好,巩固执政地位有极为重要的意义。     

西方国家工会集体谈判经验研究--兼论对我国工会的启示

集体协商是当今世界各市场经济国家普遍推行的协调劳动关系的一项劳动法律制度.在近百年的历史演进中,西方各国工会在推进该项制度的实践中,创造并积累了不少可贵经验.在我国建立和发展社会主义市场经济体制的今天,结合我国的实际,并借鉴西方工会的有关经验,以改进我国集体协商的运作,应是当前我们的一项明智的历史选择.     

西方自由主义的两种政治传统

自由主义是西方国家的主流政治思潮。自由主义源于西方两种政治传统,即英美政治传统和欧洲大陆政治传统。两种政治传统尽管都形成于资产阶级革命时期,但无论是在理论内容上还是在政治形态上,二者都存在着显著的差异。自由主义的发展演变,始终体现着两种政治传统的精髓。两种政治传统在历史长河中显现的对立与融合,不仅促进了自由主义政治思想的发展,也在此基础上影响并形成了政治制度架构的理论。     

Making the investment provisions of the Energy Charter Treaty sustainable development friendly

The International Energy Agency estimates that $16 trillion of investment will be needed to meet world energy requirements from 2003 to 2030. The world's poorest countries, where some of the fastest rates of increase in energy production are expected, will require a significant portion of this investment. Energy investment, both as a source of foreign exchange and to expand local access to electricity and other forms of energy, is integral to socioeconomic development. It is reasonable to expect that this anticipated investment will witness a significant number of disputes between investors and host governments. A fair and just dispute settlement system can help promote the needed investment and sustainable development. The Energy Charter Treaty (ECT) takes a comprehensive approach to the international energy sector, including coverage of trade, transit, competition and the environment, but its investment provisions have proven most significant with three international arbitral tribunals having issued decisions under the treaty and more disputes pending. While much of the ECT's effort has been to bridge the former East–West economic divide, the Treaty's scope of application is potentially worldwide, and given the inextricable link between energy, development and the environment it makes sense that the Treaty process forge a developing-country regime, one that promotes the development of energy resources and sustainable development. Drawing upon the work of Konrad von Moltke and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) and in light of tribunal decisions to date, this essay maintains, inter alia, that the ECT should impose basic transparency and good faith requirements on investors and create a special developing-country regime, promoting sustainable development.

冲突后国家警察改革与民众安全治理 ——以联合国维和行动为视角

武装冲突刚刚结束后的国家容易出现安全缺口，普通民众依然面临着诸多安全威胁，主要有前战斗人员和缺乏管控的武器、不断上升的犯罪率、与选举相关的暴力及针对妇女儿童的犯罪等。此时，国家尚缺乏有效的国内治安治理机制和能力，警察机构亟须改革乃至重建。当今联合国维和行动越来越注重协助冲突后国家警察部门的改革与能力建设。改革应力求标本兼治，既缓解冲突后民众安全需求的燃眉之急，又注重警察部门中、长期的机构建设和发展。改革应以民众的安全为首要目标，重点是警察民主警务观念及技能的培养、组织架构及管理机制的建立，尤其是内部监督机制的建立与有效执行。此外，还应注意本土化问题。改革在实施过程中存在诸多挑战，如当地警力资源的匮乏、警察的公共形象差、民众的弱势地位、国际援助部门之间缺乏协调等。该文亦对增强冲突后国家警察队伍能力建设及民众保护问题提出了若干建议。