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Bama, Mathias Che. "Comparison of local government structure in Cameroon and the United States of America (Pennsylvania)." Instructions for remote access. Click here to access this electronic resource. Access available to Kutztown University faculty, staff, and students only, 1992. http://www.kutztown.edu/library/services/remote_access.asp.
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Connelly, John. "The structure and nature of English local government, 1834-2004." Thesis, Southampton Solent University, 2007. http://ssudl.solent.ac.uk/575/.
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In a drive to make local government as interesting and popular as generations of Westminster's politicians have believed it ought to be, the reform of local government as become as English an obsession as the weather. Throughout the 20th century a range of subjective criteria have been developed to justify reorganisations of local government, along with increasingly complex models of how subjective measures can be used to justify change. The complex and time-consuming procedures that characterised the 1929 'review' of local government were compounded by a layer of additional complexity in the, eventually abandoned, review of 1945. By then the development of urban spatial planning as a discipline had given policy makers a renewed optimism in their ability to effect scientific change, and the complexity of post war local government reorganisation increased incrementally. The Government in 1992 and again in 2003, avoided the question of identifying what the purpose of local government was, and establishing cross-party consensus on how it might be established. Instead, local administration has become synonymous with local democracy, whilst being referred to under a generic title of 'local government'. Proposals to reform one have created concerns regarding the future of the other. This confusion, along with a general lack of interest by the general public has led to a scenario where government ministers have become defenders of the status quo, or champions of change, but rarely informed arbitors of reform. With the benefit of 170 years of evidence to draw from, objectives that stood little chance of success remain stated outcomes of local government reform. It will be shown that fanciful claims have not been consigned into the dustbin of history, but have incrementally produced heirs.
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Shi, Silu. "Les structures administratives territoriales de l'Etat en Chine." Thesis, Paris 1, 2017. http://www.theses.fr/2017PA01D053.
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Dans l’image traditionnelle, la Chine est un État unitaire typiquement centralisé. Un tel concept, même à l’ère de Mao Zedong, n’est pas très précis, car à l’époque, la Chine a quand-même connu au moins trois cycles de déconcentration/centralisation. Alors, après la réforme d’«ouverture vers l’extérieur» par Deng Xiaoping, la Chine a établi des relations contrastées entre le central et le local. Deng Xiaoping a adopté une décentralisation des compétences par les mesures administratives et transfère les « intérêts » à l’échelon local, ce qui induit une grande latitude pour ce dernier, en particulier, en matière de développement de l’économie. Ainsi, une décentralisation non institutionnalisée a conduit l’échelon local à devenir de facto une entité administrative qui maîtrise les ressources et les compétences au nom de l’État, plutôt qu’obéissant aveuglément au central. Derrière ce changement, on voit l’émergence et la force motrice des intérêts locaux, avec une décentralisation approfondie, les gouvernements locaux ont reçu beaucoup plus de pouvoirs discrétionnaires, surtout pour ce qui concerne les affaires locales, et en même temps, à travers la maîtrise des ressources et des pouvoirs, les gouvernements locaux possèdent les «jetons» dans la négociation avec le gouvernement central, ayant pour objet et effet d’exprimer les intérêts locaux et d’influencer les décisions du central. Pour maintenir sa primauté, le gouvernement central a adopté une centralisation sélective pour faire face à cette décentralisation de facto afin d’arriver à un équilibre entre le central et le local. Cependant, une décentralisation non institutionnalisée, principalement à travers les négociations pour atteindre un équilibre entre les deux précédents, semble une approche qui n’est toujours pas stable, de telle sorte que la recherche d’une normativité des relations entre le central et le local est devenue un objectif à long termeIn the traditional image, China is a typically centralized unitary country, such a concept, even in the era of Mao Zedong, is not very precise, because at that time, China has even experienced at least three cycles of decentralisation/centralisation. So, through the reform and open by Deng Xiaoping, China has formed contrasting relations between central and local. Deng Xiaoping has adopted decentralization through administrative measures to decentralize the power and transfer “interests” to the local government, so that, the local government has a major initiative, in particular, in the development of the economy. Thus, the non-institutional decentralization leads the local government to become de facto an administrative entity which controls resources and power in the name of the central government. So the local government is not just obeying the central government like before. Behind this change is the emergence and the driving force of local interests. With a deep decentralization, the local governments have received much more discretionary power, especially in the local affairs and at the same time, through the control of resources and powers, the local governments have the “bargain chip” to negotiate with the central government, so that they could express local interests and influence the decisions of the central government. In order to maintain central authority, the central government has adopted a selective centralization for this de facto centralization, so as to achieve a balance between the central government and the local government. However, the non-institutional decentralization mainly through negotiation to achieve a balance between the two preceding ones, seems to be an approach that is still not stable, so that the search for a normativity of relations between central and local has become a long-term goal
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Laerhoven, Frank van. "Local governance and the challenge of solving collective action dilemmas." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2008. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3342205.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, School of Public Environmental Affairs and Political Science, 2008.Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Oct. 5, 2009). Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-02, Section: A, page: 0685. Adviser: Elinor Ostrom.
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Foster, John M. "Voter Ideology, Tax Exporting, and State and Local Tax Structure." UKnowledge, 2012. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/msppa_etds/2.
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State and local governments play an important role in financing and delivering public services in the United States. In 2008, state and local governments collected 57 percent of total federal, state, and local revenue (Urban Institute and Brookings Institution, Tax Policy Center, 2009). The decentralization of fiscal responsibility has enabled a high degree of variation in state and local tax structures to emerge. This dissertation presents two empirical studies that extend the positive literature on state and local tax policy.
The extant literature contains evidence of a direct relationship between voter ideology and state and local tax progressivity. However, the measures of voter ideology that were used either did not capture differences in the intensity of voter liberalism across states, did not vary over time, or were beset with other limitations. This study uses the measure of average voter liberalism developed by Berry et al (1998). I find that average voter liberalism is significantly and positively-related to progressivity. However, the effect is small in magnitude. The ethnic congruence between the poor and the non-poor is positively-related to progressivity and the effects are economically significant. The degree of tension between ethnic groups, measured with an index of ethnic residential segregation, is significantly and inversely-related to progressivity. Both variables are statistically significant even with average voter liberalism held constant. It is possible that the ethnic demographic context reflects aspects of voters’ redistributive preferences that are not captured by measures of ideology.
Researchers have found relationships between states’ tax exporting capacities and the tax structures they adopt. Chapter 4 is the first study to examine the relationship between state tax exporting capacities and the business sales taxes. I find that the effective sales tax rate that governments impose on business purchases is not significantly influenced by a state’s capacity to export business taxes. It is, however, significantly and positively affected by a state’s ability to export taxes on households through the deductibility of state and local taxes under the federal income tax. A decrease in this offset is predicted to lead to an increase in the effective business sales tax rate, ceteris paribus.
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Pacatolo, Carlos Barnabé Upindi. "Finanças locais em Angola : um modelo mais eficiente e justo de repartição de recursos financeiros intragovernamentais." Master's thesis, Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestão, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/10400.5/3732.
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Mestrado em Economia e Políticas PúblicasA repartição actual de recursos financeiros intragovernamentais em Angola é feita de forma discricionária. Cabe ao ministro do Planeamento e/ou Governador provincial propor o montante a ser transferido para as administrações municipais. Os municípios de regiões petrolíferas e diamantíferas são beneficiados financeiramente pelas receitas consignadas derivadas das receitas fiscais associadas à exploração daqueles recursos minerais, para além de terem acesso, como os demais municípios, a outras receitas consignadas. Esta situação agrava a disparidade fiscal orçamental entre os municípios angolanos. Propôs-se um modelo de transferências intragovernamentais mais justo e eficiente, tendo como critério principal para atribuição do Fundo Geral (80% das transferências) a população de cada município, e promove a equidade entre os municípios através de um Fundo de Coesão (20% das transferências) a ser financiado por uma percentagem das receitas petrolíferas e diamantíferas consignadas. Os municípios não sede de província, cuja população se situa abaixo de 80% da população do município sede, habilitam-se ao Fundo de Coesão. O modelo adapta-se melhor ao momento actual de aprofundamento da desconcentração administrativa rumo às autarquias locais e a uma descentralização efectiva. Espera-se também que a sociedade civil dos municípios funcione como um órgão de fiscalização da implementação do modelo e da gestão dos recursos a nível local. Finalmente, a adopção do modelo dependerá do equilibro entre aqueles que perdem e os que ganham com o novo critério de afectação de recursos financeiros intragovernamentais.
The intra-governmental fiscal sharing in Angola is currently done in a discretionary way. It is the responsibility of the Ministry of Planning and/or of the Provincial Governor to propose the amount to be transferred to the municipal administrations. The municipalities located in petrol and diamond regions are in a beneficial position since they receive both the taxes that originate from fiscal taxes due to the exploitation of mineral resources and other taxes that are general to the overall municipalities. This situation worsens the fiscal imbalance amongst Angolan municipalities. In the present article a fairer and more efficient model for intra-governmental fiscal transfer is proposed, having as main criteria the population data for the attribution of the General Fund (80% of transfers). It also promotes equity between municipalities by the creation of a Cohesion Fund (20% of transfers) that is funded by a percentage of allocated incomes of petrol and diamond exploitation. Municipalities, which are not Province headquarters, and which population is below 80% of the headquarter municipality population, can apply to the Cohesion Fund. This model is particularly adapted to the current process of gradual administrative deconcentration aiming to achieve local governments and an effective decentralisation. It is also expected that local civil society play as watching dog role, monitoring and evaluating the model implementation as well as resource management at the local level. Finally the model adoption and implementation will depend on the balance between those who loose and those who win the new criteria of fiscal resource intra-governmental allocation.
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Vitnovský, Jan. "VÝVOJ ÚZEMNÍ STRUKTURY VEŘEJNÉ SPRÁVY ČR PO ROCE 1989." Master's thesis, Vysoká škola ekonomická v Praze, 2014. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-192654.
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The content of the paper is the analysis of the development of territorial structure of public administration in the Czech Republic. The contribution of the paper is the evaluation of the present state of the Czech public administration after the introduced administrative reforms that however have not been completed from the viewpoint of their proper intentions. The foreground character of the present paper is rooted in the solution of the most pressing problems of structural design the area public administration function, that have not yet been corrected by the up to now provided reform steps. In the process of the working of the individual designs, the author has been considering the historic development of the stipulated problems since the year 1848, and the individual views of specialists engaged in the public administration in the Czech Republic and the actual designs provided by the Ministry of the Interior. Among the chief steps that would improve the present state of the public administration in the Czech Republic the author classifies the abolition of law No. 36/1060 Sb., the territorial division of the state, the abolition of municipalities of the 2nd rank and the reduction of the competences of small municipalities with delegated province.
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Matheny, Erica M. "A Survey of the Structural Determinants of Local Emergency Planning Committee Compliance and Proactivity: Towards an Applied Theory of Precaution in Emergency Management." Cleveland State University / OhioLINK, 2012. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1344565161.
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Kim, Kyungwoo. "Effects of Disasters on Local Climate Actions: Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Actions." Thesis, University of North Texas, 2017. https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc1062866/.
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This dissertation investigates the effects of natural disasters and political institutions on municipalities' climate change policies. Although most theoretical frameworks on policy adoption highlight the roles of extreme events as exogenous factors influencing policy change, most studies tend to focus on the effects of extreme events on policy change at the national level. Additionally, the existing theoretical frameworks explaining local policy adoption and public service provision do not pay attention to the roles of extreme events in local governments' policy choices. To fill those gaps, this dissertation explores the roles of natural disasters and political institutions on municipal governments' climate change policies. It does this by applying the theory of focusing events to local climate mitigation and adaptation actions. Based on the policy change framework, the political market model, and the institutional collective action frameworks, this dissertation develops and tests hypotheses to examine the effects of natural disasters and political institutions on municipalities' climate mitigation and adaptation policies. The dissertation uses 2010 National League of Cities (NLC) sustainability surveys and the 2010 International City/County Management Association (ICMA) sustainability survey to test the hypotheses. Analytical results show that floods and droughts influence local climate change policies and suggest that local governments can take advantage of extreme events when initiating a policy change. The results also suggest that political institutions can shape the effects of natural disasters on municipalities' climate mitigation and adaptation actions.
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Hansson, Kristina. "Den förvandlade kommunen : Ekonomisk och social tillväxt i Örnsköldsvik 1997-2007." Thesis, Södertörn University College, School of Social Sciences, 2008. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:sh:diva-1725.
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The transformed municipality – Economic and social growth in Örnsköldsvik 1997-2007
Author: Kristina Hansson
This thesis focuses on the economic and social growth in the municipality of Örnsköldsvik. It is a single case study and the municipality is studied through economic theories concerning regional growth in the period of 1997-2007. The aim is to analyse whether these theories, such as Åke E. Anderssons and Ulf Strömquists K-society, and other more or less microeconomic assumptions, also are applicable in smaller local contexts. The aim is fulfilled through a mix of text analyses, interviews with leading politicians, civil servants and executives, together with definitions of several quantitative characteristics of economic and social growth. Alternative theories in the thesis concern identity, trust and social capital. Seven independent variables are studied: infrastructure, economic and commercial policy, steering by goals, streamlining, public purchase, marketing and higher education. The results show that while Örnsköldsvik has experienced an extraordinary economic growth, the social growth lags behind. The conclusion is therefore, that economic theories are not enough to explain both economic and social growth at the municipality level. This strengthens the assumption that the explanation to municipal growth in reality lays in the local forces.
Keywords: structural change, local growth, municipal taxes, public- private cooperation, state-subsidized stimulating measures
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Scheepers, Louis Adrian. "Professionalisation of local public administration management." University of the Western Cape, 2004. http://etd.uwc.ac.za/index.php?module=etd&.
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Local government is the sphere of government that is most directly involved in rendering services to communities and individuals. It is also at this sphere of government where the basic needs of people are addressed. Services like water, sanitation, waste removal and electricity have a direct influence on the quality of life that people live. In order for the occupation of local public administration to contribute meaningfully towards rendering services of a high level, both in quantity and quality, it is important to lay down a number of preconditions. In this research report it was argued that for local public administration management to become a profession in the full sense, it will be necessary: to draw well-qualified graduates from tertiary institutionsto develop practitioners in the occupation on a continual basis
to develop minimum performance standards and requisite competencies
to develop standards of ethical conduct acceptable to the community at large, and the occupation as a whole
and to continuously develop knowledge in the science of public administration as it is found in the local sphere of government.
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Okagbue, Bartholomew Okechukwu. "Ethical Leadership and Good Governance in Nigerian Local Governments." ScholarWorks, 2011. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1036.
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Research literature identifies ethical leadership, a leadership grounded in ethical norms and practice, as a critical vehicle for achieving organizational goals and fostering good governance. However, little research on leadership has focused on the public sector, leaving a gap in the literature. Leadership in governance is a concern in local government in Nigeria; in spite of the 1976 reforms, the country still lacks good governance and corresponding socioeconomic development. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore an ethical leadership model, and determine how such a model could inspire and sustain good governance in Nigerian local government administration. Ethical theories of utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics comprised the theoretical frameworks for this study. Research questions focused on the ways in which Nigerian local council officials attempted to foster and sustain good governance via ethical leadership. Face-to-face interviews with open-ended questions were conducted with 25 civil service employees purposefully selected from a local government. Data were analyzed by identifying themes utilizing constant comparison; these themes included honesty, concern for people, citizen participation, accountability, transparency, and rule of law. Results indicated a preference for an ethical leadership style, with the potential to harness resources to develop Nigeria's socioeconomic situation and improve the quality of governance. The implications for positive social change lie in informing public officials of the value and attributes of an ethical leadership style as well as training institutional leaders on this model. As ethical leadership is fostered in public administration, socioeconomic and human development may follow.
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Sýkora, Ondřej. "Finanční zajištění veřejného investičního projektu." Master's thesis, Vysoké učení technické v Brně. Fakulta stavební, 2015. http://www.nusl.cz/ntk/nusl-227240.
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The aim of thesis "Financial assurance of public investment project" is to find a suitable way of financing public investment project for the reconstruction of the Municipal Office Řečany nad Labem, dealing with thermal insulation cladding, ceiling construction, replacing the openings and new covering. The theoretical part deals with municipal budget, structure budget and possible funding sources for the investment project. The practical part focuses on the possible ways to finance the investment project and grant programs using the most suitable option and an overall assessment of the results.
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Nicolay, John Alan. "Historic preservation : a study in local public administration /." This resource online, 1991. http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05222007-091336/.
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Nicolay, John. "Historic preservation: a study in local public administration." Diss., Virginia Tech, 1991. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/27843.
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Do citizen volunteers, sitting on legislatively created local historic architectural review boards, represent a part of the American governance tradition? This study examines the relationships between public board members, citizen interests, career public administrators and the elected appointing authorities. This research involved a national survey of over 1200 members of boards of historic architectural review. In addition, four town or county case studies are presented in detail. These case studies are Jonesborough, Tennessee; Lynchburg, Virginia; Cobb County, Georgia; and Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. These case studies are examined through an ecological perspective.
Within the context of this study, boards of historic architectural review are very much a part of the urban/town/county governance model. They are highly professional in their composition, highly egalitarian, and deeply committed to furthering highly individualistic notions of community. Although some national community studies suggest a malaise in communitarian ideals, this research suggests just the contrary. The failure of citizenship falls more upon the legitimacy accorded to citizens as public administrators rather than an apathy toward manifesting that citizenship.
Historic preservation itself is in a national state of disarray. Its ethos is poorly defined, and the national wellspring for preservation impetus to the local community is strained. Most communities find themselves struggling to fit a nostalgic, sentimental vision of the preserved environment into a well articulated economic model.
This research suggests that local historic architectural review boards need to draw upon themselves to create better opportunities through self-study and formal certification programs. By enhancing their natural reserves of professionalism and commitment, they will advertise what they already do very well: administer in the public interest. By joining with like-minded community-based public boards this new coalition promises a energy and direction for municipal governments. The key is to foster an open environment of dialogue and debate centered on furthering good, responsive government.Ph. D.
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Henriet, Alain. "Le concept d'impartition en management public local." Paris 10, 2000. http://www.theses.fr/2000PA100018.
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Evans, Geraint I. "Local government structures and the public library service in Wales." Thesis, Loughborough University, 1995. https://dspace.lboro.ac.uk/2134/12901.
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The thesis examines the relationship between evolution and change in local government structures and the development of the public library service, concentrating on the development of that service in Wales. This relationship is examined against governmental enquiries such as the Roberts Report (1959), the Bourdillon Report (1962) and the Redcliffe Maud Report (1969), and the culmination of these enquiries, The Public Libraries and Museums Act, 1964 and The Local Government Act, 1972. Special attention is paid to Section 207 of the Local Government Act which enabled district councils in Wales to apply for library powers. An investigation of the mechanics and rationale of awarding such powers in 1974 and 1984 is based on research of private papers and statistical analysis. Expenditure patterns and service delivery levels of all public library authorities in Wales are examined for the period 1979-1989 to attempt to discover whether counties or districts best match selected criteria of efficiency. The whole topic is brought full circle though an examination of the post-1990 proposals for the re-structuring of local government, concentrating once again on the implications for the public library service in Wales.
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Silapapiphat, Apassanun. "The Review of Local Hazard Mitigation Plans In Ohio: What Local Factors Contribute Local Hazard Mitigation Plan Quality." University of Akron / OhioLINK, 2015. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=akron1430731923.
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Bjorkedal, Britta J. "Administrative Organizational Structures: Turbulence and Stability in Public Schools." Diss., Temple University Libraries, 2009. http://cdm16002.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p245801coll10/id/42287.
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Educational AdministrationEd.D.
This quantitative study analyzed the relationship between district characteristics, the educational environment and the administrative organizational structure in public schools in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania between the 1996-1997 school year and the 2006-2007. More specifically, this study conducted an assessment of the changes and stability that have occurred in the Commonwealth's 501 public school district's administrative positions and structures and determined the trends or relationships that exist between the administrative structure in comparison with district characteristics and the educational environment. Pennsylvania public schools have increased in total number of administrators across the Commonwealth from 5,734 in the 1996-97 school year (Database 1996-97) to 7,348 administrators in the 2006-07 school year (Database 2006-07). This is an increase of 1,614 administrators across the 501 public school districts. These increases have not been consistent from one year to another or across districts. Little is known concerning the relationship between internal district characteristics, the external educational environment and administrative changes or stability. In addition, little is known about that combination of characteristics that have allowed some districts to remain stable in a changing educational environment. In an effort to provide more information on these issues, this quantitative study analyzed public school administrative positions and structures in the 501 Pennsylvania school districts over time in relation to the district's characteristics and educational environment. By assessing combinations of district characteristics and the educational environment, this study sought to find similarities and differences in how districts administratively respond to forces and pressures on the organization.
Temple University--Theses
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Myers, Lamont Dale. "Local Government and Economic Development: The Case of Portsmouth, Virginia." W&M ScholarWorks, 1985. https://scholarworks.wm.edu/etd/1539625312.
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Lebovits, Hannah Y. "PEOPLE, PLACE, PROCESS: UNPACKING LOCAL EFFORTS TO PRODUCE SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY." Cleveland State University / OhioLINK, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=csu1610463733360939.
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Luper, Erin L. "Supporting Intrinsic Motivation and Public Service Motivation in the Local Government Sector: Evaluating the Effects of Performance Appraisal Systems." VCU Scholars Compass, 2014. http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/3661.
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This study used an electronic questionnaire to evaluate the levels of intrinsic motivation, compared to extrinsic motivation, in front-line local government employees. This research also evaluated the relationship between intrinsic motivation and public service motivation (PSM). Further, this research assessed the effects of performance appraisal systems (PAS) on intrinsically motivated front-line local government employees.
Current research suggests that public sector employees are more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated. This study found that, while the employees showed higher levels of intrinsic motivation over extrinsic motivation, most of the respondents showed moderately high levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Additionally, the literature suggests that public sector employees place a high value on the missions and goals of public organizations, also known as PSM. This study found that, while both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation had an influence on PSM, intrinsic motivation had a greater affect on PSM for front-line local government employees.
Current research also suggests that an employee's intrinsic motivation can be diminished by exposure to an external control mechanism such as PAS. However, there are elements of the performance appraisal process, such as employee participation, that may positively influence the employee's attitude towards the management practice. This study found that the type of PAS, whether participatory or non-participatory, caused a variation in the employee's attitudes towards the PAS for intrinsically motivated front-line local government employees.
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Moya, Hazel Nasiphi. "Examination of centralisation practices in South African local government." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2011. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/10825.
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Includes bibliographical references (leaves 80-94).Democratic decentralisation in South Africa was undertaken as part of post-apartheid restructuring. This signified a shift on local government's status from being a tier to being a sphere with its own and powers functions. The empowerment of local government is evident in five tested indicators, which are the areas that are empowered to lift local government's autonomy as stipulated in the constitution and in supporting legislations. These areas include legal, financial, functional, human resources and public participation. However, these areas are facing challenges which lead to scholars and government to view local government as inefficient and ineffective. As a result, central government is intervening in local government's affairs claiming to ensure the intended constitutional objectives.This dissertation examines the evidence of centralisation by testing five areas that are constitutionally empowered to ensure democratic decentralisation. In South Africa, these indicators are evident in empowering of local government based on the national legislations and supporting local government policies. However, the central government's interference has undermined these powers and function.
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Nagashima, Takeshi. "Arthur Newsholme and English public health administration 1888-1919." Thesis, University of Sussex, 2001. http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.366211.
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England came to have a nation-wide administrative system for public health in the 1870s. It consisted of the local councils which were designated as sanitary authorities and the Local Government Board (LGB) as the central department. This thesis explores how public health reform was pursued under this administrative system, by tracing the career of Arthur Newsholme (1857-1943), who served as Medical Officer of Health (MOH) for Brighton, 1888-1908, and as Medical Officer to the LGB, 1908-19. The main aim of the thesis is to examine the activities in which Newsholme was involved and his views, in order to consider the development of public health activities, or state medicine, in relation to the traditional notions of government and society in England, that underlay the administrative system such as 'minimal government', , local self-government' or 'voluntarism'. The first half of the thesis deals with public health reform in Brighton during Newsholme's years of office as local MOH. Particular attention is paid to how the scope of public health administration was decided through interactions between the MOH and the local council as a representative body of the community, and to how voluntary efforts were involved in its extension. The second half deals with Newsholme's administrative ideas and activities in the process of, and after, becoming the country's leading health official. By the time of his assumption of office at the LGB, Newsholme envisaged a comprehensive state medical service as the ultimate medical ideal. The thesis examines how he tried to pursue this ideal by means of reconciling it with traditional ideas of government. Special attention is paid to Newsholme's difference from his fellow reformers such as the Webbs and George Newman, particularly in respect of their recognition of the framework of centralllocal relations that underlay the administrative system, and concerning how reforms should or could be proceeded with by means of central bureaucratic initiatives.
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Whitehill, Martin. "Local government authority strategizing : a middle management perspective." Thesis, University of South Wales, 2010. https://pure.southwales.ac.uk/en/studentthesis/local-government-authority-strategizing(86e8a9f7-9781-4f9d-8e4a-1b6e11b4eb1e).html.
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For the past four decades, researchers have been discussing and arguing over the implementation of strategy within the public sector. There is an emerging literature on pluralism, and the interdependence of strategizing and organizing which is especially relevant to public service organizations. The research undertaken and reported in this thesis set out to identify how strategizing was implemented within one large local government authority, from the perspective of middle management. The study sought to ascertain which, if any, of the many implementation theories were applied in practice, and the implications of the tensions between strategizing and organizing. Methodologically, there is a recognised paucity of participatory action learning and research in the strategizing field. Equally, gaps were found in the extant literature on strategizing from the middle management perspective. This research addressed both of these research gaps. The case study herein reported used participatory action research methods. Participatory action research teams followed an action research framework of six questions to identify the gaps between espoused theory and theory in practice. The findings were that the local government authority was not designed for the external strategizing pluralism or the internal organizing pluralism. The organization was designed for regulation and control and so not best suited for the delivery of other types of service. The strategizing process lacked the specific policy input from the various marginalised communities who required the services most. It also specifically avoided any input from the front-line professional staff that held the relevant knowledge, experience and skills. The pluralistic nature of the society served and the lack of commitment on the frontline led to another phenomenon – street-level bureaucrats and the politicization of the community. These frontline service deliverers, ‘street-level bureaucrats’, not only interpreted the strategy to fit the specific, unique context of each neighbourhood but also educated the citizens to appreciate their own power through their politicization. The staff also restated their plans to fit the format of the current top-down strategy by rephrasing them using the current political language of the day.
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Ni, Anna Ya. "Managing information systems in state and local governments essays on e-government service adoption and outsourcing /." Related electronic resource:, 2007. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1425306911&sid=2&Fmt=2&clientId=3739&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Garske, Gary L. "Continuity planning for local public health agencies in northern Wisconsin : providing essential public health services after displacement /." Connect to online version, 2009. http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/37472.
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Lee, Jooho. "Exploring knowledge networks for e-government services a comparative case study of two local governments in Korea /." Related electronic resource, 2007. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1407689581&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=3739&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Dyosi, Fiona Simakuhle. "A study of local economic development in the town of Stutterheim." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/23023.
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Local economic development (LED) is progressively being implemented by developing countries and has shifted from being a development approach pursued only by industrialised nations. Academic interpretation of LED prioritises strategies based on ideas of grassroots and bottom-up development. These ideas are centred on the self-reliance of communities as well as on highlighting the benefits of creating partnerships with different actors for local development. This approach to development is encouraged in South Africa's post-apartheid local government system and is outlined in the sphere's constitutional philosophies of participatory democracy and developmental local government. As such, from the mid-1990's, LED has been embedded in legislation in South Africa, and local governments have been instructed to support LED projects and to assist in their implementation. The consensus is that the implementation of LED by South Africa's local governments has generally not been a success, and poor rural municipalities have been the most negatively impacted by these results. This dissertation looks at the evolution of LED implementation in the small rural town of Stutterheim. The first LED initiative in the town took place in the early 1990's in line with the national political transformation of South Africa from apartheid to democratic governance. This initiative has been heralded as one of the most successful cases of LED in the country. What is most noteworthy about the case is that it pre-dates the establishment of a formal post-1994 local government system and LED policy in South Africa. The LED initiative in the town has survived this formalisation but with significant revisions and reduction in its LED role in the town. This paper is primarily concerned with such revisions and the extent to which they have been a consequence of the relationship between the town's initial LED coordinator, the Stutterheim Development Foundation, and the new local government constitutionally mandated with LED. The paper further interrogates the implementation of LED in Stutterheim after 2000 and post-Stutterheim Development Foundation.
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Fink, Douglas Ray. "Municipal accountability : should regulations similar to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act apply to the local sector?" FIU Digital Commons, 2008. http://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3325.
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As America moved into the 21" century financial scandals associated with large publicly traded corporations brougt widespread concern about the reliability of financial reporting. In response the U.S. Congress adopted the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (SOX). Undergirding SOX was the belief that improvements in the reliability of an organization's financial disclosures would lead to increased trust in the issuing organization.
While SOX is aimed at publicly traded private sector organizations, the value of adopting SOX-like practices in the public and the nonprofit sectors have been recognized. Although SOX-like auditing practices have not at the time of this research become part of the auditing regime for municipalities, the results of this research provide a baseline "read" of municipal finance officers' perceptions of the value and obstacles associated with adoption of two major components of SOX: Principal Officer(s) Certification (POC) and the Independent Audit Committee (IAC) requirements.
The author mailed surveys to all finance officers of municipalities in Florida and Ohio with populations of 10,000 or greater which did not contract out the operation of their finance departments. Post-survey "elite" interviews were conducted in an effort to obtain a deeper understanding of revealed issues and contradictions found in the analysis of the results of the mails survey.
The findings suggest municipal finance officers are willing to adopt POC but have reservations about implementing IAC. With both POC and IAC the respondents appeared to consider intangible, non-pecuniary consequences as much or more than tangible, pecuniary consequences. Consistent with prior research, attitudes regarding POC and IAC were found to be unrelated to prior adoptive behavior, or personal and organizational demographic variables. Although accounting and auditing are inexorably intertwined, views of the recently implemented GASB 34 reporting model were found to be unrelated to the willingness to adopt POC or IAC.
Findings dovetail with current discourse in public sector accounting suggesting local finance professionals may see benefits both tangible and intangible - to some but not all accounting practices adopted in the private sector. This is consistent with the commonly accepted belief that public sector accounting maintains fundamental differences from its private counterpart.
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Greer, Robert. "THREE ESSAYS ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEBT." UKnowledge, 2013. http://uknowledge.uky.edu/msppa_etds/6.
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The local government tax-exempt debt market is a growing, and complex, sector of public finance. As local governments turn to debt financing the factors that contribute to interest costs of that debt have become important considerations for local government officials and politicians. Governance at the local level involves a network of overlapping governments some of which share a tax base. This system of overlapping governments that share a tax base are subject to externalities that arise from taxation, expenditures, and debt. These externalities are usually analyzed in terms of tax or expenditure reactions, but there are implications for local government debt as well. For example, it can be shown that overlapping governments that share a tax base and issue debt can increase the interest costs paid on bonds by a higher level government. Further complicating the debt situation of local governments is the prevalence of a variety of special districts with the authority to issue tax-exempt debt. These special districts may have the authority to issue debt, but little is known about their financing processes. By comparing how different types of government approach the credit rating process this dissertation compares risk assessment of traditional municipalities and special districts. Through this comparison similarities and differences in the credit rating process across types of local governments can be identified. To explore these issues of local government debt several advanced econometric techniques are used to estimate various models.
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Pattison, Deborah. "Safeguarding Against Fraud, Waste, and Abuse| Whistleblower Protections and Tips Hotlines in Special-Purpose and Local Governments." Thesis, Utica College, 2018. http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10687422.
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Savvy and opportunistic fraudsters increasingly target smaller governmental organizations. Insufficient transparency and disjointed accountability over controls nurture the hidden nature of occupational fraud and allow wrongdoing to escalate during decades of routine operations. Criminal sentencings confirm local government and education officials misusing their positions and placing their own interests above those of their communities. Both primary case studies—a municipal crime in the City of Dixon, Illinois and corruption inside Roslyn, New York’s Union Free School District—illustrate how embezzling more than $65 million remained undetected over thirty years until tip disclosure. The extension of unmerited trust created insufficient segregation of duties among employees and low monitoring left public resources vulnerable to fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption. The project holds ternary importance for risk management since one-third of small entities experience fraud, traditional external auditing identifies fraud in less than five percent of instances, and receiving anonymous tips through reporting hotlines improves detection by up to 20% and reduces losses (ACFE, 2016). The project examined stakeholder speak-up strategies including whistleblower protections and tips hotline (WP&TH) initiatives to understand how organizational context, willful blindness, information access, and citizen engagement affect local government’s focus on fraud detection and remediation. Case studies show WP&TH initiatives to be financially and operationally superior in identifying risk and promoting transparency in small local governments. Third-party, 24/7 call centers and anonymous, two-way dialog web/text are underutilized tools for recognizing fraud precursors and stopping them before they aggregate, escalate, or become institutional norm.
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Zeemering, Eric S. "Who collaborates? local decisions about intergovernmental relations /." [Bloomington, Ind.] : Indiana University, 2007. http://gateway.proquest.com/openurl?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:dissertation&res_dat=xri:pqdiss&rft_dat=xri:pqdiss:3274249.
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Thesis (Ph.D.)--Indiana University, Dept. of Political Science, 2007.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 68-07, Section: A, page: 3133. Adviser: Russell L. Hanson. Title from dissertation home page (viewed Mar. 28, 2008).
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Pozil, Scott. "Successful Informal Partnerships Between Nonprofit Organizations and Local Governments in a Metropolitan Area." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1229.
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Informal or non-contractual partnerships between nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and government entities are becoming more common in America, opening up new possibilities for NPOs to function as equal partners in the decision-making process and implementation of community services. The problem concerns the challenges that NPOs face in achieving equal partner status with their local government counterpart, a problem which has received limited attention in research. The purpose of this study was to explore the dynamics behind successful informal partnerships between NPOs and local governments, translating into effective and efficient service delivery. The theoretical framework was based on Davis's stewardship theory and Schelling's game theory. The research questions examined the dynamics that enable the NPO and government partnerships to be successful, specifically the development and sustainment of trust, power balance, open and transparent communication, and level and frequency of interactions. This qualitative case study included interviews with nonprofit executives (n = 5), recruited through a pre-interview questionnaire, and review of NPO published documents describing the informal partnerships. The data were coded and analyzed by creating mind maps. Findings revealed that the actions and decisions of the NPOs and local governments reflected a shared mission and desire to achieve positive social change. The results indicate that NPOs and local governments may function as equal partners if certain dynamics are present such as trust, transparent communication, influence, and goal alignment. The implications for social change include establishing successful models of informal partnerships between NPOs and local governments that impact the social and economic well-being of communities.
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Khung, Yit Lung, and y. khung@unsw edu au. "Porous Silicon Structures for Biomaterial and Photonic Applications." Flinders University. School of Chemistry, Physics and Earth Sciences, 2009. http://catalogue.flinders.edu.au./local/adt/public/adt-SFU20090421.145533.
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The primary research aim in this thesis is to demonstrate the versatility of porous silicon based
nanomaterials for biomaterial and photonic applications. In chapter 2 of this thesis, the
suitability of porous silicon as a biomaterial was investigated by performing different surface
modifications on the porous silicon films and evaluating biocompatibility of these surfaces in
vitro. The porous silicon surfaces were characteriszed by means of atomic force microscopy
(AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), diffuse reflectance infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT)
and interferometric reflectance spectroscopy (IRS). Cell attachment and growth was studied
using fluorescence microscopy and cell viability assays. Both fabrication of the porous silicon
films and subsequent surface modifications were demonstrated. Polyethylene glycol
functionalised porous silicon prevented cell attachment, whilst collagen or fetal bovine serum
coating encouraged cell attachment. Surface modifications were also performed on porous
silicon films with different pore sizes and the influence of pore size and surface modification on
primary hepatocyte growth was recorded over a course of 2 weeks by means of laser scanning
confocal microscopy (LSCM), toxicity and metabolic assays. On collagen-coated surfaces with
average pore sizes of 30 nm, multilayer cells stacks were formed. This stacking behaviour was
not observed on samples with smaller pore sizes (10 nm), or in the absence of collagen.
Hepatocytes remained viable and functional (judging by a metabolic assay) for 6 days, after
which they generally underwent apoptosis. Collagen-coated porous silicon films showed later
onset of apoptosis than porous silicon films not coated with collagen or collagen-coated flat
silicon..
In chapter 3 of this thesis, the nitrogen laser of a laser desorption/ionization (LDI) mass
spectrometer was used to selectively ablate regions on porous silicon films that had been
functionalised with a non-fouling polyethylene oxide layer, affording a microscale patterning of
the surface. Surface characterization was performed by means of AFM, SEM, LDI mass
spectrometry, DRIFT and IRS. This approach allowed the confinement of mammalian cell
attachment exclusively on the laser-ablated regions. By using the more intense and focussed
laser of a microdissection microscope, trenches in a porous silicon film were produced of up to
50 micron depth, which allowed the construction of cell multilayers within these trenches,
mimicking the organization of liver cords in vivo. Fluorescent staining and LSCM was used to
study cell multilayer organization.
To gain a better understanding of how surface topography influences cell attachment and
behaviour, porous silicon films were fabricated containing a gradient of pore sizes by means of
asymmetric anodisation (chapter 4). These gradients allowed the investigation of the effect of
subtle changes of pore size on cell behaviour on a single sample. Analysis by means of LSCM
and SEM showed that pore size can dictate cell size and area as well as cell density. In addition,
a region of pore size where cell attachment and proliferation was strongly discouraged was also
identified. This information can prove to be useful for designing non-biofouling surface
topographies.
Using the same asymmetric anodisation setup, photonic mirrors gradients were produced and
overlaid over one another to produce multidirectional lateral photonic mirror gradients that
display a series of roving spectral features (photonic stop-bands) from each gradient layer
(chapter 4). These multidirectional photonic gradients have the potential to serve as optical
barcodes or contributing to the development of graded refractive index devices such as lenses for
high quality image relay and graded-index optical fibers.
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Wang, April Bo. "(Re)narrating Equity: Creating Equitable Structures of Entry and Exit in Santa Fe Public Schools." Thesis, Harvard University, 2016. http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:27013344.
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This capstone outlines my strategic project around increasing equity in Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) during the 2015-16 school year. I sought to test the theory of action that effecting technical changes and solutions around inequity the district would pave the way to effect critical adaptive changes in the future, with the hypothesis that one type of change is not possible without the other.
My strategic project consisted of two work streams. First, I led a Discipline Task Force comprised of district administrators and school staff to examine the equitable implementation of discipline practices across schools. We sought to answer three questions: Who is getting in trouble? What are they getting in trouble? Why are they getting in trouble? We found that students who are English Learners (EL), low-income, or special needs disproportionately incur disciplinary infractions. From a series of 50 follow-up interviews, we discovered that a significant negative bias toward newer immigrants exists among students, teachers and principals at many school sites.
Second, I led a Registration Study Committee and subsequently participated on a Registration Implementation Team charged with increasing the efficacy of the Registration, Scheduling and Transfers (RST) process. We sought to answer these three key questions: Who is not getting a seat on the first day of school? Who is not getting a seat in the school of their choice? Why are they not getting seats? We discovered that low-income students are disproportionately both unable to register by the first day of school and excluded from the transfers process, due to a variety of individual circumstances.
Beyond our findings around equity, I also sought to examine the conditions under which a working group is successful or unsuccessful in SFPS. I discovered that, due to an unclear hierarchy, a culture of trust and collaboration is especially important in order for teams to be functional. As a result, the district needs to implement technical changes and structures around team-building and norm-setting in order to begin the adaptive shift toward a trusting culture.
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Snoodgrass, Anthony Michael. "Overcoming communications barriers in local government: Establishing networks through the public management forum." CSUSB ScholarWorks, 1992. https://scholarworks.lib.csusb.edu/etd-project/618.
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Arghiros, Daniel. "Rural transformation and local politics in a central Thai district." Thesis, University of Hull, 1993. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:3589.
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This thesis is a study of socio-economic change and local electoral politics in a Central Thai district and is based on ethnographic research carried out between 1989 and 1990. Local electoral politics has received little attention in Thai studies in recent years. This thesis aims to fill this gap with detailed case studies of instances of elections for subdistrict head and provincial councillor positions. The cases reveal the practical and ideological strategies pursued by candidates and the means by which they mobilise the rural electorate and enlist the support of political patrons. The study describes candidates' use of local 'vote brokers', 'vote-buying' and political patronage. The parts played by members of a district-wide manufacturers' association, by national politicians and by religious leaders are also examined. The case studies serve to expose the contradictions between the rhetoric and practice of Thai local-level democracy.The strategies and structures of local politics are set within the context of a rapidly changing rural political economy. Two aspects of this, household economic differentiation and rural industry, are examined in detail. Economic differences between households are extreme and new relations of production are emerging. After surveying economic and social differences between households, the study focuses on a recently established brickmaking industry in 'Banglen' district. The industry is highly differentiated and relations of production are correspondingly complex. It is argued that owners of larger enterprises use patronage in their efforts to solve their problems with labour. The study describes an industry association that larger manufacturers have set up. The association promotes the interests of producers in several ways, not least by supporting members' attempts to win local office.Comparison of politicians' electoral strategies and employers' strategies with regard to labour reveals that there exists between them an underlying similarity. Both politicians and employers attempt to achieve their ends by drawing on the ideology of patronage and obligating the other in the relationship. Both use capital to construct obligations with moral connotations.
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Ratjomana, Wilson Mmameda. "The promotion of ethical conduct in Limpopo Province with reference to the Department of Local Government & Housing." Pretoria : [s.n.], 2005. http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-02132007-192205/.
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Bryant, Janet Clarke. "'Practicing alchemy' a grounded theory of the implementation of best value in Victorian local government /." Swinburne Research Bank, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/1959.3/40178.
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Thesis (PhD) - Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology, 2007.A thesis is submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree Doctor of Philosophy, Faculty of Business and Enterprise, Swinburne University of Technology - 2007. Typescript. Includes bibliographical references (p. 331-343).
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Le, Squeren Zoé. "Politics and public administration : the influence of electoral motives and ideology on the management of local public services." Thesis, Paris 1, 2016. http://www.theses.fr/2016PA01E008/document.
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La présente thèse de doctorat propose une étude empirique des liens existant entre la sphère politique et la gestion des services publics locaux en France. Les municipalités sont confrontées à un choix lorsqu’elles doivent administrer leurs services publics : elles peuvent fournir un service en régie ou l’externaliser, et ainsi conclure des contrats avec le secteur privé. Dans un premier temps, ces arrangements conclus entre des entités publiques et privées sont analysés, et l’influence des motivations électorales des maires sur les renégociations contractuelles est révélée. Dans un second temps, les facteurs influençant les choix des maires entre gestion directe et externalisation sont étudiés. L’idéologie des maires successifs d’une ville apparaît comme un déterminant fondamental de la proportion de services publics gérés en régie. Enfin, le recours simultané à la régie et à l’externalisation pour un même service public est analysé, et il apparaît que ce choix est davantage stratégique que politique. Cette thèse de doctorat contribue à améliorer notre compréhension de la gestion des services publics locaux, et établit l’importance des facteurs politiques dans l’étude de cette dernièreThis dissertation offers an empirical investigation of the links between the political sphere and the management of local public services in France. When they administer public services, local governments can decide either to provide a service in-house,or to externalize its management, and therefore conclude contracts with private entities.First, these public-private contracts are analyzed, and the major influence of mayors’ electoral motives on contractual renegotiations is revealed. Second, the drivers of the choice between internal provision and externalization of public services are studied. The political affiliation of successive mayors is found to be a major determinant of the proportion of public services provided in-house. Finally, the decision to provide one public service using simultaneously in-house provisionand externalization is studied, and it appears that this choice is more motivated by pragmatism rather than ideology. This dissertation contributes to add knowledge to the understanding of the management of local public services, and highlights the importance of political factors in the study of the latter
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Kalesnikaite, Vaiva. "Facing the Rising Tide: How Local Governments in the United States Collaborate to Adapt to Sea Level Rise." FIU Digital Commons, 2018. https://digitalcommons.fiu.edu/etd/3770.
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While communities in the United States are already experiencing the effects of climate change, scientists project that sea level rise, increased precipitation, and record-breaking extreme weather events will devastate vulnerable regions in the following decades. The absence of federal strategies for climate change adaptation leaves state and city governments with broad discretion to undertake climate change adaptation measures. Yet cities may be unable to adapt to climate change without external assistance, particularly in states where the state leadership has not recognized the need to provide political and financial support to local governments. Collaboration allows cities to pool resources and work across boundaries to ameliorate significant problems such as climate change.
Scholars of public administration have extensively researched collaboration. However, we still know little about what factors facilitate horizontal collaboration and why and how collaborative governance may lead to improved policy outputs and outcomes. Using the case of sea level rise preparedness in US cities, this dissertation contributes to better understanding of horizontal collaboration and its effects on public service provision. The analysis draws on quantitative data from surveys, administered to US municipal governments, and qualitative data from semi-structured interviews with city officials.
This research has several principal findings. First, organizational propensity to collaborate on sea level rise preparedness is driven by leadership that recognizes the value and need for collaboration, and internal organizational characteristics. Second, horizontal collaboration helps cities advance plans for sea level rise adaptation, particularly when partnering with institutions of higher learning and businesses. Third, the findings show that collaboration with other municipalities and businesses is a positive contributing factor toward better preparedness for sea level rise in US cities.
By shedding more light on horizontal collaboration as a tool to help cities adapt to changes in climate, the study contributes to two bodies of literature, including research on climate change policy and collaborative governance. The study also provides a number of recommendations to local policy makers and public administrators on how to facilitate horizontal collaboration to utilize local resources in public problem-solving.
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Dyani, Christopher Sidima. "A review of local government performance from 2004 - 2008: Sakhisizwe Local Municipality." Thesis, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/10948/6271.
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Loosely defined as “political units or instruments constituted by law (the peculiar or unique characteristics of which is their subordinate status to the central government) which have substantial control over local affairs and likewise have the power to tax” (Nyalunga, 2006: 15), local governments, and municipalities in particular, have been in existence since the early history of Anglo-Saxon England (post 1870). As political units, local governments have defined areas, defined populations, organised administrative structures and the authority to undertake and the power to carry out public activities within such defined areas (Nyulunga, 2006: 15). In the three-tiered form of government that is dominant world-wide, local government is the lowest sphere of government and, as such, “is often the first point of contact between an individual and a government institution” (Thornhill, 2008: 492). Although a number of different forms and structures of local government exist in the world, as it evolved, three critical matters defined the nature of local government in any particular country. Firstly, local government is defined by the extent of local self-government. Secondly, it is the autonomy and discretionary powers of the municipality and, thirdly, it is the extent to which the municipality is a momentous force in the lives of the people within a given area (Nyulunga, 2006: 16). Therefore, a consideration if these three defining factors provide clarity in terms of the nature of local government in a particular country. Due to the form of the South African state, which is a unitary state, South Africa established a system of local government aimed at governing various areas throughout the country. For the greater part of the country‟s history prior the 1994 democratic elections, what distinguished the South African local government system from the rest of the world was its relationship with the people it sought to govern. While in the majority of cases around the world municipalities were concerned with the welfare of all their citizens, in South Africa, the successive apartheid regimes worked tirelessly at the adoption and systematic enforcement of draconian policies that effectively brought misery to the majority of the South African population. Pieces of legislation, such as the various Natives Acts, the Reservation of Separate Amenities Act, and the Group Areas Act, implemented through local government – the form of government closest to the people – ensured that South Africa experienced gross human rights violations, the economic exclusion of the majority of the populace, separate and unequal development and, in effect, an absolute monopoly of social, economic and political power by the white minority (Landsberg and Mackay, 2006: 1). Given the immediate impact municipal policies had on the people they sought to govern - this as a direct result of the proximity of this sphere of government to the people - it is not surprising that this level of government was the first casualty in the apartheid resistance campaign led by various liberation movements in the country. With systematic protests against various local government actions, coupled with boycotts of municipal rates and taxes, local government increasingly became detached from the population it served and consequently, was rendered dysfunctional. The election of F.W. De Klerk as the president of South Africa in 1989 proved to be a turning point in the historical trajectory of the country. Understanding the deleterious effects that the repressive policies had on the country‟s social structure, both economically and politically, De Klerk embarked on a road less travelled by opening channels for negotiation between government (and by extension the National Party) and the liberation movements in the country (particularly the African National Congress). As such, from 1990, various political organisations, such as the African National Congress (ANC), the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), the South African Communist Party (SACP) and the Inkatha Freedom Party (IFP) among others, which had, for many years, been banned on the basis of them being seen as terrorist organisations, were unbanned. This was accompanied by the unconditional release of political prisoners, including South Africa‟s first democratically elected President, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela. One of the key outcomes of the negotiations that took place in the early 1990s was the development of the Interim, or Transitional, Constitution, Act 200 of 1993. This was an important document in that it provided a „historic bridge‟ between the apartheid state and the democratic dispensation that millions of South Africans aspired to. Additionally, this document provided a framework for the continued governance of South Africa pending the country‟s first democratic elections. The continued governance that the Interim Constitution provided for meant balancing human rights and the continued existence of the state and/or government. This was an important matter, particularly for local government, in that “a fragmented and incoherent range of local authorities cannot be transformed in one process as the negotiators for a democratic system of government wanted to ensure continuity in service provision” (Thornhill, 2008: 494). The temporal reprieve provided by the Interim Constitution allowed the negotiators to deal with the details of what would be the post-apartheid local government system of South Africa. The democratic government that emerged after the watershed event of 1994, under the stewardship of Nelson Mandela, had the immediate task of dismantling the apartheid legacy that had defined the country for many years and moving the country closer to achieving the democratic promise of a better life for all citizens. Practically, and importantly for the transformation of local government, this meant instilling democratic values and principles that would ensure that local government was responsive to the needs of the people and that it remained accountable to the electorate (the Presidency, 2003: 11). The ideal of the incoming democratic government was to transform this sphere of government into one that would ensure inclusive growth and development and equitable redistribution of the wealth of the country such that all people would have equal opportunity for a better life. It is important to note that the elections that were held on 27 April 1994 were only national and provincial elections. Local government elections could not be held at this point, simply because the new constitutional dispensation had not been finalised (Thornhill, 2008: 495). All parties to the negotiations agreed that the process of finalising the Constitution would be done through a democratically elected Constitutional Assembly. It was only after the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, Act 108 of 1996 (the Constitution), was finalised, that the first local government elections could be held.
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Tjahyadi, Hendra, and hendramega@yahoo com. "Adaptive Multi Mode Vibration Control of Dynamically Loaded Flexible Structures." Flinders University. Engineering, 2006. http://catalogue.flinders.edu.au./local/adt/public/adt-SFU20070130.192707.
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In this thesis, three control methodologies are proposed for suppressing multi-mode vibration in flexible structures. Controllers developed using these methods are designed to (i) be able to cope with large and sudden changes in the system's parameters, (ii) be robust to unmodelled dynamics, and (iii) have a fast transient response. In addition, the controllers are designed to employ a minimum number of sensor-actuator pairs, and yet pose a minimum computational demand so as to allow real-time implementation.
A cantilever beam with magnetically clamped loads is designed and constructed as the research vehicle for evaluation of the proposed controllers. Using this set-up, sudden and large dynamic variations of the beam loading can be tested, and the corresponding changes in the plant's parameters can be observed. Modal testing reveals that the first three modes of the plant are the most significant and need to be suppressed. It is also identified that the first and third modes are spaced more than a decade apart in frequency. The latter characteristic increases the difficulty of effectively controlling all three modes simultaneously using one controller. To overcome this problem, the resonant control method is chosen as the basis for the control methodologies discussed in this thesis.
The key advantage of resonant control is that it can be tuned to provide specific attenuation only at and immediately close to the resonant frequency of concern. Consequently, it does not cause control spillover to other modes owing to unmodeled dynamics. Because of these properties, a resonant controller can be configured to form a parallel structure with the objective of targeting and cancelling multiple modes individually. This is possible regardless of the mode spacing. In addition, resonant control requires only a minimum number of collocated sensor-actuator pairs for multi-mode vibration cancellation. All these characteristics make resonant control a suitable candidate for multi-mode vibration cancellation of flexible structures.
Since a resonant controller provides negligible attenuation away from the natural frequencies that it has been specifically designed for, it is very sensitive to changes of a system's natural frequencies and becomes ineffective when these mode frequencies change. Hence, for the case of a dynamically loaded structure with consequent variations in mode frequencies, the resonant control method must be modified to allow tracking of system parameter changes. This consideration forms the theme of this thesis, which is to allow adaptive multi-mode vibration control of dynamically-loaded flexible structures. Three controller design methodologies based on the resonant control principle are consequently proposed and evaluated.
In the first approach, all possible loading conditions are assumed to be a priori known. Based on this assumption, a multi-model multi-mode resonant control (M4RC) method is proposed. The basis of the M4RC approach is that it comprises a bank of known loading models that are designed such that each model gives optimum attenuation for a particular loading condition. Conceptually, each model is implemented as a set of fixed-parameter controllers, one for each mode of concern. In reality, each mode controller is implemented as an adjustable resonant controller that is loaded with the fixed-model parameters of the corresponding mode. The M4RC method takes advantage of the highly frequency-sensitive nature of resonant control to allow simple and rapid selection of the optimum controller. Identification of the set of resonant frequencies is implemented using a bank of band-pass filters that correspond to the mode frequencies of the known models. At each time interval a supervisor scheme determines for each mode which model has the closest frequency to the observed vibration frequency and switches the corresponding model controller output to attenuate the mode. Selection is handled on a mode-by-mode basis, such that for each mode the closest model is selected. The proposed M4RC is relatively simple and less computationally complex compared to other multi-model methods reported in the literature. In particular, the M4RC uses a simple supervisor scheme and requires only a single controller per mode. Other multi-model methods use more complex supervision schemes and require one controller per model. The M4RC method is evaluated through both simulation and experimental studies. The results reveal that the proposed M4RC is very effective for controlling multi-mode vibration of a flexible structure with known loading conditions, but is ineffective for unmodeled loading conditions.
In the second approach, the assumption that all loading conditions are a priori known is relaxed. An adaptive multi-mode resonant control (ARC) method is proposed to control the flexible structure for all possible (including unknown) loading conditions. On-line estimation of the structure's natural frequencies is used to update the adaptive resonant controller's parameters. The estimation of the natural frequencies is achieved using a parallel set of second-order recursive least-squares estimators, each of which is designed for a specific mode of concern. To optimise the estimation accuracy for each mode frequency, a different sampling rate suitable for that mode is used for the corresponding estimator. Simulation and experiment results show that the proposed adaptive method can achieve better performance, as measured by attenuation level, over its fixed-parameter counterpart for a range of unmodeled dynamics. The results also reveal that, for the same sequences of known loading changes, the transient responses of the ARC are slower than those of the M4RC.
In the third approach, a hybrid multi-model and adaptive resonant control is utilized to improve the transient response of the ARC. The proposed multi-model multi-mode adaptive resonant control (M4ARC) method is designed as a combination of the M4RC and ARC methods. The basis of the proposed method is to use the M4RC fixed-parameter model scheme to deal with transient conditions while the ARC adaptive parameter estimator is still in a state of fluctuation. Then, once the estimator has reached the vicinity of its steady-state, the adaptive model is switched in place of the fixed model to achieve optimum control of the unforeseen loading condition. Whenever a loading change is experienced, the simple M4RC supervisor scheme is used to identify the closest model and to load the adjustable resonant controllers with the fixed parameters for that model. Meanwhile, the mode estimators developed for the ARC method are used to identify the exact plant parameters for the modes of concern. As soon as these parameters stop rapidly evolving and reach their steady-state, they are loaded into the respective adjustable controllers. The same process is repeated whenever a loading change occurs. Given the simplicity of the M4ARC method and its minimal computation demand, it is easily applicable for real-time implementation. Simulation and experiment results show that the proposed M4ARC outperforms both the ARC with respect to transient performance, and the M4RC with respect to unmodeled loading conditions.
The outcomes of this thesis provide a basis for further development of the theory and application of active control for flexible structures with unforeseen configuration variations. Moreover, the basis for the proposed multi-model adaptive control can be used in other areas of control (not limited to vibration cancellation) where fast dynamic reconfiguration of the controller is necessary to accommodate structural changes and fluctuating external disturbances.
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Brooks, Josephine Tamarra. "New right think tanks and English local government : old anxieties and new hegemonies." Thesis, Southampton Solent University, 1997. http://ssudl.solent.ac.uk/1262/.
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Within a Gramscian analysis, concepts of hegemony, passive revolution and organic intellectuals are employed to investigate and theorise the New Right think tanks' critique of English local government. Unlike other accounts, it is argued that the New Right think tanks successfully modernised traditional Conservative party concerns that elected local government was susceptible to demands for social welfare and of bureaucrats and politicians self-seeking efforts. The Gramscian analysis further suggests that in a highly centralised state elected local government was never only concerned with locality but was often embroiled in the statecraft strategy if the dominant bloc. Previously when the dominant hegemony had been endangered, elected local government has been usefully deployed to resolve social tensions. This strategy however, has been problematic and has been destructive of the relative independence of elected local government. More generally, elected local government's decisive role in civil society means that it too has become a site where counter hegemonic projects have clustered. During the 1980s, such tensions become critical. The organic intellectuals associated with Thatcherism, the New Right think tanks, acted as a clarion for demands to end elected local government's role in providing social welfare that effectively questioned its existence. Elswhere in a parallel development increased regulation of elected local government by the centre restricted the activities of local authorities, a strategy that also adversly affected those who supported the dominant bloc's hegemony.
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Getha-Taylor, Heather. "Specifying and testing a model of collaborative capacity dentifying complementary competencies, incentive structures, and leadership lessons for the United States Department of Homeland Security /." Related electronic resource:, 2007. http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=1398611661&sid=1&Fmt=2&clientId=3739&RQT=309&VName=PQD.
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Williams, Janet Elerene. "A Phenomenological Study of Leaders' Perceptions and Experiences in Local Government." ScholarWorks, 2015. https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/1634.
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An emerging crisis in the public sector of the United States is that local government organizations are unable to recruit and retain leaders. A large proportion of high-level and mid-management public administrators leave the profession within a 5-year period. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to explore, identify, and describe patterns in the experiences and perceptions of local government administrators to promote career longevity. The central research questions were designed to determine whether work adjustment theory accurately described the lived experiences and perceptions of the subjects' career success in local government. Data collection included in-depth interviews with 10 current high level and mid-management local government leaders in the state of Virginia. Key findings of a thematic analysis of the interviews were that altruism was a strong motivator for career longevity and progression, intrinsic rewards outweighed extrinsic rewards such as salary and compensation, and that most of the participants perceived that an advanced education supports career success. The study further found that reactive adjustment of adaptability was a key driver of the participants' career success and longevity when applied through the theory of work adjustment. This study contributes to positive social change by providing specific recommendations to municipal governments related to the recruitment and retention of existing leadership. Ultimately, this guidance for existing and future public administrators will promote career longevity by utilizing satisfaction formulas, yield career sustainability with success attributes, and frame government leadership for the future by revealing existing experiences and genuine perceptions.
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Luthe, Davis Dumezweni. "Rural local governance in post-colonial Zimbabwe : a case study of Zimnyama ward in Bulilimamangwe district." Master's thesis, University of Cape Town, 2007. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/3739.
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Edwards, Julia Ann. "Local government women's committees : a feminist political practice." Thesis, University of Hull, 1993. http://hydra.hull.ac.uk/resources/hull:3501.
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Gustafsson, Mariana S. "Reassembling Local E-Government : A study of actors’ translations of digitalisation in public administration." Doctoral thesis, Linköpings universitet, Statsvetenskap, 2017. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-138859.
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The digitalisation of society decidedly affects public administration. Swedish public administration has long worked with information technologies for an effective and improved management of public services. But new and increased use of information technologies in society poses new challenges. New demands on information security are increasing, while accessibility and transparency are important priorities in policies on digitalisation in public services. However, the central government’s ambitions and expectations with regard to digitalisation face a slow and hesitant implementation in local governments. There are important differences between municipalities in priorities, local needs, and implementation mechanisms in connection with e-government. In this thesis, I argue there is a need to reconsider the role of governance mechanisms in e-government. There is a need to understand local translations of national policies and technological developments in relation to the goals of more effective and legitimate public administration. The main purpose of this thesis is to analyse tensions that emerge in the implementation of egovernment in local public administration. On the basis of a constructivist and interpretivist approach, I have undertaken two empirical studies. One focuses on municipal administration of education in Linköping. The other focuses on a governance network on digitalisation policy in Östergötland. The studies are presented in four papers. The issues addressed in the papers are further analysed with a focus on four fields of tension, using network governance theory and translation theory. This shows that the implementation of e-government in local public administration is a tension-laden process. The four fields of tension relate to: different logics and dilemmas for adoption and implementation; concerns and ambiguities in a context of unclear organisational and institutional arrangements; concerns and resistance from professional users; and a reassessment of the meaning of security as a reference for the interpretation of information security. I contend that established managerial and evolutionary models of e-government leave important process-related aspects out of the analysis of change in public administration. The contribution of this thesis lies in its description and analysis of the four identified fields of tension. One significant implication of my analysis is that reassembling current governance mechanisms in local public administration is crucial.Samhällets digitalisering påverkar tydligt den offentliga förvaltningen. Svensk förvaltning har länge arbetat med datorer för effektivisering och förbättrad administration. Men idag ställs nya krav då digitala verktyg för informationshantering och kommunikation används allt mer i samhället och på nya sätt. Kraven på säker informationshantering ökar, samtidigt som tillgänglighet och transparens är viktiga ledord i policyer kring digitaliserad förvaltning. I Sverige är det tydligt att regeringens ambitioner med digitaliseringen av förvaltning inte går i linje med vad som sker och implementeras i kommunerna. Skillnaderna ligger i hur e-förvaltning prioriteras, förankras i lokala behov och implementeras. Därför krävs både förbättrad styrning och tydligare möjligheter att lokalt översätta nationella policyer och internationell teknikutveckling för en effektivare och mer legitim digital förvaltning. Syftet med avhandlingen är att analysera implementering av digitalisering i kommunala förvaltningar utifrån nätverksstyrning (governance) och översätts av olika aktörsgrupper.Studiens konstruktivistiska och tolkande ansats baseras på två empiriska studier. Den första handlar om kommunal utbildningsadministration och den andra om den regionala digitala agendan i Östergötland. Studierna presenteras i fyra artiklar. De övergripande slutsatserna pekar på spänningar som uppstår när digitaliseringen blir en del av den kommunala förvaltningspraktiken. Spänningarna har identifierats i relation till medarbetarnas varierande kompetenser, informationssäkerhet samt kommunernas olika resurser och kompetenser vilka betingas av dess storlek och förutsättnignar. Bidraget visar att etablerade managementmodell och evolutionära perspektiv är otillräckliga för att tolka och förklara hur digitaliseringen förändrar kommunal förvaltning. Istället framhålls betydelsen av att skapa förståelsen för hur digtalisering översätts i olika sammanhang. Analyserna pekar på behovet av att öppna för nya sätt att styra och organisera digital offentlig förvaltning.