Magister Administrationis - MAdmin / The research investigation explores the topic from the point of view of intergovernmental institutions and the regional (departmental) decision-making process in Santa Cruz- Bolivia. The purpose was to determine if these institutions influence the decision-making process of actors in the area of road infrastructure. The topic is explored from the viewpoint of Actor-Centered Institutionalism from Scharpf. It states that the solutions to solve social problems can be explained as the outcome of interactions among intentional actors, but that these interactions are structured and outcomes are influenced by the characteristics of the institutional setting in which they occur. For that purpose, the study identifies the actor constellations participating in the process, their modes of interaction and the constraints they face as a result of the institutional setting. The research starts by distinguishing the formal, informal and fiscal lOR institutions and determine their importance; for this purpose, the classification by Agranoff is used. Afterwards, the investigation portrays the decision-making process in the area and analyzes the final decisions of actors as a result of the institutions shaping them. It is argued that mostly fiscal arrangements are shaping the decision-making process in the area. The formal and informal arrangements are determining the actor constellations participating in the process and how they interact, as well as which institutional constraints they face. It is concluded that there are missing channels of intergovernmental cooperation between the national and the departmental level, and it generates misunderstandings and uncertainty. The channels of cooperation between the department and the provinces exist, but training and technical advice is needed to enhance actors' capacities at this level. The mini-thesis concludes with the policy implications derived from the dynamics at the regional level and identifying other factors influencing the decision-making process.

No description available.

As cyber attacks become more sophisticated, the risk to all networked computer systems increases. Whether public or private, whether federal, state, or local, the threat is equally real. Consequently, local governments must respond accordingly to understand the threats, take measures to protect themselves, and determine how to respond in the event of a system breach. Additionally, since cyber criminals do not respect geographic or administrative boundaries, local leaders must be prepared to instantly interact with other governments, agencies, and departments to suppress an attack. Guided by the theory of intergovernmental management (IGM), this exploratory research investigated how Information Technology (IT) Directors in Florida county constitutional offices use intergovernmental relations and management activities as part of their information security efforts. Specifically, this research sought to determine: 1) which IGM activities do county IT Directors most often perform; 2) do county IT Directors make more use of vertical or horizontal IGM relationships; 3) is there a relationship between office/county demographics and the IGM activities its IT Directors most often perform? To answer these questions, an electronic survey was distributed to 209 directors, of which 125 responded. Overwhelmingly, the findings indicate that these Directors rarely engage in IGM activities regardless of the purpose or type of government/department contacted. However, when seeking intergovernmental assistance, it is most often horizontally with other Departments within their own government and least often vertically with Federal offices. The most frequently performed intergovernmental activity is seeking technical assistance, however seeking program/project information is also perform more frequently than the other activities explored in this research. The least frequently performed activities involved seeking to modify established IT partnerships. Further, there was evidence of relationships between certain office/county demographics and IGM activity. The discovery of these patterns and relationships can be used to aid policy and program development, as well as to stimulate deeper inquiry into the intergovernmental dimensions involved in protecting local elements of the U.S. Critical Digital Infrastructure.

No description available.

This dissertation contributes to the disaster resilience policy literature by examining the diffusion of hazard mitigation policy in the U.S. Using the three-paper model, it investigates the adoption of local hazard mitigation plans (LHMPs) from an intergovernmental perspective. The first paper focuses on horizontal diffusion in hazard mitigation planning among local communities. Special attention is paid to the potential factors affecting the adoption of FEMA-approved LHMPs, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) projects and Pre-Disaster Program (PDM) projects at the county level. The Event History Analysis (EHA) Logit Model and Spatial Autocorrelation Models test the hypotheses corresponding to external factors such as the neighboring effects and internal factors, including disaster risks, neighborhood disadvantage and affluence, government capacity, local disaster resilience advocacy groups, and political support. The empirical results confirmed the significant influence of neighboring effects, indicating that counties are more likely to implement the same mitigation strategies if neighboring counties have done so. The results also revealed that disaster experience, government capacity, and strong democratic support significantly impact the likelihood of adopting LHMP and HMGP. Additionally, the results suggested that disadvantaged communities were more likely to adopt mitigation policies, while affluent communities were less likely to adopt such policies. The second paper evaluates the effectiveness of the FEMA's Program Administration by State Pilot (PAS). By integrating the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) technique with the Difference-in-Differences (DID) analysis, the empirical evidence demonstrated a significant reduction in the approval times for both LHMP and HMGP in pilot states compared to non-pilot states, with an average reduction nearing 30%. This suggests that the PAS program has effectively streamlined administrative processes, thereby enhancing efficiency in disaster management within pilot states. The analysis also indicated that the impact of PAS on the actual funding received through HMGP was insignificant, suggesting that while administrative processes were expedited, the allocation of financial resources remained unaffected. The third paper attempts to understand how local governments respond to top-down policy pressures in vertical diffusion by analyzing the text similarities of hazard mitigation strategies between state hazard mitigation plans and county LHMPs in Ohio using the word embedding technologies. The study employs the Word2Vec algorithm to assess the policy similarity between the hazard mitigation goals outlined in LHMPs and SHMPs. Building on this initial analysis, this research further uses the Beta Regression model to examine the textual similarities within LHMPs in Ohio, focusing on how the type of author - government versus private consultants, and the nature of the goals, whether action-based or hazard-based, affect these alignments. The regression analysis shows that LHMPs authored by government entities tend to exhibit higher textual similarity, reflecting the influence of standardized approaches driven by state and federal guidelines. This suggests a compliance-driven alignment in government-written plans. Conversely, LHMPs authored by private consultants display greater variability, suggesting that these plans are customized to the specific needs and risk assessments of local communities. Additionally, the regression results indicate that action-based and mixed-goal LHMPs are associated with higher textual similarity across counties. To carry out the empirical analysis mentioned above, this dissertation builds a panel dataset for all counties from 2000 to 2020, which contains data on LHMPs, HMA projects, disaster risks, socioeconomic characteristics, regional economic and political indicators, etc. / Doctor of Philosophy / Hazard mitigation in the United States is a critical issue, especially as the frequency and cost of disasters continue to rise. This dissertation investigates the dynamics of hazard mitigation planning within a multi-level governmental framework, focusing on the adoption of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) approved Local Hazard Mitigation Plans (LHMPs), Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) projects, and Pre-Disaster Program (PDM) projects. across U.S. counties and the influence of federal and state policies on these local initiatives. The first paper examines the horizontal diffusion of LHMPs among local communities, revealing the significant influence of neighboring counties. This "neighboring effect" shows that counties are more likely to adopt similar mitigation strategies if their neighbors have done so, emphasizing the role of regional collaboration in spreading effective disaster resilience practices. Additionally, the study found that counties with more disaster experience and greater governmental capacity are more likely to implement LHMPs, highlighting the importance of preparedness and resources in driving policy adoption. Furthermore, this research finds counties with higher socioeconomic disadvantages are more proactive in adopting mitigation policies, which could be attributed to the higher perceived risks and available federal funding targeted at these communities. The second paper evaluates the impact of FEMA's Program Administration by State (PAS) pilot program on the administrative efficiency of LHMP and HMGP approvals. The findings indicate a significant reduction in approval times in pilot states, suggesting that the PAS program has successfully streamlined administrative processes. However, this expedited process did not lead to increased funding or broader adoption, pointing to the need for further policy enhancements to ensure that administrative improvements translate into real-world benefits for disaster preparedness. The third paper explores the vertical diffusion of policy from state to local governments, using Ohio as a case study. It employs advanced text analysis to measure the similarity between state and local hazard mitigation plans. The results show that government-authored LHMPs tend to closely follow state guidelines, indicating a top-down influence that ensures compliance with federal and state objectives. In contrast, LHMPs authored by private consultants were more varied and aligned to the specific needs and risks of local communities. This suggests that a balance is needed between standardized policies and local customization to effectively address the unique challenges of different regions. By integrating these findings, this dissertation provides a comprehensive overview of how hazard mitigation policies are adopted and implemented across various governmental levels. The research concludes with policy recommendations that advocate for sustained reforms in hazard mitigation funding, emphasizing the need for equitable resource distribution among disadvantaged communities. It also offers critical insights into improving intergovernmental cooperation and policy effectiveness, ensuring that all communities, regardless of their socio-economic status, can enhance their resilience and better prepare for future disasters. This research ultimately serves as a guide for policymakers to refine strategies that foster robust, community-centered resilience practices, enhancing the nation's overall disaster preparedness and response capabilities.

Europe stands at the face of transformative changes, where the study of EU integration becomes crucial in comprehending the complex dynamics between member states and EU institutions, as well envisioning its future. Since its origin, the parliament has played a fundamental role in advancing political integration across national borders by representing EU citizens.  However, recent years have witnessed shifts that seem to alter the European Parliaments role and its leaning towards integration, indicating a move towards increased intergovernmentalism within the EU.  By examining its historical progress and stances towards integration, we can gain deeper insights into how its role has shifted and how it affects the EU's future, done by comparing two different periods, 2004-2009 and current election period 2019-2024. By using competing theories of European integration, this paper purposes to map out implications for the European union future. This study seeks to seal a significant research gap by investigating the European Parliament's role in integration. By analyzing parliamentary materials with debates longitudinally, this research aims to identify shifts in attitudes towards European integration. Results were shown that indicated the European parliament’s attitude towards integration had its changes in recent decades. From previously being a strong advocate for deeper integration, the European parliament has now a more nuances view of supranationality and intergovernmental collaboration. Future directions for European integration suggest a more cautious and gradual approach, continuing to cooperate without transferring excessive power to central EU bodies. This could have reaching implications for the future of the union and for the role of the European parliament in the continued integration process.  This study on the role of the European Parliament and its integration is of great importance to political science, since of its ability to surround various aspects of the EU’s political landscape. Understanding these dynamics is essential for predicting future developments and shaping policies that foster a solid and strong European union.

Intergovernmental cooperation on collective action problems and social dilemmas faces significant challenges, as difficulties often stem from conflicts between national self-interests and collective long-term goals, lack of trust, and uncertainty about other states' commitments. Transboundary environmental issues demonstrate a clear example of collective action problems and social dilemmas, in which the Baltic Sea and HELCOM constitute such a case.  The Baltic Sea is one of the most polluted seas in the world, which in turn has placed demands on the surrounding countries to address and rectify these issues through the establishment of an intergovernmental organization, in the shape of HELCOM. HELCOM is therefore the responsible body tasked with tackling this, through policymaking and cooperation within the Baltic Sea region. Despite efforts made in the area, HELCOM has not succeeded in achieving its many goals, making HELCOM an interesting case to study. This thesis aims to research how the key institutions of HELCOM are designed, and how they influence its governance and decision-making processes using the IAD framework, and to investigate how institutional design shapes collective action outcomes. These questions aim to contribute to the study's purpose, which is to analyze institutional choices within intergovernmental collaborations and to examine the relationship between institutional design and collective action. The thesis is conducted using qualitative text analysis, specifically applying qualitative content analysis to answer the study's research questions. The empirical data consists of official HELCOM documents, which form the basis for the results presented in this study.  The study's results show that HELCOM, like other intergovernmental organizations, can be explained and understood through the IAD framework. Based on this investigation, the IAD framework could highlight that HELCOM's key institutions are designed similar, even though their area of competence differentiates. Furthermore, the study's results indicate that the design of different rules within an organization has a significant impact on the outputs of actions characterized by collective action, as it turned out that the results of various measures within HELCOM's institutional arrangements varied between different working groups. Thus, there may be incentives and benefits in designing the institutional arrangements of intergovernmental organizations in different ways, to achieve a more effective approach to combating collective action problems.

In 1981 the Reagan Administration announced a New Federalism to reduce the size and impact of the federal government and return power and control to state and local governments. This Revived Federalism program was partially initiated in the establishment of a state option to administer the Small Cities Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. This study examines the implementation process by which the national and state governments administer the CDBG program to accomplish national goals. A review of the implementation literature suggests a variety of variables which influence the implementation process. A general integrated framework, which incorporates the political, organizational and socio-economic environments, is proposed as a model to structure the investigation of the implementation process. A comparative study is made of the implementation process in five Area Offices of the Department of Housing and Urban Development and in two State programs. Recognizing the dynamic nature of the process, a four year period is covered to examine the process before and after the State option was established. The results of the study indicate that the implementation process is complex and diverse--both under federal and state administration. Similarities are found in the results of the program under both forms of administration. Differences in the results are also traced in both national and state implementation processes. The interaction of different mixtures of factors in the political, organizational and socio-economic environments within different communities contribute to the similarities and differences in outcomes which are observed. The influences of the local and federal or state administrators are reciprocal as actors at each level of administration interpret and adjust to the cycle of federal legislative changes in the program and to the perceived needs of the various communities. Uncertainty as to the intent and permanence of the multi-objective Small Cities CDBG program is mitigated by the reliance upon organizational structure and routine. National objectives are achievable under either national or state implementation processes, but the outcomes in both forms of administration, will be influenced by the perceptions of the administrators at each level of government participation and will reflect the influences of different sets of complex political, organizational and socio-economic factors. The outcomes in specific localities will not be general or uniform with the results in other areas of the United States. / Ph. D.

Thesis (MPA)--Stellenbosch University, 2012. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The practice of public-sector strategic planning has gained dominance in public sector management in imitation of the concept of strategy in military science and later of the practice of strategic planning in the private sector. Its institutionalisation in the public sector should be welcomed as a positive development. The policy and regulatory framework instils a culture of cooperative governance through the promotion of effective intra- and inter-governmental relations that assume a developmental approach to planning. It is this culture that sets parameters within which the practice of strategic planning should be managed in the public sector. Strategy alignment is critical in achieving cooperative governance in strategic planning, as is shown in this study. The study sought to establish the extent to which the existing strategic planning guidelines could be manipulated to achieve alignment between the provincial and local spheres of government. A qualitative study was performed. It relied on both a non-empirical literature review and an empirical investigation to generate its data. Interviews were conducted with representatives of a sample of four Provincial Departments and seven different Municipalities drawn from the three categories of Local Government, namely metropolitan, local and district Municipalities. The Eastern Cape Provincial Government structure with its composite Municipalities constituted the case selected for this study. The study revealed that strategic planning in the province assumes different formats ranging from basic and medium-term to comprehensive and long-term, as well as sector- and project-specific strategic planning processes. The public sector strategic processes are politically influenced, taking their tone from political directives, but driven mainly by administrators. Whereas the active participation of politicians in shaping integrated development plans (IDPs) as the principal strategic plans for Municipalities is acknowledged, the concern that politicians at a provincial level are playing a limited role in shaping Provincial Departments’ strategic plans remains relevant. It is vital that the political governance centre in the province; namely the premier’s office, should take charge of coordinating strategic planning and should be responsible for the alignment efforts of the government structures in the province. Strategic planning plays a significant role in defining the organisational growth path of every public-sector organisation, as well as the management of public resources, financial and non-financial. This study advocates for learning as a central organisational value and recommends that the existing strategic-planning guidelines be improved to embody a cooperative governance approach. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die toonaangewende posisie wat strategiese beplanningspraktyk in die openbare sektor, binne die kader van bestuur in die openbare sektor, verwerf het, het beslag gekry weens die nabootsing van strategiese beplanningskonsepte eie aan die militêre wetenskapsmilieu. Dit is later versterk deur navolging van strategiese beplanningsmodelle uit die privaatsektor. Die institusionalisering van strategiese beplanning in die openbare sektor moet as ’n positiewe ontwikkeling verwelkom word. Beleidstelling en ’n reguleringsraamwerk vestig ’n sterk korporatiewe verantwoordelikheidsin. Dit word bewerkstellig deur die bevordering van effektiewe intra- en interregeringsvehoudinge, wat ’n ontwikkelingsbenadering tot beplanning veronderstel. Hierdie kultuur omskryf die raamwerk vir die toepassing van strategiese beplanning in die openbare sektor. Soos hierdie ondersoek aandui, is ’n voorvereiste vir deelnemende bestuur, wanneer daar strategies beplan word, koördinering van strategie. Die ondersoek het ten doel gehad om te bepaal tot watter mate bestaande strategiese beplanningsriglyne aangepas kon word om gerigdheid tussen provinsiale en plaaslike regeringsfere te bewerkstellig. ’n Kwalitatiewe ondersoek is gedoen, gebaseer op navorsingsdata verkry uit sowel ’n nie-empiriese literatuurstudie as ’n empiriese ondersoek. Onderhoude is gevoer met verteenwoordigers van ’n monster werknemers, saamgestel vanuit vier provinsiale departemente en sewe verskillende munisipaliteite. Die volle spektrum van plaaslike regeringsinstellings is gedek, naamlik metropolitaanse, plaaslike en distriksmunisipaliteite. Die provinsiale regeringstruktuur van die Oos-Kaap en sy saamgestelde munisipaliteitstrukture vorm die basis vir hierdie gevallestudie. Die ondersoek het aangedui dat strategiese beplanning in hierdie provinsie verskeie vorme aanneem; dit wissel in formaat van basies en mediumtermyn tot omvattend en langtermyn, asook sektorale en projekspesifieke strategiese beplanningsprosesse. Die strategiese proses van die openbare sektor word polities beïnvloed deur die politieke ondertoon teenwoordig in direktiewe, maar dit is hoofsaaklik administrateurs wat die agenda bepaal. Alhoewel die aktiewe betrokkenheid van politici in die daarstelling van geïntegreede ontwikkelingsplanne (GOP’s), die hoof strategiese planne vir munisipaliteite, erken word, is daar steeds rede tot kommer dat politici op provinsiale vlak slegs ’n beperkte rol vervul as dit kom by die skep van die provinsiale departemente se strategiese planne. Dit is van kritieke belang dat die kern van politieke bestuur, naamlik die kantoor van die premier, in beheer van die koördinering van strategiese beplanning moet wees en verantwoordelikheid sal aanvaar vir die koördineringspogings van regeringstrukture in die provinsie. Strategiese beplanning speel ’n betekenisvolle rol wanneer die organisatoriese ontwikkelingspad vir elke openbare sektor instelling uitgestippel word, asook by die bestuur van openbare bronne; sowel finansieel as nie-finansieel. Hierdie ondersoek maak voorspraak vir die beklemtoning van kennisontwikkeling as ’n sentrale organisatoriese noodsaak en beveel aan dat bestaande strategiese beplanningsriglyne sodanig aangepas word dat dit ’n koöperatiewe bestuursplan vir beter deelnemende bestuur beliggaam.

Thesis (MPA (School of Public Management and Planning))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Government needs to provide a robust framework to adapt to the ever-changing environment of those that they serve. Whether or not there are reform procedures involved, the intended benefits depend as much on how they are implemented as on the exact nature of the changes. The municipalities in the Overberg face various challenges, as a result of the continually changing environment within which local government operates. It is therefore important for government to constantly implement new ways to improve service delivery. Many of the municipalities in the Overberg, particularly those suffering under budget and staff capacity pressures, are motivated to adopt new and improved ways to enhance service delivery and to reduce costs. Municipalities in the Overberg have developed their own ideas on how to reduce costs, save time and improve service delivery. A practical way to address these challenges is to consider the option of shared services. This requires different ways of operating: new skills have to be acquired and many changes in management issues need to be addressed. The most common reason for some of the municipalities in the Overberg to be involved in a shared service initiative is to obtain relief from short-term budget pressures. Although this factor is an excellent motivator, one of the major related challenges is the time required to complete this initiative, which almost always takes more than one budget cycle. The ability to implement any form of shared services requires organisational change, which, in many organisations, is the most difficult challenge to confront. For Overberg Municipalities to implement a successful shared service venture it will be important to have a good plan that clearly describes the processes to be followed and the different steps of how to successfully implement and set up such a shared service centre. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die regering moet ‘n robuuste raamwerk daarstel om aan te pas by die ewigdurende veranderde omgewing van diegene wie hy bedien. Of daar veranderings prosedure is of nie, die beoogde voordele is eweveel afhanklik van hoe dit geïmplimenteer word as van die presiese omvang van die veranderinge. Verskeie uitdagings word deur munisipaliteite in die Overberg in die gesig gestaar as gevolg van die ewigdurende veranderde omgewing waarin plaaslike regering opereer. Dit is dus belangrik vir die regering om gedurig nuwe maniere te implementeer ten einde dienslewering te verbeter. Verskeie munisipaliteite in die Overberg, veral die wat gebuk gaan onder begroting en personeelkapasiteitsdruk, is gemotiveerd om nuwe verbeterde maniere aan te neem om dienslewering te verbeter en kostes te verminder. Munisipaliteite in die Overberg kom reeds ’n geruime tyd aan met hul eie idees om kostes te verminder, tyd te bespaar en dienslewering te verbeter. ’n Praktiese manier om hierdie uitdagings in munisipaliteite in die Overberg aan te spreek is om die opsie van gedeelde dienste te oorweeg. Dit vereis verskillende maniere van funksionaliteit met nuwe vaardighede wat bekom moet word en verskeie veranderingsbestuurskwessies wat bestuur en oorkom moet word. Die mees algemeenste rede vir sommige van die munisipaliteite in die Overberg om betrokke te raak by ’n gedeelde diens inisiatief is die verligting van kort termyn begrotingsdruk. Alhoewel dit ’n uitstekende motiveerder is, is een van die grootste uitdagings in baie gevalle, die tyd wat vereis word om hierdie inisiatief, wat in die meeste gevalle oor meer as een begrotingsiklus strek, te voltooi. Om enige vorm van gedeelde dienste te implementeer vereis organisatoriese veranderinge wat in baie munisipaliteite die moeilikste uitdaging is om te konfronteer. Vir Overberg munisipaliteite, om ’n suksesvolle gedeelde dienste onderneming te begin en te implementeer is dit belangrik om ‘n behoorlike plan op te stel wat die prosesse wat gevolg moet word en die verskillende stappe aandui.