The aim of this thesis was to quantify and asset the degree of fiscal decentralization and its development in the Czech Republic. We managed to quantify the measure of fiscal decentralization and its development in the Czech Republic from 2000 to 2006 through indicators of tax decentralization, expenditure decentralization, revenue decentralization, financial and tax autonomy. The figures for ČR were compared with other countries.

The thesis is focused on the question of how responsibilities for the performance of public functions are assigned to levels or spheres of government. The term "public function" refers to the activities performed by governments in order to satisfy identified community needs. There is a paucity of validated knowledge concerning the particular phenomenon, and the purpose of the study is to make a research based contribution in this connection. Because of the exploratory nature of the study particular attention is paid to the orientation of the research in Public Administration terms, as well as to research design. A study of the assignment of responsibilities in a selection of foreign countries was undertaken, and the findings are recorded and evaluated. The conclusion reached is that in none of the countries studied a clear, comprehensive demarcation of governmental responsibilities has been achieved. Regarding South Africa, the thesis encompasses a historical overview, followed by separate analytical examinations of the arrangements set in place by the 1993 ("interim") and the 1996 ("final") Constitutions. In the pre-democratic era (1910 to 1994), ideological considerations patently played a prominent role. The treatment of the assignment question by the 1993 Constitution is found to have had substantial shortcomings, especially with regard to conceptual and technical aspects, the realisation of assignment principles, and the substance of assigned responsibilities. In the author's opinion a satisfactory deployment of responsibilities was not achieved. The 1996 Constitution improved the assignment scheme, notably through the better realisation of assignment principles, the introduction of exclusive powers for the provinces, and in dealing with the municipal domain. However, the 1996 Constitution also did not achieve a credible and clear-cut assignment of responsibilities. In assessing the degree to which a scientific approach to the assignment question is in evidence, the finding is that such an approach has not been established. A theoretical assignment model, following a Public Administration approach, is then presented. The model covers language, classification, assignment principles, and methodology. The thesis concludes with a reflection on the research, as well as on the practicalities of achieving improvement in the assignment of responsibilities. / Public Administration / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration)

The thesis is focused on the question of how responsibilities for the performance of public functions are assigned to levels or spheres of government. The term "public function" refers to the activities performed by governments in order to satisfy identified community needs. There is a paucity of validated knowledge concerning the particular phenomenon, and the purpose of the study is to make a research based contribution in this connection. Because of the exploratory nature of the study particular attention is paid to the orientation of the research in Public Administration terms, as well as to research design. A study of the assignment of responsibilities in a selection of foreign countries was undertaken, and the findings are recorded and evaluated. The conclusion reached is that in none of the countries studied a clear, comprehensive demarcation of governmental responsibilities has been achieved. Regarding South Africa, the thesis encompasses a historical overview, followed by separate analytical examinations of the arrangements set in place by the 1993 ("interim") and the 1996 ("final") Constitutions. In the pre-democratic era (1910 to 1994), ideological considerations patently played a prominent role. The treatment of the assignment question by the 1993 Constitution is found to have had substantial shortcomings, especially with regard to conceptual and technical aspects, the realisation of assignment principles, and the substance of assigned responsibilities. In the author's opinion a satisfactory deployment of responsibilities was not achieved. The 1996 Constitution improved the assignment scheme, notably through the better realisation of assignment principles, the introduction of exclusive powers for the provinces, and in dealing with the municipal domain. However, the 1996 Constitution also did not achieve a credible and clear-cut assignment of responsibilities. In assessing the degree to which a scientific approach to the assignment question is in evidence, the finding is that such an approach has not been established. A theoretical assignment model, following a Public Administration approach, is then presented. The model covers language, classification, assignment principles, and methodology. The thesis concludes with a reflection on the research, as well as on the practicalities of achieving improvement in the assignment of responsibilities. / Public Administration and Management / D. Litt. et Phil. (Public Administration)

This study addresses the concept of fair governance based on an empirical study with marginalized groups, primarily Muslims, and their interaction with government agencies as its salient locus of investigation. Employing the research method of in-depth interviewing, I present a qualitative analysis of 35 semi-structured interviews with Muslims and government administrators. The methodological framework based on which these interviews are interpreted is rooted in the tradition of social constructivism as manifested in the grounded theory perspective of Charmaz. My examination of the hitherto unspoken political visions of the study participants and their shared perspectives offers pragmatic solutions to create greater equity and fairer inclusion of the marginalized in civic and political dialogues and in the administrative practice of government. Remarkably, the cultural changes towards justice and inclusion in the Government of British Columbia manifest that fair government is committed to creating a fundamental transformation in favour of marginalized groups. I find the most promising approach for such transformation occurs where bottom up and dynamic approaches of civil society are aligned with top down approaches of government to justice. The findings suggest that fair governance enhances its functionality and capacity through reflecting universal universalism in its policies and practices, heartening public spirituality and moving towards a more humane modernity rather than the extant western model of modernity. Thus, fair governance calls for diversity in expression of religious identity and challenges the mistaken images of Muslim women. Subsequently, fair government welcomes female religious actors, who act upon religious values, to its administration and respects their choice of clothing encompassing the scarf. Fair government, at all levels, ameliorates the ethical standards of its employees and employs authentic leaders, who act in a virtuous manner, care about employees’ deeply held values, and implement direct communication with staff. Such government supports legislative and constitutional reforms to consider a different outlook of the marginalized on political and social concerns, respects religious practices, honours Muslims’ identity and interpretation of life, and supports individuals who aim to improve humanity in Canada and its occupational settings. Rethinking Islamophobia in the context of the distinct need of government administrators for the institutional education about Islam, as a key finding of the study, depicts the emergence of “Islamoexploria”, as a new expression, which I coin. In my study, there is ample evidence to suggest that a sample of government administrators in British Columbia is in the age of post Islamophobia since they, as pioneers, have passed the stage of Islamophobia and entered a new era of “Islamoexploria”. Thus, they have produced the profound socio-cultural changes towards understanding Islam by shifting from fear of, ostensibly, the unknown to knowledge about the unknown and to approaches that are more sympathetic to Muslims. This finding suggests that fair government facilitates the journey from western Islamophobia, a demonstration of old racism, to “Islamoexploria”, a contemporary thirst for knowledge about Islam. Concurrently, Muslims remain responsible to contribute to fairness at large by role modeling their religious values, which greatly promote justice, compassionate attitudes, and humanitarian actions. / Graduate / 2022-12-07