This thesis focuses on the analysis and the use of the register of voluntary associations of municipalities. The theoretical part of the work is focused on defining the cooperation of municipalities, namely voluntary associations of municipalities, and funding op-portunities for public investment. The practical part deals with the analysis of public associations of municipalities of the South Moravian region, which was part of a specific research. They are then matched funding options selected project independent community through the voluntary association of municipalities.

The thesis, Financing of Small Municipalities in the Czech Republic and its Political Impact, reflects a complex topic currently noticeable in the Czech Republic: the existence of critically indebted small municipalities. According to the yearly monitoring provided by the Ministry of Finance, the number of ill-financed communities is increasing. Due to their financial situation, a considerable number of small municipalities are forced to suspend many of the services provided to the residents, even though the legislation in effect guarantees equal competences for both small and big municipalities. In the case of indebted small municipalities, the difficulties are even multiplied. Often, the municipality is forced to abandon the prospect of further development and mere survival is in question. In the above- described communities, the participation in municipal politics tends to be significantly low and the residents express overall disinterest in public affairs. The aim of this work is to present three examples of highly indebted small municipalities with the number of citizens under 500 and to provide a detailed analysis on their situation. The analysed municipalities are the following: Bublava, Nebanice and Prameny and are situated in the Karlovy Vary Region. Inasmuch as the character of the topic...

Local government, as government at grassroot, has, probably undergone transformation more than any institution in post-1994 South Africa. State-of the-art legislation have been passed that have restructured municipalities, and, especially, in the areas of performance and conduct of councillors and officials. Prominent in the areas of transformation are the roles of the Executive Mayor, which are no longer ceremonial as well as the radical changes which have been legislated in municipal financial management. This study was undertaken to determine the challenges that confront the Executive Mayor in financial management in selected local municipalities in the Free State. The hypothesis was formulated that "despite the state-of-the art legislation to regulate municipal finance, Executive Mayors in municipalities face the challenge of poor service delivery as a result of noncompliance to financial statutes due to human resource incapacity". To test the hypothesis, use was made by empirical research that comprised questionnaires completed by sample of managers and officials in the selected local municipalities of Mafube, Metsimaholo, Moqhaka and Ngwathe.The findings, amongst others, were that: • Human capital in the 4 selected local municipalities are in their prime age. 69 percent of managers are in the aged between 30 years to 50 years; • 57 percent of the managers responded that they have adequate qualifications and training to pursue the challenges in municipal finance; • All 4 municipalities normally get their budgets approved as required by compliance. • The hypothesis was consequently, invalidated. The study ends with recommendations to help improve standards and quality of financial management practice in the 4 municipalities.

Local government, as government at grassroot, has, probably undergone transformation more than any institution in post-1994 South Africa. State-of the-art legislation have been passed that have restructured municipalities, and, especially, in the areas of performance and conduct of councillors and officials. Prominent in the areas of transformation are the roles of the Executive Mayor, which are no longer ceremonial as well as the radical changes which have been legislated in municipal financial management. This study was undertaken to determine the challenges that confront the Executive Mayor in financial management in selected local municipalities in the Free State. The hypothesis was formulated that "despite the state-of-the art legislation to regulate municipal finance, Executive Mayors in municipalities face the challenge of poor service delivery as a result of noncompliance to financial statutes due to human resource incapacity". To test the hypothesis, use was made by empirical research that comprised questionnaires completed by sample of managers and officials in the selected local municipalities of Mafube, Metsimaholo, Moqhaka and Ngwathe.The findings, amongst others, were that: • Human capital in the 4 selected local municipalities are in their prime age. 69 percent of managers are in the aged between 30 years to 50 years; • 57 percent of the managers responded that they have adequate qualifications and training to pursue the challenges in municipal finance; • All 4 municipalities normally get their budgets approved as required by compliance. • The hypothesis was consequently, invalidated. The study ends with recommendations to help improve standards and quality of financial management practice in the 4 municipalities.

<p>The local politicians in Sweden are responsible for a great deal of the welfare system why one would assume that there are a lot of demands put on them - demands for certain skills or a certain level of competence. I have in this study tried to find out how the demands on the local representatives concerning the demands for competence and the actual level of competence among the politicians are affecting the local politics. This was done through investigating how the local politicians are perceiving their level of competence and the demands put on them, but also how the employees are perceiving the demands and the level of competence put on the politicians. The study was made in the municipality of Gislaved in Southern Sweden. I was using both quantitative method (an opinion poll among the politicians and employees in the municipality) and qualitative method (interviews with three politicians and three employees and literature studies).</p><p>In order to investigate the demands for competence I split the concept into “soft” competence (socially and emotionally based skills), and “hard” competence (skills based on knowledge, education and experience). The demands for competence mentioned in the opinion-poll are both “soft” and “hard”: 62 % of the employees put demands of “hard” competence skills on the politicians. 61 % of the politicians put demands of “soft” competence skills on themselves. The interviewed respondents say that certain skills are needed for a certain political mission. I consider the demands for competence as rather high according to the result.</p><p>The local politicians are not, according to the opinion-poll, having the appropriate competence skills, though many of the respondents (56) answered that they have the competence to a certain degree. It is also noticeable that 33 out of 81 persons say that the employees are only having the competence needed to a certain degree. I consider the level of competence among the local politicians rather low according to the result.</p><p>The results from the investigations of the demands for competence and the level of competence were put into a model with different outcomes depending on if the level of competence and the demands for competence are high or low. The result from high demands for competence and a level of competence not answering fully to those demands is that these high demands of political skills may put a pressure on the politicians, which may lead to a higher level of competence, an increased quality on the local politics, create a higher degree of confidence in the politicians from the society and an increased interest in political participation, but the high demands could also lead to a feeling of incompetence among the politicians, and that less people will take interest in participating in politics as they wont consider themselves having the demanded skills. So increased demands of competence may lead to both quality and elitism. The non-existing demands of competence of today supports increased amateurism among the local decision makers, and an increase in the rule of experts. If a number of demands would be formalized they could on the other hand create barriers for marginalized groups participation in politics.</p>

Studiens syfte är att undersöka och analysera kompetensbehov inom olika kommunala human service-organisationer, där bland annat socialpedagoger är verksamma i Västerviks kommun. Min studie vill även undersöka inom vilka verksamheter högskoleutbildade socialpedagoger arbetar idag samt vilka kompetenser de har och vilka kompetenser lämpar sig för att arbeta inom human service-organisationer i Västerviks kommun. Denna studie strävar efter att vara ett stöd för att förbereda human service-organisationer i Västerviks kommun inför eventuella utmaningar vid framtida rekrytering av befintlig och ny kompetens. Samtidigt vill jag med min studie stärka kunskapen kring socialpedagoger. Studien består av både en kvantitativ och kvalitativ undersökning. Det empiriska materialet har insamlats via en enkätundersökning och en gruppintervju med personer som har medarbetar- och verksamhetsansvar inom olika human service-organisationer i Västerviks kommun. Resultatet av min studie påvisar att det finns ett kompetensbehov inom human service-organisationer i Västerviks kommun som främst präglas av intellektuella och sociala kompetenser. De intellektuella kompetenser som personalen behöver för att behärska arbetsmoment och situationer i det dagliga arbetet var formell utbildning och olika specialkompetenser i relation till sitt yrkesområde. Sociala kompetenser om hur personal agerar i relation till andra. Bemötande är andra framträdande kompetenser som nämns. Framtida behov av kompetens följer dagens framställningar dock betonas behoven att påverkas av personal bortfall samt lag- och uppdragsförändringar. I studien framkommer det att högskoleutbildade socialpedagoger är mest förekommande inom verksamheter som främst bedriver förändringsarbete med arbetsuppgifter som handläggning och utbildning. Det visar sig att socialpedagoger och socialpedagogiken har en plats inom human service-organisationer eftersom socialpedagogiken i sig är till för att anpassas efter behovet som efterfrågas i samhället inom socialt arbete. / The study aims to investigate and analyze skills required within the various municipal human service organizations, including social pedagogues working in Västervik. My study would also examine the activities within college-educated social pedagogues working today and what skills they have and what skills are suitable for working in human service organizations in Västervik. This study strives to be a support to prepare human service organizations in Västervik facing any challenges in future recruitment of existing and new skills. At the same time, I want to strengthen the knowledge of social pedagogues. The study consists of both a quantitative and qualitative study. The empirical data were collected through a questionnaire and group interviews with people who have employee and operational responsibilities within various human service organizations in Västervik. The results of my study indicate that there is a skills needs in human service organizations in Västervik mainly characterized by intellectual and social skills. The intellectual skills that staff need to master tasks and situations in the daily work were formal education and various special competences in relation to their professional field. Social skills of how personnel act in relation to others. Responding is the second prominent competencies mentioned. Future skills demand follows today's petition, however, emphasized the need to be affected by staff losses and legal and mission changes. The study shows that college-educated social pedagogues are most abundant in activities primarily engaged in change management with duties in the management and training. It turns out that social pedagogues and social pedagogy has a place in human service organizations as social pedagogy in itself is to be adapted to the needs that society demands of social work.

The introduction of training and skills development legislation, such as the Skills Development Act No. 97 of 1998, and the Skills Development Levies Act No. 9 of 1999, has forced organisations to invest in the development of skills of its employees in South Africa. The National Skills Development Strategy, the Human Resource Development Strategy for South Africa and the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (ASGISA) are other legislative measures introduced by the South African government to contribute to the importance of training and skills development in organisations. It is necessary for the public sector organisations to train and develop the skills of its personnel in order to improve organisational, team and individual performance. Training and skills development should also assist in forming the basis for lifelong learning and to increase productivity and quality of work. A comprehensive human resource training and development strategy should be linked to the business strategy and the human resource management strategy in organisations. The primary objective of this study was to analyse the views of employees and to determine their level of awareness regarding training and skills development and how these can improve performance in the Free State Province municipalities. To reach this primary objective, a number of secondary objectives were considered as relevant. These included exploring the concepts of training, skills development and performance management. An analysis of statutory and regulatory guidelines pertaining to training and skills development and the assessment of structures, procedures and processes that exist in municipalities for the promotion of training and skills development were also highlighted. The effects of adequate training and skills development on performance in the Free State Province municipalities were analysed. Lastly, guidelines and recommendations regarding training, skills development and performance management were developed for municipalities in the Free State Province. The research was conducted in the Free State Province municipalities. It comprised of a literature study and an empirical survey using questionnaires and interviews to obtain information from managers, supervisors and frontline staff in the Free State Province municipalities. The respondents were tested on their views regarding the impact of training and skills development programmes in improving performance in their workplace. The findings of this research demonstrated that training and skills development enhances performance of personnel in specific functional areas in the Free State Province municipalities, and for this to be more effective on performance in municipalities, it should be provided adequately in specific areas of the Local Government Five Year Strategic Agenda, particularly to the Free State Province municipalities. Some of the most important findings of this research are the following: •that most of the managers and frontline staff in Free State Province municipalities received adequate training and skills development programmes; •that most of the trainings and skills development programmes received by managers in the Free State Province municipalities were related to their job tasks; •that managers and frontline staff in Free State Province municipalities felt motivated to do their job tasks after they were provided with training and skills development programmes; •that managers in Free State Province municipalities still find it difficult to ensure public participation by their communities even after training and skills development programmes were provided to them; and •that adequate training and skills development of personnel improves performance in many functional areas in municipalities in Free State Province. The study ends with recommendations for management actions on training needs, and for further research on this topic. / PhD (Public Management and Governance), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2013

Perception of D3 motorway impacts by municipal representatives Abstract The thesis analyzes in detail the perception of the impact of D3 motorway by the representatives of the affected municipalities, who represent three different parts of society - community leaders, a representative of business and general population. The expected impacts of a new motorway in the given area are discussed with technical bibliography, which provided the basis for research questions and hypotheses. Field research was conducted in municipalities, which will yet be affected by the planned D3 motorway, and in municipalities in Central and Southern Bohemia, where part of D3 motorway had already been completed. Semi-structured interviews and questionnaires were used as the main research tools. The finding about the perception of the D3 motorway in the affected municipalities were based on detailed analysis of statistical data and in-depth analysis of the interviews. The findings show that the resulting perception of the impact varies depending on various aspects like geographical aspects, such as the location of the village (with regard to the highway route) or the population size of the municipality. Generally speaking, the motorway is positively perceived by municipalities that are currently substantially burdened by heavy...

The thesis presents marketing of Bruntal. The main goal is to analyze the marketing mix of Bruntal and the secondary goal is to compile a recommendation that would support development of the city. At the beginning of the thesis there will be explained conception of municipality marketing and basic context concerning this topic. Afterwards the analysis of the most important city marketing elements (product, material surroundings, promotion and people) will be introduced. There will be conducted survey research focused on revealing inhabitant's satisfaction with life in Bruntal. At the end of the thesis recommendations and suggestions how to improve usage of the marketing mix will be given.

This thesis focuses on cooperation among municipalities in the Czech Republic, on total description of this issue and on evaluation of the forms of the cooperation. The thesis relates especially to small municipalities which can acquire additional financial resources by establishing cooperation and therefore initiate socio-economic development of the region and economies of scale. Diploma thesis is divided into three parts. The first and the second part make up the theoretical part of this thesis. The first chapter characterizes the position and the competency of municipalities in the Czech Republic, clears up the historical context of high number of Czech municipalities, describes current municipal size-structure and then goes over to main theme of this thesis -- cooperation among municipalities in the Czech Republic. The second chapter introduces all possible forms of the cooperation, both inter-municipal and also between municipalities and other local subjects. The third chapter is the practical one and there are two different forms of cooperation analyzed and their activities evaluated. Concretely, I have chosen a voluntary group of municipalities named Region Zlínsko and Local action group named Místní akční skupina Ploština. Both of the cooperative groups are situated in the region of Zlín and their members are (with only some exceptions) small municipalities.