In contemporary democratic societies most administrations manage their competences by means of programmes of government action, i.e. using public policies. These aim to resolve publicly identified situations or conflicts, as well as design strategies and / or implementation tools by means of action programmes derived from political - public administration agreements that have the objective of resolving these collective problems. Within this framework it is necessary to evaluate these processes so as to identify if the programmes established by the governments have been adequate, and if they have been capable of solving the various problems and of reaching the target groups in order to satisfy their needs and improve the situation of the final beneficiaries. This research proposes the analysis and measurement of cultural events, understood as acts of implementing a public policy, in order to later discover if evaluating a policy by means of the proposed analysis of the impacts is possible. Therefore the challenge of this research is found in the process of analysing cultural impacts so as to be able to observe if this analysis process can be adapted to the effectiveness analysis of a public policy. / En les societats democràtiques contemporànies, la majoria de les administracions gestionen les seves competències per mitjà de programes d'acció governamental, és a dir, les polítiques públiques, destinades a resoldre situacions identificades públicament. Així doncs les estratègies i/o eines d'implementació per mitjà dels programes d'acció - acords de l'administració pública- tenen l'objectiu de resoldre aquests problemes col•lectius. Dins d'aquest marc, cal avaluar aquests processos, per tal de determinar si els programes establerts pels governs han estat suficients, si han estat capaços de resoldre els diversos problemes i si han arribat als grups objectiu per tal de satisfer les seves necessitats, millorant la situació dels beneficiaris finals. Aquesta investigació proposa l'anàlisi i la mesura dels esdeveniments culturals, enteses com a actes d’implementació d’una política pública, amb la finalitat de descobrir si l'avaluació d'una política, mitjançant l'anàlisi proposat dels impactes, és possible. Per tant, el repte d'aquesta investigació es troba en el procés d'anàlisi dels impactes culturals per tal d'observar si aquest procés es pot adaptar a anàlisi de l'efectivitat d'una política pública.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

The present work is a reflection of the search for the study of problems encountered in daily practice of a professional worker of the Social Assistance Policy in a city of the northeastern of Brazil. Initially this study took the path of reckoning another determinism through by blaming the users of social assistance by an actual lack of initiative (or resignation) to try and break their condition of vulnerability, which hold back the social development of the country. However, throughout the research, which was born as an additional reporting practices of a distant civil service law and in defense of a greater state intervention, in this trajectory of recovery of the problems encountered in the field, was seen on the other prism. Started to question what meanings could emerge for these practices of the worker if they were other problems to note. Now, no more fit to report how much practice or "reality" failed to meet the requirements of a celebrated law. The legitimacy or, the "true value" of the logic in this movement of normalization of lives was now seen by the researcher due to the intervention of the worker. To make possible the shock of these seemingly antagonistic forces between researcher and worker - and why not objects of study - we propose an approach to ethnographic and ethnomethodological routine of the worker, wringing in a field diary months of your professional performance. In this paper the field diary that was written is reopened and once again lacerated, elapsed over a year of estrangement from both bodies (worker and researcher) with the studied field. This new writing is a radicalization of this distance, where the researcher ends up not searching for the meaning or explanation for the experienced things, but only discuss under other implications, the clippings of the events that was describe by the hands of the worker in his field diary. / O presente trabalho é reflexo da busca pelo estudo dos problemas encontrados na prática diária de atuação profissional de uma funcionária da Política de Assistência Social em um Município do interior do Nordeste brasileiro. Inicialmente, esta se deu pela via da fundamentação de mais um determinismo, através de uma forma de culpabilização dos usuários da assistência por uma dita falta de iniciativa (ou conformismo) em busca da superação de sua condição de vulnerabilidade, o que entravaria o desenvolvimento social do país. No entanto, ao longo da pesquisa, o que nasceu como mais um relato de práticas de um funcionalismo público distante da lei e em defesa de uma maior intervenção do Estado, nessa trajetória de retomada dos problemas encontrados no campo, passou a ser visto sobre outro prisma. Passou-se a questionar quais significados poderiam emergir para essas práticas da técnica se fossem outros os problemas a observar. Agora, não mais caberia relatar o quanto a prática ou a realidade deixava de atender às exigências de uma comemorada lei. A legitimidade, ou seja, a real validade das lógicas presentes nesse movimento de normatização das vidas agora eram vistas pela pesquisadora face à intervenção da técnica. Para tornar possível o choque dessas forças aparentemente antagônicas entre pesquisadora e técnica e porque não objetos de pesquisa tomamos como proposta uma abordagem etnográfica e etnometodológica da rotina da técnica, registrando em diário de campo meses de sua atuação profissional. No presente documento essa escrita do diário é reaberta e mais uma vez dilacerada, transcorrido mais de um ano de distanciamento dos corpos de ambas (técnica e pesquisadora) com o campo pesquisado. Nessa nova escrita coube uma radicalização desse distanciamento, por assim dizer, onde a pesquisadora termina por buscar não o sentido ou a explicação para as coisas vivenciadas, mas apenas problematizar, sob outras implicações, os recortes dos acontecimentos uma vez descritos pelas mãos da técnica em seu diário de campo.

This dissertation aims to analyze the policy of social housing and its implications in the production in high hinterland area - Sergipe, through two operation modes - concentrated and pulverized. Reaching that goal, we opted for the method of historical materialism and dialectical understanding the politics of social housing in a historical movement (present / past), analyzing the contradictions that reveal the essence of social policy. The housing analysis in Brazil was grounded in its social, economic and historical, highlighting the role of housing policies for the service of the dominant class interests. With the changes in Brazil, after the redemocratization process and ended the developmental model, it introduces a new model in which domination is through consensus, disguised in a democratic and participatory management. In order to reveal the contradictions of territorial development policy, the study was conducted by Program New Home, New Life that is inserted into the New Territorial Development Policy of Sergipe, since 2007. In this program, the concentrated form (housing) is embedded in spatial development policy which reaffirms the need of a territorial identity creation. Because of this policy, what we see is the responsibility of people solving their problems, as well as the acquisition of their house is done via a selection, which in most cases, local political power is that defines the people who will be benefited , feeding the old / new patronage relationships. On the other hand, in the pulverized mode is highlighted the Smallholders Movement that paradoxically triggers a program established by the State to strengthen its fight to maintain the man in the agricultural field, able to live and dwell in it. In Sergipe, the smallholders Movement acts on the territory of High hinterland and one of their fights is the Peasant House which is characterized by the construction of houses in lands of those who are part of the movement, without political interference. Thus, in the reality studied, the Program New Home, New life goes deep in the vulnerability of social subjects, because the territorial development policy has reproduced patronage practices, in addition to feeding the financial relationships that are necessary for the house acquisition. / Esta dissertação tem com objetivo analisar a política de habitação de interesse social e suas implicações na produção do espaço no Alto Sertão Sergipano, através das duas modalidades de funcionamento concentrada e pulverizada. Para atingir o objetivo proposto optou-se pelo método materialismo histórico e dialético, entendendo a política de habitação de interesse social em um movimento histórico (presente/passado), analisando as contradições que revelam a essência dessa política social. A análise da moradia no Brasil foi contextualizada em seus aspectos sociais, econômicos e históricos, destacando o papel das políticas habitacionais para o atendimento dos interesses da classe dominante. Com as mudanças no Brasil após o processo de redemocratização e findo o modelo desenvolvimentista, se instaura um novo modelo no qual a dominação se dá pelo consenso, dissimulada em uma gestão participativa e democrática. Para revelar as contradições da política de desenvolvimento territorial, foi realizado o estudo do Programa Casa Nova, Vida Nova (PCNVN) que está inserido na Nova Política de Desenvolvimento Territorial de Sergipe, desde o ano de 2007. Neste programa, a modalidade concentrada (conjuntos habitacionais) está inserida na política de desenvolvimento territorial que reafirma a necessidade de criação de uma identidade territorial. Por esta política o que se vê é a responsabilização da população pela resolução de seus problemas, como também que a aquisição da casa é feita através de uma seleção, que na maioria das vezes, o poder político local é que define as pessoas que serão beneficiadas, alimentando as velhas/novas relações clientelísticas. Já na modalidade pulverizada tem destaque o Movimento dos Pequenos Agricultores (MPA) que contraditoriamente aciona um programa instituído pelo Estado para reforçar sua luta de permanência do homem no campo, em condições de nele viver e habitar. Em Sergipe o MPA atua no território do Alto Sertão Sergipano e uma das suas lutas é a Moradia Camponesa que se caracteriza pela construção de casas nas terras daqueles que fazem parte do Movimento, sem interferência política. Desse modo, na realidade estudada o PCNVN aprofunda a vulnerabilidade dos sujeitos sociais, pois a política de desenvolvimento territorial tem reproduzido práticas clientelísticas, além de alimentar as relações financeiras que são necessárias para a aquisição da moradia.

The study focuses and explores citizen participation in the policy and planning process in local government in Lesotho. The study argues that citizen participation in the policy and planning process is important. This is because it is through citizen participation that the government is rendered accountable and responsive to the needs of the local community. Secondly, citizen participation is important in that it helps in the deepening of democracy. In Lesotho, citizen participation has been encouraged by the different governments since the era of Moshoeshoe to the present regime. Lesotho held the first democratic local government elections in 2005. One of the objectives of introducing local government is to foster citizen participation in policy and planning processes. The interviews conducted reveal that citizen participation is taking place even though at a minute degree. Several challenges exist in local government that hinder active and effective citizen participation in local government in Lesotho. One of the major challenges impeding citizen participation is the statutory framework regulating citizens’ participation in local government. This study has found that there is no direct legal or policy framework regulating or enforcing citizen participation in local government. Coupled with this challenge is another crucial challenge relating to the structure and mechanisms that are used for citizen participation. The study reveals that the structures and mechanisms are not adequate to enhance and encourage citizen participation. Pursuant to this, the study proposes some reforms with a view to improving citizen participation in Lesotho. Firstly, the study proposes that the policy and legislative frameworks be improved so as to provide enough scope and space for citizen participation. These frameworks should provide for adequate structures, mechanisms as well as processes and areas that can improve citizen participation in local government. Secondly, crucial instruments for community participation in planning such as the IDP, budget process and the performance management in South African context can be designed with specific cognisance of the structures established. Thirdly, the government must encourage, educate and sensitize citizens to actively take part in local government, through capacity building programmes. It can take the advantage of the NGOs already working with the communities and citizens as a strategy to enhance citizen participation. / Public Administration & Management / M. Admin. (Public Administration)

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

This is a qualitative research study undertaken to explore the extent to which Evidence based and Results based management approaches are being applied in SA in the area of public policy, with the aim of improving policy performance feedback. The orientation of this study was influenced by the problem statement which is stated in Chapter 1 as the general absence of reliable and appropriate performance information that is required to evaluate policy performance and gauge the impact of government‘s policy decisions. Reviewed literature, in Chapter 2, shows that generation and utilisation of reliable performance information, to a large extent, depend on the effectiveness of an evaluation system that is outcomes-based and embedded in a functional evidence-based system. Thus chapter 2 attempts to explain processes (mechanisms and practices) that lead to the availability and utilisation of reliable and credible performance information. Chapter 2 assists the researcher to answer the secondary research question of this study; which is, does embedding a monitoring and evaluation system in an evidence-based system contribute to an outcomes-based and accountable government? This study, though critical of the emerging policy evaluation framework in SA, acknowledges efforts made in the policy arena since 1994 (which is discussed in chapters 3). Thus, in identifying challenges, this study seeks to take a prospective approach that would outline the issues which government must grapple with in order to successfully institutionalise an outcomes based policy evaluation system. In this study institutionalisation of an outcomes-based policy evaluation system refers to the creation of a monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system which produces monitoring information and evaluation findings which are judged valuable by key stakeholders, and are used in the pursuit of evidence-based decision making (Mackay 2006:5). Based upon the findings of this study, the researcher concludes that the government has adopted a technocratic approach to monitoring and evaluation, paying little attention to the broader institutional and systemic issues. At the core of the matter is an under-emphasis of the political influence on the effectiveness of the evaluation systems. This study further argues that even the recent public reforms, driven through the newly established Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Ministry, continue to advocate for this technocratic approach with little or no consideration of the political environment within which evaluations are supposed to be executed. Therefore the researcher recommends that in order to institutionalise the Outcomes-Based policy evaluation system, interventions should be made at different levels; that is, political and administrative levels. Political interventions would entail reforming the current electoral system, and strengthening the role and capacity of parliamentary organs. On the other hand, administrative interventions would entail accelerating differentiated evaluation support programmes, strengthening financial accountability and budget allocation mechanisms. This study found that, despite government‘s much publicised intentions of implementing an outcomes-based approach through the GWM&ES, most government departments are far from implementing outcomes-based policy evaluation systems. Evaluation culture is weak and, if done, evaluations only occasionally inform strategic directions of the departments. This in turn discourages departments from conducting evaluations. The extent to which departments have applied the GWM&ES is the subject of this research. Chapters 3 and 4 address this matter and thus assist the researcher to answer the main research question of this study; which is, what strides have been made by SA towards an outcomes-based policy evaluation framework – ―Where are we and what are the gaps? / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.