Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study report concerns service delivery issues at municipal level which have emerged as areas of critical concern as far as they affect consumers of municipal services, interest groups and government as a whole. Background to investigation. The need to investigate the service delivery challenges at municipal level arose out of multiple newspaper reports reflecting on lack of satisfaction from end-users and authorities regarding quality of delivery. Organizations such as South African Local Government Association (SALGA) and South African National Civic Organization have both commissioned assessment of municipal service delivery performances, and the reports drafted thereof were both critical and unimpressive. Based on these reports, the author recognized the need to investigate the reasons for poor service delivery and to test the idea of adopting outsourcing as a complementary mechanism to the delivery of services that are currently being employed. Procedure used. The information gathering for this investigation was done by means of structured interviews with municipal managers and senior officials in the administration. Provinces which were covered in the study include Limpopo, Gauteng, and North West. Although it was desirable to include more provinces in the study, it was however not feasible owing to limited resources available. Related literature was examined to further enhance insight in the subject and also to search for added potential solutions to the service delivery problem. Results of investigation. The findings reveal that primary barriers to quality service delivery are lack of sufficient municipal capacity; shortage of skilled workers; budgetary constraints; lack of effective management systems to ensure that, when a service is sourced from outside, competent service providers are appointed and their performance satisfy and exceed expectation and requirements. The root causes to these service delivery challenges are, among other things, a consequence of economic development which stimulates demand for skilled workers in the private sectors, and limited resources in the coffers of government. To compound the challenges, municipalities are unable to attract, develop and retain the quantities and qualities of skilled workers they need, owing to the uncompetitive pay packages they offer. Literature has revealed that legislature, in the form of Municipal Systems Act, make provision for municipalities to explore service delivery mechanisms in order to supplement internal means (Municipal Systems Act, 32 of 2000). Conclusion. From the results and findings the following conclusions can be drawn: Owing to the present demand for service delivery and the inability of municipalities to build sufficient internal capacity, alternative mechanisms such as outsourcing, must be explored and employed. In addition, there is, however, a great need for management systems and structures to be established or upgraded to ensure that mileage from external service providers is maximized. Recommendation. Following the results of the investigation and the conclusion made, the following actions can be recommended: • Assess service delivery capabilities and identify gaps. • Establish service needs and requirements that can be sourced externally. • Set up robust management systems and support structures to ensure that outsourcing initiatives are guaranteed to be successful. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studieverslag het betrekking op munisipale diensleweringskwessies - 'n gebied wat sorgwekkende afmetings aanneem in die opsig dat verbruikers van munisipale dienste, belangegroepe en die regering as 'n geheel daardeur geraak word. Agtergrond van die ondersoek. Die behoefte aan 'n ondersoek na die uitdagings ten opsigte van dienslewering op munisipale vlak spruit uit verskeie koerantberigte wat die gebrek aan tevredenheid van eindgebruikers en owerhede aangaande die gehalte van dienslewering reflekteer. Organisasies soos die Suid-Afrikaanse Vereniging vir Plaaslike Regerings (SALGA) en die South African National Civic Organisation het beide die assessering van munisipale diensleweringsprestasies gelas. Die verslae wat hierna opgestel is, was krities en onindrukwekkend. Die outeur het, gebaseer op hierdie verslae, twee behoeftes geeien: die behoefte aan 'n ondersoek na die redes vir die swak diensverskaffing geeien, en die behoefte aan die uitkontraktering, soos wat tans aangewend word, as 'n aanvullende meganisme tot dienslewering. Die prosedure wat gevolg is. Die insameling van inligting vir hierdie ondersoek is gedoen deur gestruktureerde onderhoude met munisipale bestuurders en senior amptenare in die administrasie. Provinsies wat by die ondersoek betrek is, is Limpopo, Gauteng en Noordwes. Alhoewel dit wenslik is om meer provinsies in te sluit, was dit weens beperkte beskikbaarheid van hulpbronne nie uitvoerbaar nie. Verwante literatuur is geraadpleeg om verdere insig in die onderwerp te verkry en ook om bykomende moontlike oplossings te vind vir die probleem van dienslewering. Resultaat van die ondersoek. Die bevindinge dui daarop dat die primere struikelblokke in die pad van gehalte dienslewering die volgende is: gebrek aan munisipale bekwaamheid, tekort aan geskoolde werkers, beperkte begrotings, en 'n gebrek aan effektiewe bestuursisteme wat kan verseker dat, indien 'n diens uitgekontrakteer word, bekwame diensverskaffers aangestel word en dat hulle werksverrigting bevredigend is en verwagtinge en vereistes oortref. Die grondoorsaak vir hierdie uitdagings in dienslewering is o.a. die gevolg van ekonomiese ontwikkeling wat die aanvraag na geskoolde werkers in die privaatsektor stimuleer en hulpbronne in die staatskas beperk. Wat die uitdaging verder vergroot, is dat munisipaliteite, as gevolg van die onkompelerende besoldigingspakkette wal hulle aanbied, nie in staat is om die kwantiteit of kwaliteit geskoolde werkers wat hulle benodig te trek, ontwikkel of te behou nie. Literatuur het aan die lig gebring dat wetgewing, in die vorm van die Wet op Munisipale Rade, voorsiening daarvoor maak dat munisipaliteite diensverskaffingsmeganismes ondersoek ten einde interne vermoens aan te vul. Gevolgtrekking. Die volgende gevolgtrekkings kan afgelei word uit die resultate en bevindinge van die ondersoek: Te wyte aan die huidige aanvraag vir dienslewering en die onvermoe van munisipaliteite om voldoende interne bekwaamheid op te bou moet alternatiewe meganismes soos uitkontraktering ondersoek en aangewend word. Daar is egter ook 'n dringende behoefte dat bestuursisteme gevestig of opgegradeer word ten einde te verseker dat maksimale insette verkry word van eksterne diensverskaffers. Aanbevelings. Die volgende optrede word aanbeveel na aanleiding van die uitkoms van die ondersoek en die gevolgtrekking waartoe gekom is: • Assesseer die geskiktheid van dienslewering en identifiseer die leemtes. • Stel vas watter diensbehoeftes en -vereistes suksesvol uitgekontrakteer kan word . • Vestig kragtige bestuur- en ondersteuningsisteme om te verseker dat uitkontrakteringsinisiatiewe gewaarborg is om suksesvol te wees.

p. 1-174 / Submitted by Santiago Fabio (fabio.ssantiago@hotmail.com) on 2013-03-19T17:46:05Z No. of bitstreams: 1 11114.pdf: 1715038 bytes, checksum: 8250a093019aa65753b7de3ff892e5d3 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Tatiana Lima(tatianasl@ufba.br) on 2013-04-12T18:55:41Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 11114.pdf: 1715038 bytes, checksum: 8250a093019aa65753b7de3ff892e5d3 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2013-04-12T18:55:41Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 11114.pdf: 1715038 bytes, checksum: 8250a093019aa65753b7de3ff892e5d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2005 / A análise do Processo de Contratação Estruturada de Serviços é um estudo de caso da BRASKEM - indústria pertencente ao setor petroquímico nacional, com estabelecimentos fabris em quatro estados brasileiros, inclusive no estado da Bahia -, em cuja porção inicial desenvolve um exame do arcabouço teórico da Nova Economia das Instituições focada em seu alicerce, a Economia dos Custos de Transação, visualizando a definição das estruturas de governança e desse modo estabelecendo a revisão de literatura necessária ao entendimento almejado. Considera um lapso temporal dividido em duas fases, a primeira delas com início em 1998 e indo até 2000, ainda como a COPENE, e a segunda de 2002 a 2004, entre as quais observou-se um processo de integração vertical a partir da fusão de empresas de primeira e segunda gerações da indústria petroquímica para a formação da BRASKEM, período no qual se procura mostrar a importância das estruturas de governança presentes em ambas as fases, fundamentais para promover a redução de custos de transação, além de obter economias estruturais relevantes no sentido de viabilizar a agilização dos resultados consistentes e sustentáveis demandados pelas organizações contemporâneas. Espera-se que a abordagem deste trabalho possa lançar foco à oportunidade que a concentração das atividades estruturadas de Contratação de Serviços assim como a adequada gestão destes pode representar, ao proporcionarem resultados positivos na busca por competitividade, mostrando-se, de fato, uma contribuição neste particular, seja no crivo das decisões empresariais ou no tocante à evolução dos estudos acadêmicos. / Salvador

This dissertation follows a three-essay format. Each essay evaluates a different fiscal institution from a public administration perspective. In the first essay I examine whether state-funded property tax exemptions are effective in reducing the property taxes. This class of exemption is characterized by a grant from state to local governments that is intended to replace property tax revenue and lower property tax payments. Two separate theories of local fiscal behavior predict that that price effects and fiscal illusion will reduce the effectiveness of this type of tax relief. I test these predictions using panel regression analysis on county-level data from Georgia. I find that only two thirds of the revenue allocated to this program is actually used for tax relief. In the second essay I test a model of the property tax in which the levy is set to balance the difference between budgeted expenditures and expected receipts from all other revenue sources. This model demonstrates how the property tax can be used to offset unexpected changes to other revenues given a change in personal income. This model is contrasted with an alternative model in which expenditures are budgeted after expected total revenues have been determined. I will estimate both models for local governments in Georgia and test which more accurately describes local fiscal performance. I will also use both to predict changes to the property tax over a period of time and measure which model generated the more accurate forecast. Unlike the first two papers, which are quantitative analyses of fiscal data, this chapter is a case study of the contract city model of governance as implemented in the newly incorporated city of Sandy Springs, Georgia. I investigate whether the scope of outsourcing in contract cities creates additional challenges for city officials that manage contractor performance. I evaluate the incentive structures in the contract agreements that influence the principal-agent relationship using a textual analysis research method. I find that certain combinations of municipal functions in a single public-private partnership creates the potential for negative synergies to arise which would increase the difficulty of monitoring and managing the private partner.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Public Administration

Business management / M. Com. (Business management)

Thesis (MPhil)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The aim of this research report is to identify the alternative service delivery models that could deliver effective and efficient services to the South African public in future. The current economic realities, the effects of globalisation, the potential for technological innovation and the public‟s demand for better services have led the South African government to reconsider the manner in which services are being rendered. A futures methodology tool that was employed in understanding the environment in which services are delivered in South Africa is the environmental scanning. Environmental scanning which took the form of literature review, analysis of statistics already produced by other researchers, official publications and correspondence, newspaper surveys, pamphlets and newsletters, dissertations and theses as well as information from the internet will be employed in this study. Constructive environmental scanning which encompasses both material monism (also known as pop-ism) and the transcendental monism (Naude.2008; 53) was employed to develop a sound understanding of the environment (factors and forces) which have a bearing on the futures of the public service delivery. This exercise revealed that in South Africa services delivery is influenced by the following driving forces (environments): cultural and social, political and legislative, technological and economic. The environmental scanning also revealed that due to the importance attached to service delivery; government had to move away from the conventional approaches to public service delivery where government was the sole provider of services to the public and sought alternative ways of delivering services to the public. The following alternative service delivery models were adopted by government: contracting out, concession, leasing, privatization, management contract, and Electronic government as alternative models of service delivery. Notwithstanding the success of most of the models, some of these proved to be a breeding ground for nepotism, corruption, fraud and a paradise for white collar criminals. Political interference, that masquerades as political oversight is the order of the day. All of these are taking place at the expense of services delivery and are costing the government dearly. Government viewed this as an unhealthy state of affairs and also realised that this situation cannot be left to perpetuate into the future. Most importantly, government has awoken to the reality that the future can no longer be left to chance. Scenario planning was adopted as the research methodology employed in anticipating and preparing for the future. In the quest for v seeking alternative service delivery models for the future, the research report adopted the six stages of scenario planning. The chief value of scenario planning is that it allows policy-makers to make and learn from mistakes without risking career-limiting failures in real life. Further, policymakers can make these mistakes in a safe, unthreatening, game-like environment, while responding to a wide variety of concretely-presented situations based on facts. Scenario planning has an added benefit of allowing participants the latitude to think freely, allows creativity and encourages innovation.

Business management / M. Com. (Business management)

The aim of the study was to analyze the effect brought about by the promulgation of the British Local Government Act of 1988 on the maintenance of parks and recreational services. The Act made it compulsory to local authorities to expose the maintenance of parks and recreational services to a tendering process, commonly known as compulsory competitive tendering. The implementation of compulsory competitive tendering had to be done between the promulgation of the Act in 1988, and 1994. With regard to this period, a perception existed that the standard of the administration of the maintenance of parks and recreational services declined. The research was done to determine if the implementation of compulsory competitive tendering on the maintenance of parks and recreational services could have resulted in a decline in the standard of the administration of the services, and how it could have happened. It was determined that the motive of the British Government at the time of implementation of the compulsory competitive tendering was primarily to save money. The result of the implementation of compulsory competitive legislation on the maintenance of parks and recreational services were amongst other things: - low morale of staff who were pressured to change - culture changes necessary to comply to compulsory competitive organisational structures - legislation that influenced the lives of traditional local authority employees drastically, and - the development of a new approach to financial management to comply to the government's expectations of saving money. / Public Administration / M. A. (Public Administration)

The aim of the study was to analyze the effect brought about by the promulgation of the British Local Government Act of 1988 on the maintenance of parks and recreational services. The Act made it compulsory to local authorities to expose the maintenance of parks and recreational services to a tendering process, commonly known as compulsory competitive tendering. The implementation of compulsory competitive tendering had to be done between the promulgation of the Act in 1988, and 1994. With regard to this period, a perception existed that the standard of the administration of the maintenance of parks and recreational services declined. The research was done to determine if the implementation of compulsory competitive tendering on the maintenance of parks and recreational services could have resulted in a decline in the standard of the administration of the services, and how it could have happened. It was determined that the motive of the British Government at the time of implementation of the compulsory competitive tendering was primarily to save money. The result of the implementation of compulsory competitive legislation on the maintenance of parks and recreational services were amongst other things: - low morale of staff who were pressured to change - culture changes necessary to comply to compulsory competitive organisational structures - legislation that influenced the lives of traditional local authority employees drastically, and - the development of a new approach to financial management to comply to the government's expectations of saving money. / Public Administration and Management / M. A. (Public Administration)