Decentralization is a buzzword in current discussions on Public Management and its debate has always been a contentious one. The concept involves the restructuring or reorganization of authority so that there is a system of co-responsibility between institutions of governance at the central, provincial, regional and local levels according to the principle of subsidiary, thus increasing the overall quality and effectiveness of the system of governance, while increasing the authority and capacities of sub-national levels. The dispersal of financial responsibility is a core component of decentralization. Similarly, fiscal aspect is one of the decentralization programs. Moreover, fiscal as a tool is to change from inefficient to efficient public sector functioning and to improve relations between local governments for more efficient in public service. Importantly, decentralization of fiscal responsibilities is envisaged to increase efficiency in service delivery and reduce information and transaction costs associated with the provision of public services. By implication, efficiency in this context means how a country’s public finances are structured and how nation-state that is fragmented holds its finances together in the first place. The concept of “Supply Chain Management” (SCM) is the network of organizations that are involved, through upstream and downstream linkages, in the different processes and activities that produce value in the form of products and services delivered to the ultimate customer. Public sector SCM is seen as an acquisition of goods and service which has broader social, economic and political implications. Effective public sector SCM has potential benefits such as inventory reduction, improved service delivery and cost reduction across supply chain. Despite these benefits, South African (SA) public sector encounters challenges of SCM. In Emfuleni Local Municipality (ELM), these challenges range from a paucity of human resources due to lack of skills and capacity in the implementation and execution of SCM functions, poor implementation of SCM practices, quality of service in the SCM and to poor collaborative planning. Other barriers are lack of fiscal accountability, tight budget constraints and conflict of interest in the awarding of tenders which leads to political elite and bureaucratic corruption which cascades into unethical and unfair procurement dealings. These costly burdens result in ELM’s failure to meet community needs. Due to these challenges, the Fiscal Decentralization of SCM functions currently occupies a centre stage in the financial management reform process at ELM. Evaluating the efficiency of fiscal decentralization within the Supply Chain Management Department of Emfuleni Local Municipality requires an in-depth understanding of criteria. The concepts and principles from an examination of documentary data and analysed by the researcher were applied. In addition, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussion and observation methods were conducted to solicit comments from senior managers, employees and service providers This study reports the results of a full survey among a sample of the municipality-wide customers in the study area. It was found amongst other that: • Fiscal Decentralization as SCM efficiency tool has had only marginal positive effect at ELM • Effective implementation of fiscal decentralization is a function of well trained, qualified personnel crop, an attribute which is only beginning to get at ELM • Fiscal decentralization is best promoted wish performance management, a strategy which is well performed at ELM The study ends with recommendations for management action in committing themselves to take strategic fiscal decisions and actions that hold the key to the success of decentralized decision making. / MA, Public Management and Administration, North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2011

The COPAC-driven constitution-making process in Zimbabwe was largely focused on revamping local governance and ensuring a return to democracy. The attempts were mainly focused on checking the power of the executive in a bid to institutionalise separation of powers by empowering the legislative and judicial arms of the state. However the most critical power-sharing objective was the reform of intergovernmental balance of power between the central government and subnational government structures; the provincial, urban and rural local authorities. This was captured in the ideology of devolution of power, which was set as fundamental principle of good governance repealing the erstwhile centralised system of government. The hope was that this shift of preference will be enshrined in the 2013 Constitution. However this study notes that this public optimism has not been sufficiently met in the new constitution, which is officially dubbed ‘Constitution of Zimbabwe Amendment (No. 20) Act, 2013’. The study argues that the provisions for devolution in the 2013 Constitution are inconsequential and betray a lack of political will by the central government to devolve authority and resources to local governments. The extensive reliance on impending Acts of Parliament to clarify and give effect to devolution, such as the administrative, political and fiscal competencies of different tiers of government, creates a weak framework for decentralisation which is tantamount to the continuation of the existing status quo, in which subnational governments are de facto deconcentrated appendages of central government. Notwithstanding this major setback in the aspirations of devolution in Zimbabwe, this study recommends that extensive civil society engagement with the central government which has been evidenced over the last couple of years can still reclaim the reforms initially agreed to by the ruling elite during the negotiations thereby ensuring the institutionalisation of devolution in Zimbabwe. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.

L’objectif d’accès universel aux traitements antirétroviraux (ARV), adopté officiellement en 2006 par les Etats membres des Nations Unies, implique la décentralisation de la prise en charge de l’infection à VIH au niveau des districts de santé et l’accessibilité économique des services de santé et traitements pour les ménages touchés par la maladie. Les enjeux posés par les politiques de passage à l’échelle de l’accès aux ARV dans les pays à faibles ressources ont ainsi conduit récemment à un regain d’intérêt pour la recherche opérationnelle, et redonné une actualité particulière à l’évaluation en profondeur des processus de décentralisation, en fournissant un angle d’analyse de cette politique jusqu’à présent inexploré par l’économie appliquée. Intégrée au sein d’un programme concerté de recherche conduit au Cameroun, cette thèse cherche à évaluer la performance de cette politique, notamment du point de vue de l’efficacité des services VIH et de leur accessibilité économique pour les ménages. La première partie de la thèse est consacrée à l’analyse des relations entre décentralisation de l’offre de soins pour l’infection à VIH et efficacité des services délivrés. Les analyses, réalisées à partir de modèles de régression multi-niveaux, montrent que les services VIH décentralisés obtiennent d’aussi bons résultats que les services centralisés, voire même de meilleurs résultats pour certains critères, tels que l’observance et la qualité de vie mentale. Elles mettent également en évidence que les caractéristiques de l’offre de soins, dont notamment la disponibilité en ressources humaines qualifiées et la charge de travail des personnels soignants, jouent un rôle non négligeable dans l’explication des différences observées dans la performance des services.La seconde partie s’intéresse à l’analyse de l’accessibilité économique des soins et traitements de l’infection à VIH. L’analyse des déterminants de l’accès au traitement antirétroviral révèle l’existence d’inégalités d’accès liées à la fois à des facteurs socio-économiques et à des facteurs structurels. Les résultats montrent également que les coûts directs de la maladie sont considérables au regard des ressources des ménages, que leur distribution est régressive par rapport aux revenus et que de multiples facteurs socio-économiques limitent l’efficacité de la prise en charge.L’expérience du Cameroun montre la faisabilité et la pertinence, au regard des objectifs de la lutte contre le VIH, d’une stratégie de diffusion du traitement par antirétroviraux s’appuyant sur une décentralisation de l’offre de soins, sous réserve toutefois que les systèmes de santé soient renforcés, notamment en termes de ressources humaines, et que des réformes innovantes du financement de la santé soient entreprises, réduisant, de façon substantielle, les paiements directs à la charge des populations. / In order to reach the largest population throughout the whole territory of a country, scaling-up access to ART requires both the decentralization of HIV care from central to more local services at the district level, together with care and antiretroviral treatment being economically accessible for households affected by HIV/AIDS. The recent issues raised by ART scaling-up policies in low income countries have led to a revival of interest in operational research and provide the opportunity for an in-depth assessment of decentralization policies from a point of view hitherto unexplored in applied economics.The present thesis work, which forms part of a large programme of operational research conducted in Cameroon, aimed to assess the performance of the decentralization policy in the field of HIV, particularly in terms of services’ effectiveness and economic accessibility for households.The first part of the thesis was dedicated to the assessment of the relationships between decentralization of the healthcare delivery for HIV care and the effectiveness of the services provided. Using multilevel regression models, the analysis showed that decentralized services at the district level not only achieved outcomes as good as those in centralized services, but performed even better for certain outcomes such as adherence to ART and mental health related quality of life. The results also highlighted that healthcare supply characteristics, including in particular the availability of qualified human resources and the workload of health professionals, played a significant role in explaining the differences observed inservices performance.The second part of the thesis dealt with the economic accessibility of care and treatment for HIV infection. The analysis of the determinants of access to ART highlighted inequalities in access related both to socio-economic and structural factors. Results also showed that the direct costs of the illness are considerable compared to households’ resources, that their distribution in terms of income is regressive and that numerous socio-economic factors limited HIV care effectiveness.With respect to the objectives of the global fight against HIV/AIDS, the Cameroonian experience shows the feasibility and pertinence of implementing an ART scaling-up strategy based on the decentralization of the health care supply. However this can only be fully effective if the health system as a whole is strengthened, especially in terms of human resources, and if strong financing reforms are implemented in order to substantially reduce out-of-pocket payments for affected households.

This thesis seeks to understand the development and implementation of the community-based pasture management policy in Kyrgyzstan, which transferred the responsibility for pasture-use planning from state administrative organs to local community-based organizations. Using document analysis, this thesis contextualizes the emergence and evolution of the policy’s key premises, including the advantages of community-based management compared to state-centered management. Using interviews and observations, this thesis draws out individual experiences of herders, forestry service officials and the members of pasture committees with the implementation of the policy in the Kadamzhai district of Kyrgyzstan. Findings suggest that historical continuities in pasture governance play an important role in the functioning of such policies. On the national level, the reliance of the state on the Soviet administrative and territorial division has reinforced pasture-use fragmentation, where different institutional actors struggle for authority over pastures. These struggles can be observed on the local level, where the implementation of policy is often challenged by forestry officials believing in the advantages of the Soviet fortress conservation, rather than community-based management. Second, the local outcomes of policy depend on the compliant or resistant subject positions of individuals involved in pasture use. Policy implementation succeeded in the recruitment of compliant pasture committee chairmen, who claim to be interested in bringing good to the communities through steering the use of pastures. However, the procedures for the establishment of committees contributed to their top-down functioning, where herders often consider the committees as a state agency and find different strategies to avoid their imposed payments.

This thesis explores organizational features, which facilitate counterinsurgency operations on a company level. The framework used is the infantry company. Two factors were found through literature studies to be extra important for conducting successful counterinsurgency operations: intelligence and presence. Regarding intelligence, the results show beneficial effects from organizing a company level intelligence cell. The recommended size is three individuals. The next factor, presence, originates from the concept of maintaining a persistent presence as opposed to conducting raids in the assigned area of operations. Here, a force structure of four subordinates at both company and platoon level was found to be effective. Further, a Swedish and an Austrian European Union Battlegroup company was studied and compared to each other from the previously found aspects. Next, the two companies receive suggestions for how to reorganize themselves with the already existing personnel and equipment available. In the final part, the thesis discusses the structural rigidity of military organizations evident in the lack of organizational adaption to counterinsurgency even though such operations have been conducted in the past, present and most certainly will be a part of the future. / <p>Erasmus</p><p>Received award for best thesis.</p>

Cette thèse s'attache à analyser les dynamiques suscitées par l'avènement de la décentralisation dans ces territoires. Il s'agit de réfléchir, à travers une analyse croisée des réalités du Congo et du Sénégal. / This thesis seeks to analyze the dynamics generated by the decentralization in Congo and Senegal. Consideration should be given, through a cross analysis of Congo and Senegal facts, on how some politicians are positioned to have control of their territory.

La démonopolisation des compétences régaliennes est généralement étudiée sous l’angle de l’Union Européenne avec le processus de partage de la souveraineté ou en matière de sécurité avec les acteurs privés. L’idée d’une participation des collectivités territoriales à cette démonopolisation n’est pas évidente. En principe, les collectivités territoriales et les compétences régaliennes s’excluent mutuellement. Ces compétences connaissent une relation forte avec la souveraineté et sont à ce titre monopolisées par l’Etat. En tant qu’unique titulaire de la souveraineté en France, il est le seul à pouvoir les mettre en œuvre. A l’inverse, les collectivités territoriales ne peuvent s’immiscer dans ces compétences parce qu’elles ne disposent d’aucune parcelle de la souveraineté. Cette exclusion est assurée par le fait que l’Etat organise les collectivités territoriales. A priori donc, les deux notions sont antinomiques.Pourtant, chacune de leurs côtés, ces deux notions connaissent des évolutions importantes dans la période contemporaine. La monopolisation des compétences régaliennes par l’Etat est traversée par des inflexions et des aménagements toujours plus nombreux. D’autres personnes que lui œuvrent désormais dans ses compétences régaliennes, faisant émerger l’idée d’une démonopolisation du régalien. De leur côté, les collectivités territoriales ont connu une subite montée en puissance depuis l’accélération de la décentralisation en 1982-1983. L’augmentation de leurs moyens, de leur influence et de leurs champs de compétences a tendu à les rendre incontournable dans l’action publique. Par ailleurs, l’attraction dans les territoires de l’action publique ainsi que la recherche de transversalité de cette dernière favorisent la participation des collectivités territoriales aux compétences régaliennes.En dépit des apparences de la théorie, les collectivités territoriales n’ont jamais été totalement exclues des compétences régaliennes, des formes historiques de participation, sous le contrôle de l’Etat persistent. La décentralisation a augmenté le nombre de points de contact des collectivités avec les compétences régaliennes considérées comme la frontière infranchissable. Désormais, leur participation à l’exercice de ces compétences va en s’accroissant dans le cadre de la relation aux territoires du régalien. Sous la forme de l’autorisation de la loi ou l’invitation par le contrat, les collectivités participent de différentes manières et sous le regard de l’Etat. Dans certains cas, elles s’émancipent des règles qu’il fixe pour agir dans le domaine d’une compétence régalienne.Le temps de l’exclusion mutuelle semble consommé. Depuis 1982, la décentralisation a favorisé l’émergence d’une situation d’association des collectivités. Le rôle de l’Etat a donc évolué, il n’a plus à gérer une exclusion inconditionnelle des collectivités mais aménager une ouverture partielle du monopole aux compétences régaliennes. Désormais, la relation entre les collectivités territoriales et le régalien chemine vers un point d’équilibre garantissant la prééminence de la souveraineté de l’Etat tout en assurant l’autonomie de chaque collectivité avec l’égalité de l’ensemble. / The demonopolization of the regalian functions is mainly studied from the perspective of both European Union with the process of shared soverignty, and the presence of private contractors in public security. The idea of local authorities’ involvment in this demonopolization process isn’t obvious at first sight. In theory, local authorities and regalian functions are mutually exclusive. Those functions are intimately linked with the sovereignty and are entitled to be monopolized by the State. As the unique titular of the sovereignty, he is the only one able to enforce them. On the contrary, local authorities can’t interfere in those functions because they don’t posses any part of the sovereignty. This exclusion if guaranteed by the fact that the rules of local authorities originate of the State. Normally, those two concepts are opposed.However, they both go through important evolutions in the recent period. The monopolization of regalian functions by the State knows an increasing numbers of exceptions. Other entities than him are enforcing in his regalian functons as the acknwoledgement of their demonopolization arise. From their end, local authorities are continually strenghten by the decentralization process, especially since 1982-1983. The growth of their means, their jurisdiction and their influence have made them inevitable in the enforcement of public policies. Furthermore, those policies are drawned by the local areas and the comprehensive approach they seek favor the presence of local authorities in the regalian functionDespite theoritical apparences, those authorities have never beean totally excluded of the regalian functions, some historical forms of participation, under State’s control, are persistant. The decentralization process have increased interactions between regalian functions and local authorities, although it is still considered to be a borderline. Nowadays, their participation to their enforcement is growing under various forms with the State authorization. But, in certains cases, they go beyond State’s rules in order to act in a regalian function.The era of their mutual exclusion seems to be over. Since 1982, the decentralization process have favored the appearance of an association of the local authorities. The purpose of the State has evolved. He doesn’t seek an inconditionnal exclusion of local authorities but he is seeking a controled opening of his regalian’s monopoly. Now, the relation between local authorities and the regalian progress to a balanced point which respects the soverignty and in the mean time assures the autonomy of local authorities and equality among them.

Cette thèse s'attache à analyser les dynamiques suscitées par l'avènement de la décentralisation dans ces territoires. Il s'agit de réfléchir, à travers une analyse croisée des réalités du Congo et du Sénégal. / This thesis seeks to analyze the dynamics generated by the decentralization in Congo and Senegal. Consideration should be given, through a cross analysis of Congo and Senegal facts, on how some politicians are positioned to have control of their territory.

Introdução: O Sistema de Informação de Mortalidade (SIM) é uma ferramenta importante para o diagnóstico da situação de saúde das populações, gerando conhecimento para fundamentar a gestão e o planejamento de intervenções na área de saúde. Com a implantação do Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS), os municípios passaram a assumir novas atribuições, como a organização e coordenação dos sistemas de informação em saúde, bem como a utilização da epidemiologia para o estabelecimento de prioridades. Objetivo: conhecer a situação da descentralização do SIM nos municípios paulistas sobre 6 dimensões: perfil profissional, estrutura, capacitação técnica, processo de trabalho, gestão do sistema e disseminação dos dados. Métodos: Foi aplicado questionário eletrônico para 645 responsáveis técnicos municipais. Os municípios foram agrupados, por porte populacional, em: Grupo 1, 30.000; Grupo 2, de 30.001 a 200.000 e Grupo 3, >200.000 habitantes. Os dados foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, com medidas de distribuição e de tendência central. Teste de qui-quadrado e ANOVA foram utilizados para comparação de proporções e médias, respectivamente, entre os grupos. Resultados: Obteve-se resposta de 584 municípios (90,5 por cento ), sendo 91,0 por cento do Grupo 1, 88,7 por cento do Grupo 2 e 92,5 por cento do Grupo 3. Predominam para todos os Grupos: responsáveis técnicos do sexo feminino, idade média de 39,3 anos, com superior completo, enfermeiras, vínculo efetivo e com mais de 3 anos de trabalho no SIM. No Grupo 1, o SIM está alocado na Vigilância Epidemiológica, as equipes tem um profissional, contam com 1 computador com sistema operacional mais antigo, receberam treinamento do sistema, 30 por cento realizam busca ativa de óbitos, não utilizam relatório do sistema e sua maior dificuldade é realizar codificação de causa de morte, os dados são mais utilizados pela Atenção Básica, e avaliam que a descentralização trouxe muitos benefícios. No Grupo 2, está alocado também na Vigilância Epidemiológica, suas equipes tem de 2 a 3 profissionais, contam com um computador com versões do sistema operacional mais novas, receberam treinamento do sistema, realizam revisão dos campos em branco da DO e utilizam relatórios do sistema, tem dificuldade na codificação de causa de morte, os dados são utilizados pelo Comitê de Investigação de Morte Materna e Infantil para planejamento e pactuação, e apontam pouco benefício na captação de óbitos fora do município. No Grupo 3, o SIM está alocado no Setor de Informação, tem equipes com 2 a 5 profissionais, 2 computadores, sistemas operacionais novos, profissionais capacitados, usam os relatórios do sistema, as áreas que mais utilizam os dados são o Planejamento de Ações e o Secretário de Saúde, apresentam poucas dificuldades e apontam muitos benefícios na descentralização do sistema. Conclusão: O SIM está amplamente implantado nos municípios paulistas, bem consolidado no Grupo 3, no entanto persistem problemas para a operação do sistema e codificação de causa de morte nos Grupos 1 e 2. Recomenda-se maior atenção do nível regional e estadual para as questões de gestão e capacitação profissional. / Introduction: Mortality Information System (MIS) is an important tool and can be applied for the population health analisys, to support for the management and planning of interventions in healthcare. With the implementation of the Unified Health System (SUS), new assignments were initiated on the municipalities, such as organizing and coordinating health information systems, as the use of epidemiology to establish priorities. Objective: to describe the MIS decentralization in the counties based on 6 dimensions: professional profile, physical structure, technical training, work process, system management, dissemination of data, difficulties and benefits of decentralization. Methods: electronic questionnaire was applied to 645 technical experts in each municipality. The municipalities were grouped by population size: Group 1, 30,000; Group 2, 30,001-200,000 and Group 3, >200,000 inhabitants. Data analysis used descriptive statistics, with distribution and measures of central tendency. Chi-square test and ANOVA were used to compare proportions and averages, respectively, between groups. Results: 584 municipalities responded (90.5 per cent ), 91.0 per cent of Group 1, 88.7 per cent of Group 2 and 92.5 per cent of Group 3. The predominant profile of responsible technicians for all groups were: female , mean age 39.3 years, college education, nurse, and permanent employed with more than three years work on the MIS. In Group 1 the MIS was allocated in Epidemiologic Surveillance service, the team has 1 professional, the structure has 1 computer with older operating system, received training about the system, 30 per cent carry out active search for underreported deaths , do not use reports from the system and has difficulty in codifying the causes of death, data is used by the Primary Care and indicate that decentralization brings many benefits. In Group 2 the MIS is also allocated to the Epidemiological Surveillance, their teams have 2-3 professionals, have a computer with new operating system version, received training about the system, review of blank fields on the death certificate, use reports from the system and has difficulty in codifying the cause of death. The data are used by the Maternal and Infant Death Investigation Committee for planning and agreement, and indicate little benefit in attracting information of deaths outside the municipality. In Group 3, the MIS is allocated in Information Sector, have teams with 2-5 professionals, 2 computers, new computer operating system installed, qualified professionals, areas that used the data are Action Planning and Secretary Health , present few difficulties and point out the many benefits the system decentralization. Conclusion: The MIS is widely used in the counties and consolidated in Group 3, but problems remain for the adequate system operation and coding of cause death in Group 1 and 2. We recommend more attention from the regional and state level to these issues management and professional training.

A Constituição Federal de 1988 afirmou diversos direitos sociais, organizou a descentralização e conferiu aos municípios papel fundamental na implementação das políticas sociais. Para os setores de proteção social, como saúde e educação, a Constituição garantiu um nível mínimo de recursos que devem ser investidos, além de vincular a previdência social ao crescimento do salário mínimo. Aos outros direitos sociais, restou a arena da política para disputar seu espaço no orçamento público, como é o caso da habitação. Nesse sentido, considerando que não existem vinculações para o investimento na política de habitação, considerando o pequeno espaço restante para o exercício da discricionariedade e a centralização decisória no governo federal, a presente dissertação apresenta o investimento municipal na política pública de habitação em série histórica e a composição do arranjo federativo para o financiamento da habitação municipal. A pesquisa centra-se entre os anos de 2005 e 2015, período em que, em um primeiro momento, apresentam-se os investimentos em habitação de todos os municípios brasileiros e do governo federal, a fim de compreender a simbiose entre os investimentos dos dois entes e caracteriza-se o investimento municipal em habitação. Em seguida, são analisados os investimentos dos municípios de três cidades do estado de São Paulo: Mombuca, Osvaldo Cruz e Cubatão, para compreender em profundidade a relação federativa neste financiamento e despesas geradas na função urbanismo, de forma a complementar às de habitação. / The Federal Constitution of 1988 affirmed several social rights, organized the decentralization and conferred municipalities a key role in the implementation of social policies. For the social protection sectors, such as health and education, the Constitution has secured a minimum level of resources that must be invested, in addition to linking social security to the growth of the minimum wage. To other social rights, the arena of politics remained to dispute its space in the public budget, as is the case of housing. In this sense, considering that there are no bindings for investment in housing policy, considering the small space remaining for the exercise of discretion and decision-making centralization in the federal government, this dissertation presents the municipal investment in public housing policy in a historical series and the composition of the federative arrangement for the financing of municipal housing. The research focuses on the period between the years 2005 to 2015, where, at first, we present the housing investments of all Brazilian municipalities and the federal government, in order to understand the symbiosis between the investments of the two ones and it characterizes the municipal investment in housing. Next, the municipalities investments of three cities of the state of São Paulo are analyzed: Mombuca, Osvaldo Cruz and Cubatão, in order to understand in depth the federative relationship in this financing and expenses generated in the urbanism function, in order to complement those of housing