This Ph.D thesis is made up of six chapters: together with Introduction and Concluding Remarks, there are one extensive literature review and three main essays. The theme of this thesis is "The Political Economy of Public Sector Governance" and I explore it by analysing the two main actors in the interaction between citizens and politicians: Mass Media and Bureaucracy. The World Bank in several publications since early 2000 has brought to the attention of politicians, public servants, social scientists and, as far as an institution like the World Bank can do, the general public that what really is important and does make a difference in the economic growth and social development of nations are not policies but (political and social) institutional quality. In order to make institutions work well, so they are able to promote the greatest welfare for all the citizens, it is necessary to have good governance. One of the ingredients of an optimal governance arrangement is the possibility for the citizens to make their government accountable for what it does (not) and responsive to their needs. Therefore, in order to have good political institutions citizens have, on one hand, to control their government and, on the other hand, to voice their needs, preferences and ideas, also when the ballot box is not ready at hand. Mass Media has at least these two functions in the relationship between the citizens and the (incumbent) politicians. In the first essay I analyse citizens' voting decisions and collusion between media and politicians and how this phenomenon affects the behaviour of citizens towards disciplining and selecting the incumbent politician, when citizens have at their hands two sources of information about the quality of the incumbents and their performance: the quantity of a good publicly supplied by the government and a signal coming from the mass media on politician honesty. The setting comprises a two period game, where voters, in the first period, have to decide, observing the information available through media and good publicly produced, whether to vote off or reelect the incumbent politician to the second period electorate mandate. By employing both two signals, citizens manage to sort out honest politicians from dishonest ones more often than if they were relying on media information only. Moreover the existence of both signals makes collusion harder to achieve than in the case of one signal only. Furthermore, the welfare analysis reveals that, contrary to previous findings, the presence of media is not always welfare improving. The usefulness of media for citizens depends critically on the time discount factor between the two periods: when the time discount factor is larger than a certain threshold, it is optimal for the citizens to receive information from media; when the time discount factor is lower than the threshold, their optimal decision is not to get any information. Finally, I argue that when rules at the constitutional level are not possible and citizens cannot commit to have less information, then collusion between media and politician can be welfare improving for citizens, contrary to previous results in the literature. In the second essay I investigate the role of Mass Media as a bottom-up way of communicating dispersed information from citizens to incumbent. Citizens transmit useful information thanks to the newspapers they buy and read. However, these newspapers are produced by a third party (a Media Tycoon) that has his own incentives. In particular the Media Tycoon has to decide whether to produce a newspaper that allows the citizens to participate in the public debate (Broadsheet) or does not (Tabloid). Given the fact that this instrument can be bought but not directly produced by the citizens, there exists a tension between the benefit of using a newspaper to express citizens'views and the possibility that this newspaper can be actually produced. Results show that producing a Broadsheet always improves the quality of policy decision making on part of the incumbent. A notable result is that in order to enhance the quality of the public decision making it is better to have any Broadsheet than not having one, whatever is the public stance the newspaper takes about the issue at stake. In this essay I first assume that there is only one group of citizens which is interested in having the optimal policy adopted, i.e. the Middle Class and I assume the Middle Class citizens are the only one who read newspapers. Subsequently I analyse how the results change when citizens from the other classes read newspapers as well. I show how the "partisan readers", committed to buy the Broadsheet supporting the policy they prefer, can ease the production of the Broadsheet. In this case the existence of partisanship and of ideological readers make the implementation of optimal policy easier, not harder, contrary to conventional wisdom. In the work of the World Bank, and in all the scientific production about how to establish and foster the development of good governance, corruption is one of the main diseases that can affect the correct relationship between citizens and public officials. So it is important to study how good institutional quality can fight corruption in several different fields of the political and economic environment. The third essay evaluates the effect of corruption on the regulation of business entry. A theoretical agency model of bribes is introduced, with strategic interaction between the firm, the corruptible public sector employee and the government. This model allows the evaluation of reforms targeting business startup procedures with regards to the incentives of the various actors involved in this process. Findings show that corruption in equilibrium between entrant firms and public servants could be self-sustained in the absence of government intervention. When deriving the equilibrium outcomes of some reforms like performance wages, privatisation and full liberalisation of entry, results show that transaction costs related to bribes are central in determining the optimal reform strategy. Although liberalisation is the preferred reform option for firms, government fiscal revenues and overall social welfare, firms surprisingly would prefer performance wages implemented in public registry service rather than the privatisation of this service. This holds despite the additional tax burden on firms necessary to finance higher civil servants'wages.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and examine governance structures and practices and service delivery to provide comprehensive understanding of governance and service delivery situation at sub-national levels in Namibia. Public service agencies are presumed to lack good governance practices which adversely affect service delivery. It was argued that good governance practices improve public service performance and ultimately enhances service delivery. Furthermore, the study noted that the delivery of basic services such as potable water, health, education, electricity and proper road communication can augment the living standard of the people. Various public service reforms undertaken by the Government of Republic of Namibia since independence in 1990 explain government’s resolve to good governance and improved service delivery. Consequently, workable relationship between government and citizens is needed to realise national development plans and Vision 2030. The study used the Oshana Region case study in order to determine whether governance practices have bearing on service delivery at sub-national levels in Namibia. Qualitative research approach was utilised and qualitative data were collected in addition to rigorous literature review and analysis. Scientifically, gathered information suggested that good governance practices are certainly fundamental to service delivery and subsequently improve people’s living standard particularly those residing in rural areas. The study found that the Namibian government exercised good governance practices and provided basic services to citizens. Nonetheless, inappropriate governance practices by some public institutions delay service delivery. The study concluded that while poor governance and ineffective service delivery are considerable challenges faced by public service, they are not insurmountable. The thesis acknowledged a significant progress made by creating governance structures at sub-national levels to provide and accelerate the delivery of essential services to citizens in Namibia. Notwithstanding the above, more still need to be done to improve the socio-economic welfare of Namibian people. Therefore, the research recommended that the Government of Republic of Namibia ought to provide sufficient resources and promote public participation to address the needs and aspirations of the citizens particularly the previously marginalised people in rural areas. Moreover, sub-national governance structures should be strengthened and essential government functions and services be devolved. / Public Administration and Management / D. (Public Administration)

O mundo corporativo desenvolveu mecanismos para atenuar os conflitos de agência, decorrentes das divergências entre os interesses dos acionistas e dos gestores profissionais. A adoção de práticas de governança corporativa nas sociedades empresariais, em que o capital está pulverizado entre milhares de acionistas que não participam da gestão do negócio, impõe aos gestores um comportamento ético, pautado pela boa-fé, pela transparência, pela prestação de contas, pela eficiência e pela responsabilidade pelos atos de gestão. De outro lado, permite que os acionistas acompanhem e participem do estabelecimento das diretrizes da administração do empreendimento, sempre sob o pressuposto de que o gestor age em nome dos interesses dos proprietários da empresa. No regime republicano estabelecido pela Constituição Federal de 1988 os cidadãos são os titulares da res publica, cabendo ao gestor público a administração da coisa pública em prol dos interesses da sociedade. A gestão dos recursos públicos, regulada pelo Direito Financeiro, deve seguir rigorosamente a lógica republicana, mas neste ponto é possível identificar potenciais conflitos de agência entre os gestores públicos e os cidadãos. Com o objetivo de garantir a melhor aplicação dos escassos recursos financeiros arrecadados junto à sociedade, a Constituição Federal institucionalizou um complexo sistema de preservação do interesse público na gestão financeira estatal, sistema esse descrito neste trabalho, aqui denominado de governança republicana. Esse complexo, constituído de normas e princípios constitucionais, normas infraconstitucionais, mecanismos de controle e planejamento, além de formas de participação social, formam um sistema institucional de proteção à boa aplicação dos recursos financeiros do Estado e devem servir aos aplicadores do direito como vetor para a interpretação das normas de Direito Financeiro. / The corporate world developed mechanisms to lessen agency conflicts due to divergences between shareholders and professional managers interests. The adoption of corporate governing practices in corporate businesses (where the capital is spread out among thousands of shareholders, who do not participate in the administration of the business) requires an ethical behavior from the managers; this ethical behavior should be guided by good-faith, transparency, accountability, efficiency and responsibility for the administrative actions. On the other hand, it allows the shareholders to accompany and to participate in the establishment of guidelines for the administration of the enterprise, always under the presupposition that the manager acts on behalf of the interests of the company owner. Under the republican regime, established by the 1988 Federal Constitution, the citizens are the holders of the republic; thus, it is the responsibility of the public administrator to manage the public thing on behalf of the interests of society. The administration of the public resources, which is regulated by the Financial Law, must strictly follow the republican logic, but in this sense it is possible to identify potentials agency conflicts between public administrators and citizens. With the objective of ensuring the best application of the scarce financial resources collected from society, the Federal Constitution institutionalized a complex system of preservation of the public interest in the state financial administration, and this system is described in this work and is here denominated of Republican governance. This complex (which is constituted of norms and constitutional principles, infra-constitutional norms, planning and control mechanisms, besides forms of social participation) forms an institutional protection system for the good application of the State financial resources and it should also be useful to those who apply the law as a vector for the interpretation of Financial Law norms.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and examine governance structures and practices and service delivery to provide comprehensive understanding of governance and service delivery situation at sub-national levels in Namibia. Public service agencies are presumed to lack good governance practices which adversely affect service delivery. It was argued that good governance practices improve public service performance and ultimately enhances service delivery. Furthermore, the study noted that the delivery of basic services such as potable water, health, education, electricity and proper road communication can augment the living standard of the people. Various public service reforms undertaken by the Government of Republic of Namibia since independence in 1990 explain government’s resolve to good governance and improved service delivery. Consequently, workable relationship between government and citizens is needed to realise national development plans and Vision 2030. The study used the Oshana Region case study in order to determine whether governance practices have bearing on service delivery at sub-national levels in Namibia. Qualitative research approach was utilised and qualitative data were collected in addition to rigorous literature review and analysis. Scientifically, gathered information suggested that good governance practices are certainly fundamental to service delivery and subsequently improve people’s living standard particularly those residing in rural areas. The study found that the Namibian government exercised good governance practices and provided basic services to citizens. Nonetheless, inappropriate governance practices by some public institutions delay service delivery. The study concluded that while poor governance and ineffective service delivery are considerable challenges faced by public service, they are not insurmountable. The thesis acknowledged a significant progress made by creating governance structures at sub-national levels to provide and accelerate the delivery of essential services to citizens in Namibia. Notwithstanding the above, more still need to be done to improve the socio-economic welfare of Namibian people. Therefore, the research recommended that the Government of Republic of Namibia ought to provide sufficient resources and promote public participation to address the needs and aspirations of the citizens particularly the previously marginalised people in rural areas. Moreover, sub-national governance structures should be strengthened and essential government functions and services be devolved. / Public Administration and Management / D. (Public Administration)

O mundo corporativo desenvolveu mecanismos para atenuar os conflitos de agência, decorrentes das divergências entre os interesses dos acionistas e dos gestores profissionais. A adoção de práticas de governança corporativa nas sociedades empresariais, em que o capital está pulverizado entre milhares de acionistas que não participam da gestão do negócio, impõe aos gestores um comportamento ético, pautado pela boa-fé, pela transparência, pela prestação de contas, pela eficiência e pela responsabilidade pelos atos de gestão. De outro lado, permite que os acionistas acompanhem e participem do estabelecimento das diretrizes da administração do empreendimento, sempre sob o pressuposto de que o gestor age em nome dos interesses dos proprietários da empresa. No regime republicano estabelecido pela Constituição Federal de 1988 os cidadãos são os titulares da res publica, cabendo ao gestor público a administração da coisa pública em prol dos interesses da sociedade. A gestão dos recursos públicos, regulada pelo Direito Financeiro, deve seguir rigorosamente a lógica republicana, mas neste ponto é possível identificar potenciais conflitos de agência entre os gestores públicos e os cidadãos. Com o objetivo de garantir a melhor aplicação dos escassos recursos financeiros arrecadados junto à sociedade, a Constituição Federal institucionalizou um complexo sistema de preservação do interesse público na gestão financeira estatal, sistema esse descrito neste trabalho, aqui denominado de governança republicana. Esse complexo, constituído de normas e princípios constitucionais, normas infraconstitucionais, mecanismos de controle e planejamento, além de formas de participação social, formam um sistema institucional de proteção à boa aplicação dos recursos financeiros do Estado e devem servir aos aplicadores do direito como vetor para a interpretação das normas de Direito Financeiro. / The corporate world developed mechanisms to lessen agency conflicts due to divergences between shareholders and professional managers interests. The adoption of corporate governing practices in corporate businesses (where the capital is spread out among thousands of shareholders, who do not participate in the administration of the business) requires an ethical behavior from the managers; this ethical behavior should be guided by good-faith, transparency, accountability, efficiency and responsibility for the administrative actions. On the other hand, it allows the shareholders to accompany and to participate in the establishment of guidelines for the administration of the enterprise, always under the presupposition that the manager acts on behalf of the interests of the company owner. Under the republican regime, established by the 1988 Federal Constitution, the citizens are the holders of the republic; thus, it is the responsibility of the public administrator to manage the public thing on behalf of the interests of society. The administration of the public resources, which is regulated by the Financial Law, must strictly follow the republican logic, but in this sense it is possible to identify potentials agency conflicts between public administrators and citizens. With the objective of ensuring the best application of the scarce financial resources collected from society, the Federal Constitution institutionalized a complex system of preservation of the public interest in the state financial administration, and this system is described in this work and is here denominated of Republican governance. This complex (which is constituted of norms and constitutional principles, infra-constitutional norms, planning and control mechanisms, besides forms of social participation) forms an institutional protection system for the good application of the State financial resources and it should also be useful to those who apply the law as a vector for the interpretation of Financial Law norms.

Krav på ansvarstagande för offentliga chefer har ökat under de senaste åren, och detta har i sin tur lett till ökat krav på offentliga chefer som dessutom får ta allt mer ansvar. De behöver också lägga ner allt mer av sin arbetstid på att arbeta med just ansvar. Dessa ökade krav är dock inte jämnt fördelade över organisationens chefer. Därför har ansvaret blivit stort för de chefer som ansvarstagandet faller på. Syftet med denna studie är att bidra till en ökad förståelse för ansvarstagande i offentlig sektor. Genom att i praktiken undersöka hur offentliga chefer utkrävs på ansvarstagande samt hur en offentliga organisation internt hanterar krav på ansvarstagande hoppas vi kunna bidra till en ökad förståelse kring begreppet ansvarstagande. Utifrån vårt syfte är två forskningsfrågor formulerade för att med hjälp av dessa kunna besvara syftet med studien.Studien som genomförts är kvalitativ med en abduktiv ansats. Till studien har det tillämpats ett hermeneutiskt synsätt för att kunna förstå och tolka det insamlade empiriska materialet. Det empiriska materialet har samlats in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer som genomfördes med nio respondenter vid en enhet vid Jönköpings kommun. Vi har intervjuat en högre chef, fyra enhetschefer och fyra mellanchefer som arbetar vid samma enhet. Detta för att med hjälp av respondenternas svar kunna fastställa hur en offentlig organisation och dess chefer utkrävs på ansvarstagande och internt hanterar krav på ansvarstagande.Den insamlade empirin har sedan satts i relation till den vetenskapliga litteratur som vi använt oss av i den teoretiska referensramen. Den teoretiska referensramen har utvecklats med hjälp av tidigare litteratur och behandlar tre huvudområden vilka är styrning i offentlig sektor, att förstå ansvarstagande och mellanchefer. Denna teori har sedan använts för att problematisera och analysera det empiriska materialet. Detta har i sin tur mynnat ut i slutsatserna för studien.I studien framkommer det att de undersökta cheferna kopplar begreppet ansvarstagande till ansvar och därigenom även till deras arbetsbeskrivningar. Cheferna utkrävs på så sätt på ansvarstagande genom de olika ansvarsförhållandena som kräver att de utför vissa arbetsuppgifter och sköter vissa ansvarsområden och därmed genomsyrar ansvarstagandet deras arbete. Trots de hinder som kan uppkomma för mellanchefer fungerar mellancheferna i denna organisation som en avlastning för enhetscheferna och underlättar därmed kravet på ansvarstagande som ligger på enhetscheferna. / Demands of accountability for public managers have increased in recent years which have resulted in increased demands on public managers, who must take more responsibility. Therefore, they must devote more of their working hours to work with responsibility. However, these increasing demands are not evenly distributed among the organization’s managers. Thereby the responsibility has become heavy for the mangers who deal with accountability. The purpose with this thesis is to generate knowledge about accountability in public sector. By examining how public managers are pressed for accountability and how an organization internally manage demands of accountability, we hope to contribute to an increased understanding around the concept of accountability. Two research questions are formulated to help us answer the purpose with the thesis.The study is conducted by means of qualitative method where we apply an abductive approach. It has applied a hermeneutical perspective to interpret and understand the collected empirical material. The empirical material has been collected through semi-structured interviews with nine respondents at a unit at Jönköpings kommun. We have been interviewing a senior manager, four unit mangers, and four middle managers who work within the same unit. With help from the respondents answers we would like to determine how public managers are pressed for accountability and how an organization internally handle demands of accountability.The collected data has been related to the academic literature which we used in the theoretical framework. The theoretical framework has been developed by using former literature and discusses three major topics, which are public sector governance, understanding accountability and middle managers. This theory has then been used to problematize and analyze the empirical material. All the above have led to the conclusions of this study.In this study, it appears that the examined mangers connect the concept accountability to responsibility and therefore to their job descriptions. The managers are pressed for accountability through their accountability relationships which demand that they perform their working tasks and manage their responsibilities, and thereby accountability permeates their work. Despite the obstacles that can appear for middle managers the middle managers in this organization work as a relief for the unit managers and thereby they ease the demand of accountability, which are lying on the unit managers.This thesis is written in Swedish.