Public Management as a University Discipline in New European Union Member States

Abstract

Many market-type mechanisms were introduced in the public administration reforms in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). Therefore public administration higher education in CEE should prepare not only classical public administrators but also public managers to operate in this new environment. This paper summarizes our research results on three new Central European members. The focus is on the scale of public management (PM) programmes, on the proportion of PM courses in the curricula of accredited PM programmes and on the dominant teaching approaches.     

Exchange rate volatility and regime change: A Visegrad comparison

We analyze exchange rate volatility in the Visegrad Four countries during the period in which they abandoned tight regimes for more flexible ones. We account for path dependency, asymmetric shocks, and movements in interest rates. In addition, we allow for a generalized error distribution. The overall findings are that path-dependent volatility has a limited effect on exchange rate developments and that the introduction of floating regimes tends to increase exchange rate volatility. During the period of flexible regimes, volatility was mainly driven by surprises. Asymmetric effects of news tend to decrease volatility under the floating regime. Interest differentials impact exchange rate volatility contemporaneously under either regime, although we find no intertemporal effect of interest differentials. Journal of Comparative Economics 34 (4) (2006) 727–753.     

Changes in the fiscal stance and the composition of public spending

We consider the impact of both cyclical and structural changes in the fiscal stance on public spending composition for a panel of EU countries, including individual components of public investment. We find that both cyclically induced and structural changes in the fiscal stance affect the composition of public spending, with fiscal tightening of both types increasing the relative share of investment and loosening favouring consumption expenditure. Of the components of public investment, infrastructure and redistribution respond to cyclical changes in the fiscal stance, while investment in hospitals and schools responds most clearly to structural changes.     

Introducing benchmarking in the Czech Republic and Slovakia

Abstract

In many cases the introduction of performance evaluation, performance management and performance financing schemes do not produce the expected results and even create perverse effects. The risks connected with their improper implementation are much higher in developing and transition countries, where the public sector is over-politicized, policy and management capacities are inadequate and resources and experience are limited or often almost absent.

Our study provides basic selected data on the use of benchmarking in public administration bodies in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The findings are clear. In spite of its high potential, benchmarking is not used regularly and properly either in Slovakia or in Czechia. Subjective barriers of its implementation, for example lack of accountability, the rent seeking attitudes of elected politicians and ineffective public services schemes might be most important limits. The situation is slowly improving, but the progress will be naturally limited by territorial fragmentation.     

评审法与基准比较法是开发维修策略的工具

维修策略与管理的理论,在不同的组织里,对有形资产实施正确的维修是非常重要的.作者提出维修的目标和定义维修策略及理论.本文的关键是开发维修策略的方法.这个方法是以输入的数据定义和所提出的数据处理程序为基础.开发正确的维修策略是以优秀维修效果为前提的.本文介绍采用评审法和基准比较法来开发维修策略,一些案例及其评估.也讨论了一些公司的某些实际问题及经验.     

Macro‐Fiscal Volatility and the Composition of Public Spending*

Earlier empirical literature has examined some long‐ and medium‐term aspects of macro‐fiscal volatility while leaving its short‐term fiscal impact unexplored. To help fill that gap, we examine the impact of macro‐fiscal volatility on the composition of public spending. To that end, we analyse a panel of 10 EU countries during 1991–2007. Our results suggest that increases in the volatility of regularly‐collected and cyclical revenues such as the VAT and income taxes tend to tilt the expenditure composition in favour of public investment. In contrast, increases in the volatility of ad hoc taxes such as capital taxes tend to favour public consumption spending, albeit only a little. We interpret such volatility innovations as conveying news to the fiscal policymaker about the underlying economic conditions, with especially regularly‐collected and cyclical taxes prompting short‐term cyclical fine‐tuning.     

Contracting-out at local government level

Abstract

Contracting-out is a public sector reform tool, and it is used as a specific form of privatization. Because of its multi-dimensional character, it does not always lead to positive improvements, even in developed countries, and its impact in countries in Central and Eastern Europe may be limited. This issue is discussed in the theoretical part of this paper. Its analytical part investigates selected important dimensions of contracting-out for local public services in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, namely forms of delivery, decision-making processes concerning the selection of the form of delivery and of supplier, and costs comparisons. The final part provides a brief list of possible tools to improve the current negative situation.