The paper attempts to measure relative efficiency in utilizing public education and R&D expenditures in the new EU member states in comparison to the selected EU (plus Croatia) and OECD countries. As resources allocated to education and R&D sector are significantly limited, a special emphasis should be given to their efficient use regarding the institutional and legal constraints. By applying non-parametric methodology, i.e. Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), a relative efficiency is defined as the deviation from the efficiency frontier which represents the maximum output/outcome attainable from each input level. An analysis of (output-oriented) efficiency measures shows that among the new EU member states Hungary, Estonia and Slovenia seem to be good benchmark countries in the field of primary, secondary and tertiary education, respectively. On the other hand, Cyprus and again Hungary dominate in the field of R&D sector, even if for different reasons. The empirical results also suggest that, in general, new EU member states show relatively high efficiency in tertiary education, while lag well behind in theR&D efficiency measures.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3926958
Methodologies for evaluation of e-government policies do not provide enough valuable information to policy makers in conducting quality planning of e-government initiatives. Consequently, user acceptance of e-government services is below government anticipations, while the expected effects in terms of reducing costs and increasing the effectiveness of public administration are still in early stages. Paper presents an overview of existing methodologies for evaluation of e-government policies, identifies characteristics of recent evaluations and conceptualizes a theoretical framework for their comparative analysis. Analysis of more than 50 evaluation methodologies offers an insight into the current evaluation practice, enables detection of its deficiencies as well as their mitigation and could facilitate a significant contribution to more evidence-based evaluation of e-government policies.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3985326
The article attempts to provide an overview of the fiscal decentralization process in emerging market economies in Eastern Europe in the last 20 years. Using the methodology developed by Vo (2009), the article assesses the degree of fiscal decentralization in the region. Conceptually, the measurement of fiscal decentralization focuses on fiscal autonomy and on the fiscal importance of subnational governments. The empirical analysis reveals that the highest level of fiscal decentralization (centralization) is found in Russia (Armenia) among non-EU members and in Estonia (Slovak Republic) among EU members of the Eastern European countries. In addition, the empirical results show that, in general, the degree of fiscal decentralization is higher in developed OECD countries than in most Eastern European countries (EECs). However, in contrast to our expectations, there has been an alarming downward trend of the fiscal decentralization index (FDI) in most countries of the region over the last two decades. Moreover, the article also examines the effects of fiscal decentralization on growth and public sector size in EECs. The analysis provides some evidence that increases in public sector decentralization are associated with higher income levels. Finally, our results suggest that fiscal decentralization in EECs generally leads to an increase in the size of government, albeit there are some significant differences between EU and non-EU member states.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3994798
Slovenian government has adopted the utilization of outsourcing as one of the main instruments to tackle national/municipal budget deficit and stimulate cost effectiveness of the public sector. While lacking experience as well as formal regulations and expertise in the field of outsourcing, public sector started straying to the growing and increasingly less justified outsourcing of public services, leading to a completely opposite effect than expected and desired. Being aware of the complex and almost unparalleled role of information technology (IT) in the modern organization, IT sourcing issue is currently a very hot topic and could define the main trajectory of public sector action in the future as well as articulate its development strategy and long-term goals of e-government in general. Paper focuses on in-depth analysis of the critical success factors within the wide-ranging concept of public sector outsourcing, while employing the international studies and primarily the results of our own research from 2010, concerning outsourcing of IT-projects in Slovenian municipalities. Paper provides additional analysis of the material, procedural and other relevant aspects within the process of IT outsourcing, an overview of its potential implications and eventually presents a contextual framework and a set of applicable guidelines for quality management of IT outsourcing process and effective implementation of e-government projects in the public sector.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3790254
The majority of existing methodologies for evaluation of e-government policies is underdeveloped and partial, preventing comprehensive and objective evaluation. This situation consequently results in poor quality of planning and implementation process, while further diminishing positive effects and decreasing public consumption of e-government services. One of the most frequently overlooked aspects of e-government policies evaluation is the concept of public interest, which is not given sufficient attention within existing evaluation methodologies, reducing the legitimacy of policy making in the field. The significance of public interest is often elusively defined, while its dimensions are somehow rendered particularly within the financial benefits. Paper provides an analysis of more than 50 methodologies for evaluation of e-government policies, exploring the presence of public interest aspect within. Analysis offers an insight into the current evaluation practice enabling detection of its deficiencies as well as their mitigation, and could facilitate a significant contribution to more evidence-based evaluation of e-government policies.
COBISS.SI-ID: 4008878