Regional index of sustainable economic well-being development project: final report

This report presents results from a development project carried out by nef (the new economics foundation) on behalf of emda (the East Midlands Development Agency) and Natural England, to improve the methodologies used in the calculation of the R-ISEW (Regional Index of Sustainable Economic Well-Being)

Measuring the performance and achievement of social objectives of development finance institutions

This paper develops and tests a proposed methodology that puts forward a new integrated method for evaluating the performance of development finance institutions. This methodology applies assessment criteria that take into account both the social objective that the development finance institution addresses and the subsidies it received in order to achieve such an objective. This methodology is applied to two pilot case studies-Banadesa (Honduras) and Banrural (Guatemala). The authors calculate the previously tested subsidy dependence index, which measures the degree of an institution's subsidy dependence. The paper develops and estimates a new measure-the output index- which indicates the level to which the institution fulfills the social objectives of the state. The analysis integrates the subsidy dependence index and the output index to assess the effectiveness associated with meeting the social objective. The findings suggest that the integration of the two indexes can constitute the basis of a meaningful evaluation framework for the performance of development finance institutions. This new methodology can also be a useful metric for policy makers who are seeking to decide on an optimal allocation of scarce funds for development finance institutions that pursue social goals and for management that seeks improved performance outcomes.,Access to Finance,Debt Markets,Banks&Banking Reform,Economic Theory&Research

Electronic information sharing in local government authorities: Factors influencing the decision-making process

This is the post-print version of the final paper published in International Journal of Information Management. The published article is available from the link below. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. Copyright @ 2013 Elsevier B.V.Local Government Authorities (LGAs) are mainly characterised as information-intensive organisations. To satisfy their information requirements, effective information sharing within and among LGAs is necessary. Nevertheless, the dilemma of Inter-Organisational Information Sharing (IOIS) has been regarded as an inevitable issue for the public sector. Despite a decade of active research and practice, the field lacks a comprehensive framework to examine the factors influencing Electronic Information Sharing (EIS) among LGAs. The research presented in this paper contributes towards resolving this problem by developing a conceptual framework of factors influencing EIS in Government-to-Government (G2G) collaboration. By presenting this model, we attempt to clarify that EIS in LGAs is affected by a combination of environmental, organisational, business process, and technological factors and that it should not be scrutinised merely from a technical perspective. To validate the conceptual rationale, multiple case study based research strategy was selected. From an analysis of the empirical data from two case organisations, this paper exemplifies the importance (i.e. prioritisation) of these factors in influencing EIS by utilising the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) technique. The intent herein is to offer LGA decision-makers with a systematic decision-making process in realising the importance (i.e. from most important to least important) of EIS influential factors. This systematic process will also assist LGA decision-makers in better interpreting EIS and its underlying problems. The research reported herein should be of interest to both academics and practitioners who are involved in IOIS, in general, and collaborative e-Government, in particular

FEFC: review of geographical and institutional factors: staffing costs, final report

In this report Maxwell Stamp has attempted to provide a comprehensive analysis and approach to calculating regional wage differentials for the FE sector. We have examined the conceptual and analytical issues involved in this area and have reviewed the work carried out by other institutions that take into account regional pay differences in their funding formulas. Finally, we have examined the FEFC data on pay and employee characteristics and used statistical techniques to estimate regional pay differences in the FE sector. The details of the ‘new’ FEFC weighting allowances are set in Section 4 and summarised in Table 4.1. They show high allowances for London, and that London can be split into three areas, an inner, middle and outer core. The allowances for the inner and middle cores are significantly above the current allowances used in the 1998/9 funding formula. Maxwell Stamp also find moderate allowances for most of the counties surrounding London. There is also some empirical support in the FEFC data for an allowance for Greater Manchester and the West Midlands. However, the balance of the evidence from other studies does not indicate a high value for both areas. Therefore, our recommendations would support the case for new allowances based on the FEFC results set out in Table 4.1 for the London area and the surrounding counties. On balance, we believe the case for an allowance for Greater Manchester and the West Midlands is less robust

FEFC: review of geographical and institutional factors: staffing costs

"A wide range of factors determine the wages paid to employees in Further Education (FE) colleges throughout England. Such factors include the differences in skills and abilities of employees, local labour market pressures and the relative differences in attractiveness of areas, for example some areas have a higher cost of living than elsewhere. The main objective of this study is to provide a rigorous analytical and statistical analysis of the size and compass of such ‘regional’ wage differences." - Page 1

How Useful Is The Genuine Savings Rate As A Macroeconomic Sustainability Indicator For Countries And Regions? Australia And Queensland Compared

This paper demonstrates how macroeconomic indicators of sustainable development can be applied to the Queensland economy. We derive a Genuine Savings Rate (GSR) for Queensland for the period 1989 to 1999, which is then compared with the World Bank estimate of Australia's GSR for the same period. Specifically, we examine how well a single "headline" indicator based on the World Bank's GSR performs as a measure of overall sustainability. In doing so, we review criticisms of the GSR and compare its potential policy directives with those emerging from the use of net state savings and then the GSR as part of a suite of indicators.

A Framework to Assess Returns on Investments in the Dryland Systems of Northern Kenya

Governments need quantitative assessments of the outcomes of proposed investments so they can weigh the merits of each option. Without these, there is a risk that some proposed changes could in fact reduce rather than increase benefits to the economy and society. At present, there is no definitive framework for assessing the returns to Northern Kenya's predominantly pastoralist land use, nor any prediction of its returns under anticipated climate changes. There is therefore no possibility of comparing returns between this and any alternatives. Flagship projects planned to accelerate economic development in Northern Kenya include an international transport corridor, a resort city and an international airport. In addition, mineral deposits are being discovered, towns are growing across both arid and semi-arid areas, and land speculation is increasing. The county governments are faced with the task of prioritising investments which can do the most to improve living standards for local people. This paper is intended to stimulate and contribute to a discussion of how the returns on land-based investments in the drylands should be evaluated. It presents an assessment framework for weighing the total economic value of the ecosystem services provided by pastoral and mixed land-use systems under anticipated climate changes and variability. The proposed framework draws on contributions from previous research at IIED and by other research partners focusing on ecosystem service assessment in Northern Kenya and surrounding dry regions. The paper reviews the current state of knowledge on the returns from pastoral and other land uses in the region, identifies research gaps and highlights the next steps needed for implementing the framework