Socio-economic development, income inequality and redistribution

Tackling the issue of income equity through redistribution consists of a discussion about the extent and forms of redistribution. The study responds to the issue of income redistribution defined within the neoclassical welfare economy by addressing the research question concerning the relation of the selected areas of social policy (expenditure of social protection) and of socio-economic development (Human Development Index, Gini coefficient). The study uses a quantitative approach to the research question, statistically tests the relation between social protection expenditure and socio-economic development, and tests income inequality using the Pearson’s correlation coefficient. The results show that social protection expenditure on health care and old age had a positive impact on socio-economic development, assessed through the Human Development index; only social protection expenditure on disability had a negative impact on socio-economic development. Also, social protection expenditure on health care, on the disabled and on old age had a mainly negative impact on income inequity, based on the Gini coefficient

VYBRANÉ ASPEKTY SOCIÁLNÍCH SLUŽEB PRO SENIORY

The article focuses on issues of social services, which are defined as aninstrument of social policy and form of social assistance for the benefit of anotherperson. In the broader context are defined social services as services of generalinterest (social assistance services, employment services and education, social housingand long-term care). In connection with the specifics of social services attention ispaid to the economic characteristics of social services, demographic aspects andageing of population and the importance of social services for the elderly. Based onthe survey assessment of satisfaction, which is one of the indicators quality assessmentof social services, are to documented results of survey satisfaction of the elderly withthe services in selected residential facilities and satisfaction of the elderly withservices by type of provider

Forms of Providing and Financing Long-Term Care in OECD Countries

Long-Term care is being prioritised due to population ageing, and hand in hand with the development of professional provision of long-Term care, public expendi-Tures will be increasing. Mainly countries with a sharp increase in the number of people aged 80+ will have to address the sustainability of long-Term care systems and the pro-curement of relevant services. This paper aims to evaluate the forms of provision and financing of long-Term care in selected OECD countries. Provision and funding of long-Term care in terms of a formal system are assessed based on selected criteria using analytical methods (principal component analysis and TwoStep cluster analysis). Results of the evaluation carried out in 2008 and 2013 by means of the selected indicators of long-Term care, using TwoStep cluster analysis, confirmed both similar as well as different approaches to the provision and financing of long-Term care in the analysed countries. The most marked differences in the provision of care based on indicators LTC recipients aged 65+ and LTC recipients in institutions as a percentage of total LTC recipients were found between the first cluster (Australia and Korea with the highest share of LTC recipients) and the second cluster (Czech Republic, Estonia, with the lowest share of LTC recipients). In financing of long-Term care (LTC expenditures on institutions as a percentage of total LTC expenditures), the most significant differences were observed between the first (Australia, Korea, with the largest share of LTC expenditures on institutions) and third cluster (mainly Nordic countries, with the lowest share of LTC expenditures on institutions of total LTC expenditures). © 2017 Renáta Halásková et al., published by De Gruyter Open 2017.Operational Programme Education for Competitiveness [CZ.1.07/2.3.00/20.0296]; Evaluation of Public Policy Objectives in the Context of Sustainable Development and Performance of Regions [RO/2016/08

VYBRANÉ ASPEKTY SOCIÁLNÍCH SLUŽEB PRO SENIORY

The article focuses on issues of social services, which are defined as aninstrument of social policy and form of social assistance for the benefit of anotherperson. In the broader context are defined social services as services of generalinterest (social assistance services, employment services and education, social housingand long-term care). In connection with the specifics of social services attention ispaid to the economic characteristics of social services, demographic aspects andageing of population and the importance of social services for the elderly. Based onthe survey assessment of satisfaction, which is one of the indicators quality assessmentof social services, are to documented results of survey satisfaction of the elderly withthe services in selected residential facilities and satisfaction of the elderly withservices by type of provider

The structure and financial dimensions of public administration in EU countries

Various traditional trends and roles of public administration can be traced across the European Union member states. These countries, however, are obliged to abide by common administrative and legal principles of the European administrative area. This paper focuses on the structure and differentiation of public administration in EU (28) countries, levels of local government and internal division of administrative structures, using the ESA methodology and a comparison of expenditures made by public administration in 2003, 2009 and 2013. The fi scal aspect of public administration is evaluated also through fi scal decentralization (revenues, expenditures). Cluster analysis is used for the comparison of selected areas of public expenditures according to the levels of public administration, showing that EU (28) countries can be divided into three clusters. The most signifi cant differences in public expenditures according to levels of public administration were observed in EU countries in the fi rst and third cluster, where fi scal decentralization of expenditures constitutes the most notable difference. The smallest differences in all clusters are perceived in total general government expenditures as % of GDP.Web of Scienceno. 45E574

Fiscal decentralisation of services: The case of the local public sector in European countries

Services are a dynamically developing economic sector in all countries. The paper focuses on public services, evaluated from the perspective of fiscal decentralization. It aims to evaluate the level of fiscal decentralization of expenditures in selected categories of public services in European countries. For this purpose, government expenditures by the local government sector are analyzed in the set of the selected 28 European countries in the period 2010-2018. Cluster analysis has been carried out in order to determine four clusters of countries based on their level of decentralization of expenditures on services. The results show differences in the extent of decentralization between the European countries in the provision of specific public services and reflect the form of financing of local public needs. A low level of fiscal decentralization of expenditures on services (public order and safety; housing and community amenities; recreation, culture, and religion) was observed in the majority of the countries. However, the majority of the countries failed to prove a high level of fiscal decentralization of expenditures on services (social protection, health, education) and a medium level of decentralization of expenditures in terms of general public services and services of economic affairs. These findings demonstrate that the degree of decentralization of public services is determined, to a certain degree, determined by country history and its geographical location, as well as by the different roles of sector-specific public policies. The findings can be helpful for creators of local public policies, strategic plans, and financial concepts.Web of Science1223432

Local governments in EU countries: competences and financing of public services

Local governments in the EU play a major role in the development of local public policies. Local governments provide public services in the public interest, funding them for public resources. The paper deals with the role of the local public sector and the comparison of competences of sub-national governments (local, intermediate, regional) in EU countries and the financial dimension of local and regional governments for development of services. The areas assessed include spending capabilities of local governments in 28 EU countries, with a particular focus on total expenditures of local and regional governments, fiscal decentralisation of expenditures, and local government expenditures by selected function (social protection, health, education, culture and recreation), including the rate of their decentralisation of expenditures. The empirical research renders a comparison of spending capabilities of local and regional governments by selected function in EU countries, making use of cluster analysis and the evaluation of similarities and differences in the individual countries. The most marked differences in EU countries were observed in expenditures of the local public sector on health. Conversely, the least marked differences in all countries are seen in the expenditures of the local public sector on recreation and culture

Approaches to standardization of public services in the Czech Republic with focus on social services

This paper at the theoretical level deals with starting points and approaches to standardization of public services in the Czech Republic and in more detail focuses on the standardization of social services in the Czech Republic in terms of quality and quantity. This paper, on the basis of theoretical starting points of standardization of public and social services aims to provide an empirical view of the standardization of selected social services in the Czech Republic. In the practical part of the paper is paid a closer attention to the application of standards in quantitative terms at the selected social care services in regions of the Czech Republic. Between the years 2007 and 2011 on the examples of social care services of residential character and outpatient services and the services of terrain character in regions of the Czech Republic was analysed their availability. Based on analysis the availability of social care services in regions of the Czech Republic was compared with recommended standards. By means of method of multidimensional scaling between the years 2007 and 2011 was carried out comparison of similarities or differences in regions of the Czech Republic according to the availability of selected social care services

Public expenditures in areas of public sector: analysis and evaluation in EU countries

Public sector, representing a significant part of public economy, is considered one of its supporting pillars. The paper utilises financing of public sector (indicator of the percentage of public expenditures in GDP). It deals with the analysis and evaluation of public expenditures in EU countries according to selected COFOG functions, namely social protection, health, education, culture and recreation, in years 2005 and 2014. Also, three important proportions within total public expenditures are observed in terms of their structure. By means of multidimensional scaling, dissimilarities and similarities in the volume of allocated public resources in EU countries are evaluated with respect to COFOG functions (% of GDP in 2005 and 2014). Results showed that Scandinavian countries and France are among the countries with the best evaluation (most similar) with highest public expenditures. Conversely, Baltic states, Cyprus and Romania (most similar) comprise the second group of countries with the lowest public expenditures. These two sets of countries are least similar in the volume as well as structure of allocated public expenditures in the observed areas of public sector

Administrative territorial structures in EU countries and their specifics

The article is focused on administrative territorial structures in European Union countries and their specifics. Each state must respect its internal, territorial and other conditions and in connection to that, create its own system of organization of these relations. Attention is given to the structure of public administration in EU countries, administrative territorial division, differences and identical characteristics, local specifics and structure and differences according to NUTS regions in EU