Measuring Governance: Tools

1
Measuring Governance Tools Indicators

• An Economics 539 Public Policy Literature Review
• Scott Stauffer Winter 2009

2
Measuring Governance

• Measuring those who Govern is Important
• Lack of Literature on Public Oversight
• Measuring as the Economic Link
• Spin-off of MPP Graduate Essay
• Keeping State Policy Public Meeting
  Accountability in Commission Governance

3
Measuring Governance

• Summary of the (existing) Literature
• Where our governing structures come from
• Al-Marhubi 2004 Western European heritage leads
  to better governance
• Creating Unique Indices
• Gani and Duncan 2007 Using hard data and broad
  indices helps but conclusions are still linked to
  location
• Campbell and Turner 2003 professionalism maybe a
  cross-over indicator
• Klomp and de Haan 2008 income policies effect
  your health!

4
Measuring Governance

• Summary of the (existing) Literature (cont.)
• How we have Measured Governance to-date
• Cornforth 2001 the Corporate and Non-Profit
  experiences can teach Public Governance a thing
  or two
• Board Roles and Responsibilities ? Indicators and
  Best Practices
• Osborne 2004 Economic and Market-Based
  Indicators Help
• Governance Should be Transparent
• Islam 2006 The Flow of Info is Critical
• OConnell et al. 2005 Seminal Transportation
  Structure Study
• Commissions make Government More Transparent,
  Effective

5
Measuring Governance

• Analysis of the Literature
• Agendas Motives
• Scholarly Mostly
• Osborne 2004 Cato Institute and How to Reform
  Government may mean there is a Goal being
  Promoted
• Al-Marhubi 2004 Contrary Conclusion for Middle
  Eastern Perspective?
• Data All Used Public Sources and Can Be
  Reproduced
• Some Sources Census Bureau, World Bank,
  Governments
• Some concern for Foreign-Based Data (U.S.
  Accessibility)

6
Measuring Governance

• Analysis of the Literature (cont.)
• Opposing Perspective Noted Yes
• But is there opposition to good governing (?)
• Robust Analysis Yes, but
• Governance is Abstract Issues with Consistent
  Data Indicators and Indices
• Limitations Noted Definitely!
• Lack of Consistent Data
• Lack of Literature (for Public Governance)
• Lack of Applicability beyond Locality Examined

7
Measuring Governance

• Conclusion No Consistent Measurements
• Governance is Necessary
• Governance is Everywhere
• Yet We Dont Really Pay Attention to it
• More Study Required