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Decentralization Policies in Public Administration in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and Their Impact on Building Offices’ Scale Efficiency

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  • Peter Fandel

    (Department of Statistics and Operations Research, Faculty of Economics and Management, Slovak University of Agriculture, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Eleonora Marišová

    (Department of Law, Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, Slovak University of Agriculture, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia)

  • Tomáš Malatinec

    (Department of Regional Science and Management, Faculty of Economics, Technical University, 040 01 Košice, Slovakia)

  • Ivana Lichnerová

    (Department of Law, Faculty of European Studies and Regional Development, Slovak University of Agriculture, 949 76 Nitra, Slovakia)

Abstract

Decentralization policy schemes (DPSs) in the public sector have been implemented in different ways by Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Both approaches have led to a transfer of competencies from state administration to self-government with the aim of improving the efficiency of the delivery of services. This paper presents a comparative scale efficiency analysis of the units performing services in the building order sector. The analysis is based on two unique regional datasets from two countries, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. The DPS implemented in Slovakia is based on the principle of voluntary cooperation of municipalities. In the case of the Czech building sector, the competencies have been transferred to the newly created municipalities with delegated or extended competencies. This study aims to contribute to the research on efficiency in public administration. We focused on the relationship between two types of DPSs, and units’ scale efficiency. We also tried to determine whether a specific unit scale size could be identified as the most efficient. We employed a two-stage metafrontier approach based on procedures for evaluating program and managerial efficiency. The results show that different DPs have not led to statistically significant differences in performance, and it is not possible to identify the most efficient building office scale size.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter Fandel & Eleonora Marišová & Tomáš Malatinec & Ivana Lichnerová, 2019. "Decentralization Policies in Public Administration in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, and Their Impact on Building Offices’ Scale Efficiency," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 9(4), pages 1-15, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jadmsc:v:9:y:2019:i:4:p:89-:d:290313
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    1. Viera Papcunová & Jarmila Hudáková & Michaela Štubňová & Marta Urbaníková, 2020. "Revenues of Municipalities as a Tool of Local Self-Government Development (Comparative Study)," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(4), pages 1-23, December.
    2. Marta Dmytryshyn & Roman Dmytryshyn & Valentyna Yakubiv & Andriy Zagorodnyuk, 2021. "Peculiarities of Ukrainians’ Approval of Decentralization Reform," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-33, September.
    3. Eleonora MARIŠOVÁ & Ivana LICHNEROVÁ & Ján MACHYNIAK, 2021. "Efficiency Of The Functioning Of Public Administration: Regional Empirical Study," REVISTA ADMINISTRATIE SI MANAGEMENT PUBLIC, Faculty of Administration and Public Management, Academy of Economic Studies, Bucharest, Romania, vol. 2021(36), pages 165-180, June.
    4. Paweł Dziekański & Piotr Prus & Mansoor Maitah & Magdalena Wrońska, 2021. "Assessment of Spatial Diversity of the Potential of the Natural Environment in the Context of Sustainable Development of Poviats in Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-27, September.

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