Academic literature on the topic 'Local government – Spain'

This paper studies how political fragmentation affects government stability. Using a regression discontinuity design, we show that each additional party with representation in the local parliament increases the probability that the incumbent government is unseated by 5 percentage points. The entry of an additional party affects stability by reducing the probability of a single-party majority and increasing the instability of governments when such a majority is not available. We interpret our results in light of a bargaining model of coalition formation featuring government instability. (JEL C78, D72, H70)

The article examines the local self-government legislation of Spain and legal positions of the Constitutional Court of Spain. The norms of the Constitution of Spain regulating the issues of the organization of local self-government are analyzed. The influence of various aspects on their content is studied. The authors also studied the problem of distribution of legal regulation of the local government powers between the state and the autonomous communities taking into consideration the features of the administrative-territorial structure of Spain. The study appears to be relevant due to the fact that the issues of legal regulation of local government in Spain within the Russian science of municipal law are practically not studied. The study of foreign experience in this field helps to expand the scope of scientific researches. Spanish experience in this area also seems relevant due to the relatively recent change in the political regime. The aim of the work is to identify the features of the legal regulation of local government in Spain. As a result of the study, it was established that in Spain the subsidiary procedure for the legal regulation of local self-government by the state and autonomous communities is applied. The content of the norms of the Spanish Constitution on local self-government is determined. The distinctive features of the Spanish legislation on local self-government are identified.

This work presents modern local governments in Poland and selected European countries. This paper shows the local power structure, organizations and their competences as well as tasks and Government control. There are also indicated values of local democracy of the European Charter of local self government and legal problems of territorial self – government in Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Austria and Belgium.

Spain was one of the first countries to ratify the European Charter of Local Autonomy. Not without some setbacks, its principles have gradually been incorporated into the Spanish legal system as the regional and state laws on local government have been implemented. Its hermeneutics value has undoubtedly proven to be important and the legislator has considered the principles contained in the Charter when developing local laws. Therefore, it can be assured at present that the level of implementation of local autonomy in Spain is reasonably in line with the principles stipulated in the Charter. However, local autonomy in Spain is possibly in a stage of regression at present times, mainly due to the effects of the way to face the financial and economic crisis. Spain, along with other Mediterranean countries, has been required to introduce harsh austerity and adjustment policies which particularly affect the local public sector. In this context, the main challenges which Spain would have to handle in order to fully extend and reinforce local autonomy to completely comply with the principles stipulated in the Charter are outlined in this article.

This paper investigates the evolution of sub-central government borrowing in Spain over the period 1996–2011. The arguments and figures provided show that the intense process of political and fiscal decentralisation that took place over the 1990s and 2000s did not lead to higher debt ratios in terms of GDP at these tiers of government until 2007. Although a kind of overspending bias was in effect until the late 2000s, the paper shows that the evolution of GDP and tax revenues provided regional and local governments with enough resources to vigorously pursue their devolved public policy responsibilities and still keep their debt ratios under control. However, since 2008, when the world financial crisis broke out, the situation has changed dramatically. Even though the crisis originated in the financial sector, the paper concludes by stressing the importance of creating incentives and setting controls through institutional arrangements characterising multilevel government for all tiers of government to save in periods of economic growth in order to confront the impact of recession once it comes.

High levels of debt, provoked by a situation of economic and financial crisis, constitute a major threat to the financial sustainability of governments in the euro zone and in many other parts of the world. This delicate state of public finances also affects local governments and has led researchers to study the variables that influence the volume of bank debt. However, few have specifically analysed the causes of local government default, although it has provoked spending cutbacks and tax increases in many countries. The aim of this paper is to examine political factors that may increase the risk of local government default. Using a logit model for panel data and applying the Basel II rules, we studied the financial performance of large local Spanish governments for the period 2006-2011. Our empirical findings reveal four political factors that may increase the risk of default (the mayor’sknowledge of finance and economics, a low percentage of women councillors, a left-wing ideology and ideological alignment with the regional government).These findings are of great interest for stakeholders who may be affected by local government default, including voters, taxpayers, users of public services, managers, policymakers, financial institutions, creditors, fiscal authorities and central government.

This doctoral thesis analyses a number of issues within the domain of local administration; issues such as local indebtedness, spatial effect on local debt and the law of financial sustainability and budgetary stability. The thesis is presented in three sections. After a brief introduction, the first section examines the indebtedness of Spanish town councils during the period 1997-2017, and the main legislative modifications introduced at both European and national level. A review of the main contributions made by the relevant literature on public debt, taken from different approaches and perspectives, is also included. The overall conclusion reached is that during the period prior to the onset of the economic crisis the level of indebtedness remained stable at different levels of Public Administration, with a clear downward trend. However, from 2008 onwards, the level of debt showed a sharp increase in growth until the Budget Stability Law of 2012 was imposed. This managed to slow down the growth of state and regional debt, thus achieving a downward trend in local debt. The second section of the thesis studies the local government debt, taking into account the presence of spatial interactions between neighbouring municipalities. For this, a sample of 527 municipalities of the Valencian Community is used and the spatial models S2SLS and Spatial lag are applied. The main results obtained show the existence of spatial autocorrelation in the outstanding debt among municipalities. The gender of the presiding mayor, subsidy index and transfers received and the average payment period are all variables which show a direct effect on outstanding debt. Furthermore, the variables index of net savings, the non-working population, local income and political strength have a direct effect on the municipality's debt and an indirect spatial effect on the debt of neighbouring municipalities. The third section aims to analyse whether the gender of the mayor and the rest of the members of the municipal council can affect compliance with the principles of budgetary stability and financial sustainability, as outlined in Organic Law 2/2012. The main results indicate that in local Spanish governments the greater presence of female mayors in local governance contributes to a better financial situation. In particular, it can be seen that a higher proportion of women working as councillors increases the probability of complying with budget stability, financial sustainability and the legal limit of indebtedness. Therefore, the Law on Effective Equality of Women and Men, which requires a minimum percentage of female participation in municipal electoral lists, favours compliance with the Budget Stability and Financial Sustainability Law.
La presente tesis doctoral analiza diferentes temas de relevancia en el ámbito de las administraciones locales, tales como el endeudamiento local, los efectos espaciales en la deuda local y la ley de sostenibilidad financiera y la estabilidad presupuestaria. La tesis está compuesta por tres capítulos. Tras una breve introducción, en el primer capítulo se examina el endeudamiento en los ayuntamientos españoles durante el periodo de 1997 -2017, así como las principales modificaciones legislativas producidas a nivel europeo y nacional. También se estudian las principales aportaciones de la literatura que analizan la deuda pública, observadas desde diversos enfoques y perspectivas. Como conclusión principal se obtiene que, durante el periodo previo de la crisis económica, el nivel de endeudamiento se mantiene estable con una clara tendencia a la baja, en los diferentes niveles de las Administraciones Públicas. Es a partir del año 2008 cuando el nivel de deuda presenta un crecimiento elevado, hasta la entrada en vigor de la Ley de Estabilidad Presupuestaria del año 2012 que consigue suavizar el crecimiento de la deuda estatal y autonómica, logrando así una tendencia a la baja para la deuda local. El segundo capítulo de la tesis estudia la deuda de los gobiernos locales teniendo en cuenta la presencia de interacciones espaciales entre los municipios vecinos. Para ello se utiliza una muestra 527 municipios de la Comunidad Valenciana y se aplican los modelos espaciales S2SLS y Spatial lag. Los principales resultados obtenidos muestran la existencia de autocorrelacion espacial en la deuda viva entre los municipios. Las variables género del alcalde, índice de subvenciones y transferencias recibidas y el periodo medio de pago presentan efectos directos sobre la deuda viva. Mientras que, el índice de ahorro neto, la población no activa, la renta local y la fortaleza política tienen efectos directos en la deuda del municipio y efectos espaciales indirectos en la deuda de los municipios vecinos. El tercer capítulo tiene como objetivo analizar si el género del alcalde y el resto de miembros del consejo municipal pueden afectar el cumplimiento de los principios de estabilidad presupuestaria y sostenibilidad financiera, contenidos en la Ley Orgánica 2/2012. Los principales resultados apuntan que en los gobiernos locales españoles la mayor presencia de alcaldesas en la gobernabilidad local contribuye a mejorar la situación financiera de la entidad local. En particular, se observa que el trabajo de las mujeres con una alta proporción de concejalas mejora la probabilidad de cumplir con la estabilidad presupuestaria, la sostenibilidad financiera y el límite legal del endeudamiento. Por lo tanto, la Ley sobre la igualdad efectiva de mujeres y hombres, que exige un porcentaje mínimo de participación femenina en las listas electorales municipales, favorece el cumplimiento de la Ley de estabilidad presupuestaria y sostenibilidad financiera.

The aim of EU Regional Policy is to intervene effectively in regions that “lag behind” in economic terms and to finance development programmes through the allocation of Structural Funds which operate in accordance with the principles of subsidiarity, additionality and partnership. This policy should allow regions to converge with EU averages in terms of income and employment. Italy and Spain provide very good examples within the EU as a whole, of significant economic disparities between regions that still appear to be present. We argue and provide substantial evidence of the fact that the persistence of such disparities is mainly due to inefficient administrative and institutional capacity at the regional level. Although some regions have brought themselves towards the average, in Italy and Spain, there is evidence that certain administrative, institutional and implementation problems have tended to appear, hampering the opportunities of regions to converge in the required way. Because of this, regional economic convergence and thereby socio-economic cohesion are still beyond reach. Two decades after the 1988 Reform of the Structural Funds, EU Regional Policy has only partially succeeded in reducing regional economic divergence within Italy and Spain, where regional economic inequalities still exist. Although we demonstrate that some regions have been able to move forward in the requisite way, it is questionable whether all of the support for these regions can actually be eliminated completely in the near future with the challenges that the EU faces, particularly in relation to the latest round of Enlargement.

This thesis analyses rural social and political conflict in the province of Badajoz (Extremadura) during the Spanish Second Republic of 1931 to 1936. It takes a broad approach to social and political change in a province typical of southern Spain, but focusses particularly on the under-explored role of powerful agrarian elites opposed to the reforms introduced by the new liberal-democratic regime. The study begins with two complementary chapters covering the period 1870-1930; they consider the evolution of the autocratic rural order presided over by the elite and discuss the growth of the challenge to agrian power from organised rural labour. In the following chapters covering in detail the period 1931 to 1936 the partial transformat ion of the rural order that accompanied the transition to the Republic, the subsequent processes of social and political struggle, and the polarisation that followed are documented. A final epilogue considers the Civil War as a rural counter-revolution that involved the resurgence of agrarian autocracy in Badajoz. The thesis draws on a wide range of primary materials, from archives and printed sources to memoirs, and utilizes the relevant secondary literature. In general the study forms part of a movement to reach a deeper understanding of social and political change during the Republic and in particular offers new perspectives on the contribution of the 'agrarian question' to the breakdown of the regime and the origins of the Civil War.

Defence date: 14 December 2007
Examining board: Professor Colin Crouch, University of Warwick (EUI Supervisor); Professor Ramón Ramos Torre, Universidad Complutense; Professor Martin Rhodes, University of Denver; Professor Jelle Visser, Universiteit van Amsterdam
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digital archive of EUI PhD theses
A large part of the literature on part-time employment stresses that this form of employment contract is the result of employers’ strategies and female employees who need to reconcile work and family life. However, the growth in the number of employees sharing employment and other paid or unpaid interests expands the range and significance of working-time issues. This dissertation claims that where regulation and implementation of working-time transitions are favourable to part-time employment, part-time is likely to expand to more diverse categories of workers than those for whom it was originally intended ( i.e. mothers with caring responsibilities). The research follows a case-oriented comparative approach that draws on documentary information and a total of 48 in-depth interviews with actors’ representatives at three levels: national, sector (education and local government) and organizational, in the UK, the Netherlands and Spain. Initiated in different moments in time, the regulation of working-time transitions appears to follow a similar staged path in the three countries, although the wider institutional context affecting part-time and the active support of main actors varies for each country, especially at the organizational level. In the Dutch case, part-time regulation started off as a mechanism to enable the employment of women with caring responsibilities and, from there, it evolved towards a wider understanding of workingtime flexibility, extending the right to work part-time to other categories of employees. Given the pioneering role of the Netherlands in this area, it could be argued that both the UK and Spain have been following the Dutch example although with different degrees of success. In the Netherlands, after two decades of active support to part-time, there is still a big gender gap among part-timers, and in many sectors and occupations employees face difficulties to change their working hours; still, the general trend seems to be that access to part-time is becoming easier at more sector and occupational levels, in a context where organizations, already facing short full-time working weeks and high percentages of part-time, have been learning to decouple business hours from the different duration of the employees’ shifts. The need to design clear-cut coordination mechanisms that guarantee the steadiness of the service and the 'standardisation' of handing-over procedures, have helped to accept a variety of working-time arrangements. This capacity to dissociate organisations’ operative time from employees’ working hours is also present in British and Spanish 24-hour services, what has favoured exceptional good part-time jobs. However, the political efforts to promote part-time in Spain and the UK are confronted with serious obstacles, their segmented labour forces among them. The long-hours culture in both Spain and the UK, together with the high proportion of temporary contracts in the Spanish case, are the most visible signs of the structural difficulties these two countries face to achieve working-time flexi-curity. In the three countries, there are no clear links between long hours and productivity levels, and the processess that lead to more transparent assessments of work performance seem to facilitate working-time flexibility beyond standard full-time employment contracts. Certainly, different commitments and compromises need to be achieved between conflicting demands and interests about how employees use their own time, but this thesis argues that part-time may help to soften the conflicts between the specialization and hierarchy requirements of the social division of labour and individuals’ time-use autonomy.

El trabajo que presentamos pretende ser un estudio del objeto de la negociación colectiva de las condiciones de trabajo de los funcionarios en el ámbito local. Dicho estudio presupone la identificación del derecho de negociación y el establecimiento expreso de la naturaleza jurídica última que puedan tener sus productos. A partir de ahí hay que situar el ejercicio de dicho derecho en los parámetros dados por el artículo 37 EBEP 2015, lo que exige analizar una serie de criterios generales de determinación de las materias objeto de negociación y atender a un sistema de lista donde se señalan concretamente las materias que han de ser objeto de negociación y las materias que han de quedar excluidas de ella. Los criterios generales de determinación de las materias que se han de negociar son los de alcance legal, competencia y ámbito. Precisarlos exige considerar el lugar de la ley en el sistema de función pública y establecer adecuadamente las relaciones entre la ley y el acuerdo colectivo en la determinación de las condiciones de trabajo de los funcionarios. También supone analizar lo que pueda ser la competencia local en materia de función pública y el papel que pueda tener la potestad normativa de nuestras corporaciones locales en la fijación de dichas condiciones de trabajo. Finalmente, la determinación del objeto de la negociación exige también examinar detalladamente cuál debe ser el ámbito apropiado de negociación para la regulación de la materia que proceda en cada caso. Aunque no se ha eludido el análisis del sistema concreto de disposición de la lista de materias que han de ser objeto de negociación, lo cierto es que la delimitación del objeto de la negociación se ha pretendido obtener aquí desde una perspectiva inversa, es decir, señalando lo que ha de ser excluido de la obligatoriedad de la negociación. Ello ha exigido estudiar la potestad de organización y la potestad de dirección y control en materia de personal funcionario como contrapoderes que han de delimitar el espacio de la negociación en el sector público y, más concretamente, en el ámbito territorial local.
El treball que presentem és un estudi sobre l’objecte de la negociació col·lectiva de les condicions de treball dels funcionaris en l’àmbit local. L’esmentat estudi pressuposa la identificació del dret de negociació i l’establiment exprés de la naturalesa jurídica última que poden tenir els seus productes. A partir d’aquí s’ha de situar l’exercici de l’esmentat dret en els paràmetres establerts en l’article 37 EBEP 2015, la qual cosa exigeix analitzar un seguit de criteris generals de determinació de les matèries que han d’ésser objecte de negociació i atendre a un sistema de llista a través del qual s’assenyalen concretament les matèries que han d’ésser objecte de negociació i les matèries que han de quedar excloses de la negociació. Els criteris generals de determinació de les matèries que s’han de negociar son els d’abast legal, competència i àmbit. Precisar-los exigeix considerar l’espai de la llei en el sistema de funció pública i establir adequadament les relacions entre la llei i l’acord col·lectiu en la determinació de les condicions de treball dels funcionaris. També suposa analitzar el que pugui ser la competència local en matèria de funció pública i el paper que pugui tenir la potestat normativa de les nostres corporacions locals en la fixació de les dites condicions de treball. Finalment, la determinació de l’objecte de la negociació exigeix també examinar detalladament quin ha d’ésser l’àmbit apropiat de negociació per a la regulació de la matèria que procedeixi en cada cas. Encara que no s’ha volgut eludir l’anàlisi del sistema concret de disposició de la llista de matèries que han d’ésser objecte de negociació, el cert és que la delimitació de l’objecte de la negociació s’ha pretès obtenir aquí des d’una perspectiva inversa, és a dir, assenyalant el que s’ha d’excloure de l’obligatorietat de la negociació. Això ha exigit estudiar la potestat d’organització i la potestat de direcció i control en matèria de personal funcionari com a contrapoders que han de delimitar l’espai de la negociació en el sector públic i, més concretament, en l’àmbit territorial local.
This research we present aims to be a study of the subject of collective bargaining of working conditions of municipal civil servants. This study requires the identification of a right to bargain and the express establishment of an ultimate legal nature of their products. From this understanding, we must place the exercise of this right within the parameters given by Article 37 EBEP 2015. This Article requires an analysis of a set of general criteria, which establish the matters that may be subject to collective bargaining. It is also necessary to refer to a list system, which specifically identifies those matters that are to be negotiated and those matters that must be excluded from it. General criteria for determining those matters to be negotiated are those of legal nature, competence and scope. Specifying them requires considering the role of the law in the public function system and adequately establishing the interplay between the law and the collective agreement in determining the working conditions of civil servants. It also involves analysing what may be local competition in terms of civil service and the role that regulatory power of our local corporations may have in setting such working conditions. Finally, determining of the subject of bargaining also requires carrying out a detailed analysis to ascertain the appropriate scope of negotiation for the regulation of the relevant matter in each case. Although an analysis of the specific arrangement of the list of matters to be negotiated has not been avoided, the truth is that the delimitation of the subject of negotiation has been sought here from an inverse perspective, that is, pointing at what shall be excluded from the obligation of negotiation. This has required studying the power of organization and the power of direction and control in terms of civil servant personnel as counterweight that shall define the negotiating space in the public sector and, more specifically, at a municipal level.

Urbanisation désordonnée, manque d’équipements urbains, prééminence de la promotion privée dans la production de logements, domination de la propriété d’occupation, telles sont les caractéristiques du développement urbain et immobilier sous le régime franquiste, qui ont perduré jusqu’à aujourd’hui pour certaines d’entre elles. Cette ville « sans qualité » constitue un objet de préoccupation sociale majeur et une voie de contestation du régime dans les dernières années de la dictature franquiste. Le mode de production de la ville qui se met en place durant l’époque franquiste, et la question urbaine sur lequel il débouche, constituent l’objet de cette thèse. Cette recherche repose sur l’analyse conjointe des politiques nationales d’urbanisme et du logement, et du groupe professionnel des architectes. Ce choix a été guidé par un double constat. L’interventionnisme du régime franquiste s’est en effet aussi concrétisé dans les domaines du logement et de l’urbanisme : un ensemble d’organismes centraux, de dispositions et de dispositifs officiels ont ainsi encadré et déterminé le mode de production urbaine. Les architectes, par la position particulièrement privilégiée qu’ils occupent dans le secteur de la construction en Espagne, jouent un rôle clé dans l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre de ces politiques. Des membres du groupe professionnel sont par ailleurs les fers de la critique urbaine à la fin de la dictature. Ce dispositif de recherche permet d’étudier la constitution de l’espace urbain et immobilier en catégorie de l’action publique et les effets de ce processus sur les champs professionnel et scientifique sur l’ensemble de la période franquiste. Il offre les bases d’une histoire sociale des politiques urbaines qui éclaire à la fois l’histoire du régime franquiste, l’histoire des sciences sociales de la ville, ainsi que la sociologie de l’action publique et des groupes professionnels
Francoism and urban production. Housing and urban policies, professionals and urban sciences in Spain from the 1930's to the 1970's.An urban model oriented towards growth, lack of public facilities and infrastructure, high proportion of owner-tenancy, shortage of public housing, or the relevance of real state in the national economy are some of the characteristics of Spain’s urban development during Franco’s dictatorship. It became a main social concern and way to criticize Franco’s regime at the end of the dictatorship. The aim of this PhD thesis is to study the mode of production of Spanish cities during the dictatorship and the social urban movement at the end of the regime. This research is based on the double analysis of national urban planning and housing policies and of the role of one of their principal actors: the architects. During the Franco’s era, State’s intervention was indeed reflected on housing and town-planning through a set of central institutions or bodies, of legal provisions and official measures. Theses decisions determined the mode of urban development. Owing to their privileged position in the building sector in Spain, architects play a key role in the definition and implementation of these policies. Moreover, some architects were years later the leaders of urban criticism and urban social movement. This set-up brings into light the development, if not the constitution, of the urban space as a category of public action during the Franco years, as well as its effects on the professional and scientific fields. This PhD thesis intends to constitute a social history of urban policies during the Franco’s era (1939-1975). Through this approach, it contributes to a better knowledge of the history of this period, of the history of urban social sciences and public action and of the sociology of professions

L'Administració pública i els governs locals no han estat exempts dels canvis que ha experimentat l'entorn global dels negocis (Farazmand, 1999). De fet, a finals de la dècada dels vuitanta i principis de la dels noranta alguns ajuntaments espanyols van adquirir la lògica de la modernització i la millora de la gestió pública, basada en l'aplicació de la Millora Contínua de Processos (MCP) i altres models de qualitat i excel·lència. Tot això, amb la finalitat de millorar els processos de treball i serveis públics i d'aquesta manera poder fer front a la creixent pèrdua de legitimitat davant la ciutadania, derivada dels canvis i les pressions de l'entorn global (Prats i Català, 2004; Merino Estrada, 2007). En tots aquests anys durant els quals alguns ajuntaments espanyols han implantat la lògica de la MCP i han gestionat les seves institucions des d'aquesta perspectiva s'han detectat diversos beneficis derivats del fet d'haver aplicat aquesta aproximació gerencial (Font, 1997; Díaz-Méndez, 2007; Ferré-Bargalló, 2007). No obstant això, en tot aquest temps i des del punt de vista acadèmic s'ha fet poc per comprendre com s'ha aconseguit sostenir les millores realitzades en els processos de treball després de l'aplicació de la MCP. En aquest sentit, en els últims anys algunes organitzacions del sector privat han estudiat el concepte de «sostenibilitat», entès de manera simple com el manteniment de les millores implantades a través d'un esforç de MCP al llarg del temps (Dale, Boaden et al., 1997; Bateman i David, 2002; Bateman, 2005; Palmberg i Garvare, 2006). No obstant això, en l'àmbit del sector públic la bibliografia mostra pocs estudis del terme sostenibilitat (Loomba i Spencer, 1997; Jones, 2000; Pollit, 2006), i si s'analitzen encara més específicament, el que es troba en la bibliografia de les administracions locals espanyoles és insuficient, per no dir inexistent.

Basada en el context anterior, la pregunta de recerca que regeix aquest estudi és: Com es genera la sostenibilitat de la Millora Contínua de Processos en les administracions públiques? Així mateix, s'han plantejat quatre sub-preguntes de recerca, que són: Com s'entén la millora contínua de processos en les administracions locals?, Com s'aplica i evoluciona la millora contínua de processos en la gestió pública de les administracions locals?, Com es genera un camí sostenible de la millora contínua de processos? Quin tipus d'elements bàsics, potenciadors i inhibidors afloren al camí de la sostenibilitat de la millora contínua de processos? i Com impacta l'aplicació de la MCP en la gestió pública? Per respondre la pregunta i les subpreguntes de l'estudi s'ha dut a terme una recerca de tipus qualitatiu emprant com a estratègia de recerca el mètode del cas (Yin, 2003). S'han seleccionat i estudiat quatre ajuntaments espanyols, tres d'ells sota una òptica retrospectiva i un sota un enfocament longitudinal (Leonard-Barton, 1990; Pettigrew, 1990) per augmentar la fiabilitat de l'estudi.

Els resultats de la recerca que es presenten segueixen la guia de la pregunta i les subpreguntes de recerca plantejades. Primer s'ofereix un esquema conceptual de com és la MCP en aquestes institucions. En segon terme, les troballes ens indiquen que la MCP es presenta per mitjà d'una série d'etapes evolutives i activitats de millora característiques en el context estudiat. Aquestes etapes evolutives presenten una sèrie d'elements bàsics (drivers) potenciadors (enablers) i inhibidors que influeixen en el seu desenvolupament. De la mateixa manera, la Sostenibilitat de la MCP es pot generar sota una sèrie de camins de sostenibilitat, els quals es poden presentar en forma d'un flux continu cíclic, d'un flux en desenvolupament o d'un flux continu en lots o simplement, presentar-se en un flux desbloquejat o en un flux irreversible o bloquejat. Cada camí de sostenibilitat està format per una sèrie d'etapes evolutives que s'apliquen mitjançant activitats de millora de la MCP i que tenen un impacte en la gestió pública de cada ajuntament. A més, el flux de cada camí de sostenibilitat es troba afectat per una sèrie d'elements bàsics (drivers), potenciadors (enablers) i inhibidors que es poden presentar. Finalment, també es va valorar l'impacte de l'aplicació de la MCP en les particularitats de la gestió pública, i es va realitzar un últim esforç teòric on es va desenvolupar una macro-teoria de processos, determinant un "camí òptim de sostenibilitat de la millora contínua de processos".
La Administración Pública y los gobiernos locales tampoco han estado exentos de los cambios que ha sufrido el entorno global de los negocios (Farazmand 1999). De hecho, la lógica de la modernización y mejora de la gestión pública, sustentada en la aplicación de la Mejora Continua de Procesos (MCP) y otros modelos de calidad y excelencia, fue adquirida por algunos Ayuntamientos españoles desde finales de la década de los ochenta y principios de los noventas. Todo ello, con el fin de mejorar sus procesos de trabajo y servicios públicos, para así, poder hacer frente a la creciente pérdida de legitimidad ante la ciudadanía, derivada de los cambios y presiones del entorno global (Prats i Català 2004; Merino Estrada 2007). En todos estos años que algunos Ayuntamientos españoles, han implantado y gestionado sus instituciones bajo la lógica de la MCP, se han reportado diferentes beneficios por aplicar dicha aproximación gerencial (Font 1997; Díaz-Mendez 2007; Ferré-Bargallo 2007). No obstante, poco se ha hecho desde el punto de vista académico, por comprender cómo se ha logrado sostener las mejoras realizadas en los procesos de trabajo después de la aplicación de la MCP, en todos estos años. En ese sentido, el concepto de «Sostenibilidad», entendido de manera simple como el mantenimiento de las mejoras implantadas a través de un esfuerzo de MCP a lo largo de los años, ha sido estudiado en organizaciones del sector privado en años recientes (Dale, Boaden et al. 1997; Bateman and David 2002; Bateman 2005; Palmberg and Garvare 2006). Sin embargo, en el ámbito del sector público la literatura muestra pocos estudios del término de sostenibilidad (Loomba and Spencer 1997; Jones 2000; Pollit 2006), y si se analizan aún más en específico, en las Administraciones locales españolas, lo encontrado en la literatura, es insuficiente por no decir inexistente.

Basado en el contexto anterior, la pregunta de investigación que rige este estudio es: ¿Cómo se genera la sostenibilidad de la Mejora Continua de Procesos en las Administraciones Públicas? Asimismo, se plantearon cinco sub-preguntas de investigación que son: ¿Cómo es la Mejora Continua de Procesos en las Administraciones locales?, ¿Cómo se aplica y evoluciona la Mejora Continua de Procesos en la gestión pública de las Administraciones locales?, ¿Cómo se genera un camino sostenible de la Mejora Continua de Procesos?, ¿Qué tipo de elementos básicos, potenciadores e inhibidores afloran en los caminos de la sostenibilidad y en la Mejora Continua de Procesos?, y ¿Cómo impacta la aplicación de la MCP en la gestión pública? Para responder a la pregunta y sub-preguntas del estudio, se condujo una investigación del tipo cualitativo, utilizando como estrategia de investigación, el método del caso (Yin 2003). Se seleccionaron y estudiaron cuatro Ayuntamientos españoles, tres de ellos bajo una óptica retrospectiva y uno, bajo un enfoque longitudinal (Leonard-Barton 1990; Pettigrew 1990) para aumentar la fiabilidad del estudio.

Los resultados de la investigación que se presentaron siguen la guía de la pregunta y las sub-preguntas de investigación planteadas. Primero, se presenta un esquema conceptual de cómo es la MCP en estas instituciones. En segundo término, los hallazgos nos indican que la Mejora Continua de Procesos se presenta a través de una serie de etapas evolutivas y actividades de mejora características en el contexto estudiado. Dichas etapas evolutivas presentan una serie de elementos básicos (drivers), potenciadores (enablers) e inhibidores que influyen en su desarrollo.

Asimismo, la sostenibilidad de la MCP se puede generar bajo una serie de caminos de sostenibilidad, los cuales pueden presentarse en forma de un flujo continuo cíclico, de un flujo en desarrollo, de un flujo continuo en lotes, o simplemente, presentarse en un flujo desbloqueado, o en un flujo irreversible o bloqueado. Cada camino de sostenibilidad, está compuesto por una serie de etapas, las cuales se aplican mediante actividades de mejora de la MCP, que tienen un impacto en la gestión pública de cada Ayuntamiento. Además, el flujo de cada camino de sostenibilidad es afectado por una serie de elementos básicos (drivers), potenciadores (enablers) e inhibidores que se pueden presentar durante la generación de los mismos. Finalmente, también se valoró el impacto que la aplicación tenía en la Mejora Continua de Procesos en las particularidades de la gestión pública, así como, la realización de un último esfuerzo teórico, en el cual se desarrolló una macro-teoría de procesos de un camino de la "sostenibilidad óptimo de la Mejora Continua de Procesos".
The Public Administration and local governments have not escaped the sweeping changes in the global business world either (Farazmand 1999). Indeed, the logic of updating and improving public management by applying Continuous Process Improvement (CPI) and other Total Quality Management (TQM) models was acquired by certain Spanish city authorities in the late 80s and early 90s, all in order to enhance their public service and operating processes with a view to dealing with the increasing loss of legitimacy vis-a-vis citizens, stemming from the changes and pressures of the global environment (Prats i Català 2004; Merino Estrada 2007).

On the basis of the foregoing context, the research question underpinning this study is How to generate sustainable Continuous Process Improvement in Public Administrations? Sustainability is here being understood as simply maintaining the improvements introduced by CPI efforts over the years. Sustainability has been studied from the standpoint of private-sector manufacturing organisations (Dale, Boaden et al. 1997; Bateman and David 2002; Bateman 2005; Palmberg and Garvare 2006). However, literature features very little research on this subject in the public sector (Loomba and Spencer 1997; Jones 2000; Pollit 2006).

In order to answer the research question posed, qualitative research was conducted using case studies as the research strategy (Yin 2003). Four Spanish city authorities were selected and studied: three from a retrospective standpoint and one from a longitudinal approach (Leonard-Barton 1990; Pettigrew 1990) in order to increase the reliability of the study.

This research found that CPI sustainability can be achieved via a series of "paths of sustainability" which may take the form of a continuous, cyclical flow, a developing flow or a continuous batch flow, or may simply produce an unfrozen flow or a path with an irreversible or frozen flow. Each path of sustainability consists of a series of evolving phases developed by means of CPI improvement activities that influence public administration. Along of theses evolving phases emerged a "Space of Sustainability of Continuous Process Improvement: SS-CPI". Besides, the flow of each path to sustainability and SS-CPI are influenced by a series of drivers, enablers and inhibitors that may arise as these paths are established. Finally, we found also the impacts of the application of CPI in public management and we propose and develop an emerging macro-theory for an "optimum sustainability path of Continuous Process Improvement".

Defence date: 1 March 1999
Examining Board: Prof. Adrienne Héritier (EUI, Supervisor) ; Prof. Yves Mény (EUI, Co-supervisor) ; Prof. Alberta Sbragia (University of Pittsburgh) ; Prof. Fritz W. Scharpf (Max-Planck-Institut für Gesellschaftsforschung)
PDF of thesis uploaded from the Library digitised archive of EUI PhD theses completed between 2013 and 2017
Tanja Borzel argues that the effect of Europeanization on the politics and institutions of the EU's member states depends on the degree of conflict between European and domestic norms and rules. The thesis examines the relationship between the central state and regions in Germany and Spain, showing how Europeanization has served to weaken the powers of the regions. In both countries, the regions were forced to cooperate more closely with the centre, but the institutional impact in the two countries has been strikingly different. In Germany the existing cooperative Federal system was reinforced, but in Spain the traditional competitive relationship between the levels of government could not continue. Europeanization has led to a significant change in the pattern of Spanish politics, turning rivalry into cooperation. This thesis thus presents an important analysis of the impact of Europeanization on domestic politics, and on the relationship between states and regions in particular.

Defence date: 30 September 2015
Examining Board: Professor Stefano Bartolini, EUI (Supervisor); Professor László Bruszt, EUI; Professor Maurizio Ferrera, Università degli Studi di Milano; Professor Jonathan Hopkin, London School of Economics and Political Science.
In recent years, a number of European countries have undergone important processes of territorial reconfiguration in the administration and delivery of social services. This has produced substantial divergences in the levels and types of welfare development across regions belonging to the same country. As a result, it has become increasingly difficult to talk about 'national welfare systems' or 'national social models' – although most of the mainstream welfare literature continues to do so. The aim of this study is to explore the political factors that explain cross-regional variation in the development of health care and social assistance policies in three countries that have witnessed the gradual strengthening of regions as arenas of social policy making: Italy, Spain and Great Britain. The research focus is on the effects of two political cleavages, centre-periphery and left-right, on sub-national social policy. The findings of the quantitative and qualitative analyses presented throughout this research suggest that the main driving force in the construction of sub-state welfare systems is the political mobilisation of territorial identities through the creation and electoral consolidation of regionalist parties. Indeed, such parties may use regional social policy to reinforce the sense of distinctiveness and territorial solidarity that exists in the communities they represent, thus further strengthening and legitimising their political role. Additionally, the centre-periphery cleavage may also affect relations across different organisational levels of 'statewide' parties and further increase the relevance of territoriality in welfare politics at the regional level. On the other hand, traditional left-right politics does not seem to play the central role that welfare theories focusing on 'nation-states' might lead us to expect. For left-wing parties, the regionalisation of social governance may present either an opportunity or a challenge depending on the role they play in national politics and on the characteristics of sub-national electoral competitors. Generally, mainstream centre-left parties are torn by the dilemma of maintaining uniformity and cohesion in social protection across the national territory and addressing the demands for more extensive and distinctive social services coming from specific regional communities.

Orientação: Fernando Rui de Sousa Campos
articulando-se de acordo com a sua região, município e população. Do mesmo modo, a sua capacidade de intervenção foi um fator que impulsionou o poder autárquico nas autarquias, acionando mecanismos influenciadores dos meios decisivos. Ao interferir no sistema de poderes, certamente continuará a sua influência em outras áreas, instituições e Estados, neste caso em análise, no Estado Português e Espanhol. De facto, a comparação entre os dois sistemas autárquicos, é o principal objetivo na presente Dissertação. Embora, haja um progresso entre o Poder Local e o Poder Central, estes ainda continuam distantes e limitados. Pretende-se com esta dissertação fazer a comparação, destes dois sistemas autárquicos, ou seja, identificar as principais diferenças e semelhanças do sistema autárquico nos dois Estados, e entender a sua forma de atuar. Para operacionalizar os objetivos pretendidos, apresenta-se um estudo de caso: Celanova, Corunha, Santo Tirso e Viana do Castelo. A metodologia utilizada na dissertação é a pesquisa documental. É essencial referir que para concretizar todos os objetivos, foram também efetuadas entrevistas aos Presidentes de Câmara de Santo Tirso e Viana do Castelo, e aos Alcaides de Celanova e Corunha, que se tornaram numa mais-valia para a elaboração desta dissertação.
Throughout history, the autarchic power system has been molded and articulated with its region, county and population. Likewise, its ability for intervention has been a propelling factor for said power within the municipalities, triggering mechanisms susceptible of influencing the means of decision. By interfering in the power system, its influence certainly continues in other area, institutions and States, such as the Portuguese and Spanish States. In fact, the comparison between the two municipal systems is the main objective in this Dissertation. Although there is some progress between Local and Central Powers, they are still distanced and limited. This dissertation intends to connect the two municipal systems, that is, to look for the main differences and similarities of the autarchic system in the two States and to understand the way of acting. To operationalize the intended goals, a case study is presented: Celanova, Corunha, Santo Tirso and Viana do Castelo. The methodology used in this Dissertation is the documental method. To support all the objectives and showcase the theme and concepts, interviews were conducted with the Presidents of Santo Tirso and Viana do Castelo, as well as, with the Alcaide of Celanova and Corunha.

AbstractWhat happens in institutions like schools or hospitals when local service provision overlaps with the control of national borders? Such overlap is unavoidable if unlawful residents are to be excluded from mainstream public services. With this explicit aim, governments not only modify the rules and established practices of welfare provision, but also encourage the people who administer and deliver these services to incorporate the logic of immigration control into their everyday work. To identify and better understand the concrete mechanisms that either help or hinder such internalisation of immigration control, this study systematically compares three spheres of service provision – healthcare, education and social assistance – across two distinctive legal-political environments: Barcelona/Spain and London/UK. Looking at official policies as well as their implementation, it primarily draws on a total of almost 90 semi-structured interviews with irregular residents, providers and administrators of local services, and representatives of NGOs and local government. Its innovative analytical framework helps to map and explain the significant variation in how immigration control works within different institutions and how individual actors occupying key positions in these can reproduce, contest, or readjust formal structures of inclusion and exclusion.

Este artículo trata de las reflexiones teóricas surgidas a partir de la necesidad de pensar el desarrollo urbano de la ciudad de Bogotá posterior a su independencia de España en 1810. El interés por verificar este tema, surge de la aceptación generalizada en considerar que, durante este periodo, no existen reflexiones teóricas al respecto, y por el contrario, el urbanismo y la arquitectura hechos en Colombia obedecen a la adopción de “patrones formales accidentalmente caídos en estas latitudes, carentes de nexos con la incipiente identidad cultural”; lo que niega cualquier posibilidad de reflexión local y demerita los valores de estas arquitecturas. En este sentido se aborda el tema, excediendo la tradicional metodología centrada en el análisis estilístico de planimetrías, para perseguir su dimensión teórica, a partir de dos fuentes: El Gobierno de la ciudad, como generador de las políticas urbanas, y el Arquitecto, como generador de las ideas que sustentan sus proyectos. This paper is about the theoretical discussions from the need to think the urban development of Bogota later to his independence of Spain about 1810. The interest to check this topic arises from the general acceptance in thinking that during this period theoretical reflections did not exist on this matter, and the urbanism and the architecture done then in Colombia obey the adoption of " formal bosses accidental fallen in these latitudes, lacking in links with the incipient cultural identity "; what denies any possibility of local reflection and devaluates the importance of these architectures. In this respect, the topic is approached exceeding the traditional methodology centred on the stylistic analysis of mappings, to chase the theoretical dimension, from two sources: The Government of the city, as generator of the urban policies, and the Architect, as generator of the ideas that sustain his projects.

<p>Mobility is one of the most challenging fundamentals of rural livelihood in the Himalayan hills and mountains. More than 8500 trail bridges, comprising an overall span-length of about 650 kilometers have been constructed to date, saving millions of walking hours for people living in the rural Himalayan areas. Previously, crossing rivers was dangerous and sometimes impossible, especially in the rainy season. These bridges created vital connections which enabled children to go to school and people to access public services and visit medical centers and sanctuaries. They also boost local economic output by reducing the effort required to run local farms, gather crops and visit regional markets.</p><p>Fig. 1:The struggles and dangers of crossing a river and its solution</p><p>Swiss technical assistance for rural trail bridges started in the early sixties with the construction of a few suspension bridges in the hill areas of Nepal. In 1964 the Nepalese Government established the Suspension Bridge Division (SBD), and starting in 1972 the Swiss Government began providing continuous technical and financial assistance. Similarly, the Public Works Department in Bhutan initiated a country wide trail bridge construction program in 1971 for which assistance was provided from 1985-2010. Exchanges of experiences between these programs created a collaborative environment where new ideas could be evaluated and tested in the field. After SBD initially developed the basic technical norms, design parameters and standard designs suitable for long-span bridges, demand for simpler shorter span bridges rose tremendously. This prompted the program to develop “community executable bridge designs” adapted to the local skills and materials while conforming to established engineering standards. As a result, cost-effective, easy to implement technologies and community-based approaches were developed, which have been replicated in numerous countries leading to multiple successful partnerships in international development cooperation.</p><p>The purpose of this paper is to highlight the following outcomes of the trail bridge-program:</p><ul><li><p>Standardized cost-effective trail bridge designs based on local capabilities and bridge-building techniques</p></li><li><p>Published of manuals, technical drawings and teaching resources for design, construction and fabrication</p></li><li><p>Engaged local communities in the construction, operation and maintenance of trail bridges</p></li><li><p>Compiled comprehensive trail bridge directory for planning, monitoring and maintenance</p></li><li><p>Established Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) with institutional frameworks at national and local level</p></li><li><p>‘South-South Cooperation’ with Bhutan, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Laos, Burundi, Honduras, Guatemala</p></li></ul>

<p>Bridges to Prosperity (B2P) is an International Non-Government Organization (INGO) that constructs long- span, cable-supported footbridges for transportation connectivity in rural parts of low-income countries. By building footbridges over impassable rivers, B2P and their partners act as a catalyst in rural communities, providing access to health care, education and market opportunities.</p><p>Following a nation-wide Rwanda needs assessment that involved assessing over 1500 locations where communities reported an inability to access local services year-round, B2P partnered with the Rwandan Government to prioritize the sites that were technically feasible and high impact, culminating in a five-year MOU to co-finance up to 355 bridges to connect over 1.1 million rural Rwandese. The private engineering and construction sectors have played a key role in providing funding and support for this scale up and this paper will address the design innovations brought forth, resulting in lost-cost and low-tech infrastructure for rural applications. To demonstrate the importance of B2P’s Corporate Partnership program on their scale-up in Rwanda, this paper will discuss a few of the innovative design and construction techniques developed in these partnerships through a case study of the Uwarukara footbridge in Rwanda.</p>

A variety of sites contaminated with legacy low-level radioactive (LLR) waste materials have been identified across Canada. Many of these sites, associated with former radium and uranium refining and processing operations, are located in urbanized areas of southern Ontario. However, other sites have been discovered at more remote locations in Canada, including northern Alberta and the Northwest Territories. The diversity of waste froms, ranging from pitchblende ore and processing wastes, to discarded luminescent products, combined with construction and transportation logistical issues encountered at these sites, present ongoing challenges for the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Management Office (LLRWMO) to overcome in meeting its mandate to resolve these legacy problems. Since its establishment in 1982, the federal government’s LLRWMO has operated programs to characterize and delineate contaminated historic waste sites across Canada. These programs have included undertaking property decontaminations, waste consolidation and interim storage projects at many sites, and participating with federal and provincial government departments and local communities to consider long-term storage and disposal opportunities. This paper compares four specific environmental remediation programs conducted by the LLRWMO within diverse Canadian settings found at Port Hope and Toronto (southern Ontario), Fort McMurray (northern Alberta), and Vancouver (west coast of British Columbia). Contaminant characterization and delineation, and remediation plan design and implementation aspects of these individual programs span the time period from the early 1980s through to 2002. The individual programs dealt with a variety of legacy waste forms that contained natural radioactive materials such as radium-226, total uranium, total thorium and thorium-230, as well as coincidental inorganic contaminants including arsenic, barium, cadmium, cobalt, lead, mercury, vanadium and zinc. Application of the lessons learned during these individual programs, as well as the development of new and innovative technologies to meet the specific needs of these programs, have enabled the LLRWMO to effectively and efficiently implement environmental remediation solutions that address the variety of Canada’s legacy LLR wastes.introduction.

Along the last five decades and through three different stages, the urban development plans —general plans— of Valladolid, a medium-sized Spanish city, show an interesting evolution in the way of configuring the global urban form and controlling urban development that we can also find in other similar Spanish cities. In the sixties and seventies, plans proposed “autonomous” expansive schemes foreseeing a huge rate of urban growth, so they defined wide areas to be urbanised through new transport infrastructures and typical zoning mechanisms. In the eighties, after decay in urban and economic development and during the transition to democracy, the new local governments focused on the existing city and fostered a more controlled urban growth. However, plans continued to employ the same tools to manage future urban form —definition of transport infrastructures and sectors to be urbanised—, although they looked for more “controllable” forms, such as radio-concentric ones, aiming at a gradual and homogeneous implementation —compact city—. When real-estate market recovered in early nineties, this strategy revealed its weaknesses: fragmented urban fringe and tendency to a congestive model, reinforced when a new generation of expansive plans drove these schemes out of the limits they were conceived with. However, an alternative and more sustainable model had already emerged, as some new urban planning tools proposed a change of perspective: managing global urban form not through future urbanised spaces, but through open ones, generating an “empty” network able to give coherence to the whole urban structure in a metropolitan scale.

<p>The Duta – Ulu Kelang Expressway (DUKE) Phase 2 is an infrastructure development under transformation programmes undertaken by the Government of Malaysia through Concessionaire Konsortium Lebuhraya Utara – Timur (KL) Sdn. Bhd (KESTURI). The proposed Tun Razak Link (TRL) is a part of DUKE Phase 2 project that involves design, construction, operation and maintenance of 9km long elevated dual 2-Lane highway with 24.9m wide mainline deck including directional ramps, interchanges and ramp toll plaza in Kuala Lumpur [1]. The project alignment is in densely developed urban environment and traverses over existing arterial roads, crosses urban arterials, expressway, river and acts as an effective traffic dispersal system between existing road network to alleviate traffic congestion on at-grade local roads. The majority length of the project is an elevated structure to minimise the land acquisition, least disturbance to road users, adjoining developments and utilities. Various types of super structure viz., precast T-beams, U-Beams, crossheads, cast in-situ box girders were adopted besides various types of foundation &amp; substructure with longest span being 51m. This paper aims at presenting an insight of various types of designs, innovative methods adopted to suit the site constraints and interfacing issues to meet project timeline, cost effective design approach during construction of TRL.</p>

<p>The present paper relates to the design of a cable-stayed footbridge, composed by ready made elements and with span suitable to various urban and building areas. At present, in order to find a solution to traffic problems, local governments look for many ways to alleviate city’s main roads, increasing public transportation and designing dedicated underground pedestrian routes. Although this subways already built are not really used by pedestrians, which prefer wide-open spaces, such as skyways also designed for people with reduced mobility. In this context the described footbridge, with access ramps designed in accordance with accessibility standards, represents not only a good solution for cycle and pedestrian mobility problems, but it is also easy to transport and to be installed, due to its modular elements. The access ramps are suspended to pilons with inclination depending by the required bridge lengths and they can be assembled in different configurations in order to be well integrated also in limited space areas. Finally a particular focus is dedicated to cables, with dismountable end terminations designed to reduce transportation space and costs</p>

The projects sponsored by the Gülen-inspired movement are numerous, international and costly in terms of human and financial capital. Critics of the movement often question the fi- nancing of these initiatives – with some convinced of collusion with Middle Eastern govern- ments, others (within Turkey) suspicious that Western governments are financially backing the projects. Aware of these criticisms, in a recent comment to a group of visiting follow- ers, Fethullah Gülen indicated greater financial transparency must become a priority for the movement. This paper addresses the financing of Gülen-inspired projects, based on interviews with busi- ness leaders in Turkey, as well as local businessmen throughout Turkey who constitute the financial infrastructure of the movement. In addition, the paper presents data from one local Gülen movement organisation in Houston, Texas, that collects thousands of dollars annually from local members, mostly students on small educational stipends. The paper is framed sociologically in terms of organisational theories of commitment. Beginning with Kanter (1972;1977) and including subsequent major figures in the organi- sational field (e.g. Reichers 1985; Meyer and Allen 1991; Hall 2002; Scott 2003), scholars have demonstrated a positive correlation between sacrifices asked of members and degree of commitment to the goals of the organisation. Using this perspective, the paper argues that the financial contributions made by members in the Gülen movement both demonstrate commit- ment to the ideals espoused by Fethullah Gülen and generate commitment to the movement. The paper presents empirical evidence, based on interviews with financial supporters both in Turkey and the U.S., of how financial resources are generated, the initiatives being supported and the impact of financial giving on the commitment of supporters. The Gülen movement is a civil society movement that arose in the late 1960s in Turkey, initially composed of a loose network of individuals who were inspired by M. Fethullah Gülen. As a state-approved mosque preacher, Gülen delivered sermons in cities throughout Turkey, beginning with a handful of listeners and gradually drawing tens of thousands of people. His sermons focused not only on religious texts but included a broad array of such topics as religion and science, social justice, human rights, moral values and the importance of education. Gülen repeatedly stressed the importance of educating the youth of society by establishing first-rate schools that expose students to the latest scientific knowledge in an at- mosphere of moral values. The projects sponsored by Gülen-inspired followers today number in the thousands, span international borders and are costly in terms of human and financial capital (Woodhall 2005). These initiatives include over 2000 schools and seven universities in more than ninety countries in five continents (Yavuz and Esposito 2003; Baskan 2004; Tekalan 2005), two modern hospitals, the Zaman newspaper (now in both a Turkish and English edition), a television channel (Samanyolu), a radio channel (Burc FM), CHA (a ma- jor Turkish news agency), Aksiyon (a leading weekly news magazine), national and interna- tional Gülen conferences, Ramadan interfaith dinners, interfaith dialog trips to Turkey from countries around the globe and the many programs sponsored by the Journalists and Writers Foundation. In addition, the Isik insurance company and Bank Asya, an Islamic bank, are af- filiated with the Gülen community. In 1993 the community also established the Business Life Cooperation Association (ISHAD) which has 470 members (Baskan 2004). Questions regarding the financing of these numerous and expensive projects are periodically raised by both critics of the Gülen Movement and newcomers to the movement who are invited to Gülen related events. Because of the large amounts of money involved in these projects, on occasion people have raised the possibility of a collusion between the movement and various governments, especially Saudi Arabia and/or Iran, and including the Turkish government. There has even been suspicion that the American CIA may be a financial partner behind the projects (Kalyoncu, forthcoming). Aware of these criticisms, in a recent comment to a group of visiting followers, Fethullah Gülen indicated that a priority must be proactive financial transparency. In this paper, we address directly the issue of the financing of Gülen inspired projects based on the little that is available in published sources, including an interview with Gülen himself, and supplementing that information with interviews with business leaders in Turkey who constitute the infrastructure of the movement. In addition, we present data from one local Gülen organization in Houston, Texas, that regularly collects over half a million dollars from local members, mostly students on small educational stipends. Our analysis is framed socio- logically in terms of organizational theories of commitment. We argue that the contributions made by rank and file movement members, as well as by wealthier sponsors, both demon- strate commitment to the ideals of the movement and simultaneously generate commitment to the movement. An analysis of Gülen-inspired financial contributions must include the ideological and reli- gious motivations inherent in the concepts of hizmet, himmet, sohbet, istisare, and mutevelli. For an understanding of these concepts, we are most indebted to the superb work of Mehmet Kalyoncu whose study of the Gülen movement in Mardin, a city in southeastern Turkey, was very helpful both in understanding these ideas and in demonstrating their applicability to the financing of local projects in the city.

Apesar da aparente espontaneidade, o processo de transformação de áreas litorâneas a partir do desenvolvimento turístico é marcado, também, pela realização de esforços de planejamento por parte de governos nacionais ou municipais. Das primeiras atuações europeias dos anos 1950, onde infraestruturas, equipamentos e alojamentos foram criados integralmente à margem de estruturas preexistentes, aos esforços atuais de requalificação de zonas criadas pelo desenvolvimento da atividade, muito foi feito e, gradualmente, novas variáveis foram incorporadas. Este trabalho analisa algumas dessas experiências, no sentido de demonstrar como valores do território, questões ambientais e distintas configurações urbanas têm sido incorporadas pelo planejamento do território turístico. A amostra incorpora os casos do Languedoc Roussillon, na França e do FONATUR, no México, exemplos de atuação integral do Estado, bem como atuações de planejamento ocorridas a partir dos anos 1990, na Espanha, que sintetizam buscas contemporâneas de requalificação de estruturas turísticas criadas pelo mercado em décadas anteriores. Despite the apparent spontaneity, the transformation of coastal areas influenced by tourism development is also marked by the completion of planning efforts by national or local governments. Since first European interventions in the 1950s, with the provision of infrastructure, equipments and accommodations disconnected from the existing settlements, to the current efforts for qualification of previously developed areas, a great deal was achieved and gradually new variables were incorporated. This paper analyses some of these experiences in order to demonstrate how territory values, environmental issues and distinct urban morphologies have been incorporated into Territorial Planning of touristic areas. The sample includes cases of Languedoc Roussillon in France and FONATUR accomplishments in Mexico, examples of comprehensive State planning, as well as planning interventions implemented from the 1990s in Spain, which synthesizes contemporary searches for qualification of touristic settlements developed in last decades.

Public procurement of goods and services contributes to about 15% of global greenhouse gas emissions. In the EU, public purchasing represents 15% of its GDP, acting as a major influencer on the market through the products and services acquired by governments from the local to national levels. The public sector has a role to play in leveraging this purchasing power to achieve the best societal value for money, particularly as we scramble to bend the curve of our planet’s warming. Globally, the construction and transport sectors each represent about 12% of government procurements’ GHG emissions. Furthermore, these sectors’ decarbonization efforts demand profound and disruptive technological shifts. Hence, prioritizing these sectors can make the greatest impact towards reducing the environmental footprint of the public sector and support faster decarbonization of key emitting industries. Meanwhile, the EU committed to achieving 55% reduction in GHG emissions by 2030 compared to 1990 levels. Drastic emissions reductions are needed at an unprecedented speed and scale to achieve this goal. Green Public Procurement (GPP) is the practice of purchasing goods and services using environmental requirements, with the aim of cutting carbon emissions and mitigating environmental harm throughout the life cycle of the product or service. While the EU and many of its Member States alike have recognized GPP as an important tool to meet climate goals, the formalization of GPP requirements at the EU level or among local and national governments has been fragmented. We call for harmonization to achieve the consistency, scale and focus required to make GPP practices a powerful decarbonization tool. We surveyed the landscape of GPP in the EU, with a focus on construction and road transport. Through interviews and policy research, we compiled case studies of eight Member States with different profiles: Sweden, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Estonia, Poland, Spain and Italy. We used this information to identify solutions and best practices, and to set forth recommendations on how the EU and its countries can harmonize and strengthen their GPP policies on the path toward cutting their contributions to climate change. What we found was a scattered approach to GPP across the board, with few binding requirements, little oversight and scant connective tissue from national to local practices or across different Member States, making it difficult to evaluate progress or compare practices. Interviewees, including policy makers, procurement experts and procurement officers from the featured Member States, highlighted the lack of time or resources to adopt progressive GPP practices, with no real incentive to pursue it. Furthermore, we found a need for more awareness and clear guidance on how to leverage GPP for impactful societal outcomes. Doing so requires better harmonized processes, data, and ways to track the impact and progress achieved. That is not to say it is entirely neglected. Most Member States studied highlight GPP in various national plans and have set targets accordingly. Countries, regions, and cities such as the Netherlands, Catalonia and Berlin serve as beacons of GPP with robust goals and higher ambition. They lead the way in showing how GPP can help mitigate climate change. For example, the Netherlands is one of the few countries that monitors the effects of GPP, and showed that public procurement for eight product groups in 2015 and 2016 led to at least 4.9 metric tons of avoided GHG emissions. Similarly, a monitoring report from 2017 showed that the State of Berlin managed to cut its GHG emissions by 47% through GPP in 15 product groups. Spain’s Catalonia region set a goal of 50% of procurements using GPP by 2025, an all-electric in public vehicle fleet and 100% renewable energy powering public buildings by 2030. Drawing from these findings, we developed recommendations on how to bolster GPP and scale it to its full potential. In governance, policies, monitoring, implementation and uptake, some common themes exist. The need for: • Better-coordinated policies • Common metrics for measuring progress and evaluating tenders • Increased resources such as time, funding and support mechanisms • Greater collaboration and knowledge exchange among procurers and businesses • Clearer incentives, binding requirements and enforcement mechanisms, covering operational and embedded emissions With a concerted and unified movement toward GPP, the EU and its Member States can send strong market signals to the companies that depend on them for business, accelerating the decarbonization process that our planet requires.