Public Accountability And Transparency The Imperatives Of Good Governance

This publication presents the papers discussed at the Latin American Forum on Ensuring Transparency and Accountability in the Public Sector that took place on 5-6 December 2001. The Forum approved policy recommendations that reflect the shared experience of Member countries of the OECD and the OAS.

Public accountability is a hallmark of modern democratic governance and the foundation of the popular performance management movement. Democracy is just an empty exercise if those in power cannot be held accountable in public for their acts and omissions, for their decisions, their policies, and their expenditures. This book offers a finely detailed and richly informed consideration of accountability in both government and the contemporary world of governance. Twenty-five leading experts cover varying aspects of the accountability movement, including multiple and competing accountabilities, measuring accountability, accountability and democratic legitimacy, and accountability and information technology, and apply them to governments, quasi-governments, non-government organizations, governance organizations, and voluntary organizations. Together they provide the most comprehensive consideration of accountability currently available, with a blend of theoretical, empirical, and applied approaches.

Ethics and accountability have become important themes for modern government, as in most of the countries there is a severe crisis of legitimacy. Increasingly there is a feeling that performance management alone will not solve this crisis. Citizens also expect from politicians and public servants ethical responsible conduct. As to the ethics, however, there is a problem. Governance and new public management have raised new problems which cannot be solved by referring to the traditional bureaucratic ethics. Devolution and decentralisation processes have enhanced the responsibility of public servants. The increase of transparency and openness and the service orientation of public organisations have challenged the traditional values of discretion and equality before the rule. The growing interaction between the public and the private sector have raised the question of integrity. In light of these developments, it is important to update the ethical system, or reversibly, the traditional values of the public service can question some actual evolutions in government.

Essay from the year 2009 in the subject Organisation and Administration, grade: A-, Ottawa University, course: Principles of Public Administration, language: English, comment: 13 works cited, abstract: Accountability is the essence of the democratic form of government. Accountability is the liability assumed by all those who exercise authority where there has been responsibilities delegated; ultimately, a liability owed to all citizens by the government and subsequently, every government department and agency. Since Canada is a representative democracy, it is responsible for good governance but accountable for its actions, whether or not the two coincide.

This book explores how good governance has become the third dominant concept in the modern state. It examines the concept and how it relates to the rule of law and democracy, and breaks it down into six categories: transparency, participation, effectiveness, accountability, human rights protections, and propriety.

Drawing on the best scholars in the field from around the world, this handbook showcases conceptual and normative as well as the empirical approaches in public accountability studies.

Includes the following papers: Fostering Dialogue to Strengthen Good Governance / Seiichi Kondo -- Preventing Corruption in the Americas / Cesar Gaviria (and more ... )