Accountability

Las reformas judiciales en América Latina y la rendición de cuentas del Estado

by Maria Inclan

Global Stakeholders: corporate accountability and investor engagement

by Duncan McLaren

Corporate Governance: An International Review
Volume 12, Issue 2, pages 191–201, April 2004

In this age of transnational capitalism most victims of corporate malpractice have no means to hold the wrongdoers to... more In this age of transnational capitalism most victims of corporate malpractice have no means to hold the wrongdoers to account – especially those whose lives are blighted day-in, day-out by the “normal” operations of companies within the letter of the law. This paper argues that corporate social and environmental abuses are rooted in a lack of accountability of corporations to their stakeholders. It explores how governance mechanisms such as corporate engagement by “socially responsible” investors could enhance stakeholder accountability. It identifies and contrasts two paradigms in socially responsible investment engagement, and relates them to voluntary and regulatory responses to corporate abuses. It concludes that the development of standards for stakeholder-oriented engagement and governance could help stimulate effective regulatory measures to protect stakeholder interests.

Avoidable Losses: High-Stakes Accountability and the Dropout Crisis

by Julian Vasquez Heilig

As good as advertised?: Tracking urban student progress through high school in an environment of accountability

by Julian Vasquez Heilig

Dissipated energy: Indian electric power and the politics of blame

by Liz Chatterjee

Updated draft published in Contemporary South Asia, 2012

This article presents the Indian electricity sector as a case study of the evasion of responsibility in public policy.... more This article presents the Indian electricity sector as a case study of the evasion of responsibility in public policy. India’s electricity policy repeatedly fails to meet its own targets, and is universally lambasted as inadequate. The state appears aware of many of the reasons for these failures, yet policies have consistently failed to make effective corrections. Part of the explanation for this institutional and policy stasis lies in the pervasive shirking of responsibility by actors throughout the electricity sector. The sector is analyzed to explore the mechanisms through which responsibility is displaced, deflected, or dissipated. These mechanisms include ‘agency’, ‘presentational’, and ‘policy’ strategies, which are both pre-emptively and reactively deployed. Using these strategies, responsibility is shifted through (1) institutional architecture which formally delegates power to other actors, especially exploiting the ambiguity in federalism, sectoralism, privatization, and decentralization; (2) rhetorical displacement of blame onto other actors or ‘exogenous’ factors; and (3) everyday policy procedures and bureaucratic practices designed to distance officials from decision-making. By negating the requirement for institutional and analytical responsiveness, these evasions of responsibility perpetuate systemic failures and undermine the credibility of the Indian state.

Perverting Activism: Cyberactivism and Its Potential Failures in Enhancing Democratic Institutions

by Tommaso Bertolotti

Final proof version, co-authored with Emanuele Bardone and Lorenzo Magnani, published in "International Journal of Technoethics" vol. 2(2) (pp. 14– 29)

In this paper we will analyze the impact of new technologies on a range of practices related to activism. In the first... more In this paper we will analyze the impact of new technologies on a range of practices related to activism. In the first section we show how the functioning of democratic institutions can be impaired by scarce political accountability connected with the emergence of moral hazard; in the second section we display how cyberactivism can improve the transparency of political dynamics; in the last section we will turn specifically to cyberactivism and isolate its flaws and some of the most pernicious and self-defeating effects.

Beyond transparency: accountability and policy of publicity

by Fernando Filgueiras

Published in Lua Nova.

Western countries have experienced a growing demand for accountability as fundamental element for democratization of... more Western countries have experienced a growing demand for accountability as fundamental element for democratization of the State. This demand has occasioned a case for transparency of public institutions and public policies implemented by the State. This defense, in turn, aims to make governments accountable to the public. The objective of this article is to formulate a critical perspective for what we name as "policy of transparency"in favor that we name "policy of publicity". This last aproach aims to provide the normative argument for the concept of the accountability, to deepen democracy and strengthen the process of public management.

Control y observación del Poder Judicial: la publicización de las acciones y trayectorias de los jueces del Supremo Tribunal Federal

by Fernando Filgueiras

Chapter published in GARAVITO, César (ed.) "El Derecho en América Latina". Buenos Aires: Siglo Veintuno Editores, 2011.

Controlling corruption in frontline civil service: rules, discretionary power, and reforms in Brazil

by Fernando Filgueiras

Co-authored with Ana Luiza Melo Aranha. Published in Dados - Revista de Ciências Sociais

This article analyzes the relationship between the development of new public administration and the perception of... more This article analyzes the relationship between the development of new public administration and the perception of corruption in Brazil under democratic rule. We contend that the reason for the persistently widespread perception of corruption in Brazil is that despite important changes in the institutions with oversight of the Brazilian state, such administrative reforms have assigned limited priority to frontline civil servants. Organizational progress in the new public administration has focused on upper-level public employees, with little impact on the middle and lower echelons, so that practices like graft and bribery between public employees and ordinary citizens are still commonplace. Thus, the management changes have failed to produce a perception of improvement in accountability, and corruption is still seen as common, even within a context of administrative changes.

Beyond transparency: accountability and policy of publicity

by Fernando Filgueiras

Published in Lua Nova.

Western countries have experienced a growing demand for accountability as fundamental element for democratization of... more Western countries have experienced a growing demand for accountability as fundamental element for democratization of the State. This demand has occasioned a case for transparency of public institutions and public policies implemented by the State. This defense, in turn, aims to make governments accountable to the public. The objective of this article is to formulate a critical perspective for what we name as "policy of transparency"in favor that we name "policy of publicity". This last aproach aims to provide the normative argument for the concept of the  accountability, to deepen democracy and strengthen the process of public management.

Resolving Accountability Ambiguity in Nonprofit Organizations

by Andrew Williams

Co-authored with Jennifer Taylor

Accountability is a much studied subject in the social sciences and is known for its complexity, context dependence,... more Accountability is a much studied subject in the social sciences and is known for its complexity, context dependence, and ambiguity. By conducting a comprehensive literature review and analysis across nonprofit, public, and private sector literatures, this article identifies the causes of ambiguities present in many accountability frameworks and describes the trend toward understanding accountability as a constructed concept combining both instrumental and interpretive elements. The relationship between legitimacy and accountability is considered. The authors develop a holistic accountability framework that facilitates defining and implementing accountability in complex, multi-stakeholder environments, by providing a means to operationalize commonly encountered but ambiguous accountability goals through a social process of deliberative dialogue. The authors conclude by summarizing limitations of the approach and describing future research needed.

Workshop « Les coopératives, des entreprises pour un monde meilleur? » Grenoble École de Management 7 décembre 2012

by Vassili JOANNIDES

Pour clôturer 2012, année internationale des coopératives, Grenoble École de Management organise un workshop sur le thème:

"Les coopératives, des entreprises pour un monde meilleur"?

Quiconque souhaite soumettre un texte est invité à le faire.

2012 est déclarée par l’ONU année internationale des coopératives en raison de leur contribution à la réduction de la... more 2012 est déclarée par l’ONU année internationale des coopératives en raison de leur contribution à la réduction de la pauvreté, la création d’emplois et l’intégration sociale. Aujourd’hui, le monde coopératif compte 800 millions de membres, emploie 100 millions de personnes dans 96 pays et soutient 150 millions d’individus. Entreprises volontaires et autonomes, les coopératives sont surtout présentes dans les communautés locales au développement desquelles elles contribuent largement. Aussi l’ONU souhaite-t-elle interpeller la communauté internationale sur le fait que les coopératives peuvent être des entreprises pour monde un meilleur.

En dépit du poids social et économique et des vertus des coopératives, les acteurs de ce secteur constatent un manque de concepts et de cadres théoriques encadrant leurs pratiques. Il est vrai que dans les années 1970 les coopératives ont suscité un intérêt académique éphémère et sont restées depuis relativement ignorées de la recherche. À l’heure d’une profonde remise en question du capitalisme financier et d’appels répétés à un capitalisme plus humain, il est plus que jamais indispensable de fournir aux citoyens, décideurs politiques, dirigeants économiques et acteurs du monde coopératif des outils conceptuels et des cadres théoriques permettant d’encadrer, diffuser et développer les pratiques coopératives. Ce colloque accueillera des contributions théoriques fondées ou non sur des travaux empiriques  et couvrant au moins un des grands enjeux liés aux pratiques coopératives suivants :

1. Le modèle coopératif comme alternative crédible dans le capitalisme actuel
1. Modèle coopératif, capital et profit
2. Modèle coopératif, travail et identité professionnelle
3. Modèle coopératif, contrôle, hiérarchie et management

2. La coopérative au service de son environnement
1. Coopérative et insertion économique
2. Coopérative et pérennité de l’activité
3. Coopérative et engagement sociétal

Les meilleures contributions feront l’objet d’une publication dans un ouvrage collectif et éventuellement dans un numéro spécial de revue.

National Security, Good Governance and Integration in Nigeria since 1999: A Discourse.

by Dr. Adam Ahmed Okene

"published in 'Asian Sicial Science' Vol 7, No. 10 October 2011

Abstract
At its 50th Independence Anniversary in October 2010, Nigeria still grapple with serious national... more Abstract
At its 50th Independence Anniversary in October 2010, Nigeria still grapple with serious national insecurity,
ethno-communal conflicts and lacking socio- cultural integration and appreciable material development. Though
Nigeria’s current malaise can be traced to, among many other factors, the despotic nature of colonial rule, misrule
of autocratic military regimes of the past and the general bad political leadership that entrenched unpopular
policies, Nigeria need to invest massively on education and institute good governance that uphold the rule of law,
accountability, protection of human rights, free and independent electoral systems and forbid evils in order to join
the global comity of nations. In addition, the country can come out of the present predicament in which kidnapping
and drug trafficking have become norms by waging an unselective war on corruption, establishing effective
Agency for social mobilization and character reorientation, and entrenching principles of “Multiple Identities’ and
‘Unity in Diversity”. Above all, the country needs to modernize its security bodies to meet global challenges and
benchmarks just as Nigerians must accept the country as theirs and therefore abide by public rules, be patriotic,
uphold good neighbourliness and always preferring the national interests to selfish ambitions and personal greed.
However, the onus to implement these palliatives is not only with the scholars whose tasks undoubtedly, have
become more demanding than hitherto but particularly with the politicians, advisors, policy makers and
administrators of the Nigeria polity.

Dangerous Accountabilities: Remaking Voluntary Organisations in Someone Else's Image

by Garth Nowland-Foreman

Paper delivered at 29th Annual ARNOVA Conference, New Orleans, Nov 2000. (Association for Research on Nonprofit Organisations & Voluntary Action. www.arnova.org)

Increased accountability is often assumed to only be desirable for non-profit and voluntary organisations. This papers... more Increased accountability is often assumed to only be desirable for non-profit and voluntary organisations. This papers outlines some of the risks and dangers from externally imposed, and especially, 'classic' (legalistic) accountability arrangements found in contracting. In particular, a typology of 'funder capture' risks is developed. Rather than advocating a vacuum in responsibility, however, the Social Audit tool (developed by the New Economics Foundation) is analysed for the opportunities it presents.

Report on Open Government Data in India

by Nishant Shah

“La lucha contra la corrupción en Bolivia, 1989-2009: Condiciones y límites de los mecanismos institucionales de control”.

by Iñigo Errejón Galván

Canelas, Manuel y Errejón, Íñigo (2009): “La lucha contra la corrupción en Bolivia, 1989-2009: Condiciones y límites de los mecanismos institucionales de control”. En Esther del Campo (ed.): Democracia y rendición de cuentas enBolivia y Colombia. Madrid: Catarata: 2009, pp. 101-136.

Accountability In Higher Education: Bridge Over Troubled Water?

by Jeroen Huisman

Report on the Social Audit Pilot 1998/99

by Garth Nowland-Foreman

COMMACT Aotearoa, Auckland (2000)

Accountability, Corrupção e Desenvolvimento Econômico: O Caso dos Países em Desenvolvimento

by Luiz Fernando Vasconcellos de Miranda

Palavras-chave: corrupção, percepção de corrupção, accountability, BRICs

Este trabalho analisa a corrupção e sua relação com o desenvolvimento econômico. Na primeira parte (seções 2 e 3)... more Este trabalho analisa a corrupção e sua relação com o desenvolvimento econômico. Na primeira parte (seções 2 e 3) apresenta-se uma revisão da literatura sobre corrupção, faz-se uma crítica aos métodos de mensuração desta e dá-se conta de iniciativas de combate á corrupção em alguns países. Na segunda parte (seção 4) apresentam-se dados sobre desenvolvimento e percepção de corrupção nos BRICs.

Public Accountability in Urban Governance

by Christof Brandtner

Bachelor's thesis, presented in July, 2011. Supervised by Prof. Renate E. Meyer, Vienna University of Economics and Business.

The goal of this thesis is to give an answer to the question whether public participation is a promising approach to... more The goal of this thesis is to give an answer to the question whether public participation is a promising approach to resolving the legitimacy crisis of urban planners. Following the described line of argument, it firstly substantiates the postulated existence of a legitimacy crisis in city planning in view of the structural prerequisites and contextual changes. Secondly, it makes use of the concept of public accountability in order to analyze the planners’ deficits and identifies some leads for a solution to the problem. This part of the paper allowes for an understanding of the mechanisms that help to resolve the crisis. The third part is dedicated to one specific corresponding instrument, public participation, and its capacity to ease the tension between legitimacy and effectiveness. It concludes with a discussion of the limitations to the legitimacy enhancing power and how to counteract.