'Among all the literature on participation, this is the first book I know that focuses on municipal authorities. It... also has particular importance both for higher levels of government (at national or provincial/state level) and for international agencies. Firstly, it is a reminder of the importance of well-functioning municipal governments for reducing poverty. Secondly, it is a rich source of case studies and analysis about how municipal authorities can incorporate one central componen...

This important volume provides a source of information on the key issues, including constraints and capacity building, necessary to implement participatory approaches in China today. A wealth of case studies are provided by principal Chinese academics and practitioners in forestry, natural resource management, rural development, irrigation and poverty alleviation.At the core, the book is about strengthening local government as a key player in the development of participatory initia...

Despite the increasing occurrence of policies aimed at mobilising the financial and human resources of the private sector, most urban local governments responsible for urban basic services in the South do not have the capacity to initiate and sustain partnerships. Nor do they understand how they can create partnerships that target the poor. This sourcebook provides practical information and guidance to do so.With extensive illustrative material from Africa, Asia and Latin America, ...

The business of business is business. So why should corporations be involved in development? This groundbreaking new book makes the case that governments and their international agencies, grouped under the umbrella of the United Nations, have failed in their attempts to rid the planet of underdevelopment and poverty. If development is the objective then it seems that the solution and the responsibility lies with the private sector - particularly through the Corporate Social Responsibility ...

The word 'governance' is ubiquitous. The World Bank and the International Monetary Fund make loans conditional on 'good governance'. Climate change and avian flu appear as issues of 'global governance'. The European Union issues a White Paper on 'Governance'. The U.S. Forest Service calls for 'collaborative governance'. What accounts for the pervasive use of the term 'governance' and to what does it refer? It has a bewildering set of answers. The word 'governance' is used in a variety of c...

Urban governance and sustainability are rapidly becoming key issues around the world. Currently three billion people - half the population of the planet - live in cities, and by 2050 a full two-thirds of the world's population will be housed in ever larger and increasingly densely populated urban areas. The economic, social and environmental challenges posed by urbanization on such a large scale and at such a rapid pace are staggering for local, regional and national governments working to...

Public money is one of the primary currencies of influence for politicians and public servants. It affects the standards by which they undertake the nation's business and it impacts on the standard of living of the nation's citizens. The Politics of Public Money examines the extent to which the Canadian federal budgetary process is shifting from one based on a bilateral relationship between departmental spenders and central guardians to one based on a more complex, multilateral re...

For decades, public service organizations have been under constant and growing pressure from citizens and stakeholders to provide more integrated, effective and accountable programs and services. Governments are beginning to acknowledge that they can’t own every issue and increasingly look to collaboration, networking and consultation at many levels as they design and develop polices, programs and service delivery mechanisms. Building Better Public Services explores the challenges facing publ...

"A true master class in the art of making the impossible possible." —Paul PolmanOne of the most vexing human rights issues of our time has been how to protect the rights of individuals and communities worldwide in an age of globalization and multinational business. Indeed, from Indonesian sweatshops to oil-based violence in Nigeria, the challenges of regulating harmful corporate practices in some of the world’s most difficult regions long seemed insurmountable. Hum...

Winner: Donner Prize for Excellence and Innovation in Public Policy Writing by Canadians (2016)Winner: New Brunswick Book Award for Non-Fiction (2016)Recent decades have shown the public's support for government plummet alongside political leaders’ credibility. This downward spiral calls for an exploration of what has gone wrong. The questions "What is government good at?" and "What is government not good at?" are critical ones - and their answers should be the basis for goo...

The neo-liberalism that dominated economic thinking since the advent of Thatcher and Reagan is now seen to have serious flaws. Progressive Capitalism seeks to replace it with a new Progressive political economy, based on an analysis of why the growth rates of countries differ, and what firms have to do to achieve competitive advantage in today's global economy. The cornerstone of the political economy of Progressive Capitalism is a belief in capitalism. But it also incorporates the three d...

In this informative critique of contemporary leadership renowned political scientist Donald Savoie poses and answers the crucial questions: where is power located and who is in charge? In recent years it has become extremely difficult to pinpoint the location of political and economic power making it complicated to determine who is to blame for political and economic catastrophes and leading to increased disenchantment with Western politicians and bureaucrats. Power considers how forces such...