Municipal Management of Administrative Burdens - Standard Cost Model as Method of Change

Wolf-Hegerbekermeier, Thomas R. (2015) Municipal Management of Administrative Burdens - Standard Cost Model as Method of Change. DBA thesis, University of Gloucestershire.

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Abstract

This thesis investigates the legal conditions, the methodological framework and the sufficient conditions for the application and implementation of the standard cost model (SCM) in German municipalities. Based on the background of the severe financial crisis of German municipalities this thesis examines the potential of using the SCM to assist in requesting the necessary financial funding for transferred public obligations by the federal legislation in Germany. The first step of the research methodology was based on a number of expert interviews conducted with stakeholders of German institutions. Those that are relevant for the SCM implementation into German legislation. Additionally, this thesis analyzes existing projects that utilize the SCM application in public administration, particularly municipalities. Together with a reflective presentation of the author in front of an audience of experts about bureaucracy decrease, the author developed a hermeneutic prejudice as starting point for a hermeneutic text analysis. First, the thesis analyzes the relevant constitutional jurisdiction and literature about the municipal finance equalization and the principle of connectivity in the federal states and proposes the transfer of essential parameters to the level of federal legislation. Concerning the methodological framework as the second issue, the thesis examines existing methods to measure municipal efforts and proposes a coherent system of public finance equalization within the constitutional conditions. The third issue is a proposal for the possible integration of the municipal cost estimation into the federal legislation regarding existing rules of legislative procedures. The thesis reveals a lack of municipal cost estimation that is necessary for the impact assessment of federal legislation in Germany. Regarding the constitutional jurisdiction in particular, the text analysis shows that such a municipal cost estimation is not only legally permissible, but is necessary for federal legislation. The analysis of the dualistic system of municipal finances requires an appropriate financial equalization for transferred administrative obligations including administrative and purposes costs. This estimation is based on a representative investigation in “average economic municipalities.” The consideration of such financial municipal demands must be implemented by the responsible federal ministry as early as possible within the legislative procedures, ideally during the investigation of municipal interests (§ 41 GGO). This thesis describes legal, methodological, and organizational proposals for a SCM application in municipalities; however, additional research is needed about the concrete process of information exchange between the different administrative levels in Germany and the resultant political consequences on federal legislative discussions.

Item Type: Thesis (DBA)
Thesis Advisors:
Thesis AdvisorEmailURL
Bown, Robinrbown@glos.ac.ukhttps://www.glos.ac.uk/staff/profile/robin-bown/
Kluge, Hans-GeorgUNSPECIFIEDUNSPECIFIED
Uncontrolled Keywords: Standard cost model (SCM), public administration; municipalities; public sector finance, legal aspects; Germany
Subjects: H Social Sciences > HJ Public Finance
Divisions: Schools and Research Institutes > School of Business, Computing and Social Sciences
Depositing User: Susan Turner
Date Deposited: 15 Jul 2015 12:54
Last Modified: 02 Aug 2023 08:30
URI: https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/2453

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