Measuring the Effectiveness of Regional Governing Systems

Abstract

In the first chapter, a typology of four basic regional governing systems was explicated. Critical basic values that a regional governing system should maximize or maintain as well as three dimensions of what a regional governing system should accomplish were postulated. There was also a discussion on ways to measure these three dimensions. The following section briefly reviews the literature relative to those proposing a more centralized governing system and those advocating for continuing the decentralized system. The section summarizes theoretical support for centralized or decentralized governing systems. Following the review of the literature, I analyze studies and empirical research that have been done to measure the effectiveness of centralized and decentralized governing systems to meet the objectives that a regional governing system should provide. These objectives and governing approaches are depicted in Table 1.1.