lusion of this paper is that the debate on governance for sustainable development will be clarified if the perspective on sustainable development and the mode of governance “and the combination of the two” is made more explicit.
Applying good governance concept to promote local economic development: contribution and challenge This paper in the International Journal of Economic Development by Kuotsai Tom Liou examines the application of good governance concept in the area of local economic development and focuses on contribution and challenge issues. The paper includes a review of major concepts of good governance, the role of government, and the importance of public management reform. On the contribution issues, the paper emphasizes such concepts as the devolution and decentralization policy, the flexibility and choice principle, and the networking and partnership strategy. On the challenge issues, the paper identifies potential problems of the limitation of managerial capacity, the lack of accountability, and the inconsistence of leadership and policy. The implications of both contribution and challenge issues are summarized in the conclusion section.
Fostering citizen participation top-down This paper by Lyn Carson and Rodolfo Lewanski observes that while many political theorists speak of the need to institutionalize deliberative democratic processes there is little evidence of institutionalization. This despite the fact that there have been many successful experiments with robust public participation methods. What has been missing to date is the political will to convert those experiments to routine practice supported by legislation. This paper documents a novel Law enacted in Tuscany in December 2007. It is a piece of legislation with the potential to provide a model for societies that are considered to be democratic. Tuscan Law no. 69 demonstrates how representative government and mini-publics might do more than co-exist. More information which can be used to enhance citizens’ involvement in the activities of local, state, or federal government can be found from Lyn Carson’s Active Democracy website.
An introduction to the concept of governance can be found on the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific(UNESCAP) website.