Is Local Always Better? Strengths and Limitations of Local Governance for Service Delivery
Guest-editors: Reto Steiner (University of Bern), Carmen Navarro (Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), Chris Tapscot (University of Western Cape)
Globally, local authorities are significant players in the provision of public services. In recent decades, decentralization has become an important reform strategy in many countries, usually with the support of international organizations. Traditional arguments suggest that efficiency and quality gains in the provision of public services are achieved through decentralization along with greater expectations for accountability and responsiveness.
