Sponsoring a Race to the Top : The Case for Results-BasedIntergovernmental Finance for Merit Goods

Shah, Anwar

World Bank, Washington, DC

关键词: ABSENTEEISM;    ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT;    ACCESS TO EDUCATION;    ACCOUNTABILITY;    ACCOUNTABILITY FOR RESULTS;   

DOI  :  10.1596/1813-9450-5172
RP-ID  :  WPS5172

学科分类：社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

来源: World Bank Open Knowledge Repository

【 摘 要 】

Intergovernmental finance is asignificant source of sub-national finance in mostcountries. In both industrial and developing countries,formula based "manna from heaven" general purposetransfers dominate but co-exist with highly intrusivemicro-managed "command and control" specificpurpose transfers. Both these types of transfers underminepolitical and fiscal accountability. Reforms to bring indesign elements that incorporate incentives forresults-based accountability are resisted by both donors andrecipients alike. This is because the donors perceive suchreforms as attempts at chipping away at their powers andrecipients fear such programs will be intrusive. This paperpresents conceptual and practical underpinnings of grantdesigns that could further simplicity, objectivity, andlocal autonomy objectives while furthering citizen-centricresults-based accountability. The paper further highlights afew notable recent initiatives in both industrial anddeveloping countries that embrace such directions forreform. The paper concludes that results-basedintergovernmental finance offers significant potential tominimize tradeoffs between local autonomy and accountabilitywhile furthering access to merit goods.