Preliminary communication
Identifying Key Obstacles for Performance Measurement at the Sub-National Level in Croatia
Dubravka Jurlina-Alibegović
orcid.org/0000-0002-0424-7583
; The Institute of Economics, Zagreb, Croatia
Sunčana Slijepčević
orcid.org/0000-0001-6185-4921
; The Institute of Economics, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
Performance measurement is one of the crucial factors that lead to the improvement of implementation of local and regional policies. This paper analyses the possibilities to set up performance measurement at the sub-national government level in Croatia and identifies the key obstacles that have to be solved in order to achieve faster local development. Some important prerequisites for successful performance measurement have been analysed in the paper. One is the credibility of the sub-national budget. This part of the analysis is based on the analysis of several indicators developed in the Public Expenditure and Financial Accountability Public Financial Management (PEFA PFM) Performance Measurement Framework. A significant divergence of budgetary outturns from the original approved budget, both on the revenue and expenditure side of the budget, confirms the hypothesis about low credibility of the budget at the sub-national level in Croatia. Second prerequisite for the development of performance
indicators and performance measurement at sub-national government level are clear objectives and targets of local and regional policies in strategic documents. Therefore, the paper analyses the goals, priorities and measures set in Regional Operational Plans. The analysis proves that defined goals, priorities and measures in Regional Operational Plans cannot be used for performance measurement at the sub-national government level. The results show that the budget does not incorporate any aspects of strategic planning, which is necessary to achieve local and regional development.
Keywords
local and regional development; local and regional policy; performance measurement – Croatia
Hrčak ID:
130490
URI
Publication date:
3.12.2012.
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