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This data paper presents the creation of a database bringing together all the French municipalities while giving a specific place to those which have undergone a merger process between 2012 et 2022: "the new municipalities" (communes nouvelles). Potential data gap and consistency issues arise with the creation of these new territorial entities aggregating municipal mergers. Using data from official statistics (INSEE - National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies - and IGN - National Geographic Institute), this paper describes a process of compilation and aggregation of data. The method is detailed here, to allow its reproducibility.

Small Micro, Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) are the most strategic mechanisms rural municipalities in South Africa advocate for to generate employment and increase household income. The Citizen Empowerment Theory was utilised to understand how Local Economic Development (LED) can be reengineered by SMMEs post-COVID-19 in South African rural municipalities. To arrive at a meaningful conclusion, the paper adopted a document analysis which draws from pre-COVID-19 narratives on SMMEs and examines government documents and peer-reviewed articles that inform SMME development post-COVID-19 in South Africa. Revelations emanating from the document analysis indicate the severe damage COVID-19 did to both formal and informal SMMEs. To grow and reposition themselves in the dynamic entrepreneurship landscape post-COVID-19, SMMEs in South Africa require strategic business approaches that enable them to draw funding from external sources instead of relying on government funding which in most cases has red tape and other bureaucratic complexities tied to it. Further analysis of documents indicates the need for rural SMMEs to embrace digital entrepreneurship where product marketing is done online including most of the business transactions. By doing this, evidence from the document review affirms that SMMEs become competitive by tapping into external markets in the process linking themselves to stakeholders who may have an impact on the growth and sustainability of SMMEs towards employment regeneration and improved LED in rural municipalities. To have an integrative LED that promotes citizen participation post-COVID-19, the paper recommends rural municipalities foster close ties with local SMMEs which is critical for enhancing their networking strategies while SMMEs diversify their portfolios to generate income as well as withstanding shocks that may be triggered by unpredictable external environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although delivery of services in South Africa is the responsibility of all spheres of government, the provision of basic services lies at the doorstep of local municipalities. Local municipalities have, for many reasons, frequently been unable to live up to this mandate despite the fact that some of the challenges that they face can be addressed by using IT. This paper assesses factors enabling and inhibiting the efficient deployment and integration of IT in local municipalities. The technological, organizational and environmental (TOE) framework was deployed to assess the factors. A multiple case study in which semi-structured interviews were conducted produced qualitative data and thematic analysis was carried out. This paper suggests that effective deployment and integration of IT is not solely dependent on technological factors but that organizational and environmental factors also influence the outcomes to a significant extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Prisma Social is the property of Revista Prisma Social and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Municipalities in Sweden are recommended to pursue process automation to face upcoming societal challenges. This paper focuses on a case where these recommendations are operationalized. Views on process automation held by different stakeholders, in relation to value ideals they prioritize in their respective areas of work, are explored by combining stakeholder theory and a model of public value ideals. Our findings show that, different stakeholder groups prioritize different values and that their views on process automation as an enabler of these value ideals are either optimistic, undecided, or pessimistic, where the latter two can be considered obstacles. This paper contributes, with an empirical illustration of how process automation is operationalized, answering previous calls for more research on this topic. We also elaborate on the use of stakeholder theory and public value as an analytical lens, contributing to the growing body of research attempting to understand process automation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subject of this paper is the spatial distribution of population in the territory of the Municipality of Tetovo. The development of the population of the settlements depends on the influence of the different characteristics and conditions of the space where they are located. The paper analyzes the geographical distribution of the population in the settlements in the Municipality of Tetovo in terms of population number, population density, number of households and houses, the distance of settlements from the capital city – Skopje, and the distance of settlements from the municipal headquarters. The descriptive, analytical, comparative method, statistical, and cartographic methods were used in the preparation of this paper. The analyses and conclusions are based on the processing of data from the State Statistical Office of North Macedonia, from previous research, and the literature on the studied area and field research. Research on population and settlements is of great importance for economic and social development in the area, where the main factor for their development is the conditions where they are located. The purpose of this paper is to study the population of the municipality of Tetovo and to present a clearer picture of the distribution of population depending on some geographical determinants, which represent an important prerequisite for the development of space, or settlements, through which the population can develop activities various economic, and to identify the conditions of the settlements as a factor for displacement of the population and households, as well as to determine the zones with higher or lower population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Studies in Politics & Society / Polityka & Społeczeństwo is the property of University of Rzeszow and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This paper examines the asymmetry between the air protection policies of the central government and local authorities in Poland, using the city of Kraków as a case study. Methodology: The study employs a comparative method to contrast the Polish state's coal policy with the air protection efforts of the Kraków local government. A systems analysis approach is used to identify the causes and effects of the divergent policies. Results: The analysis reveals a lack of alignment between the central government's focus on maintaining coal extraction and the local government's efforts to reduce air pollution. Kraków authorities have taken significant measures to improve air quality, but face challenges due to insufficient support from the central government and neighboring municipalities. Theoretical contribution: The paper highlights the importance of policy symmetry and coordination between different levels of government in addressing complex environmental issues like air pollution. It contributes to understanding multi-level governance dynamics in the context of air protection. Practical implications: The findings underscore the need for a collaborative model of air protection policy that engages central authorities, local governments, private sector entities, and civil society. Establishing air protection councils at the voivodship, county and municipal levels is proposed as a mechanism to facilitate this coordination. Integrating air quality considerations into local governments' management control systems is also recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to explore elites' prevalence in the process of participatory budgeting (PB) in a Ukrainian municipality. Design/methodology/approach: The paper draws on the elite control and capture literature to examine the occurrence of unintended consequences resulting from the process of PB. Data for this case study are derived from document analysis and semi-structured interviews. Findings: This study demonstrates how the involvement of a non-governmental organisation (NGO) promoted PB in a Ukrainian municipality. In the process of orienting politicians and administrators to PB, its normative benefits tend to be prioritised, whilst very little attention has been paid to making inhabitants aware of their role in the process of participatory decision-making. Although PB is intended to propagate good governance and accountability, it has in fact turned out to be a means of promoting corruption and furthering the personal interests of rent-seeking actors. Practical implications: The paper demonstrates how elites can capture and control PB in the context of emerging economies, thereby preventing its propagated benefits of ensuring equality, justice and emancipation in local communities from being realised. Originality/value: Exploring PB in Ukraine, the authors urge that caution should be exercised with regard to the wholesale adoption of externally/NGO-propagated ideas. Each emerging economy context is distinct, and an appreciation of this uniqueness is key to the success of PB reforms in different countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]