World Bank indicators of good governance
This week's World Bank Weekly Update announced the publication of 'Governance Matters, 2006: Worldwide Governance Indicators'. Using a wide range of data sources, the Bank says that ' governance can be measured, that poor governance is not an exclusive challenge of the developing world, and that reforming countries can make significant improvements in governance and in curbing corruption in relatively short periods of even less than a decade.' Very positive news.
This is the current entry page for data on governance and anti-corruption, but please be aware that links change constantly on the World Bank site. It may be more helpful to use this generic link http://www.govindicators.org .
I downloaded two relevant pdf files to take a closer look. These were a booklet entitled 'A decade of measuring the quality of governance,' and 'Governance Matters 5:Appendices.'
The yardstick by which governance has been assessed and measured is derived from data collected by various world bodies including Amnesty International, the Bertelsmann Foundation, Business Environment Risk Intelligence, Colombia University, the Economist Intelligence Unit, Freedom House, Gallup International, Global Insight, Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal, Institute for Management and Development, International Research and Exchanges Board, Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, Political Risk Services, Reporters without Borders, the US State Department, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.
The global maps of government effectiveness and rule of law shows that Oman comes out well falling within the 50th to 75th percentile, or rather, at the lower end of the scale of good governance, on a par with UAE and Jordan and significantly better than Yemen and the Russian Federation. Over the last ten years, the data show that corruption has actually increased in Egypt.
The appendices describe in detail the parameters that each of the institutions named above used to derive a measure, and I'd suggest looking at those to judge how the final figures were achieved. For example, the World Economic Forum used the following guidelines:
For measuring corruption:
Public trust in financial honesty of politicians
Diversion of public funds due to corruption is common
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: import/export permits
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: public utilities
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to tax payments
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: awarding of public contracts
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: getting favorable judicial decisions
Extent to which firms' illegal payments to influence government policies impose costs on other firms
For voice and accountability:
Newspapers can publish stories of their choosing without fear of censorship or retaliation
When deciding upon policies and contracts, Government officials favor well-connected firms
Effectiveness of national Parliament/Congress as a law making and oversight institution
For political stability:
Country terrorist threat : Does the threat of terrorism in the country impose significant costs on firms?
And so on.
I thought it might be useful to reproduce the measures of governance for Oman compared with a country that ranks high for governance, Norway, and one that ranks low, Russia.
This is the current entry page for data on governance and anti-corruption, but please be aware that links change constantly on the World Bank site. It may be more helpful to use this generic link http://www.govindicators.org .
I downloaded two relevant pdf files to take a closer look. These were a booklet entitled 'A decade of measuring the quality of governance,' and 'Governance Matters 5:Appendices.'
The yardstick by which governance has been assessed and measured is derived from data collected by various world bodies including Amnesty International, the Bertelsmann Foundation, Business Environment Risk Intelligence, Colombia University, the Economist Intelligence Unit, Freedom House, Gallup International, Global Insight, Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal, Institute for Management and Development, International Research and Exchanges Board, Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, Political Risk Services, Reporters without Borders, the US State Department, the World Bank and the World Economic Forum.
The global maps of government effectiveness and rule of law shows that Oman comes out well falling within the 50th to 75th percentile, or rather, at the lower end of the scale of good governance, on a par with UAE and Jordan and significantly better than Yemen and the Russian Federation. Over the last ten years, the data show that corruption has actually increased in Egypt.
The appendices describe in detail the parameters that each of the institutions named above used to derive a measure, and I'd suggest looking at those to judge how the final figures were achieved. For example, the World Economic Forum used the following guidelines:
For measuring corruption:
Public trust in financial honesty of politicians
Diversion of public funds due to corruption is common
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: import/export permits
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: public utilities
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to tax payments
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: awarding of public contracts
Frequent for firms to make extra payments connected to: getting favorable judicial decisions
Extent to which firms' illegal payments to influence government policies impose costs on other firms
For voice and accountability:
Newspapers can publish stories of their choosing without fear of censorship or retaliation
When deciding upon policies and contracts, Government officials favor well-connected firms
Effectiveness of national Parliament/Congress as a law making and oversight institution
For political stability:
Country terrorist threat : Does the threat of terrorism in the country impose significant costs on firms?
And so on.
I thought it might be useful to reproduce the measures of governance for Oman compared with a country that ranks high for governance, Norway, and one that ranks low, Russia.
