Clara Riba

Voto dual y abstención diferencial. Un estudio sobre el comportamiento electoral en Cataluña

En este trabajo se presentan los resultados de un estudio empirico sobre los motivos del cambio sistematico de resultados electorales que se da en Cataluna segun el ambito de la convocatoria electoral de que se trate. La hipotesis, contrastada positivamente con datos del periodo 1982-1993, es que la victoria del partido nacionalista de centro derecha en las elecciones autonomicas en un territorio donde vencen siempre los socialistas en las elecciones legislativas se debe a la combinacion de los fenomenos del voto dual y del abstencionismo diferencial. La aproximacion metodologica de la eleccion racional permite construir grupos de electores que tienen distintas percepciones del espacio en el que se dirime la competicion politica, hecho que les induce a un comportamiento electoral diferenciado. Combinando estos resultados con los obtenidos del analisis con datos socioestructurales agregados, se establece un cierto perfil de los votantes duales y de los abstencionistas diferenciales. Finalmente, se realiza una interpretacion de los resultados de las elecciones catalanas de 1995 y 1999 a la luz de los resultados de este estudio. This article presents the results of an empirical study about the reasons of the systematic change in the electoral results in Catalonia according to the type of elections. The hypothesis, positively tested with data from the period 1982-1993, is that the victory of the nationalist centre-right party in the autonomous elections in a region where always wins the socialist party in general elections, is due to the combination of the dual vote and differential abstention phenomena. The rational choice methodological approach allow to construct groups of electors with different perceptions about the space in which the political race takes place, fact that induces them different electoral behaviour. In combining these results with those obtained from the analysis with aggregated social and structural data, it is defined a certain the profile of the dual voters and the differential non-voters. Finally, it is given an interpretation of the Catalan election results in 1995 and 1999 using as a clue the results of this study.

Impact of Legislation Requiring Moped and Motorbike Riders to Wear Helmets.

Abstract In 1992, a package of measures was adopted by the city of Barcelona to obligate riders of motorcycles with a power capacity inferior to 125 cc to use helmets, until then only compulsory for larger motorcycles. Interrupted time series analyses with the use of a control group is used to investigate the effect of these measures on the number of serious injuries and number of deaths. The results indicate a significant decrease in the number of serious cases in the treated group—smaller motorcycles and mopeds—a decrease which does not occur in the control group —larger motorcycles. The impact of the adopted measures is abrupt and permanent but the change in riders helmet wearing habits has not been influenced so much by the media campaign as by the coming into force of the legislation with the potential application of sanctions.

Catalan government popularity. An example of economic effects on sub-national government support

The aim of this essay is to deal with economic voting in contexts of multilevel governance and to be a contribution to the debate on attribution of responsibilities in popularity functions literature. We use aggregate and individual data from Catalonia in order to analyse the relation between the state of the economy and the support for a sub-state government. The empirical analysis shows that the responsibility hypothesis works in regional governments without explicit macroeconomic competencies. We have also considered the evaluations of government performance on certain specific policies in order to clarify and determine the factors that drive Catalan government support. The article considers the implications of the findings for future attempts to model party support in a context of the European Union.

Las funciones de popularidad. Estado de la cuestión y principales debates

This paper reviews the research conducted on the relationship between the evolution of the voting intention and the economic situation. It notes that citizens tend to reward governments which rule during periods of prosperity by voting for them and vice-versa. This paper examines the way these functions have been shaped: the types of variables they encompass, the temporal delays/time lags used and their explicatory value. It concludes by entering the principle debates which have been engendered by the functions of popularity: Is the vote more influenced by the evolution of the voters economic conditions than by the evolution of the countrys macro-economic conditions ? Do appraisals of the past carry more weight than expectations of the future ? In another paper which is about to be published, the authors will present their findings regarding a function of popularity for the Spanish government between 1984 and 1996

Forest Fires: Evaluation of Government Intervention Measures

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relation between government measures, volunteer participation, climate variables and forest fires. A number of studies have related forest fires to causes of ignition, to fire history in one area, to the type of vegetation and weather characteristics or to community institutions, but there is little research on the relation between fire production and government prevention and extinction measures from a policy evaluation perspective. An observational approach is first applied to select forest fires in the north east of Spain. Taking a selection of fires with a certain size, a multiple regression analysis is conducted to find significant relations between policy instruments under the control of the government and the number of hectares burn in each case, controlling at the same time the effect of weather conditions and other context variables. The paper brings evidence on the effects of simultaneity and the relevance of recurring to army soldiers in specific days with extraordinary high simultaneity. The analysis also brings light on the effectiveness of two preventive policies and of helicopters for extinction tasks.

Contextualized measures of public service motivation: the case of Spain

Since the initial ‘public service motivation’ concept and measures were developed, various studies have raised concerns with regard to cultural differences. According to previous research trying to supplement the four original dimensions of the original construct with a fifth dimension, this study follows this same strategy, taking into account three aspects of the Napoleonic administrative tradition. The analysis captures one new dimension with political loyalty values, which slightly improves the measurement of public service motivation in that specific context. Points for practitioners Previous research has showed that ‘public service motivation’ has consequences in terms of individual and collective behaviour and, thus, it may contribute to improve organizations. Public service motivation has been related to performance, organizational commitment and job satisfaction, among other attitudes and behaviours. It has also been used by public administrations in job selection processes.

Outsourcing as management strategy in local public services

As a contribution to the academic debate on the use of outsourcing as a formula for the provision of local public services, the article proposes to focus attention on political-institutional factors. The paper departs from the review of the main arguments highlighted by the literature and it contrasts their expected results in cross-sectional study based on data from all the municipalities with over 5,000 inhabitants in Catalonia, a Spanish Autonomous Community. A typology of municipalities is constructed through principal component analysis and a cluster analysis and the existence of differences in the percentage of outsourcing among types of municipalities is tested. The results show the relevance of political-institutional factors in the selection of the service provision formula and allow us to identify three strategies that propose outsourcing as a mechanism of flexibility of public management.As a contribution to the academic debate on the use of outsourcing as a formula for the provision of local public services, this article aims to highlight political and institutional factors. The article firstly provides a literature review on the main arguments related to outsourcing, providing then empirical elements as result of a cross-sectional study based on data from all the municipalities with over 5,000 inhabitants in Catalonia, a Spanish Autonomous Community. In order to study the effects of political-institutional variables of local governments when outsourcing public services, the study determined a typology of municipalities by analyzing the main elements a set of variables and conducting a cluster analysis. After that, an analysis of variance was conducted to identify differences in the percentage of outsourcing among types of municipalities. The results show the relevance of political-institutional factors in the selection of the formula for service provision and allow identifying three strategies that propose outsourcing as a mechanism of flexibility in public management.

La externalización como estrategia de gestión en los servicios públicos locales

As a contribution to the academic debate on the use of outsourcing as a formula for the provision of local public services, the article proposes to focus attention on political-institutional factors. The paper departs from the review of the main arguments highlighted by the literature and it contrasts their expected results in cross-sectional study based on data from all the municipalities with over 5,000 inhabitants in Catalonia, a Spanish Autonomous Community. A typology of municipalities is constructed through principal component analysis and a cluster analysis and the existence of differences in the percentage of outsourcing among types of municipalities is tested. The results show the relevance of political-institutional factors in the selection of the service provision formula and allow us to identify three strategies that propose outsourcing as a mechanism of flexibility of public management.As a contribution to the academic debate on the use of outsourcing as a formula for the provision of local public services, this article aims to highlight political and institutional factors. The article firstly provides a literature review on the main arguments related to outsourcing, providing then empirical elements as result of a cross-sectional study based on data from all the municipalities with over 5,000 inhabitants in Catalonia, a Spanish Autonomous Community. In order to study the effects of political-institutional variables of local governments when outsourcing public services, the study determined a typology of municipalities by analyzing the main elements a set of variables and conducting a cluster analysis. After that, an analysis of variance was conducted to identify differences in the percentage of outsourcing among types of municipalities. The results show the relevance of political-institutional factors in the selection of the formula for service provision and allow identifying three strategies that propose outsourcing as a mechanism of flexibility in public management.