Students:Local government (2012 e-learning)

Stakeholder profiles

Stakeholder profiles according to the criteria:

Development vision

+

This stakeholder knows what is going on in the region, it is in touch with both national government and local citizens, but is seemingly on the verge of collaboration with local mining company. The administration of the region is polarized and far from united so far, which – usually in a negative way - determines it’s profile to a great extent. Most of the administration actors are up for the regional sustainability and development in a more ecological and environmental-friendly way though.

Flexibility and innovation

+-

The regional government has to work on a short-term basis due to elections, which commonly changes the main goals as they need to filfill the needs of the voters who brought them up. On the other hand there is small will to change, as the actual governing party has to follow they plan based on their beliefs. The flexibility is guaranteed by the different parties who has to agree on certain actions and their balance.

Relationships

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Local governments are highly dependent on the budget they are assigned every year, locally can arrange sessions and is open to duscussion. As a whole the regional goverment acts with less openness, but is willing to operate with another stakeholder.

Communication

++

This point probably goes hand in hand with operational effectiveness and trust. Intensions of the stakeholder are available on various basis and meant to be both approachable and comprehensible.

Transparency

-

The stakeholder follows the goals that are laid out, its actions are transparent, but to what extent? It is probably right to say that official procedures are transparent, but it regularly seems that there is more done than was said to be and not always are the curtains up.

Trust

+

Regional goverment and town/village administrations are keen to post their goals and ambitions in advance on their websites or in the local newspaper, which is both easily accessible for the citizens and interested parties.

Operational effectiveness

++

The stakeholder is administered well and works on a goal(s)-to-achieve base, so it is operationally effective. In a way the total effectiveness depends on the allocated budget.

Conflicts

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Local administration is pretty sharp to respond when there is an obstacle in their way, this is done on a division and town/village levels.

Resources

-

Money income of the stakeholder foremost depends on the national government, but the stakeholder can benefit from the mining company, shall it produce more lignite. Being so there is a slight possibility of corruption.

Strategic options

First of all there has to be a unified vision and will to comply with the goals the regional government pinpoints as important and beneficional for the region at the time.

Also there is a need for complete transparency, which would eliminate the possibility of corruption as well as it would show the voters whether the government really acts on their behalf, i.e. solve the crucial problems to the content of the local citizens/voters.

Thirdly, there should be resolution to find another ‚use‘ of the region instead of mining. Supporting the tourism, solving the air pollution and in my point of view narrow cooperation with the adjacent german region would be rated as highly desirable and important for the future develompent of the region.

Open questions

Could the situation be stabilized when there are elections taken every four years (which is a short time when it comes to keeping the sustainability going)?

How do the citizens cope with the conflicts among the regional administratives?