In response to the international crisis of 2008 and the ending of the commodities super cycle (circa 2013), the countries of Latin America reacted with countercyclical policies to tackle the impacts of the global economic downturn. In fact, Latin America’s average fiscal balances deteriorated, from -0.3 percent of GDP in 2006 to -3.6 percent in 2017. Hence fiscal rules (FRs) … [Read more...] about The institutional trilogy of fiscal discipline
How to decentralize Chile in a fiscally responsible way
Chile remains one of the more centralized unitary countries within the OECD and also among emerging markets. Regional governments have traditionally been deconcentrated arms of the central government, with virtually non-existent own revenues. Municipalities have also a more limited range of responsibilities than is typical internationally. Successive governments of different … [Read more...] about How to decentralize Chile in a fiscally responsible way
Data: The Main Ingredient in Public Procurement 4.0
The scene repeats itself over and over again. The end of the month arrives and you ask yourself: “How did I spend my salary so quickly? How do I make it last? What am I investing in?” If you could have all this information in one place, would you be interested in accessing it? The same thing happens to governments. They try to achieve efficient spending while at the same … [Read more...] about Data: The Main Ingredient in Public Procurement 4.0
Public Procurement: A Journey Towards the Digital Frontier
Every day we’re bombarded with buzzwords like digital economy, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotic automation, innovation, and at times we wonder what all of that has to do with us and our job as public procurement officers. But the reality is we’ve been experiencing the digital transformation for a long time. Our phone is our agenda, music player, … [Read more...] about Public Procurement: A Journey Towards the Digital Frontier
How to Build an Integrated Financial Management Information System: The Case of the Korean Government
Financial management is key for any government seeking to maintain its finances in order and have the capability to provide good services to its citizens. It can be a complex task because it involves different government institutions and information systems that do not talk to each other. To address this challenge, South Korea has created an integrated financial management … [Read more...] about How to Build an Integrated Financial Management Information System: The Case of the Korean Government