Skills profile of technical staff in the south African local government sector: an empirical survey

Gender representativity in political and managerial positions in local government in general and women empowerment in particular remain contentious issues. Although an extensive statutory and regulatory framework for gender equality was established and despite the fact that specific equity targets are set, it is evident that much more needs to be done to facilitate women empowerment in the local government sector. The purpose of this article is to reflect on findings of an empirical survey conducted amongst female politicians, managers, and experts in the local government sector with the aim to design the parameters of a competency framework for women empowerment. The results support the fact that a women empowerment competency framework should incorporate various dimensions and elements, notably sector-specific job requirements, registered gender-based formal programs in the tertiary education sector, as well as content of women empowerment initiatives taken by non-governmental organizations.

Achievements of economics of knowledge (EK) on regional and national level are only possible through active application of information and communication technologies (ICT) in production and commercial activity of enterprises. It is on the basis of new technologies used in business that the processes of generation, accumulation, utilization and diffusion of knowledge are accelerated among enterprise personnel and partners, additional opportunities are provided for their economic and intellectual development, and innovation prospects are opened with the development of e-strategies. The purpose of the article is to determine the tendencies concerning ICT application processes in enterprises’ production and commercial activity that favor the formation of economics of knowledge in the country and its regions. The object of the study is the activity of Ukrainian business and the processes of information and communication technologies within it. In order to achieve the stated purpose the methods of integration and grouping of statistical data, and also of generalization and logics, as well as tables and graphic materials are used in the article. Such methods allowed to identify tendencies in the processes of informatization and computer business, personnel attraction to advanced technologies, to use local and wide-scale corporative nets, to apply Internet network and social media for production purposes, to master technical skills by personnel for the sake of the opportunity to spread information and communicative technologies in all kinds of activity of enterprises. Based on the defined tendencies and peculiarities of information and communication technologies, the various measures are proposed in order to increase their application effectiveness to promote the quick formation of economics of knowledge in the country and its regions.

Municipal bonds are an option available to many cities to raise long-term financing to finance the infrastructure projects. This study aims to develop and find local measures of creditworthiness that are suitable and applicable for local government units in Palestine. Different variables are recognized to see the effect on the issuance of municipal bonds, macroeconomic variables measured by revenues and expenditures per capita, cost of capital, and unemployment rate. Municipal status variables have subgroup variables of municipality size, financial reporting quality, outstanding debt, and financial distress. Various financial ratios, comparative and cross-sectional analysis, horizontal and vertical analysis were used. These ratios and analysis have been used to determine the municipal status variable. The results of the study were limited to the largest 11 sample municipalities; each is the central local government unit at the governorates and was not generalized for all municipalities in Palestine. The study found that macroeconomic and municipality status affects the issuance of municipal revenue bonds. Based on the study results, municipal bonds are highly recommended. Also, instructions from the Ministry of Local Government need to be established and to enforce municipalities about the declaration date of publishing audited financial statements.