Additional Information
Book Details
Abstract
Utility performance, especially in developing countries is still working toward the standard necessary to deliver best practice. Utility Benchmarking and Regulation in Developing Countries examines performance monitoring and regulation as a prominent efficiency enhancement tool and clarifies many of the unknowns regarding the design and approach surrounding the area of utility management. Principles and practices are linked in a way that is informative and accessible, highlighting the challenges facing those who are trying to improve performance in the water sector. Operational settings are complex and unpredictable in developing countries due to inadequate infrastructure planning and this book makes clear which systems work best in these situations.
Utility Benchmarking and Regulation in Developing Countries discusses performance monitoring in the critical areas of utility management that achieve sustainable performance goals:
- Performance development planning
- Modes of performance monitoring
- Provocative approaches to incentives creation
- Monitoring through high incentive plans
- Customer relations monitoring
- Pro-poor oriented monitoring
- Careful use of partial performance indicators
- Proposed indicators for assessing governance incentives
Table of Contents
| Section Title | Page | Action | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Halftitle Page | 2 | ||
| Title page\r | 4 | ||
| Copyright page | 5 | ||
| Contents | 6 | ||
| Acknowledgements | 8 | ||
| Foreword | 10 | ||
| Preface | 14 | ||
| Chapter One | 16 | ||
| 1.1 Emerging Efficiency Improvement Drivers and Challenges | 16 | ||
| 1.2 Other Essentials for Improving Utility Efficiency | 21 | ||
| 1.3 The Role of Performance Monitoring and Regulation | 22 | ||
| 1.4 Organization of the Book | 25 | ||
| Chapter Two | 28 | ||
| 2.1 Introduction | 28 | ||
| 2.2 Establishing Baseline Performance: A High-Impact Approach | 29 | ||
| 2.3 Definition of Desired Situation | 33 | ||
| 2.4 Scheming Requisite Strategic Actions | 38 | ||
| 2.5 Mechanisms for Gauging Success | 39 | ||
| 2.6 Concluding Remarks | 45 | ||
| Chapter Three | 48 | ||
| 3.1 Introduction | 48 | ||
| 3.2 Input versus Output Monitoring Orientations | 51 | ||
| 3.3 Performance Regulatory Imperatives in Practice | 54 | ||
| 3.4 Practical Design Arrangements | 60 | ||
| 3.5 Looking Forward: Key Success Factors | 65 | ||
| 3.6 Concluding Remarks | 67 | ||
| Chapter Four | 72 | ||
| 4.1 Introduction | 72 | ||
| 4.2 Creativity: Lateral Thinking Techniques | 75 | ||
| 4.3 Case Illustrations | 76 | ||
| 4.4 Other Considerations for Creative Incentives | 81 | ||
| 4.5 Concluding Remarks | 82 | ||
| Chapter Five | 84 | ||
| 5.1 Introduction | 84 | ||
| 5.2 Practical Applications | 86 | ||
| 5.3 Examples of Achievements Associated with Incentive Applications | 97 | ||
| 5.4 Other Hints on Successful Incentive Designs | 97 | ||
| 5.5 Emotional Incentive Applications | 102 | ||
| 5.6 Concluding Remarks | 105 | ||
| Chapter Six | 108 | ||
| 6.1 Introduction | 108 | ||
| 6.2 Common Customer Care Issues | 110 | ||
| 6.3 Practical Methods of Monitoring Customer Relations | 112 | ||
| 6.4 The Role of Public and Media Relations | 117 | ||
| 6.5 Other Useful Monitoring Elements | 120 | ||
| 6.6 Concluding Remarks | 123 | ||
| Chapter Seven | 126 | ||
| 7.1 Introduction | 126 | ||
| 7.2 Recipes for Sustainable Project Intervention | 129 | ||
| 7.3 Identifying the Poor: Informational Challenges | 136 | ||
| 7.4 Enhancing Accountability | 137 | ||
| 7.5 Organisational and Management Arrangements | 138 | ||
| 7.6 Incentives and other Performance Drivers | 140 | ||
| 7.7 Concluding Remarks | 141 | ||
| Chapter Eight | 144 | ||
| 8.1 Introduction | 144 | ||
| 8.2 NWSC Performance Analysis: 2000–2006 | 145 | ||
| 8.3 Literature Review | 149 | ||
| 8.4 Efficiency Measurement Methods | 150 | ||
| 8.5 Efficiency Estimation and Model Results | 151 | ||
| 8.6 Analysis of Corporate Efficiency Trends | 152 | ||
| 8.7 Concluding Remarks | 154 | ||
| Chapter Nine | 158 | ||
| 9.1 Introduction | 158 | ||
| 9.2 Information Systems Management | 159 | ||
| 9.3 Policy Environment | 162 | ||
| 9.4 Functioning of WSS Service Providers | 166 | ||
| 9.5 Development of the WSS Infrastructure | 170 | ||
| 9.6 Financing of the WSS Infrastructure | 172 | ||
| 9.7 Regulation of the WSS service | 172 | ||
| 9.8 Concluding Remarks | 175 | ||
| Chapter Ten | 178 | ||
| 10.1 General | 178 | ||
| 10.2 Thinking of Quick-Wins to Performance Improvement | 178 | ||
| 10.3 The Customer should be a Focus | 180 | ||
| 10.4 Do not forget the Poor | 180 | ||
| 10.5 Good Governance is Key | 182 | ||
| List of References | 184 | ||
| List of Acronyms | 190 | ||
| List of Figures | 194 | ||
| List of Boxes | 196 | ||
| List of Tables | 198 | ||
| Technical Appendix | 200 | ||
| 1. Efficiency Measurement Using Input Distance Function | 200 | ||
| 2. Data and Empirical Results | 201 | ||
| 3. Model Estimation | 204 | ||
| Index | 208 |