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How far is municipal transparency from neighbours? Evidence from Spain and Portugal

Francisca Tejedo-Romero (Department of Business Administration, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain)
Miguel Rodrigues (School of Economics and Management, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal)
Joaquim Filipe Ferraz Esteves Araujo (School of Economics and Management, University of Minho, Braga, Portugal)

International Journal of Public Sector Management

ISSN: 0951-3558

Article publication date: 14 March 2023

Issue publication date: 7 July 2023

187

Abstract

Purpose

This manuscript studies municipal transparency in Iberian countries, Spain and Portugal, to analyse similarities and differences in both countries. Despite some political-administrative similarities, the way Spain and Portugal, deal with the issue of transparency may vary.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the levels of municipal transparency, this work aims to analyse how legal and institutional context and political factors framed the way municipalities are managing the “naming and shaming” approach resulting from the creation of the Municipal Transparency Index. A descriptive analysis of the levels of municipal transparency will be carried out and a multivariate analysis to study the characteristics that may be determining differences and similarities between the two countries.

Findings

The study shows similarities in municipal transparency in Iberian countries, the positive effect of the “naming and shaming” approach on transparency and the influence of legal and institutional factors in transparency.

Originality/value

While there is extensive attention to municipal transparency at the country level, less research focuses on comparing municipal transparency in countries that have similar political-administrative characteristics. This study addresses this research gap by investigating two neighbouring countries.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

Funding: This study was conducted at the Research Center in Political Science (UIDB/CPO/00758/2020), University of Minho/University of Évora and supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the Portuguese Ministry of Education and Science through national funds and partially supported by the University of Castilla-La Mancha Research Plan, BDNS (Identif.): 596086 [2021/12543].

Citation

Tejedo-Romero, F., Rodrigues, M. and Araujo, J.F.F.E. (2023), "How far is municipal transparency from neighbours? Evidence from Spain and Portugal", International Journal of Public Sector Management, Vol. 36 No. 3, pp. 193-215. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPSM-01-2022-0026

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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