Explaining Subnational Governance: The Role of Governors’ Codified and Uncodified Knowledge
Subnational governments have gained autonomy and relevance through decentralization. Decentralized power has led to considerable variation in subnational performance. This chapter explores the determinants of subnational government performance by suggesting governors’ education (codified) and experience (uncodified) contribute to education outputs and health outcomes. Propositions are tested in two data sets derived from 32 Mexican states and 32 Colombian departments during 1995-2010 and 2004-2013, respectively. Findings caution us from generalizing results because factors driving performance in Mexican states differ from reasons boosting performance in Colombian departments. In general, neither governors’ codified nor uncodified knowledge drives subnational performance in Colombia. However, governors’ uncodified knowledge (experience) does explain health performance in Mexican states. Moreover, while political factors (e.g., partisanship and party ideology) explain health performance in Mexican states, no political factor does so in the Colombian departments. In explaining variance in regional performance, the two-country study presented here conveys three broad lessons. First, what drives performance in one country, may not have the same explanatory power in another country. Second, what boosts performance in one policy area may not do so in another policy area. Finally, the performance effects of political, demographic, and socio-economic conditions vary across countries and policy areas.
Avellaneda, C.N., Bello-Gomez, R.A., and Olvera, J. (forthcoming). Explaining Subnational Governance: The Role of Governors’ Codified and Uncodified Knowledge. In Glückler J, Herrigel G, Handke M (Eds). Knowledge for Governance. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer.