Taxing the Taxpayers: An Empirical Investigation of the Drivers of Baseline Changes in U.S. Federal Government Technology Programs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dwaipayan Roy ◽  
Anant Mishra ◽  
Kingshuk K. Sinha
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Program Management ◽  
Federal Agencies ◽  
Problem Definition ◽  
Federal Spending ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Technology Programs ◽  
Management Competency

Problem definition: The U.S. federal government makes significant investments in technology programs to deliver essential services to the public. The execution of a program is monitored against a baseline—an aggregate plan representing the program’s planned budget, schedule and scope. Recent reports suggest that federal technology programs are re-baselined multiple times, resulting in additional spending of taxpayer money. Although a program’s scope has often been considered a driver of baseline changes, we have a limited understanding of the execution factors that may affect this relationship. Academic/Practical Relevance: With increasing bipartisan scrutiny of federal spending in technology programs and continuing debate in the media about their execution, a nuanced understanding of the drivers of baseline changes in federal technology programs is a critical and contemporary line of inquiry relevant to both policymakers and managers. Our study also responds to recent calls in the operations management literature for research on public sector operations. Methodology: The study sample comprises detailed archival data on 240 U.S. federal government technology programs across 24 federal agencies. We estimate a negative binomial regression specification that accounts for agency fixed effects and several program-specific characteristics to test four hypotheses on the interrelationships between a program’s scope, granularity, management competency, execution methodology and baseline changes.. Results: The results indicate that program scope is positively associated with the number of baseline changes. However, increasing levels of program granularity and program management competency attenuate this positive relationship. Additional analysis highlights the significant savings in taxpayer contributions that can occur by reducing baseline changes in programs of greater scope through an increase in the levels of program granularity and program management competency. Managerial Implications: The study results emphasize the need for federal agencies to invest greater efforts in granularizing a program and in identifying managers with high levels of program management competency when program scope is high, as such efforts can translate into a reduction in the number of baseline changes. The results also highlight the role of number of baseline changes as a valuable in-process metric for program managers and federal agencies to monitor the execution of federal technology programs and identify programs with greater potential. for experiencing cost overruns.

Trump appointees will undercut US federal programmes

2017 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Government Spending ◽  
Executive Branch ◽  
Federal Agencies ◽  
The State ◽  
Federal Spending ◽  
Content Type ◽  
State And Local ◽  
Federal Taxes ◽  
Tax Deduction

Significance Some hard-right members of the Republican congressional caucus argue that allowing federal spending to lapse and threatening a government shutdown could force legislators to approve steep cuts to the federal bureaucracy. As congressional factions, leaders and President Donald Trump’s administration weigh in on government spending, debates about the appropriate scope of federal agencies and programmes are likely to feature prominently. Impacts Costly entitlement programmes are unlikely to be targeted for cuts owing to their popularity. Congressional allies of USAID will block Trump’s plan to consolidate it into the State Department. Empty executive branch-appointed positions will hinder the effective functioning of the federal government. The proposed abolition of the state and local tax deduction for federal taxes will place pressure on sub-national government programmes.

scholarly journals The association between a conditional cash transfer programme and malaria incidence: a longitudinal ecological study in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2015

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Layana Costa Alves ◽  
Mauro Niskier Sanchez ◽  
Thomas Hone ◽  
Luiz Felipe Pinto ◽  
Joilda Silva Nery ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Malaria Incidence ◽  
Panel Study ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Brazilian Amazon ◽  
Conditional Cash Transfer ◽  
Cash Transfer ◽  
Percentage Point Increase ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Malaria causes 400 thousand deaths worldwide annually. In 2018, 25% (187,693) of the total malaria cases in the Americas were in Brazil, with nearly all (99%) Brazilian cases in the Amazon region. The Bolsa Família Programme (BFP) is a conditional cash transfer (CCT) programme launched in 2003 to reduce poverty and has led to improvements in health outcomes. CCT programmes may reduce the burden of malaria by alleviating poverty and by promoting access to healthcare, however this relationship is underexplored. This study investigated the association between BFP coverage and malaria incidence in Brazil. Methods A longitudinal panel study was conducted of 807 municipalities in the Brazilian Amazon between 2004 and 2015. Negative binomial regression models adjusted for demographic and socioeconomic covariates and time trends were employed with fixed effects specifications. Results A one percentage point increase in municipal BFP coverage was associated with a 0.3% decrease in the incidence of malaria (RR = 0.997; 95% CI = 0.994–0.998). The average municipal BFP coverage increased 24 percentage points over the period 2004–2015 corresponding to be a reduction of 7.2% in the malaria incidence. Conclusions Higher coverage of the BFP was associated with a reduction in the incidence of malaria. CCT programmes should be encouraged in endemic regions for malaria in order to mitigate the impact of disease and poverty itself in these settings.

scholarly journals GLM-Based Flexible Monitoring Methods: An Application to Real-Time Highway Safety Surveillance

Symmetry ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 362
Author(s):  
Arshad Jamal ◽  
Tahir Mahmood ◽  
Muhamad Riaz ◽  
Hassan M. Al-Ahmadi
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Control Charts ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Highway Safety ◽  
Monitoring Methods ◽  
Count Data Models ◽  
Crash Data ◽  
Safety Surveillance ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Best Fit

Statistical modeling of historical crash data can provide essential insights to safety managers for proactive highway safety management. While numerous studies have contributed to the advancement from the statistical methodological front, minimal research efforts have been dedicated to real-time monitoring of highway safety situations. This study advocates the use of statistical monitoring methods for real-time highway safety surveillance using three years of crash data for rural highways in Saudi Arabia. First, three well-known count data models (Poisson, negative binomial, and Conway–Maxwell–Poisson) are applied to identify the best fit model for the number of crashes. Conway–Maxwell–Poisson was identified as the best fit model, which was used to find the significant explanatory variables for the number of crashes. The results revealed that the road type and road surface conditions significantly contribute to the number of crashes. From the perspective of real-time highway safety monitoring, generalized linear model (GLM)-based exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts are proposed using the randomized quantile residuals and deviance residuals of Conway–Maxwell (COM)–Poisson regression. A detailed simulation-based study is designed for predictive performance evaluation of the proposed control charts with existing counterparts (i.e., Shewhart charts) in terms of the run-length properties. The study results showed that the EWMA type control charts have better detection ability compared with the CUSUM type and Shewhart control charts under small and/or moderate shift sizes. Finally, the proposed monitoring methods are successfully implemented on actual traffic crash data to highlight the efficacy of the proposed methods. The outcome of this study could provide the analysts with insights to plan sound policy recommendations for achieving desired safety goals.

scholarly journals NATO between Exclusivity and Inclusivity: Measuring NATO’s Partnerships

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-32
Author(s):  
Branislav Mičko
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
International Institutions ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Negative Binomial Regression ◽  
Original Dataset ◽  
Strategic Approach ◽  
Binomial Regression ◽  
The Given ◽  
The Relationship

Building on an original dataset, this article focuses on the interactions between NATO and its declared worldwide partners. It argues that the analysis of these interactions can reveal NATO’s strategic approach to partnerships, but it can also provide a tool for its classification as an organisation that is either exclusive – defined by the focus on defence of its members, or inclusive – emphasising the global protection of democracies and human rights. The relationship between types of interactions and NATO categorisation is estimated using an unconditional negative binomial regression with fixed effects as well as a within-between (hybrid) model. Furthermore, they are illustrated on two brief case studies of Sweden and Japan. The results of the study suggest that NATO engages primarily with countries that are powerful relative to their neighbourhood, even though they are not the most powerful among the partners. The given country’s level of democracy, integration into the international institutions, and stability, do not seem to play any overarching role here.

Investing for Growth and Security

2019 ◽  
pp. 193-206
Author(s):  
William G. Gale
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Interest Rates ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
The United States ◽  
Federal Spending ◽  
President Obama ◽  
Transit Systems ◽  
Historical Levels

Besides its investment in people, the federal government makes critical investments in infrastructure and research and development. Because federal spending in these areas has fallen significantly in recent years and interest rates are low relative to historical levels, this chapter proposes sizable increases for both categories. The increases in infrastructure spending will provide the resources needed to restore and update aging roads, bridges, and public transit systems, while the increases in research and development will help the United States to explore cutting-edge technologies. Policymakers should also fund the military’s long-term plans through 2032, as outlined by President Obama, and let spending grow modestly afterward. That would allow for a continuing presence overseas. If a new war broke out, policymakers presumably would provide the additional temporary funds to ensure that America achieved its mission and emerged victorious.

The U.S. Federal Market as an Early Adopter of SMRs

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
William J. Barattino ◽  
Scott Foster ◽  
James Spaulding
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Department Of Defense ◽  
Prime Power ◽  
The United States ◽  
Federal Agencies ◽  
Military Bases ◽  
Private Ownership ◽  
Early Adopter ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
The U.S

The Federal Government accounts for about 2% of energy usage within the United States, with electricity accounting for approximately one-fifth of this usage. The Department of Defense (DOD) is the largest energy consumer across all Federal Agencies, accounting for nearly half of total use and has implemented programs to assure sustainable energy supplies for meeting mission critical operations. As prototype systems of Small Modular Reactors mature during the remainder of this decade, there is growing interest at senior levels of government to use the secure confines of military bases for electricity generated with SMRs to service power requirements of the DOD base and possibly the surrounding communities. This paper explores the potential for using DOD as an early adopter of SMRs from perspectives of the size of the market and adaptability of the current procurement process for private ownership of SMRs on military bases. Such an approach is shown to be consistent with DOD Sustainability objectives, as well as ensuring a continuation of the projected erosion of diversity mix for prime power generation within the U.S. A review of contract types for energy services are evaluated from the perspective of including SMRs. Required modifications for SMRs to be a part of this energy mix for Federal Agencies are presented.

Part IV Federalism, A Federalism in Canada, Ch.20 The Spending Power in Canada

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kong Hoi L
Keyword(s):  
Federal Government ◽  
Constitutional Law ◽  
The Political ◽  
Federal Spending ◽  
Constitutional Interpretation ◽  
Middle Ground ◽  
Division Of Powers ◽  
Constitutional Legitimacy

In this chapter, I will argue that the Canadian Constitution authorizes the federal government to spend in areas of provincial jurisdiction and constrains the scope of this power. I will, moreover claim that effective enforcement of these limits requires that the judiciary recognize its institutional limits and that the political branches act with restraint. The arguments advanced will seek to occupy a middle ground, between proponents of an unlimited spending power and critics who would bind federal spending to the limits imposed by the legislative division of powers, strictly interpreted. In staking out this ground, I will undertake an approach to constitutional interpretation that closely examines the sources of constitutional law and carefully considers issues of institutional competence and constitutional legitimacy.

Federal Careers for Applied Community Psychologists

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard A. Jenkins
Keyword(s):  
Policy Implementation ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Federal Agencies ◽  
Multidisciplinary Teams ◽  
Content Areas ◽  
Hands On ◽  
Career Options ◽  
Training Professional ◽  
Development And Evolution

The federal government provides community psychologists with a wide variety of career options. These include hands-on investigational research, program and policy implementation, and program administration, as well as opportunities to shape policy, research, and program practice. Community psychologists have been employed by a wide variety of federal agencies, with varied roles, responsibilities, and content areas, often in the context of multidisciplinary teams. Federal jobs provide opportunities for training, professional development, and evolution over the course of a career. The chapter includes pathways to federal jobs and considerations for successful federal careers.

scholarly journals Does development reduce damage risk from climate extremes? Empirical evidence for floods in India

Water Policy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 748-767
Author(s):  
Chandra Sekhar Bahinipati ◽  
Unmesh Patnaik
Keyword(s):  
Human Development ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Negative Binomial ◽  
Empirical Studies ◽  
National Level ◽  
Policy Implications ◽  
Adaptation Measures ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Loss And Damage ◽  
Damage Indicators

Abstract Using a dataset on reported loss and damage (L&D) from flood-affected Indian states between 1953 and 2011, this paper inquires whether development makes states become flood resilient. Although the disaster-specific and the generic adaptation measures have been largely researched, there are limited empirical studies, particularly those that conducted an analysis at the sub-national level and used a dataset of more than 50 years. Considering human development and different loss and damage indicators is another advantage. Employing zero-inflated negative binomial and fixed effects models, this study produces three major findings. First, an increasing trend is observed for the reported loss and damage indicators across the states. Second, both human development and income are mostly found as statistically insignificant, indicating that the states are not becoming flood-resilient with respect to the present development. Third, there is a lack of evidence of learning effect, however, disaster risk management programme mitigates risk. Therefore, the paper suggests that the ongoing development strategies must take into account climate risk and address the persistent adaptation deficit. These findings could have larger policy implications since Indian states are likely to encounter such events frequently, and they also provide inputs to several states' action plans on climate change.

scholarly journals Regulating Off-Road: The California Desert and Collaborative Environmentalism

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 321-343
Author(s):  
Keith Makoto Woodhouse
Keyword(s):  
Interest Groups ◽  
Federal Government ◽  
New Deal ◽  
Public Interest ◽  
Federal Agencies ◽  
National Environmental Policy Act ◽  
The West ◽  
Road Racing ◽  
Federal Administration ◽  
National Environmental

Historians often understand the 1970s and 1980s in terms of a declining New Deal order, in which an antistatist right as well as a conflicted relationship between public interest movements and administrative authorities undermined the notion of an effective federal government. Nowhere was the erosion of federal administration seemingly more apparent than in the West. An examination of the regulation of off-road racing in the California desert, focusing on everyday administration rather than on elections and lawsuits, reveals how federal agencies actually worked more collaboratively and productively with different interest groups than familiar narratives about these polarized decades would suggest. Contrary to depictions of federal agencies as administrating from afar, and of environmental organizations as overly litigious and out of touch, regulatory work in the California desert happened locally and through relationships shaped by new laws such as the National Environmental Policy Act.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document