Governance indicators are now widely used as tools for conducting development dialogue, allocating external assistance …, and influencing foreign direct investment. This paper argues that available governance indicators are not suitable for … these purposes as they do not conceptualize governance and fail to capture how citizens perceive the governance environment …

"This paper examines the conceptual and empirical basis of corruption and governance and concludes that decentralized … local governance is conducive to reduced corruption in the long run. This is because localization helps to break the … monopoly of power at the national level by bringing decisionmaking closer to people. Localization strengthens government …