Municipality Governance Scorecard 2023
As the Argüden Governance Academy, we believe in the critical importance of a culture of good governance and practices in the continuous development of a sustainable future and quality of life. We consider it our primary mission to enhance governance quality in public, civil society, private sector, and international institutions. In line with this, we not only engage in education, research, and communication activities but also contribute to impactful models and tools in the field of governance.
In the year 2017, we made a pioneering move globally by developing the Municipality Governance Scorecard© Model, a tool for measuring and evaluating local governance culture with a citizen-centric approach. With the Municipality Governance Scorecard (MGS), our aim is to measure the culture and practices of good governance in municipalities, increase the trust of citizens in these institutions, and thus contribute to the strengthening of sustainable development and quality of life. This governance innovation, first implemented in 2018 specifically for Istanbul district municipalities, was recognized globally as a good practice example by the United Nations (UN) and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In Türkiye, some of the principles and recommendations put forward in the study by central and local governments as well as non-governmental organizations have begun to be implemented.
After 5 years, we have decided to repeat the research by using this tool for Istanbul district municipalities again. Measuring and comparing the culture and practices of good governance in 37 district municipalities with the results from 2018 allows us to reveal the progress, take a snapshot of the current situation, and identify areas for improvement. This enables us to shed light on the improvements to be made in the upcoming period.
Municipalities are institutions with significant roles in meeting the needs and expectations of citizens, contributing to the improvement of cities' livability, and strengthening democracy and development at the local level. The continuous development of a culture of good governance in the decision-making and resource allocation processes of these institutions will serve to fulfill the functions of municipalities in a trustworthy manner and in a way that enhances citizen satisfaction.
Authors
Contributors
Dr. Yılmaz Argüden
Chair of Trustees
Fikret Toksöz
Project Advisory Board Member
Enver Salihoğlu
Project Advisory Board Member
Prof. Dr. Erbay Arıkboğa
Project Advisory Board Member
