{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,14]],"date-time":"2026-01-14T18:39:34Z","timestamp":1768415974443,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":57,"publisher":"Walter de Gruyter GmbH","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,1]],"date-time":"2017-06-01T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1496275200000},"content-version":"unspecified","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-nd\/3.0"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,1]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n               <jats:p>Many countries have carried out extensive amalgamation-related territorial reforms at the level of local self-government and created relatively large municipalities. The Czech Republic is one of the few remaining European countries with a fragmented territorial structure. There is a lot of discussion in the country about the need for amalgamation, but this discussion is mainly based on political arguments rather than on empirical evidence about the feasibility of amalgamation and its potential to improve local government performance. This paper analyses economies of scale on the local level as a factor that should be reflected in debates about the pros and cons of amalgamation in the Czech Republic. To add to the existing knowledge about the reality of economies of scale on the municipal level in the Czech Republic, we processed the municipal costs of three selected areas on a representative sample of municipalities in the South Moravian Region. The analysis showed that economies of scale can be identified for collecting local fees and for pre-school and elementary education, but not for local administration. Our results suggest that the existence of too small municipalities in the Czech Republic results in inefficiencies and should be addressed.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1515\/nispa-2017-0002","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,13]],"date-time":"2017-07-13T10:02:50Z","timestamp":1499940170000},"page":"39-59","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":19,"title":["Economies of Scale on the Municipal Level: Fact or Fiction in the Czech Republic?"],"prefix":"10.1515","volume":"10","author":[{"given":"Lenka","family":"Mat\u011bjov\u00e1","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Assistant, Department of Public Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administration , Masaryk University , Brno , Czech Republic ."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Juraj","family":"Nemec","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Professor, Department of Public Economics, Faculty of Economics and Administration , Masaryk University , Brno , Czech Republic ."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Milan","family":"K\u0159\u00e1pek","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Assistant Professor, Private College of Economic Studies , Czech Republic ."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Daniel","family":"Klimovsk\u00fd","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, Faculty of Arts , Comenius University , Bratislava , Slovakia ."}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"374","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_001_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab1Aa","unstructured":"Allan, Percy. 2003. \u201cWhy Smaller Councils Make Sense.\u201d Australian Journal of Public Administration 62, 74\u201381."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_002_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab2Aa","unstructured":"Alt, James E. 1971. \u201cSome Social and Political Correlates of County Borough Expenditures.\u201d British Journal of Political Science 1, 49\u201362."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_003_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab3Aa","unstructured":"Appelbaum, Richard P. and Ross Follett. 1978. \u201cSize, Growth, and Urban Life A Study of Medium-Sized American Cities.\u201d Urban Affairs Review 14, 139\u2013168."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_004_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab4Aa","unstructured":"Baldersheim, Harald and Lawrence Rose. 2008. A Comparative Analysis of Territorial Choice in Europe. Oslo: Political Institute."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_005_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab5Aa","unstructured":"Blom-Hansen, Jens. 2004. \u201cStordriftsfordele i den kommunale serviceproduktion? Skoleomr\u00e5det som eksempel.\u201d In Jens Blom-Hansen, Asbj\u00f8rn Sonne Norgaard and Thomas Pallesen (eds). Politisk Ukorrekt. \u00c5rhus Universitetsforlag, 250\u2013274."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_006_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab6Aa","unstructured":"Bours, Adriann. 1993. \u201cManagement, Tiers, Size and Amalgamations of Local Government.\u201d In Robert Bennett (ed.). Local Government in the New Europe. London: Belhaven, 130\u2013163."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_007_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab7Aa","unstructured":"Bovaird, Tony and Elke L\u00f6ffler. 2003. \u201cEvaluating the Quality of Public Governance: Indicators, Models and Methodologies.\u201d International Review of Administrative Sciences 69, 313\u2013328."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_008_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab8Aa","unstructured":"Boyne, A. George. 1995. \u201cPopulation Size and Economies of Scale in Local Government.\u201d Policy and Politics 23, 213\u2013222."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_009_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ab9Aa","unstructured":"Byrnes, Joel and Bryan Dollery. 2002. \u201cDo Economies of Scale Exist in Australian Local Government? A Review of the Research Evidence.\u201d Urban Policy and Research 20, 391\u2013414."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_010_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac10Aa","unstructured":"Coase, H. Ronald. 1937. \u201cThe Nature of the Firm.\u201d Economica 4, 386\u2013405."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_011_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac11Aa","unstructured":"Czech Statistical Office. 2016. Mal\u00fd lexikon obc\u00ed \u010cR 2015. Available at https:\/\/www.czso.cz\/csu\/czso\/maly-lexikon-obci-ceske-republiky-2015 (last accessed 20 June 2016)."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_012_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac12Aa","unstructured":"Dahl, R. Allan and Edward R. Tufte. 1973. Size and Democracy. Stanford: Stanford University Press."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_013_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac13Aa","unstructured":"Davies, Bleddyn. 1971. Variations in Services for the Aged: A Causal Analysis (No. 40). London: G. Bell and Sons."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_014_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac14Aa","unstructured":"Denters, Bas. 2002. \u201cSize and Political Trust: Evidence from Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United Kingdom.\u201d Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 20, 793\u2013812."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_015_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac15Aa","unstructured":"Dollery, Bryan, Joel Byrnes and Lin Crase. 2008. \u201cAustralian Local Government Amalgamation: A Conceptual of Analysis Population Size and Scale Economies in Municipal Service Provision.\u201d Australasian Journal of Regional Studies 14, 167."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_016_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac16Aa","unstructured":"Dollery, Bryan, and Euan Fleming. 2006. \u201cA Conceptual Note on Scale Economies, Size Economies and Scope Economies in Australian Local Government.\u201d Urban Policy and Research 24, 271\u2013282."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_017_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac17Aa","unstructured":"Drew, Joseph, Andy Kortt and Bryan Dollery. 2012. \u201cEconomies of Scale and Local Government Expenditure: Evidence from Australia.\u201d Administration & Society 20, 1\u201322."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_018_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac18Aa","unstructured":"Faulk, Dagney Gail and Joel Hicks. 2011. Local Government Consolidation in the United States. New York: Cambria Press."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_019_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac19Aa","unstructured":"Foster, D. Christopher, Richard Jackman and Morris Perlman. 1980. Local Government Finance in a Unitary State. London: George Allen and Unwin."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_020_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac20Aa","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Fox, William F. and Tami Gurley-Calvez. 2006. \u201cWill Consolidation Improve Sub-National Governments?\u201d World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3913.","DOI":"10.1596\/1813-9450-3913"},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_021_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac21Aa","unstructured":"Galvasov\u00e1, Iveta et al. 2007. Identifikace kompetenc\u00ed zat\u011b\u017euj\u00edc\u00edch v\u00fdkon ve\u0159ejn\u00e9 spr\u00e1vy se zvl\u00e1\u0161tn\u00edm p\u0159ihl\u00e9dnut\u00edm k mal\u00fdm obc\u00edm. Available at http:\/\/www.mvcr.cz\/clanek\/identifikace-kompetenci-zatezujicich-vykon-verejne-spravy-se-zvlastnim-prihlednutim-k-malym-obcim-1-etapa.aspx (ast accessed 15 August 2016)."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_022_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac22Aa","unstructured":"Goldsmith, M. and Lawrence E. Rose. 2000. \u201cConstituency, Size and Electoral Politics: A Comparison of Patterns at Local Elections in Norway and the UK.\u201d Paper presented at the IPSA 18th World Congress, Quebec, Canada."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_023_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac23Aa","unstructured":"Hampl, Martin and Jan M\u00fcller. 1998. \u201cJsou obce v \u010cesk\u00e9 republice p\u0159\u00edli\u0161 mal\u00e9.\u201d Geografie \u2013 Sborn\u00edk \u010cGS 103, 1\u201312."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_024_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac24Aa","unstructured":"Hansen, Sune Welling, Kurt Houlberg and Lene Holm Pedersen. 2014. \u201cDo Municipal Mergers Improve Fiscal Outcomes?\u201d Scandinavian Political Studies 37, 196\u2013214."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_025_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac25Aa","unstructured":"Hertzog, Robert. 2010. \u201cInter-municipal co-operation: a viable alternative to territorial amalgamation?\u201d In Pawel Swianiewicz (ed.). Territorial Consolidation Reforms in Europe. Budapest: Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, 289\u2013312."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_026_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac26Aa","unstructured":"Hirsch, Z. Werner. 1959. \u201cExpenditure Implications of Metropolitan Growth and Consolidation.\u201d The Review of Economics and Statistics 1959, 232\u2013241."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_027_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac27Aa","unstructured":"Holcombe, G. Randall and DeEdgra W. Williams. 2009. \u201cAre there Economies of Scale in Municipal Government Expenditures?\u201d Public Finance and Management 9, 416."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_028_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac28Aa","unstructured":"Houlberg, Kurt. 1995. \u201cKommunale stordriftsfordele: Myte eller realitet?\u201d Nordisk administrativt tidsskrift 76, 65\u201388."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_029_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac29Aa","unstructured":"Houlberg, Kurt. 2010. \u201cMunicipal Size, Economy, and Democracy.\u201d In Pawel Swianiewicz (ed.). Territorial Consolidation Reforms in Europe. Budapest: Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, 309\u2013331."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_030_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac30Aa","unstructured":"Houlberg, Kurt and I. L. M\u00f8ller. 2001. \u201cKommunest\u00f8rrelse og udgift sniveau: Er der en sammenh\u00e6ng?\u201d In R. Norstrand and N. Groes (eds). Kommunestyrets fremtid. K\u00f8benhavn: Akf Forlaget, 185\u2013198."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_031_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac31Aa","unstructured":"Hutcheson, John D. and James E. Prather. 1979. \u201cEconomy of Scale or Bureaucratic Entropy? Implications for Metropolitan Governmental Reorganization.\u201d Urban Affairs Review 15, 164\u2013182."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_032_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac32Aa","unstructured":"Keating, Michael. 1995. \u201cSize, Efficiency and Democracy: Consolidation, Fragmentation and Public Choice.\u201d In D. Judge, G. Stoker. and H. Wollman (eds). Theories of Urban Politics. London: Sage, 117\u2013134."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_033_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac33Aa","unstructured":"King, N. David. 1984. Fiscal Tiers: The Economics of Multi-Level Government. London: Allen & Unwin."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_034_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac34Aa","unstructured":"Kushner, Joseph and David Siegel. 2003. \u201cCitizens\u2019 Attitudes toward Municipal Amalgamation in Three Ontario Municipalities.\u201d Canadian Journal of Regional Science 26, 49\u201360."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_035_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac35Aa","unstructured":"L\u00f6ffler, Elke. 2002. \u201cDefining and Measuring Quality in Public Administration.\u201d In Joanne Caddy and Mirko Vintar (ed.). Building Better Quality Administration for the Public: Case Studies from Central and Eastern Europe. Bratislava: Nispacee 15\u201334."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_036_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac36Aa","unstructured":"Mont\u00e9n, Anna and Christian Thater. 2011. \u201cDeterminants of Efficiency in Child-Care Provision.\u201d FinanzArchiv: Public Finance Analysis 67, 378\u2013403."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_037_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac37Aa","unstructured":"Mouritzen, Poul Erik. 1989. \u201cCity Size and Citizens\u2019 Satisfaction: Two Competing Theories Revisited.\u201d European Journal of Political Research 17, 661\u2013688."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_038_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac38Aa","unstructured":"Mouritzen, Poul Erik. 1991. Den politiske cyklus. Aarhus: Politica."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_039_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac39Aa","unstructured":"Musgrave, Richard Abel and Peggy B. Musgrave. 1989. Public Finance in Theory and Practice. New York: McGraw\/Hill, Inc."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_040_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac40Aa","unstructured":"Newton, Kenneth. 1982. \u201cIs Small Really so Beautiful? Is Big Really so Ugly? Size, Effectiveness, and Democracy in Local Government.\u201d Political Studies 30, 190\u2013206."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_041_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac41Aa","unstructured":"Nielsen, Hans Jorgen. 1981. \u201cSize and Evaluation of Government: Danish Attitudes towards Politics at Multiple Levels of Government.\u201d European Journal of Political Research 9, 47\u201360."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_042_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac42Aa","unstructured":"Oates, Wallace E. 1972. Fiscal Federalism. Chicago: Books."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_043_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac43Aa","unstructured":"Oates, Wallace E. 1999. \u201cAn Essay on Fiscal Federalism.\u201d Journal of Economic Literature 37, 1120\u20131149."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_044_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac44Aa","unstructured":"OECD. 2004. OECD territorial reviews: The Czech Republic 2004. Available at http:\/\/www.oecd-ilibrary.org\/urban-rural-and-regional-development\/oecd-territorial-reviews-czech-republic-2004_9789264106413-en (last accessed 27 June 2016)."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_045_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac45Aa","unstructured":"Pudil, Pavel et al. 2004. Zdan\u011bn\u00ed a efektivnost. Praha: Eurolex Bohemia."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_046_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac46Aa","unstructured":"Rose, Lawrence E. 2002. \u201cMunicipal Size and Local Nonelectoral Participation: Findings from Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway.\u201d Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 20, 829\u2013851."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_047_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac47Aa","unstructured":"Sawyer, M. C. 1991. The Economics of Industries and Firms: Theories, Evidence and Policy. London: Routledge."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_048_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac48Aa","unstructured":"Schofield, John A. 1978. \u201cDeterminants of Urban Service Expenditures: Fire and Social Services.\u201d Local Government Studies 4, 65\u201380."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_049_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac49Aa","unstructured":"Sharpe, J. 1995. \u201cLocal Government: Size, Efficiency and Citizen Participation.\u201d In Michael Martins (ed.). The Size of Municipalities, Efficiency and Citizen Participation. Strasbourg: Local and Regional Authorities in Europe, Council of Europe, 56."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_050_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac50Aa","unstructured":"Stigler, George J. 1958. \u201cEconomies of Scale.\u201d The Journal of Political Economy 1958, 54."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_051_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac51Aa","unstructured":"Soukopov\u00e1, Jana. 2016. Efektivnost v\u00fddaj\u016f obc\u00ed na nakl\u00e1d\u00e1n\u00ed s odpady. Habilitation thesis, Masaryk University, Brno."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_052_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac52Aa","unstructured":"Soukopov\u00e1, Jana et al. 2014. \u201cMunicipality Size and Local Public Services: Do Economies of Scale Exist?\u201d NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy 7, 151\u2013171."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_053_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac53Aa","unstructured":"Soukopov\u00e1, Jana et al. 2016. \u201cFactors Influencing the Efficiency and Effectiveness of Municipal Waste Management Expenditure.\u201d Lex Localis 14, 359."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_054_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac54Aa","unstructured":"Swianiewicz, Pawel. 2002. \u201cSize of Local Government, Local Democracy and Efficiency in Delivery of Local Services: International Context and Theoretical Framework.\u201d In Pawel Swianiewicz (ed.). Consolidation or Fragmentation: The Size of Local Governments in Central and Eastern Europe. Budapest: Local Government and Public Service Reform Initiative, 1\u201329."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_055_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac55Aa","unstructured":"Swianiewicz, Pawel. 2010. \u201cIf Territorial Fragmentation is a Problem, is Amalgamation a Solution? An East European Perspective.\u201d Local Government Studies 36, 183\u2013203."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_056_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac56Aa","unstructured":"Swianiewicz, Pawel. 2014. \u201cAn Empirical Typology of Local Government Systems in Eastern Europe.\u201d Local Government Studies 40, 292\u2013311."},{"key":"2021040623002609491_j_nispa-2017-0002_ref_057_w2aab2b8b1b1b7b1ab1ac57Aa","unstructured":"Tiebout, Charles M. 1956. \u201cA Pure Theory of Local Expenditures.\u201d The Journal of Political Economy 64, 416\u2013424."}],"container-title":["NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/content.sciendo.com\/view\/journals\/nispa\/10\/1\/article-p39.xml","content-type":"text\/html","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/www.sciendo.com\/article\/10.1515\/nispa-2017-0002","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2021,4,7]],"date-time":"2021-04-07T02:35:02Z","timestamp":1617762902000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.sciendo.com\/article\/10.1515\/nispa-2017-0002"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,1]]},"references-count":57,"journal-issue":{"issue":"1","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,7,8]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,1]]}},"alternative-id":["10.1515\/nispa-2017-0002"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1515\/nispa-2017-0002","relation":{},"ISSN":["1338-4309","1337-9038"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1338-4309","type":"electronic"},{"value":"1337-9038","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,6,1]]}}}