Explaining Subnational Governance: The Role of Governors’ Codified and Uncodified Knowledge

Abstract

AbstractThe decentralization of responsibilities has led to considerable variation in subnational performance. In this chapter, we explore the determinants of subnational government performance by suggesting that governors’ education (codified knowledge) and experience (uncodified knowledge) explain education outputs and health outcomes. We test our propositions in two data sets derived from 32 Mexican states and 32 Colombian departments during 1995–2010 and 2004–2013, respectively. Based on their findings, we caution against generalizing results, because factors driving performance in Mexican states differ from those boosting performance in Colombian departments. Neither governors’ codified nor uncodified knowledge drives subnational performance in Colombia. However, governors’ uncodified knowledge (experience) does explain health outcomes in Mexican states. Moreover, although political factors (e.g., partisanship and party ideology) explain health performance in Mexican states, no political factor does so in the Colombian departments. In sum, what drives performance in one country may not have the same explanatory power in another country.