FACTORS OF COMPETENCY OF THE MUNICIPALITIES’ HEADS FROM DIFFERENT THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES

Shindyaev Vladislav Vasilyevich

The heads of municipalities play a special role in the system of public governance, being responsible for local government. They are not municipal or civil servants and hold their office as a result of direct or indirect electoral procedures. The article uses four theoretical approaches to explain the conditions of the heads’ competence. The theory of human capital allows to assess the general level of knowledge and skills of potential candidates for a position, as well as the level of education of the residents who elect and evaluate them. The principal-agent theory makes it possible to identify fundamental differences between various models of electing the heads, including the level of information asymmetry that affects the ability to control their work. The theory of social capital substantiates that social relations of the heads can compensate for the lack of special knowledge, and the social capital of local communities helps attracting and controlling potential candidates. The theory of political culture claims that the effective use of local governance mechanisms is possible only with the appropriate political beliefs and attitudes of residents, but their formation is not possible without the experience of electoral and civic participation.

Keywords:local government, heads of municipalities, competency, human capital, social capital, principal-agent relations, political culture