PUB3705
ASSIGNMENT 3 SEMESTER 2 2024
UNIQUE NO.526898
DUE DATE: 13 SEPTEMBER 2024
, PUB3705
Assignment 3 Semester 2 2024
Unique Number: 526898
Due Date: 13 September 2024
Public Financial Administration and Management
Measuring Public Benefits from the Spending of Public Money
Introduction
Effective public spending is essential for ensuring that taxpayer funds are used in ways
that benefit society and achieve desired outcomes. Measuring the public benefits of
spending involves assessing various aspects, including fruitless and wasteful
expenditure, outputs, and outcomes. Additionally, accountability for outcomes plays a
crucial role in ensuring that public resources are utilized efficiently and transparently.
This essay will explore these components in detail, highlighting the importance of
measuring and managing public spending to achieve optimal results.
Fruitless and Wasteful Expenditure
Fruitless and wasteful expenditure represents a significant concern in public financial
management. It refers to spending that does not yield any beneficial outcome and, thus,
constitutes a loss of public resources. Such expenditure can result from various factors,
including poor planning, mismanagement, and inefficiencies.
Fruitless and wasteful expenditure can manifest in several ways. For instance,
unnecessary purchases occur when goods or services are acquired that are not needed
or do not meet required standards. Similarly, failed projects, which are those that do not
deliver the intended benefits or are abandoned before completion, represent another