ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts on the key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book explains the considerable diversity in the understanding, architecture and processes of functional assignment. It discusses the conceptual and practical advances made in functional assignment, pointing out its importance as a building block of decentralized multi-level governance and indicating its place in the overall design of decentralization reforms. The normative process for functional assignment as proposed in this book recognizes the critical role of sector institutions in formulating this key element of the wider decentralization reforms and aims at adding technical depth and sector expertise to an otherwise political decision. Urbanization is another trend that places the functional assignment challenge squarely in front of policy-makers. Urbanization usually goes hand in hand with industrialization and is clearly positively correlated with the increase of the national gross domestic product (GDP).
