Models of Centralized and Decentralized Infrastructure Asset Management

Abstract

This article analyzes the operation of centralized and decentralized public infrastructure asset management models from the perspective of international experience and institutional economics. Under the decentralization reforms currently underway in Uzbekistan, the transfer of authority to local governments has led to responsibility and financial gaps in asset management. To address this issue, the experiences of Singapore (highly centralized), Australia (highly decentralized), and the Netherlands (polycentric/hybrid) are compared, leading to the development of a Hybrid Infrastructure Management Model adapted to Uzbekistan's territorial structure. Furthermore, the Asset Management Decentralization Readiness Index (AMDRI) methodology is proposed to measure the capacity of local governments to manage assets. The results indicate that a hybrid approach based on the principle of “Centralized standards, localized execution” can save local infrastructure costs in Uzbekistan by up to 22% and improve the quality of capital repairs.