This article examines the European governance failures that occurred during the 2015-16 refugee crisis through the lens of robust crisis governance. The article asks whether these failures can be explained by a failure to meet the double criterion for robust governance proposed by Ansell and colleagues, which is (i) creating adaptive or innovative crisis responses and (ii) doing so while maintaining legitimacy. To answer this question, the article takes three main steps. First, the article develops the legitimacy dimension of Ansell et al.’s robust governance framework by integrating Beetham’s three-dimensional concept of legitimation as legality, justifiability and consent. Second, the article applies the resulting augmented framework to three national case studies, each of which demonstrate a different route to failure, namely: institutional inertia (Spain), unlawful neglect, (the Czech Republic), and opportunistic agility (Denmark). Third, the article conducts a historical analysis of European migration policy to understand how incoherences between the three dimensions of legitimation contributed to the failures at robust governance observed in the case studies. By examining cases of failure through a legitimation lens, the article puts meat on the bone of Ansell et al.’s previously underdeveloped assumption that legitimacy is a necessary condition for robust crisis governance. The analysis implies that, to a degree not generally recognized by the crisis management literature, robustness in national crisis management relies on the preexistence of coherent legitimation structures, i.e., structures that explicate and manage contradictions among legal frameworks, policy goals and stakeholders.

Local public servants are facing a range of challenges including recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, austerity, the cost of living crisis, and rising awareness of systemic inequalities. They have to work with partners in complex systems to support people holistically and inclusively. This article summarises research done in 2014 and again in 2024 to understand what it means to be an effective public servant. As well as sharing our key findings, the article highlights how the use of rich pictures to present the work to the sector gave the research a formative rather than summative quality. The work changed and insights deepened through ongoing dialogue with people working in local government, police, fire and health services. Across five projects (two with public servants, two with councillors and one on Covid-19), the common theme has been storytelling as a form of knowledge exchange.

Following crises, accountability invariably follows. Notably, the extant literature has largely overlooked the manner in which local governments enact crisis accountability during such events. Utilizing Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA), this study investigates 29 safety crises across China. Drawing on principles from principal-agent theory and governance network theory, we examine how combinations of four conditions—namely hierarchical pressure, social pressure, crisis severity, and network complexity—result in varying levels of crisis accountability by local governments. The research identifies three principal mechanisms that elucidate high levels of crisis accountability: the reputation maintenance mechanism, the pressure-based mechanism, and the blame avoidance mechanism. Furthermore, the findings indicate that hierarchical pressure from the central government is the predominant factor influencing high crisis accountability. This study advances the governance and policy literature by elucidating the mechanisms underlying crisis accountability at the local government level.

Professionalism in the public administration system is an important factor in the efficiency of state and municipal bodies, as well as the most important factor in maintaining public trust. In modern conditions, governments around the world have complex challenges, which is why the role of professional civil servants increases. Transparency is another factor in increasing efficiency in the public administration system, since it ensures the accountability of public authorities to society, and this directly affects public trust in government bodies. This article considers the theoretical foundations of professionalism and transparency of bureaucracy in the public administration system, as well as the actual aspects of their implementation in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The purpose of this article is to assess the state and problems of professionalism and transparency of bureaucracy in the public administration system of the Republic of Kazakhstan at the present stage. To achieve the goal of the article, the theoretical aspects of professionalism and transparency of bureaucracy are considered, and the analysis and assessment of professionalism and transparency of bureaucracy in the public administration system of Kazakhstan are carried out.Keywords: professionalism of bureaucracy, transparency of bureaucracy, professionalism in public administration, transparency in public administration, public administration, public administration efficiency, sports physical training, public administration accountability

Smart city development has become increasingly crucial as technology continues to shape urban governance and daily life, particularly in Southeast Asia. This study examines the development of smart cities in Malaysia and Indonesia, with a focus on governance, policy frameworks, technological implementation, and stakeholder engagement. Through a comparative analysis of Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta, the research explores how contextual factors influence strategies and collaborations in each city. Methodologically, the study draws on secondary data such as official reports, policy documents, and academic literature, as well as primary data collected through interviews with local authorities, policymakers, stakeholders, and residents. The findings indicate that while both countries pursue smart city initiatives to enhance sustainability and urban quality of life, Malaysia adopts a centralized governance approach through the Malaysia Smart City Framework (MSCF), whereas Indonesia’s 100 Smart Cities program is more decentralized. Kuala Lumpur emphasizes smart infrastructure and integrated data systems, while Jakarta focuses on improving public service delivery via digital platforms such as JAKI. Despite shared objectives, differences in governance models and socioeconomic conditions shape each city’s approach. The study concludes with key insights and recommendations for enhancing smart city frameworks and promoting sustainable urban development in Southeast Asia.Keywords: smart cities, urban governance, sustainability, Malaysia, Indonesia

This study explores the role of citizen participation in the digital transformation of Vietnam’s public administration. As the country advances e-government platforms such as the National Public Service Portal, VNForm, and VNeID, effective governance increasingly depends on active civic engagement. To analyze this phenomenon, the study applies multiple theoretical lenses including deliberative democracy, participatory governance, and platform theory to examine how digital tools mediate state citizen interactions. These frameworks help conceptualize participation not only as informational access but also as collaborative policymaking, shaped by legal foundations such as the current Constitution promulgated in 2013 of Vietnam and laws on information access and grassroots democracy. A mixed-method approach was employed, including document analysis and a survey of 400 citizens across seven provinces. Findings reveal that while Vietnam has built robust digital infrastructures, actual participation remains limited. Many citizens are unaware of available channels or lack confidence in data security and government responsiveness. Platforms often omit critical consultation documents or fail to provide transparent feedback loops. Moreover, platform theory reveals that the architecture of these systems tends to prioritize administrative efficiency over deliberative engagement. Social media channels such as Zalo OA and Facebook, despite their potential to foster public dialogue, remain underutilized. These insights underscore the need to reimagine digital governance not just as a technical upgrade but as a democratic opportunity.

The purpose of this paper is to develop and analyze a structural reform index (SRI) for the Republic of Armenia, aimed at identifying the trends, sectoral patterns, and underlying dynamics of structural reforms. According to the results of this study, reform activity in Armenia has been episodic and strongly influenced by crisis events, political transitions, and the presence or absence of external policy anchors. Fiscal and financial reforms dominate in contribution, while social and monetary reforms remain underdeveloped. The findings suggest that the sustainability of structural reform efforts in Armenia is constrained by limited institutional capacity, weak implementation follow-through, and reform asymmetries across sectors. The proposed index provides an analytically grounded and replicable instrument for tracking reform momentum and informing public policy design.Keywords: structural reform index, public policy, principal component analysis (PCA), sectoral reform, institutional change.

This article positions Kybernology as a Global South—rooted alternative in governmental science, engaging the mainstream governance paradigm in critical dialogue. Drawing on a systematic literature review (SLR) of 27 publications (1964–2025) from Scopus and Google Scholar, it synthesizes insights across ontology, epistemology, and axiology, and across macro, meso, and micro levels. Findings show governance excels in architecture and instruments (network design and accountability), while Kybernology foregrounds state–citizen relations and process values (procedural fairness, responsibility, and service recovery). Epistemically, standard good governance indicators should be complemented by citizen experience–based measures, i.e., trust, fairness, dignity, and civic voice, as coequal evidence. The article proposes a Hybrid Governance–Kybernology Model, encompassing macro institutional architecture, meso process values, and micro citizen control, undergirded by an epistemic layer of cognitive justice. Overall, government performance depends on the combination of institutional effectiveness and relational legitimacy. Kybernology is, therefore, not merely acritique but a strategic Indonesian contribution that enriches global theories and practices of governance. Keywords: Kybernology, governance theory, government studies, Global South epistemology

This research explores the pivotal role of port authorities (PAs) in enhancing the resilience of the port organizational ecosystem (POE), emphasizing their dual responsibility as operational entities and representatives of public interests. Situated within public administration frameworks, PAs are tasked with advancing societal goals while ensuring efficient governance, innovation, and adaptability in the face of maritime challenges. The study investigates how PAs act as central drivers of resilience by aligning their governance structures, business models, and strategic initiatives with public and private interests. Key objectives include analyzing governance frameworks, assessing management effectiveness, and identifying interventions that promote stakeholder cooperation within entrepreneurial ecosystems. Through qualitative methods, such as stakeholder interviews and focus group discussions, the research highlights the shared responsibilities of PAs and their partners in fostering resilience. Areas of significant PA influence include regulatory oversight, infrastructure development, technological innovation, and environmental sustainability. Effective management and collaboration between PAs and other actors—such as terminal operators, municipalities, and communities—are shown to be critical for building resilient ecosystems. The findings emphasize the strong link between management effectiveness, public accountability, and resilience-building. PAs demonstrate their ability to drive green transitions, support innovation, and balance public and private goals through proactive governance and strategic partnerships. By situating PAs within the entrepreneurial and public administration contexts, the study underscores their capacity to serve public interests while fostering resilient, sustainable port ecosystems.Keywords: port authority, public administration, resilience, governance, entrepreneurial ecosystems, shared responsibility, managerial effectiveness, sustainability

Abstract. The paper analyses the trends of organizational resilience management in Lithuanian central government institutions based on the concept of "bounce-back," examining the impact on the organization from both the internal and external environments, incorporating the resulting uncertainty conditions conceptualized through the prism of the organization's available information for decision making. The results of an empirical qualitative study and a semi-structured interview with 22 experts in management positions from 19 central government organizations in the Lithuanian public sector suggest that performance deterioration in Lithuanian central government organizations arises from both the internal and the external environment. The study reveals that the strength and the frequency of these impacts are comparably similar in each environment, affecting organizational performance with regular and unexpected factors. Regular environmental influences tend to create conditions of moderate uncertainty, where information is either known and available or there is a constant demand for new information acquisition. Unexpected environmental influences tend to create high uncertainty conditions, where there is a persistent need for information to make decisions, escalating to not knowing what information is needed and where it can be obtained. According to the experts' responses, to manage resilience and decision-making under uncertainty, organizations need to invest in information processing and dissemination capacities through various forms of intra-organizational communication channels, with a particular emphasis on the free flow of information between each other and on a substantive, live communication between managers, both limiting and expanding the information provided. Effective knowledge management and learning processes that help organizations adapt to changing conditions are best supported by personnel who possess institutional memory, suitable digitization of management information, and active engagement in national networking (or international networking if no national equivalent exists). Inadequate preparation for periods of negative impact disrupts the organization's information exchange, and the learning element becomes unmanageable, especially if the negative impact situations are frequent and unforeseen, depriving the organization of the necessary time to "breathe in, look back and learn, consolidate learning." Keywords: public management, organizational resilience management, bounce-back, conditions of uncertainty, qualitative research.