Government Benefits Research Articles

Enhancing Public Service Delivery and Citizen Participation: The Synergistic Effects of E- Governance and Social Media

This study investigates the effects of social media and e-governance on public service delivery and citizen engagement in the Philippines. It is based on the idea that digital technology can enhance the efficiency, transparency, and trustworthiness of government, thus using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT2) to identify key factors driving adoption among citizens and government bodies. E-governance decreases the costs, errors, and delay in service delivery among Laguna residents, according to data from a survey. Public participation is enhanced by social media with more satisfaction and trust than other traditional media. Together, these tools improve the responsiveness of public policy and effectiveness to the public. Challenges such as infrastructural limitation, digital resistance, and privacy concerns have however been facing full adoption. Policymakers should remove the above barriers to ensure a totally realized benefit of digital governance for a more transparent, efficient, and participatory government.

Mandatory corporate ESG disclosure and default risk – Evidence from China

Investigating the potential benefits of corporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) disclosure for corporate governace and business resilience is imperative. Using a sample of publicly listed companies in China from 2006 to 2020, this paper uses a difference-in-differences (DID) design to investigate the impact of corporate ESG disclosure on its default risk. We find that corporate ESG information disclosure could significantly reduce default risk. This relationship is mediated through information communication, internal governance and external monitoring mechanisms. This finding is robust to a series of tests, including a parallel trend test, a PSM-DID design, a placebo test and alternative default risk calculations. ESG disclosure does not significantly affect a company's stock return but also significantly reduce its stock price volatility and enhance stock liquidity. We show that corporate engagement and disclosure of ESG activity could promote corporate governance and sustainable development.

Towards maximizing geospatial data usage in north eastern India using open-source scalable user-centric applications

Abstract. The north eastern region of India is characterized by limited physical connectivity and challenging terrain, that requires innovative approaches for effective developmental planning and monitoring using geospatial data and user-centric applications. This paper focuses on leveraging space-based data and applications to address these challenges and enhance decision-making processes in governance. A unified framework for interoperable spatial data sharing has been developed, ensuring that data is easily discoverable, searchable, and consumable through metadata standards and OGC interoperable data services. A dedicated spatial data repository has been established, offering real-time access to over 1400 geospatial datasets and facilitating better decision-making and geo-analytics among diverse user groups. The repository operates on an open-source platform with integrated map viewers and geo-analytics tools, allowing for interactive exploration and visualization of geospatial data. Additionally, 35 user-centric geospatial applications have been operationalized, all developed using open-source geospatial tools and standards. Capacity building programs have been conducted to increase awareness and maximize the utilization of geospatial data services and applications across the region. The platform has boosted utilization of geospatial data services and applications in the region for overall planning and developmental activities for smart governance and societal benefits.

Tourism’s Influence on Economic Growth and Environment in Saudi: Present and Future

Reports from the World Tourism Organization indicate that tourism activity has been increasingly booming; this sector is essential for economic growth and may affect the environment. Tourism is one of the key strategic sectors for planned growth in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030. This study is designed to evaluate the long-termning association between tourist arrivals, growth domestic product (GDP), and CO2 emissions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The data related to these variables were assessed for the period 2010 to 2020. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds results revealed that there are long-established relations between tourist arrivals and growth domestic product and tourist arrivals and CO2 emissions. The dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) and fully modified ordinary least squares (FMOLS) model outcomes were compatible with the outcomes of the ARDL model. In reference to the Granger causality test, tourist arrivals cause (affect) the GDP. Such a result confirms the conception that tourism encourages economic growth. No causality runs from tourist arrivals towards CO2 accumulation. This result may reflect the governmental effort to reduce CO2 accumulation and/or to perform tourism activities in a sustainable way. The results predicted that the growth rate of tourist arrivals, GDP, and CO2 accumulation equal 0.0023, 0.048, and 0.0169, respectively, during the forecast period (2021–2030), which appeared to be increasing for tourist arrivals and GDP and decreasing for CO2 accumulation. The study recommended that, to increase economic growth, tourist arrivals should be increased alongside performing tourism activities in a sustainable way. These findings point to the benefits of governance in ensuring effective policies to decarbonize the environment, and policy proposals are put forward accordingly.

Busy independent directors and IPO company earnings management: Evidence from China

This study investigates the effect of busy independent directors on earnings management in Chinese initial public offering (IPO) companies from 2010 to 2020. Using various measures of busy independent directors, the results indicate that directors in IPO companies play a significant role in supervision and governance, thereby significantly mitigating earnings management. Busy independent directors, serving on multiple boards, may face time constraints, but, intriguingly, companies with such directors show a lower inclination for earnings manipulation. This suggests that despite potential time pressures, the independent oversight provided by these directors serves as a deterrent to financial reporting manipulation in the context of Chinese IPOs, underscoring the importance of robust corporate governance structures for transparency and reliability. Additionally, this study identifies specific conditions that amplify the constraining effect and finds that the effect of busy independent directors on earnings management in IPO companies is more significant in companies with high compensation for independent directors, independent directors serving off-site, and companies that receive higher media attention. Mechanism testing indicated that busy independent directors mitigate IPO firms’ earnings management by engaging reputable audit firms and enhancing the effectiveness of internal controls. This nuanced analysis offers valuable insights into how busy, independent directors actively contribute to alleviating the risks associated with earnings management during the IPO process. This study enhances our understanding of the governance benefits of active independent directors in multiple roles and offers novel perspectives on how stakeholders can influence and constrain earnings management in IPO companies.

Identifying Opportunities for Developing Nature-Based Sport Tourism to Improve Health in Papua: A Bibliometric Analysis of Research Over Ten Years

Objectives. This study aimed to examine research trends around nature-based tourism, event-based sports tourism, and their relationship with government policies to identify potential opportunities for sustainable sports tourism development in Papua. Materials and methods. The methodological approach comprised using a bibliometric analysis by reviewing 997 scientific articles sourced from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science databases from 2014-2024. Harzing’s publish or Perish software was used to sort the articles, and VOSViewer software was used to analyze the articles. The review included the number of cluster groups, research themes related to sports tourism in the year groups, research trends around nature-based sports tourism, and gaps in sports tourism development. Results. There were eight cluster groups and five groups. The current research trends in the field of sports tourism comprise event-based sports tourism, nature tourism, the tourism industry, and social media. The research trends related to nature-based sports tourism include six keywords, namely nature-based tourism, nature connectedness, nature sport, nature-based events, nature-based recreation, and nature. Visitors, managers, communities, and governments benefit from the health and economic advantages of nature-based sports tourism. In developing nature-based sports tourism, it is essential to consider the sustainability of nature, cultural characteristics, and the form of activities offered. Local governments need to take part in efforts to develop and preserve nature-based sports tourism. Conclusions. The development of nature-based sports tourism with traditional sports activities has a great opportunity to be enhanced. This innovation certainly needs careful planning from determining goals, human resources, risk factors, and presenting an effective promotional strategies. The involvement of local government can facilitate the implementation of this planning.

Do Government Benefits Affect Officeholders’ Electoral Fortunes? Evidence from State Earned Income Tax Credits

When do public policies influence citizens’ political attitudes and behavior, and among whom? We study this question using one of the largest social provision programs in the United States: the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC). We exploit the staggered roll-out of state-level EITC programs to estimate the causal effect of the program on elections, voter behavior, and attitudes about the government. Contrary to predictions from the policy feedback literature, we show that the credit leads to higher vote shares and approval ratings for the implementing governor. These effects are temporally limited to the first years of the credit’s availability and dissipate over time. Taken together, our results offer new insights about the conditions under which particularistic economic policies affect political outcomes.

Quality of Life Among Patients with Impaired Vision

Introduction: Individuals with impaired vision often experience stress that can lead to psychological, physical, and psychosocial effects. It has a significant impact on quality of life (QOL). The objective of the study was to assess QOL among patients with impaired vision, visiting the Department of Ophthalmology, of Tertiary Care Hospital, Vellore. Methods: A quantitative descriptive study design was utilized; consecutive sampling technique was used. After written informed consent was taken, 200 subjects were recruited for the study. Data was collected using Visual Functioning Questionnaire-25 (VFQ-25). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. Result: The findings revealed more than half of them had poor QOL. There was a significant association between educational level (p = 0.004), employment status (p = 0.013), monthly income (p = 0.002), and availing government benefits (p = 0.017) with QOL of Visually impaired. The study demonstrated that people with impaired vision faced challenges in maintaining the quality of life. Education, Counselling, and Rehabilitation can address the needs and bring a better outcome in their lives. Keywords: Visual impairment, Quality of life.

Photovoltaic pumping tests: A novel supervision method for photovoltaic water pumping systems

Water pumps powered by photovoltaic energy, often named ‘photovoltaic water pumping systems’ (PVWPS), offer a promising solution for improving water access in developing regions. Regular pumping tests are essential for characterizing boreholes and ensuring sustainable groundwater extraction. Traditionally, these tests are conducted only at the time of PVWPS installation using diesel pumps. However, since PVWPS typically have a lifespan of around 20 years, the borehole's condition may change over time, necessitating ongoing testing. To overcome this challenge, this article presents a novel method for conducting pumping tests using the PVWPS's own photovoltaic modules as the power source, greatly simplifying regular borehole monitoring over the PVWPS's lifespan. This approach improves the long-term technical sustainability of PVWPS. By eliminating the need for diesel generators, it reduces also costs, emissions, and logistical complexity while ensuring continuous water supply during testing. The principle and protocol for these proposed tests are outlined, as well as the key indicators for analysis. Furthermore, the associated costs and benefits are thoroughly explored. The proposed method is applied to a PVWPS in a village in Burkina Faso. This PVWPS has 750 Wp of photovoltaic modules, a 10 m³ water tank, and a 56 m borehole. Results show that the photovoltaic pumping tests allow to accurately determine borehole parameters, achieving a model fit with an average R2 of 0.99. Additionally, a photovoltaic pumping test costs $43, which is significantly lower than standard pumping tests: a multiple step drawdown test costs $511 and a long pumping test costs $2050. Moreover, the proposed photovoltaic pumping tests can prevent premature replacements of PVWPS components, leading to significant savings. While demonstrated in a specific context, this method is transferable to other systems, offering potential benefits for companies, local authorities, governments, and NGOs involved in the development and maintenance of PVWPS in rural areas.

Career motives of presidential appointees and agency communication across American states

AbstractDo the career motives of presidential appointees affect program administration? To answer this question, I examine the phased development of policy communication of the U.S. Farm Service Agency (FSA) across states from 2002 to 2018 based on an original collection of historical official websites. This is a rare policy context for examining why peer appointees administer the same programs differently. Linking the state‐by‐state development of FSA newsletters to the career trajectories of state executive directors (SEDs), the presidential appointees who lead state FSAs, I show that SEDs interested in elective office post‐appointment are associated with faster institutionalization of newsletters. Examining these newsletters’ content, I then show that SEDs interested in elective office or a career in advocacy include more participation‐encouraging language in newsletters. These results suggest that appointees’ career goals outside the bureaucracy can potentially expedite innovation in program implementation and enhance the delivery of government benefits to the public, with implications for selecting appointees to enhance bureaucratic performance.

Strategies for Utilizing Village Funds for Economic Recovery of Communities Post- Covid-19 Pandemic

The end of the Covid-19 pandemic does not immediately change the economic situation of the community. Various efforts have been made by the government, including enhancing economic conditions at the village level. Since 2015, village funds have been directed toward equitable development, and during the pandemic, their use was prioritized for Covid-19 prevention. To support economic recovery, the government established priority policies for utilizing village funds. This study aims to identify the village government’s strategies in using these funds for economic recovery, as well as the obstacles and supporting factors in implementation, and the impacts felt by the community and the village government. The research was conducted in Taro Village, Tegallalang District, Gianyar Regency, using a qualitative descriptive approach through interviews, observations, and documentation. Informants were selected through purposive sampling. The findings indicate that Taro Village Government’s strategies include food security programs, infrastructure development for agriculture, tourism village development, BLT programs, and labor-intensive programs. Challenges faced include limitations in managing village funds according to community needs and inadequate human resources. Supporting factors include community participation, cooperation between village services and customary institutions, and local natural potential. Positive impacts for the community include job creation and business opportunities, while the village government benefits from CSR assistance from companies to support village programs.

Hybridity as a governmental technique for designing and delivering NAPLAN in Australian schools

AbstractThis paper explores the utility of hybrid governance as an analytical lens for understanding policy design and delivery in Australian schooling reform. Using the National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) as a case study, we argue that its design and delivery processes exemplify hybridity in myriad dimensions. In a federal system in which national schooling reform relies upon negotiation and consensus building amongst a multiplicity of government and non‐government stakeholders, we argue that NAPLAN's hybridity serves as a governmental technique for managing and sustaining collaborative governance arrangements. Hybridity also supports the standardised implementation of the assessment across diverse schooling systems and sectors. While NAPLAN's hybridity generates strategic benefits for Australian governments, it also produces risks. A challenge for policymakers is to harness its benefits while ensuring transparent decision‐making and clear responsibilities and accountabilities. To address risks and leverage opportunities, we argue there are benefits to having a convening agency with authority to manage and sustain hybrid networks at the national scale.Points for practitioners Hybrid governance offers productive insights into how Australian governments work collaboratively to design and deliver national schooling reforms. The National Assessment Program in Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is an exemplary case study for examining hybrid governance in the Australian federation. Hybrid governance serves as a technique for managing and sustaining collaborative governance arrangements at the national scale and for ensuring NAPLAN's implementation is standardised across Australia's diverse subnational schooling systems and sectors. Hybridity creates risks and opportunities. A challenge for policymakers is to harness its benefits while ensuring transparent decision‐making and clear responsibilities and accountabilities. There are benefits to having a convening agency with authority to manage and sustain hybrid networks at the national scale.

Smart Supervision of Public Expenditure: A Review on Data Capture, Storage, Processing, and Interoperability with a Case Study from Colombia

Effective fiscal control and monitoring of public management are critical for preventing and mitigating corruption, which in turn, enhances government performance and benefits citizens. Given the vast amounts of data involved in government operations, applying advanced data analysis methods is essential for strengthening fiscal oversight. This paper explores data management strategies aimed at enhancing fiscal control, beginning with a bibliometric study to underscore the relevance of this research. The study reviews existing data capture techniques that facilitate fiscal oversight, addresses the challenges of data storage in terms of its nature and the potential for contributing to this goal, and discusses data processing methods that yield actionable insights for analysis and decision-making. Additionally, the paper deals with data interoperability, emphasizing the importance of these practices in ensuring accurate and reliable analysis, especially given the diversity and volume of data within government operations. Data visualization is highlighted as a crucial component, enabling the detection of anomalies and promoting informed decision-making through clear and effective visual representations. The research concludes with a case study on the modernization of fiscal control in Colombia, focusing on the identification of user requirements for various data-related processes. This study provides valuable insights for modern audit and fiscal control entities, emphasizing that data capture, storage, processing, interoperability, and visualization are integral to the effective supervision of public expenditure. By ensuring that public funds are managed with transparency, accountability, and efficiency, the research advances the literature by addressing both the technological aspects of data management and the essential process improvements and human factors required for successful implementation.

Benefits by Luck: A Study of Lotteries as a Selection Method for Government Programs

Lotteries could be a just and cost-effective procedure to distribute government benefits in contexts of oversubscription, with the added benefit of allowing assessments of the impact of government programs. However, little is known about whether there is public support for employing lotteries in this context. We examine support for a lottery that selects recipients of new government-built housing units in Brazil and find that neither lotteries participants nor the general public supports their use. We arrive at this result by employing a three-pronged multi-method approach. Quasi-experimental analysis of an original survey of lottery participants reveals that support not only is tepid, but substantially higher among winners than non-winners. In-depth interviews suggest that applicants believe lotteries miss the most deserving beneficiaries. A general population survey experiment reveals that lotteries are not perceived as just or efficient when compared to alternative beneficiary selection methods. While sometimes normatively desirable, the use of lotteries for government programs enjoys limited popular support.

Tata Kelola Sumber Daya Alam Vanili di Kabupaten Sikka

This study aims to explain the design of vanilla natural resource governance in Sikka Regency, explain the configuration and roles of actors in vanilla natural resource governance in Sikka Regency and explain the implications of vanilla natural resource governance design in Sikka Regency on farmers' welfare. The benefit of this research is as a reference material for the government, entrepreneurs and farmers as actors in vanilla natural resource governance in Sikka Regency in vanilla management. This research uses a qualitative approach with descriptive method with observation, interview and documentation study techniques. The results showed that vanilla governance design in the form of production, distribution and benefits currently implemented in Sikka Regency has not yet obtained optimal results and there are actors who have their respective positions and roles in governance that still need to be coordinated to optimize the benefits of governance. In addition, the design of vanilla governance in Sikka Regency has not been able to improve the welfare of vanilla farmers in Sikka Regency.

A-177 Using the Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method to maximise the Environmental Social Governance benefits of building a pathology hub laboratory

Abstract Background Organisations focusing on Environmental Social Governance (ESG) factors do not just benefit society and the planet, they also enjoy better performance across key profitability metrics, driven by higher growth and productivity, lower operational costs and enhanced return on investment. SYNLAB’s new Synnovis Pathology Hub, built in partnership with the National Health Service (NHS), is a high-tech purpose-built laboratory building with construction completing in Spring 2024. It will serve more than 1.7 million people in the southeast London region delivering both routine and special diagnostics in support of a 15-year NHS pathology contract. The redevelopment of the site presented an opportunity to closely align SYNLAB company strategy with the delivery of its ESG ambitions, as well as achieve financial and operational sustainability. Methods BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is a standardised framework within which SYNLAB could collaborate with the building landlord and Hub delivery partners. BREEAM assessment categories are: energy, land use and ecology, water, health and wellbeing, pollution, transport, materials, waste and management. Applying the intent of SYNLAB’s ESG strategy to the hub build programme, setting this expectation with stakeholders, and using BREEAM as a platform on which to track and report ESG benefits ensured ESG and related deliverables were high on the agenda to be captured and delivered. Results The hub is on track to achieve the BREEAM Excellent rating which means it will rank within the top 10% of commercial buildings in the UK in terms of ESG benefits. Contributors to this achievement include: Recycling over 85% of materials during construction, saving more than 500 tonnes of materials from going to waste; Incorporation of changing rooms and 56 cycle rack spaces to encourage healthy and sustainable travel, helping to keep London’s air clean and reduce CO2e emissions; An Energy Management System within the Building Management System providing detailed area by area analysis and control. Along with water metering per floor, this helps SYNLAB to understand usage and focus process improvements; An energy efficient air handling system, a key area of opportunity for laboratory energy efficiency; Conformity with EU Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities, for example by limiting the flow rate of water to prevent wastage; Reuse of materials within the building, for example by relocating seating, private call areas, glass walls; Reuse of materials externally through donations to charitable organisations, for example televisions and fridges were given to a local care home, improving the residents’ quality of life; Working with local schools and wider the community. Conclusions Incorporating BREEAM ESG criteria from the early stages of planning in construction projects provide a higher likelihood of stakeholder buy-in, adoption and delivery. Pathology networks are considered key in delivering the national ambitions set out within the Long-Term Plan for the NHS and there is increased government and social pressure driving healthcare businesses to adopt ESG. There is the opportunity within Pathology networking and Pathology new builds to harness these benefits from the outset and lay the long term foundations for ESG within healthcare for future sustainability.

Strategic dynamics of local governments in regional collaborative governance: An evolutionary game theory analysis of haze pollution response in the Fen-Wei Plain, China

Regional collaborative governance has become a key strategy for environmental protection, especially in reducing transboundary pollution transfer. This study, set against the backdrop of environmental governance in China's Fen-Wei Plain, employs evolutionary game theory to deeply analyze the strategic choices of local governments in managing haze pollution. We developed a model incorporating 14 key variables to systematically explore the emission reduction strategies of local governments under various policy environments. Through numerical simulations, we not only validate the effectiveness of the model but also focuses on how incentives and punishments from the central government influence the stability of local governments adopting a “strict enforcement” strategy. We find that appropriate incentives from the central government can significantly enhance the tendency of local governments to choose a “strict enforcement” strategy for emission reduction. Under certain conditions, whether adopting “strict enforcement” or “superficial enforcement,” both can lead to an Evolutionarily Stable Strategy (ESS). Moreover, the intensity of rewards and penalties from the central government and the benefits of collaborative governance by local governments are key factors determining the stability of strategies. Our findings underscore the importance of establishing performance-oriented incentive mechanisms, refining reward and punishment measures, and focusing on sustainable and adaptable governance strategies. The strategic recommendations provided by this study offer important guidance for balancing incentives and punishments, thereby stimulating local government enthusiasm for governance, which supports high-quality environmental protection and sustainable development goals.

Modelling the green transition of the Chinese economy

This paper develops a stock–flow consistent (SFC) macroeconomic model with an energy sector for China to investigate the effect of green policies on green transition and the economy. We provide an analytical solution for green transition that illustrates the relative cost of using conventional energy with respect to renewable energy to determine the share of renewable energy and how the development of the energy sector promotes green transition. Our solution also demonstrates the necessity of green policies for a green transition. We calibrate the model to the national determined contributions (NDCs) scenarios from the Network for Greening the Financial System (NGFS) and run simulations from 2019 to 2035. The results show carbon taxes stimulate green transition but have a negative impact on the economy, accompanied by a reduction in economic growth, current account deficit and a rise in inflation. Carbon taxes deteriorate firms’ balance sheets. Governments benefit from carbon taxes in the short run but face a higher public debt to GDP ratio in the long run. Carbon taxes reduce carbon intensity and carbon emissions. We also compared the effect of green fiscal policy to conventional fiscal policies financed by carbon taxes (carbon rebate). Green subsidies benefit economic growth more effectively. They reduce inflation caused by carbon taxes and stimulate the green transition further.

The changing impacts of social determinants on youth mental health in Australia.

Most lifetime mental health disorders begin by age 25 years, and the prevalence among young people has been increasing over recent years. We sought to understand what impact, if any, social determinants have had on this increase through the analysis of an Australian longitudinal dataset (with data from 2007 to 2021). The analysis focused on five social determinants: loneliness and lack of social support, family relationships, participation in education and employment, receipt of government benefits and relative socio-economic status. We analysed cross-sectional changes in self-reported psychological distress between 2007 and 2021 (using the Kessler-10 item; K10 scores) and examined the effects of these five social determinants on psychological distress using weighted linear regression models. We identified a significant increase in psychological distress among Australians from 2007 to 2021, with the sharpest rise among those aged 15 to 25 years, who saw more than doubling in the percentage of high and very high K10. This period also saw an increase in the prevalence of social determinants such as loneliness and lack of social support, as well as poor family relationships, particularly in 2021 post COVID-19 pandemic. Regression models suggest loneliness and lack of social support had the most pronounced and increasing impact on psychological distress, followed by poor family relationships. The observed significant and steady increases in psychological distress and related social determinant factors, particularly loneliness and lack of social support among young people, highlight the urgent need for comprehensive actions. Coordinated research and community-based initiatives are needed to deliver intrapersonal, interpersonal and socially-focused interventions with a holistic approach to support psychosocial wellbeing. Policymakers must adopt a comprehensive shift in political commitment and a whole-of-government approach to address these challenges.

How does off-farm work experience motivate rural residents’ agricultural entrepreneurial intentions in China?

ABSTRACT China’s rural vitalization is a major task in promoting common prosperity, but rural brain drain is one of the main obstacles. However, arousing enthusiasm for agricultural entrepreneurship and promoting agricultural industry development remains under-analysed. Using data from 3987 rural residents in China, this article theoretically analyses how rural residents’ off-farm work experience (OWE) affects their agricultural entrepreneurial intentions (AEI). Dealing with endogeneity problems, the empirical results with IV-Probit model show that rural residents’ OWE positively influences their AEI. Mechanism analysis revealed that local social capital and formal financial cognition promote their OWE. The heterogeneity analysis indicated that the effects of OWE on AEI are more significant in counties with lower economic development or higher social welfare levels. Furthermore, OWE particularly affects opportunity-based and outside-village AEI. The results imply that: First, the government should strengthen the county-level entrepreneurial environment, especially in lower development regions. Second, encourage good village governance benefits for AEI. Third, government and financial apartments should broaden formal finance to help rural residents with OWE engage in agricultural entrepreneurial activities.