Government Coordination Research Articles

Environmental issues, governmental policies, and accountability on the public communication agenda. Statistical results from Central and Eastern European countries

This paper highlights the importance of environmental policies in a social and economic context characterized by multiple structural crises. The beginning of the XXI-st century proposes a new perspective, based on the transition from industrial to clean energy and green economies. In this context, environmental preservation should be seen as a main goal for decision-makers and the civic community. The paper aims to identify several relevant predictors that are involved in the further dynamics of the Environmental Performance Index. In order to argue the role played by economic factors in preserving the environment, the paper used quantitative and multivariate statistics, being based on linear, nonlinear, and multiple equations of regression. Using one-way ANOVA and nearest neighbourhood methods, the paper highlights the fact that environmental performance is strongly related to economic welfare, governmental coordination of climate policies, the level of sustainable development, and civic accountability.

Vulnerability Assessment for Port Logistics System Based on DEMATEL-ISM-BWM

In order to identify and assess the vulnerability of the port logistics system itself, this paper further improves the methodology on the basis of previous studies by using the Deterministic Experimentation and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) and Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) methods to study the correlation between the vulnerability factors of the port logistics system, and the best-worst method (BWM) to identify the key vulnerability points of the system. The results of the study showed that in terms of the correlation between the factors, port consolidation capacity and average arrival time are the most direct factors affecting the vulnerability of the port logistics system, and the strength of government regulation and coordination and the level of port management are important indirect factors affecting the vulnerability of the port logistics system. This paper also found that port loading and unloading facilities and natural disasters are the main vulnerabilities affecting the port logistics system itself. Port enterprises should focus on reducing the vulnerability of the system by strengthening the above aspects. The model constructed in this paper can also be applied to future research on the resilience and sustainability of port logistics.

After action review of the COVID-19 surveillance system in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, in 2020.

Surveillance is the backbone of any response to an infectious disease outbreak, and comprehensive evaluation of surveillance systems is crucial. However, structured evaluations of surveillance systems during the COVID-19 pandemic are scarce. We conducted an after action review (AAR) of the performance of the COVID-19 surveillance system in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam, during 2020 using the COVID-19-specific AAR methodology developed by the World Health Organization in combination with guidance from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). We conducted a stakeholder survey, document reviews, and key informant interviews with staff from Quang Ninh CDC's COVID-19 surveillance system. The COVID-19 surveillance system was based on the pre-existing surveillance system in the province. The system's strengths were early preparation for emergency response, strong governance and central coordination, and multidisciplinary collaboration. Stakeholders agreed that the system proved useful and adaptive to the fast-evolving COVID-19 situation but was weakened by overly complex systems, redundant administrative processes, unclear communication channels, and lack of resources. Overall, the surveillance systems in Quang Ninh province proved effective in containing COVID-19 and adaptive in a fast-changing epidemiological context. Several recommendations were made based on identified areas of concern that are of relevance for COVID-19 surveillance systems in Vietnam and similar settings.

Smart Society Development through the Initiation of New Library Infrastructure Development in Gowa Regency

This research discusses the Gowa Regency Government's initiative to build a new library infrastructure as a step towards developing a smart society. In this ever-evolving information age, libraries are places to read books and knowledge centers that support digital literacy and intellectual growth. Data was collected through interviews, observation, and documentation. The analytical tool that is maximized is Nvivo 12 Plus. The research results show that constructing a new library infrastructure has increased people's access to digital knowledge and literacy. Inclusive design has enabled the participation of all walks of life, while digital library services have expanded the range of educational resources. Government coordination has also supported efficiency in project implementation. However, low digital literacy and data privacy protection require further attention. This research provides an in-depth look at how library infrastructure development can contribute to developing a smart society, with particular attention to the still-needed improvements.

Identifying untapped legal capacity to promote multi-level and cross-sectoral coordination of natural resource governance.

Natural resource governance in the face of climate change represents one of the seminal challenges of the Anthropocene. A number of innovative approaches have been developed in, among others, the fields of ecology, governance, and sustainability sciences for managing uncertainty and scarcity through a coordinated approach to natural resource governance. However, the absence of an enabling legal and regulatory framework has been identified in the literature as one of the primary barriers constraining the formal operationalization of these governance approaches. In this paper, we show how these approaches provide tools for analyzing procedural mandates across governmental levels and sectors in the natural resource governance space. We also find that there has been inadequate consideration of the potential in existing laws and regulations for cross-sectoral and multi-level coordination of natural resource governance. On this basis, we develop and apply a protocol that draws on the traditional legal method of doctrinal analysis to demonstrate how to identify existing, untapped legal capacity to promote coordinated governance of natural resources through an in-depth case study of water resources in South Africa. We then show how these untapped capacities within existing legal structures may be operationalized to improve natural resource governance. Further, this protocol is portable to other countries, provinces (states), and localities around the world.

Modeling saltwater intrusion risk in the presence of uncertainty

The Mekong Delta is one of the most productive rice-producing regions in the world, exporting approximately one-fifth of the global rice traded annually. Previous studies note that saltwater intrusion is a serious concern, and the intensity of saltwater intrusion is primarily driven by sea level rise, land subsidence, anthropogenic sediment starvation, and upstream hydro-infrastructure developments. However, these studies often rely on scenario-based approaches instead of an integrated approach to assess the possible impacts of saltwater intrusion. Using an integrated hydrodynamic-statistical-economic model, we investigate how and the extent to which these drivers may impact the saltwater intrusion. We also examine the costs and returns of two popular saltwater intrusion control policies, i.e., hard-engineering structural and soft-land use planning. When comparing the baseline scenarios, the findings indicate that anthropogenic forces lead to a four times greater saltwater intrusion intensity than the climate change-induced sea level rise. The results further reveal a 50 % or less chance that annual saltwater-affected areas would exceed 1.93 million ha for the baseline, but the likelihood is highly likely to be 100 % with a sea level rising of 22 cm. Under the combined effects of sea-level rise, land subsidence, and riverbed incision, our model shows that the probability of annual saltwater-affected areas staying above 2.30 million ha is almost equal to one. This finding implies that a large share of the current rice-planted areas of the Delta could be wiped out of production for at least one season a year. The findings show that a combination of hard and soft policies would be a more sustainable and cost-effective strategy to lower the intensity and risks of saltwater intrusion. Therefore, there is an urgent need for better coordination of governance and investments among regions within the Delta and counties in the whole Mekong River Basin.

Assessment and Prediction of the Collaborative Governance of the Water Resources, Water Conservancy Facilities, and Socio-Economic System in the Xiangjiang River Basin, China

The collaborative governance of subsystems within a river basin can play a critical role in addressing challenges, such as water scarcity, soil erosion, flooding, sedimentation, and water pollution, to achieve sustainable utilization of water resources. However, the current literature only focuses on isolated observations of these subsystems, leading to uncertainty and water resource destruction. This paper examines the evolution of the collaborative governance of water resources, water conservancy facilities, and socio-economic systems through self-organization theory in the Xiangjiang River Basin, China. The coupling theory and gray Grey Model (1,1) model were utilized with panel data from 2000 to 2019 to assess and predict the governance synergies of five subsystems: natural water, water conservancy facilities, water resource development and utilization, ecological environment, and socio-economic systems. There are 22 indicators contributing to these subsystems that were selected. The results indicate an S-shaped trend in collaborative governance for water resources, water conservancy facilities, and socio-economic systems. The elements of each subsystem exhibit both synergistic and competitive relationships. The unpredictable precipitation triggers a butterfly effect, changing systemic governance coordination, which closely relates to developing the natural water subsystem. Effective water conservation and regulation of water conservancy facilities are the keys to improving water-use efficiency and safeguarding water ecology. This study provides insights into the collaborative governance among subsystems and the evolution of the water resources, water conservancy facilities, and socio-economic systems in the Xiangjiang River Basin to promote sustainable water resource utilization.

Residents’ waste management practices in a developing country: A social practice theory analysis

Waste management has become a growing concern globally and caused rising environmental costs in developing countries. The efficiency of a waste management system depends on many factors, including residents’ waste management practices and a governmental commitment to sustainable waste management. This study employs the social practice theory to qualitatively examine residents’ perspectives on waste management in the context of Vietnam as a developing country where a massive portion of plastic waste originates from household disposal. The research involves conducting twelve focus groups in five different research locations, including two largest cities and three coastal and marine protected areas. Data analysis is performed using inductive and deductive coding principles and an interpretivist approach. The findings reveal residents’ classification of sustainable and unsustainable waste management practices, and the factors that facilitate or impede sustainable waste management practices from residents’ perspectives. According to residents, while adequate technical infrastructures can facilitate sustainable waste management practices, it is the social context that motivates or demotivates and can mould a practice into a habit. The study therefore provides useful implications for sustainable waste management systems that would require the government's effective leadership and coordination of technical infrastructures as well as the orchestral efforts from involved social institutions, including families, communities, businesses, formal and informal waste sectors, and social organisations.

Resilience beyond insurance: coordination in crisis governance

The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warns of an increase in heavy rainfall events due to global warming and climate change, which can result in significant economic costs for insurance companies and businesses. To address this challenge, insurance companies are focusing on developing new risk management strategies and offering new products such as flood insurance. However, the article argues that effective and feasible coordination shortens recovery time and can therefore drastically reduce the financial costs of a crisis—that is, the insurance costs. The paper analyses the deficit in crisis management during heavy rain events in Germany, based on the 2021 Ahr valley flood. The analysis is conducted based on document analysis and interviews and focuses on three areas of deficit: coordination between crisis staffs and (1) civil society, (2) emergency responders, and (3) political leaders. The paper highlights the importance of coordination during a crisis, which can help to address the crisis more efficiently and effectively, minimise damage and get communities back on their feet faster. The paper recommends policy changes to improve interface management and disaster management coordination.

Metropolitan Governance and Interorganizational Coordination: Study of a City Corporation in Bangladesh

Metropolitan Governance and Interorganizational Coordination: Study of a City Corporation in Bangladesh

Ghana's textile and apparel sector: a strategic assessment of skills needs and development through the STED framework

PurposeThis study is to examine and develop sector skills strategies and action plans for the textile and apparel (T&A) sector.Design/methodology/approachThe paper used a participatory action qualitative method anchored on the Skills for Trade and Economic Diversification (STED) framework, utilising the workshop-based approach with 24 key stakeholders of the sector. Content analysis was used with the help of Nvivo software.FindingsThe findings revealed that there are skills shortages, skills gaps, skills mismatches and skills diversification programmes available through higher education and work-based learning. Further, there are labour supply challenges such as national skills policy and strategy, government and stakeholder coordination, funding, relevance of curriculum and qualifications, access to practicals and the absence of a clear national vision for the sector.Research limitations/implicationsThis study possesses an inherent limitation in terms of generalising the findings derived from qualitative research.Originality/valueThis research is among the first of its kind to assess skills needs and gaps through the lens of STED framework, which has been overlooked in previous literature. Importantly, this study provides vocational insights into skill needs in the sector.

Hurdles and opportunities in implementing marine biosecurity systems in data-poor regions.

Managing marine nonindigenous species (mNIS) is challenging, because marine environments are highly connected, allowing the dispersal of species across large spatial scales, including geopolitical borders. Cross-border inconsistencies in biosecurity management can promote the spread of mNIS across geopolitical borders, and incursions often go unnoticed or unreported. Collaborative surveillance programs can enhance the early detection of mNIS, when response may still be possible, and can foster capacity building around a common threat. Regional or international databases curated for mNIS can inform local monitoring programs and can foster real-time information exchange on mNIS of concern. When combined, local species reference libraries, publicly available mNIS databases, and predictive modeling can facilitate the development of biosecurity programs in regions lacking baseline data. Biosecurity programs should be practical, feasible, cost-effective, mainly focused on prevention and early detection, and be built on the collaboration and coordination of government, nongovernment organizations, stakeholders, and local citizens for a rapid response.

Formal local government coordination to mitigate climate change

The effectiveness of municipal climate change mitigation policies depends partly on local governments' ability to coordinate with each other regionally. Yet coordination on climate policies beyond network participation and information sharing is rare. This study investigates how local governments can work together on climate policies, focusing on formal horizontal policy coordination. The study examines multi-government coordination to enact Community Choice Aggregation (CCA) in California, an impactful climate policy that lets local governments control energy procurement. The study surveys all multi-government CCA programs in the state, evaluating their characteristics and governance structures. Three regional areas are examined in-depth through policymaker and stakeholder interviews, media coverage, and decision-making outcomes. The study identifies several strategies for success and finds that formal horizontal policy coordination on climate mitigation can provide a path forward in multilevel governance systems for local governments to enact ambitious climate policies together.

Effective child well-being practices, barriers and priority actions: survey findings from service providers and policymakers in 22 countries during COVID-19

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore 232 service providers’ and policymakers’ experiences of supporting children’s well-being during the pandemic, across sectors, in 22 countries – including Kenya, the Philippines, South Africa, India, Scotland, Sweden, Canada and the USA, in the last quarter of 2020. Design/methodology/approach A smartphone survey delivered via a custom-built app containing mostly open-ended questions was used. Respondents were recruited via professional networks, newsletters and social media. Qualitative content analysis was used. Findings The findings reveal numerous system-level challenges to supporting children’s well-being, particularly virus containment measures, resource deficiencies and inadequate governance and stakeholder coordination. Those challenges compounded preexisting inequalities and poorly affected the quality, effectiveness and reach of services. As a result, children’s rights to an adequate standard of living; protection from violence; education; play; and right to be heard were impinged upon. Concurrently, the findings illustrate a range of adaptive and innovative practices in humanitarian and subsistence support; child protection; capacity-building; advocacy; digitalisation; and psychosocial and educational support. Respondents identified several priority areas – increasing service capacity and equity; expanding technology use; mobilising cross-sectoral partnerships; involving children in decision-making; and ensuring more effective child protection mechanisms. Practical implications This study seeks to inform resilience-enabling policies and practices that foster equity, child and community empowerment and organisational resilience and innovation, particularly in anticipation of future crises. Originality/value Using a novel approach to gather in-the-moment insights remotely, this study offers a unique international and multi-sectoral perspective, particularly from low- and middle-income countries.

Policy coordination and integration in local government: perspectives on barriers

The topic of policy integration has become an important component of several distinct lines of policy research. However, the concept of policy integration is notoriously difficult to specify and observe. This article provides valuable insights that explore the subjectivity of responses by political and administrative officials at the local level charged with policy integration. In response to its central question: ‘How do local politicians and civil servants perceive politico-administrative barriers facing policy coordination and integration?’ the study reveals political and managerial perceptions of key politicians and civil servants in local governments about the barriers to achieving policy integration. By contrast with other studies involving politico-administrative relations, it draws on a broader institutional context, inclusive of the complex and dynamic environment and local level environment. Its findings show that significant barriers to coordination and integration continue to limit the policy coordination and integration needed to address complex societal challenges. Using Q methodology, three perspectives emerge which provide crucial insights into the main barriers preventing integration. These findings adeptly depict the complex relationship between vertical, hierarchical relationships between politicians and bureaucrats, and the requirement for a more horizontal, consensual relationship in order to meet crosscutting societal challenges. In this way, the article offers a significant contribution to the scholarship on policy integration.

Innovative Public Procurement Failure: A Case Analysis from Poland

Objectives: The rising popularity of Innovation Public Procurement (IPP) raises questions about its effectiveness as a tool for transformative policies, including governance levels, coordination, and strategic development. The purpose of the article is to explore the failure of governance in a Polish IPP to present how IPP guidelines are implemented empirically. Research Design & Methods: The research article presents conclusions from the case study of first large-scale trial of public procurement procedure with respect to an innovative partnership in Poland. Findings: The case is a rarely analysed example of policy failure and shows that ignoring stakeholders’ needs, timeline constrains, and market capacity can result in policy failure. Programme history highlights that proper risk analysis and adaptation to the market context can prevent programme failure. Implications/Recommendations: The article opens up a field for considering what steps are crucial in formulating IPP, especially in country with lower level of innovativeness. The analysis leads to the main conclusion that transformative policy frameworks using demand-pull tools need to be embedded in the market realities and capabilities of national innovation systems. Contribution/Value Added: The article strives to fill a gap in the literature on implementing transformational innovation policies in peripheral countries, which are less frequently described. The other contributions refer to merging the DARPA’s approach and IPP. Article classification: research article Keywords: innovation policy, innovation public procurement, policy failure JEL classification: O380

Multi-Scale Analysis of PM2.5 Concentrations in the Yangtze River Economic Belt: Investigating the Combined Impact of Natural and Human Factors

Air pollutants, primarily PM2.5, have inflicted significant harm on public health and sustainable urban development in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). Previous studies often neglected the coordinated measurement of PM2.5 human and natural factors in this area. Therefore, this paper focuses on the YREB. Using a geographic information system (GIS) platform, along with remote sensing and statistical data spanning from 2000 to 2020, this study employs spatial analysis to uncover the spatial-temporal characteristics of PM2.5 and its spatial agglomeration patterns. Furthermore, this study further employs the spatial panel Durbin model to investigate the natural and anthropogenic factors driving PM2.5 concentrations across multiple scales. The analysis of the results reveals an “M”-shaped change trend in PM2.5 concentrations within the YREB. PM2.5 concentrations exhibit significant spatial agglomeration characteristics, whereby most urban agglomerations are high-pollution areas. Moreover, the changes in PM2.5 concentrations are jointly influenced by several factors, including the secondary industry, urban built-up area, population density, annual precipitation, and NDVI. Furthermore, the dominant factors influencing PM2.5 concentrations in the three major urban agglomerations exhibit both similarities and differences. In addition, for effective governance coordination across regions, policymakers should diligently consider both the shared predominant factors and the varying factors specific to each region in the future. This study expands the research content of watershed PM2.5 collaborative governance, and further provides practical support for other watershed environmental governance and urban sustainable management.

Assessing policy co-ordination in government: Text and network analysis of the UK's economic strategies

Lack of consistency has long been noted as a weakness in government policy-making, but it has previously been difficult to assess the extent of the absence of strategic co-ordination. This paper investigates this shortcoming by applying computational linguistics and network tools to provide some evidence on the lack of policy co-ordination in the UK. We use two key economic strategy documents produced during the Johnson administration—the 2021 Plan for Growth and the 2021 UK Innovation Strategy—to analyse all subsequent policy documents produced by the same administration. The extent of linguistic discontinuity provides some indication of the extent of the absence of policy co-ordination in that administration's economic policies, reinforced by analysis showing a similar lack of ‘joining up’ in government departmental networks.

Relational network of megaproject governance mechanism based on risk prevention and control: experiences from China

Megaproject governance is a new way to enhance risk prevention and control and improve project performance. However, how to deal with the dilemma of incomplete megaproject governance mechanism and the unclear relationship between elements, and promote the coordination of governance objectives and governance paths, has become a pressing challenge in the process of risk prevention and control of megaproject projects. This study constructs a relational network model of a mega-project governance mechanism based on risk prevention and control by using the social network analysis method. The position and influence of core elements in the relational network are explored, and the relationships between network structures are analysed. It has been shown that risk communication, government coordination, benefit distribution, commitment and risk sharing are at the centre of the relational network of megaproject governance mechanisms. Risk communication and government coordination are key nodes in a relational network of elements that play an important role in the effectiveness of project governance and are closely connected to other elements in the relational network.

Towards the international interoperability of clinical research networks for rare diseases: recommendations from the IRDiRC Task Force

BackgroundMany patients with rare diseases are still lacking a timely diagnosis and approved therapies for their condition despite the tremendous efforts of the research community, biopharmaceutical, medical device industries, and patient support groups. The development of clinical research networks for rare diseases offers a tremendous opportunity for patients and multi-disciplinary teams to collaborate, share expertise, gain better understanding on specific rare diseases, and accelerate clinical research and innovation. Clinical Research Networks have been developed at a national or continental level, but global collaborative efforts to connect them are still lacking. The International Rare Diseases Research Consortium set a Task Force on Clinical Research Networks for Rare Diseases with the objective to analyse the structure and attributes of these networks and to identify the barriers and needs preventing their international collaboration. The Task Force created a survey and sent it to pre-identified clinical research networks located worldwide.ResultsA total of 34 responses were received. The survey analysis demonstrated that clinical research networks are diverse in their membership composition and emphasize community partnerships including patient groups, health care providers and researchers. The sustainability of the networks is mostly supported by public funding. Activities and research carried out at the networks span the research continuum from basic to clinical to translational research studies. Key elements and infrastructures conducive to collaboration are well adopted by the networks, but barriers to international interoperability are clearly identified. These hurdles can be grouped into five categories: funding limitation; lack of harmonization in regulatory and contracting process; need for common tools and data standards; need for a governance framework and coordination structures; and lack of awareness and robust interactions between networks.ConclusionsThrough this analysis, the Task Force identified key elements that should support both developing and established clinical research networks for rare diseases in implementing the appropriate structures to achieve international interoperability worldwide. A global roadmap of actions and a specific research agenda, as suggested by this group, provides a platform to identify common goals between these networks.