Different Levels Of Government Research Articles

Addressing the asymmetry between central and local air protection policies: Insights from Poland

Purpose: This paper examines the asymmetry between the air protection policies of the central government and local authorities in Poland, using the city of Kraków as a case study. Methodology: The study employs a comparative method to contrast the Polish state's coal policy with the air protection efforts of the Kraków local government. A systems analysis approach is used to identify the causes and effects of the divergent policies. Results: The analysis reveals a lack of alignment between the central government's focus on maintaining coal extraction and the local government's efforts to reduce air pollution. Kraków authorities have taken significant measures to improve air quality, but face challenges due to insufficient support from the central government and neighboring municipalities. Theoretical contribution: The paper highlights the importance of policy symmetry and coordination between different levels of government in addressing complex environmental issues like air pollution. It contributes to understanding multi-level governance dynamics in the context of air protection. Practical implications: The findings underscore the need for a collaborative model of air protection policy that engages central authorities, local governments, private sector entities, and civil society. Establishing air protection councils at the voivodship, county and municipal levels is proposed as a mechanism to facilitate this coordination. Integrating air quality considerations into local governments' management control systems is also recommended.

Destination transitions and resilience following trigger events and transformative moments

ABSTRACT Disasters and crises are increasingly seen as opportunities for transformation of the tourism system at various scales. From a resilience perspective, crises and disasters may act as trigger events for system change, sometimes described as the “disaster-reform hypothesis”. An integrative framework informed by different fields is used to analyse the destination development pathways following the Kaikōura earthquake in New Zealand. In addition to policy documents and media, the study draws on semi-structured interviews with 21 business owners and managers in the Kaikōura region, an internationally recognised ecotourism destination. The findings show pathway competition, experimentation, scale effects and lock-in influencing transitions. The research identifies interactions between different actors at different levels of governance in shaping destination pathways post-disaster, with external political and economic actors having the most influence. Multiple levels of resilience chart a potentially more resilient destination. The study concludes that the range of potential destination pathways is constrained by decision-making at other scales, e.g. national policy settings and insurance coverage, that affect tourism businesses and destination decision-making. As a result, the notion of transformation should be understood as an essentially contested concept both within a destination and between destination stakeholders and those that operate at a national scale.

Does the new energy vehicles subsidy policy decrease the carbon emissions of the urban transport industry? Evidence from Chinese cities in Yangtze River Delta

New energy vehicles (NEV) have become an important driving force for carbon reduction in the transportation industry. This paper adopts the extended environmental pressure assessment (STIRPAT) model and the time-varying difference in differences (DID) model to evaluate the effectiveness of the NEV subsidy policy to achieve sustainable governance. The results show that the NEV subsidy policy can significantly decrease the carbon emission of the transport industry. The mechanism analysis results indicate that the NEV subsidy policy can decrease carbon emissions by promoting a green transformation of the consumer car purchasing structure. Further analysis found that a “fraudulent subsidy” can significantly weaken the policy effect of subsidies. The results of heterogeneity analysis indicate that the subsidy policies introduced by different levels of government have different effects. The subsidy policy of the central government has a more significant effect, and repeated subsidies from central and local governments will weaken the policy's effectiveness. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers in developing countries to optimize subsidies for new energy vehicles in reducing carbon emissions in the transportation industry.

A modified action framework to develop and evaluate academic-policy engagement interventions

BackgroundThere has been a proliferation of frameworks with a common goal of bridging the gap between evidence, policy, and practice, but few aim to specifically guide evaluations of academic-policy engagement. We present the modification of an action framework for the purpose of selecting, developing and evaluating interventions for academic-policy engagement.MethodsWe build on the conceptual work of an existing framework known as SPIRIT (Supporting Policy In Health with Research: an Intervention Trial), developed for the evaluation of strategies intended to increase the use of research in health policy. Our aim was to modify SPIRIT, (i) to be applicable beyond health policy contexts, for example encompassing social, environmental, and economic policy impacts and (ii) to address broader dynamics of academic-policy engagement. We used an iterative approach through literature reviews and consultation with multiple stakeholders from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and policy professionals working at different levels of government and across geographical contexts in England, alongside our evaluation activities in the Capabilities in Academic Policy Engagement (CAPE) programme.ResultsOur modifications expand upon Redman et al.’s original framework, for example adding a domain of ‘Impacts and Sustainability’ to capture continued activities required in the achievement of desirable outcomes. The modified framework fulfils the criteria for a useful action framework, having a clear purpose, being informed by existing understandings, being capable of guiding targeted interventions, and providing a structure to build further knowledge.ConclusionThe modified SPIRIT framework is designed to be meaningful and accessible for people working across varied contexts in the evidence-policy ecosystem. It has potential applications in how academic-policy engagement interventions might be developed, evaluated, facilitated and improved, to ultimately support the use of evidence in decision-making.

Coordinating school improvement: Understanding the impact of state implementation approach on coordination in multilevel governance systems

AbstractMultilevel governance is theorized to facilitate effective policy implementation by encouraging the use of local knowledge and expertise, enabling the participation of non‐government actors, and capitalizing on the coordinating and sanctioning authority of centralized governments. Whether a particular multilevel governance arrangement achieves this, however, depends in part on the degree to which it enables coordination among governmental and non‐governmental actors representing different levels and jurisdictions. Using a comparative case study of education governance reform in the United States, this study investigates how differences in state policy implementation approach impact the structure and mode of coordination in multilevel governance systems and considers the effects this has on policy implementation processes. The results indicate that a state's implementation approach impacts coordination by structuring how different levels of government interact, share information, and influence policy. Specifically, variation in the structure of the central governing agency directly enables or restricts the influence of bottom‐up coordination from lower levels of government. The results also highlight the theoretical limitations of current binary structure models of multilevel governance (i.e., centralized vs. decentralized, top‐down vs. bottom‐up, hierarchy vs. network) for capturing important nuances in policy coordination. These findings advance the understanding of policy coordination in multilevel governance systems and inform the design of institutional arrangements that balance trade‐offs in centralization and the delegation of authority across governance systems during policy implementation.

Developing an Urban Environment Examination System by Incorporating Construction, Economic, Environmental, Cultural and Development Dimensions

The sustainable development goals (SDGs) suggest sustainable cities and communities (Goal 11) as inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable human settlements. However, existing efforts in urban sustainability have mainly focused on ecological and environmental sustainability, with little attention paid to development, economic, and cultural sustainability. Moreover, a lack of adaptability is a barrier to cross-nation or cross-region implementation of many urban sustainability frameworks due to diverse urban contexts. Furthermore, most studies have developed sustainability frameworks and guides only for one-time assessments and the progress of urban sustainability has been neglected. Improving urban sustainability by considering multiple dimensions and local adaptability through dynamic assessment remains a question. Therefore, this study aims to develop an urban environment examination system (UEES) framework that includes construction, economy and industry, environment and resource, municipal and cultural facilities, and development potential dimensions. The UEES framework consists of 31 indicators associated with critical information (i.e., reported by the statistical yearbooks) from different levels of government in China. An annual update of statistical data ensures the availability of dynamic data, allowing urban managers and decision makers to regularly track urban sustainability. Furthermore, the UEES framework was applied to Qingdao, an urbanizing city in China, to examine the feasibility of the UEES framework. The results indicate that well-urbanized districts could perform better in terms of overall sustainability (e.g., Shinan, Shibei, Laoshan, Chengyang), while districts in suburban and outer suburban areas had lower urban sustainability levels. However, well-urbanized districts could not perform better in all dimensions than suburban and outer suburban districts. Moreover, the transition from less-urbanized to well-urbanized districts could lead to environmental deterioration and economy deceleration (if industries are not well upgraded), but culture and development sustainability can be improved. Overall, this study provides a methodological framework that prioritizes comprehensiveness and local adaptability to perform regular urban environment examinations for urban sustainability in China and provides a reference for urban sustainability improvement by identifying aspects with low scores in Qingdao, China.

Wojewoda jako organ właściwy w zakresie zwalczania zagrożeń bezpieczeństwa państwa

Security is ensured at different levels of governance in the field, as well as by various administrative authorities, including in the region by the provincial governor (Pol. wojewoda). The central-government administration also plays an important role in this regard. The provincial governor is no exception here, as the legislature has entrusted this body with an important mission in this sphere. The counteraction of special threats by the provincial governor is linked to the fact that he is a representative of the Council of Ministers in the region, equipped with important competences in the field of security. The governor implements his policy (including that relating to security) within the area of the province (Pol. województwo). His competence to prevent and remove specific risks concerns, i.a., emergencies, crisis management and the state of epidemic threat or the state of epidemic. When taking action in this area, the governor may exercise sovereign powers in certain situations requiring their addressee to conduct in a specific way, whether by act or omission. The purpose of this paper is to characterise the status of the provincial governor in the field of security, where the threat is of an aggravated nature. Due to such a defined research objective, it was necessary to analyse the provisions in the field of tasks and competences of the provincial governor when facing extraordinary threats (or the possibility of their emergence).

Placing civil society in water security governance: challenges and opportunities for engagement

ABSTRACT Achieving water security requires action at all levels of governance, and cooperation among state and non-state actors, including civil society. However, in many places, participatory arrangements to enable cooperation, such as river basin committees or water user groups, have not been created, due to resource constraints or scepticism regarding their effectiveness. Here, we develop a typology of five key ‘governance actions’ that non-state actors may undertake to address environmental problems. We apply this typology to empirical findings from a water scarcity situation in Johor, Malaysia, where subnational civil society actors undertook a range of responses. The analysis reveals that, despite the absence of formal engagement mechanisms, civil society positively contributed to the governance of water security through ‘defining issues’, ‘creating and sharing knowledge’ and ‘taking independent action’ that could potentially inform wider practice, but faced challenges in ‘monitoring and evaluating’ or otherwise providing a critical perspective on impacts of water insecurity. The findings indicate possibilities for place-based and interest-based partnerships between government and civil society, and for supporting vertical relationships among civil society actors operating at different levels of governance. The study contributes to debates around power relations, knowledge sharing, and decision making across multilevel environmental governance.

Green public procurement of clothing: Evidence from Swiss tendering during a major legal change

Green Public Procurement (GPP) is highlighted as a tool for promoting national environmental protection goals by influencing the demand for products and services. The evolution and characteristics of tendering practices in important sectors and institutional influences on implementation are largely unknown. This study evaluates the effects of recent and ambitious legislative changes on the GPP in the Swiss textile sector from 2018 to 2022. Relying on tender document analysis, it concludes that GPP has increased in tenders issued by organizations subject to the new law. The analysis further highlights the importance of differentiating levels of GPP implementation (“greenness”, “stringency”) to understand GPP evolution. Finally, this study abductively formulates hypotheses about GPP implementation in federal systems. The article emphasizes that analyzing GPP requires an understanding of policy change features and measurements of impacts on GPP at different levels of governance and in different policy domains.

ACHIEVEMENTS AND PROSPECTS OF DECENTRALIZATION REFORMS IN THE CARPATHIAN REGION

The article analyzes the state of state-building, particularly decentralization in Ukraine and the Carpathian region, as the basis for forming self-sufficient public authorities through the amalgamation of territorial communities and fundamental changes in the principles of forming their resources, including financial potential. The article highlights current theoretical and practical problems of state-building, decentralization, regulation of socio-economic and budgetary processes, and their improvement for the significant enhancement of providing public services to the population and engaging it in state-building processes. It is emphasized that the reform of decentralization and administrative-territorial structure is crucial in building a state, allowing the construction of a democratic governance system, and creating resource conditions for the development of civil society.
 The implementation of the decentralization policy in Ukraine is an effective factor in stabilizing the socio-economic situation, overcoming the financial crisis, overcoming contradictions between different levels of government, organizing relations between the center, regions and territorial communities on the principles of distribution of responsibilities and competencies, as well as partnership in providing Ukrainian citizens with state and local benefits, and will help to increase the efficiency of using budget funds at all levels of government.

Spatial mobility of the inhabitants of the countries of NATO’s eastern flank in the event of a military conflict

Abstract In this article, we identify the spatial mobility of the populations of selected urban centres in Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Hungary. In total, 1,616 interviews were conducted. Additionally also interviews with the employees responsible for crisis management were conducted. Based on the analyses, five different clusters were identified, with different patterns of inhabitants in terms of their spatial mobility in the event of war. The most significant factors influencing their mobility in crisis situations are country of residence, age, number of people in the household and sex. This research can help develop evacuation strategies at different levels of governance.

Barriers of subject-object interaction in the management of the region

The relevance of the study of subject-object interaction in regional management is due to the need to use the constructive potential of management actors and substantiate optimal methods for overcoming the limitations of subject-object interaction of participants in the process. The article attempts to analyze the barriers of subject-object interaction in the management of the region. The paper examines the currently existing approaches to the study of the structural content of the concept of "region". The interaction of public authorities with local self-government bodies is studied, as a rule, either in the context of the problem of differentiation of competence between public authorities, or in the format of understanding the interaction between them. At the same time, the discussion in sociological science about the correlation of regional and municipal interests, about the delimitation, redistribution and transfer of powers between levels of public authority is far from over. The article uses a method of analyzing the processes of subject-object interaction based on the concepts of symbolic interactionism and social subjectivity. Overcoming the limitations of subject-object interaction requires developing effective strategies, improving communication, increasing trust between participants, reducing technical limitations, improving information security, expanding cultural dialogue, as well as developing organizational mechanisms, creating adequate management structures and allocating sufficient resources to implement management tasks. To do this, it is necessary to improve coordination and cooperation between different levels of government and subjects of the region, increase the efficiency of the management apparatus, ensure access to resources and financing, as well as actively develop information and communication technologies for data collection and analysis. It can be argued that the subject-object interaction in the management of the region depends on the political goals of the state, the effectiveness of its management apparatus, the level of development of self-government and resource capabilities due to interaction with the economic market and interference in economic processes.

Accessibility as a critical factor of urban growth in Amazon – Brazil: an application of Plan-Process Theory Lourenço´s Model

Urban growth analysis and territorial plans made by different levels of government in the Amazon brings Santarem as urban center of reference, with strategic location. The evaluation of plans developed in this article is an application of Plan-Process Theory Lourenço´s Model, which deals the implementation of plans between the phases of decision-making and the acts of investment. The methodology starts from the historical analysis of urban development determinants, from the perspective of plans implemented in the place, highlighting the critical factors of results from these planning actions. Among the key findings, lack of planning policies for local needs, absence of problems such as social inequality and poor accessibility. Therefore, system innovation for a modal network does not yet reflect, through the plans, as an opportunity to improve accessibility in the urban areas of the Amazon.

Alleviation of Poverty Through Panchayat Raj Institutions: A Critical Study of Challenges and Prospects in Karnataka, India

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to: Analyse the role of Panchayat Raj Institutions (PRIs) in alleviating poverty in Karnataka, India. Identify the challenges faced by PRIs in implementing poverty alleviation programs. Explore potential solutions to overcome these challenges and improve program effectiveness. Provide recommendations for strengthening the role of PRIs in poverty alleviation efforts.
  
 Theoretical reference: This paper draws on several theoretical frameworks, including: heories of poverty alleviation, focusing on the role of local governance and community participation. Theories of decentralization and the devolution of power to local governments. Theories of social justice and equity, emphasizing the need to address the root causes of poverty. Theories of sustainable development, highlighting the importance of integrating economic, social, and environmental considerations.
  
 Method: This research is primarily a doctrinal study, relying on a variety of primary and secondary sources: Primary Sources: Statutory enactments: Constitution of India, 1950, Central Government Schemes implemented by PRIs, The Karnataka Gram Swaraj and Panchayat Raj Act, 1993. Policy documents: National Rural Development Policy, Karnataka State Rural Development Policy, Poverty alleviation scheme guidelines.
  
 Secondary Sources: Statistical analysis: Government reports and data sets, Research reports and surveys, Research publications: Peer-reviewed articles and books on poverty alleviation, local governance, and development. Case studies: Examples of successful poverty alleviation programs implemented by PRIs.
  
 Results: This research identified several key challenges faced by PRIs in implementing poverty alleviation programs in Karnataka: Corruption: Misuse of funds and resources hinders the effectiveness of programs and prevents benefits from reaching the intended beneficiaries. Caste: Deep-rooted social inequalities limit access to resources and opportunities for marginalized communities. Lack of awareness: Many people remain unaware of available schemes and benefits, leading to underutilization of resources. Limited capacity: PRIs often lack the necessary skills and resources to effectively plan, implement, and monitor programs. Lack of coordination: Poor coordination between different levels of government and stakeholders can lead to delays, duplication of efforts, and inefficient resource allocation. Despite these challenges, the research also identified several promising practices and potential solutions: Transparency and accountability: Initiatives like social audits and public hearings can improve transparency and hold PRI officials accountable for program outcomes. Community participation: Engaging communities in program design and decision-making can ensure programs are relevant and address local needs. Capacity building: Training programs can equip PRI officials with the necessary skills and knowledge to manage programs effectively. Technology and innovation: Utilizing technology can enhance program efficiency, data management, and communication with beneficiaries. Partnerships: Collaborations with NGOs, civil society organizations, and private sector can contribute resources, expertise, and innovation.
  
 Conclusion: PRIs play a crucial role in alleviating poverty in India. While they face numerous challenges, there are also promising solutions and opportunities for improvement. By investing in capacity building, promoting transparency, fostering community participation, and embracing technology and innovation, PRIs can be empowered to become more effective agents of poverty alleviation in Karnataka and beyond.
 Implications of research: This research has several key implications for policy and practice: The need for strengthened capacity building for PRI officials to improve program planning, implementation, and monitoring. The importance of enhancing transparency and accountability in the allocation and use of resources for poverty alleviation programs. The necessity for increased community participation in program design and decision-making to ensure programs are responsive to local needs and priorities. The need for better coordination between central, state, and local governments to ensure effective implementation of poverty alleviation programs.
  
 Originality/value: This research contributes to the existing body of knowledge on poverty alleviation by: Providing a detailed analysis of the role of PRIs in Karnataka, India, a context that is often overlooked in research. Identifying unique challenges faced by PRIs in implementing poverty alleviation programs. Offering practical recommendations for strengthening the role of PRIs and improving program effectiveness. Contributing to the understanding of how local governance can be leveraged to achieve sustainable poverty alleviation.

ВПЛИВ ЦИФРОВОЇ ТРАНСФОРМАЦІЇ НА МЕХАНІЗМИ ДЕРЖАВНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ РЕГІОНАЛЬНИМ РОЗВИТКОМ

In the article, the impact of digital transformation on the mechanisms of state governance in regional development is explored. Conducting an analysis of current trends in the use of digital technologies in public administration, the authors examine the role of e-governance, big data, automation, and other digital tools in enhancing strategies and mechanisms to promote regional development. The article specifically emphasizes decentralization and the promotion of interaction among different levels of governance as key components for the successful implementation of digital strategies in the context of regional development. The conclusions of the article underscore the necessity of adapting state governance to the challenges of the digital era and the development of open and resilient mechanisms to support regional growth in the conditions of digital transformation. The article also focuses on cultural and educational transformations in the field of public administration, highlighting the significance of training and preparing personnel to work with modern digital tools. The cultural shift and improvement of digital literacy emerge as crucial elements for the successful implementation of digital technologies in state governance. Therefore, the article systematically categorizes and analyzes the impact of digital transformation on the mechanisms of state governance in regional development, taking into account key technological and organizational transformations that define the contemporary landscape of regional governance in the era of digital development.

Жизнеобеспечение пожилых людей в Китае: основные практики и проблемы

The article raises the problem of the crisis of the traditional model of life support for elderly people in China and its replacement with a modern model. The main ways (social practices) of life support for older people in modern China are determined. The dynamics of the income structure of older people in the process of socio-economic reforms carried out in the country is analyzed. The problems that the public social security system for older people is aimed at solving are highlighted. Major difficulties of realization of modern public practices of support of age citizens in China are marked. It is concluded that it is necessary to develop a unified state pro-gram for the development of a social security system for older people in the country instead of disparate pro-grams implemented at different levels of government and in different regions of the country.

Муниципальные информационные системы: разграничение полномочий по правовому регулированию

The article is devoted to the analysis of the powers of different levels of government on the legal regulation of municipal information systems. The author notes that the current provisions of the federal laws ‘On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection’ and ‘On General Principles of Organisation of Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation’ question the legality of its implementation at the regional and municipal levels. To solve this problem, it seems necessary, firstly, to fix in Article 13 of the Federal Law ‘On Information, Information Technologies and Information Protection’ the possibility to establish the peculiarities of legal regulation of municipal information systems not only by legislative, but also bylaws on local self-government; secondly, to specify in the Federal Law ‘On General Principles of Organisation of Local Self-Government in the Russian Federation’ the possibility of the subjects of the Russian Federation to carry out lawmaking activities. At the same time, it is important to enshrine in regional laws on municipal information systems the conceptual requirements that ensure the possibility of integration of information systems of different municipalities among themselves, as well as with regional state information systems.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the music industries of Brisbane and an evaluation of the policy response

ABSTRACT This paper examines the effects of policy responses to the COVID-19 global pandemic on Brisbane’s music industries. The methods used for data collection combined a review of policy documents at different levels of government, an on-line questionnaire with music workers, and semi-structured interviews with musicians and music industry workers to understand the impacts of COVID-19 mitigation strategies on various music industries, as well as to examine any opportunities that may have arisen from this disruptive event. The primary questions informing this research are thus what were the impacts of Queensland’s zero COVID policy on the music industries of Brisbane, and what can be learned for future music industry-related policy interventions? Based on data collected from an on-line survey and on semi-structured interviews with musicians and professionals from the Brisbane music scene, we conclude that while the QLD state government response to the crisis recognised to an extent the importance of Brisbane’s music industries, policy responses were not always seen as equitable in relation to other industries and that policy responses to future disruptive events would be better served with greater consultation and consistency. Practitioner pointers COVID-19 planning and policy responses lacked consistency, in particular there was a perception of inequality in the audience numbers available to the local music industries versus the sports industry. Policy responses should have been more consistent, or the perceived lack of consistency should have been better explained. In order to better understand the effects of policy and planning on grassroots local music industries, a greater degree of government consultation is required. Music industries need to find ways in which greater industry vcollectiveness can be achieved to improve advocacy efforts.

Koordynacja działalności jednostek władzy publicznej w Portugalii

Relations between political units – levels of government – in a multilevel structure can be organized according to a range of institutions and processes. Intergovernmental relations suggest that the different levels of government interact with their political actors, namely executives, parliaments, or political parties. The research studies on this topic have concentrated attention on federal systems, and unitarian systems have been neglected. Next to that it must be stressed, that to exercise the competences of the decentralised levels there must be some sort of fiscal autonomy. Without fiscal autonomy, there can be no autonomy for subnational level of governments. Portugal illuminates this landscape. The intergovernmental relation or coordination between the Portugal mainland and the regional governments (Azores and Madeira) are mainly informal, so far. In this paper, we intend to explore and understand the role of political actors in such intergovernmental coordination and the institutional mechanisms they promote to that coordination.

Future Policy Direction of Special/Inclusive Education in Nepal

This study critically analyzed the future policy direction of special/inclusive education in Nepal. Using qualitative data collected through document analysis, interviews, and focus group discussions. This study is based on the premises of qualitative research design under the interpretative paradigm followed by critical interpretive design to analyze and interpret the field data. For this, 15 (fifteen) policy experts from Ministry of Education, Science, and Technology, Department of Education, university professors, and 11 head teachers from 6 special and 5 integrated schools, and special education council members and members of disabled related organizations were purposively selected as the informants.
 The establishment of the Disability Right Commission at central level would be much effective for the overall development of special/inclusive education in Nepal. It has also been found that establishment of the special/inclusive education council secretariat would contribute to further expansion of special/inclusive education service in Nepal. Development of a provincial level master plan for special/inclusive education training for stakeholders has been strongly recommended for the overall development of special education in the country. The study also suggested that future policy development and its practice is to be based on research-based evidence. It also recommended for establishment of at least one special education center and one model school in each province, and at least one support center at each local level.
 This study implies that a coherent policy-making is required through the consultation with the relevant stakeholders from the central, provincial, and local level in such a way that there is minimum gap in the power sharing among agencies at different levels of governance. Finally, this study suggests for developing future policies that support establishment of residential schools, individual education plan, transitional planning and individualized family service plans to enhance the promotion of disability sector in Nepal.