Government Research Articles

Exploring Individual and Team Resilience Among Dutch Hospital Nurses: A Survey Study.

Nurses confront substantial daily workloads. Coping mechanisms, including resilient behaviours at both individual and team levels, are pivotal in managing these challenges. Factors like work experience can significantly influence individual resilience. Yet, team resilience among nurses remains relatively unexplored. Our study examined perceptions of both individual and team resilience among Dutch hospital nurses. Furthermore, we investigated the impacts of hospital type, ward type and work experience. The Employee Resilience Scale was used to evaluate individual resilience and adapted for team contexts to assess team resilience. This study was one of three conducted under a governmental research program aimed at improving patient safety in the Netherlands. A paired t-test and correlation analysis were conducted to compare individual resilience with team resilience. A separate t-test assessed the impact of ward type on perceived individual and team resilience. Finally, post hoc analyses were used to examine the effects of hospital type and work experience. In total, 344 nurses from 25 different wards of 17 Dutch hospitals completed the survey. In general, nurses indicated to act more resilient on the individual level (mean = 3.77, SD = 0.61) compared to the team level (mean = 3.53, SD = 0.65; t = 7.25, p = 0.00). A correlation was found between perceived individual and team resilience (r = 0.53, p = 0.00). No effects of hospital- and ward type were found on both individual or team resilience. Years of work experience did not affect individual resilience but showed a significant effect on team resilience. Dutch hospital nurses indicated they often act resilient on both individual and team levels. However, with increasing workloads in healthcare, being able to remain resilient will become increasingly challenging and important. Organisations should therefore support employees to maintain resilience by adapting their work environment to meet more employees' needs.

Introducing Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir + Ribavirin as a Generic Retreatment Regimen for Hepatitis C: Evaluation of a Government Program in Rwanda.

Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir/voxilaprevir is recommended for hepatitis C virus (HCV) retreatment in those who fail initial treatment but is unavailable in resource-limited settings. We describe a government sofosbuvir/velpatasvir + ribavirin (SOF/VEL + RBV) × 24 weeks retreatment program in Rwanda (November 2021-October 2022). Of 231 participants, 174 were cured (75.3% intention-to-treat analysis). SOF/VEL + RBV may be considered for HCV retreatment in resource-limited settings.

Circular Economy for Construction and Demolition Waste in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile: A Delphi Analysis

This study investigates the design and implementation of circular economy (CE) strategies for managing construction and demolition waste (CDW) in the Santiago Metropolitan Region of Chile (SMRC). The research aimed to identify key factors influencing the current and future adoption of CE practices for CDW management related to socio-environmental, technical, financial, and strategic-regulatory aspects, employing the Delphi method to gather expert insights. Findings reveal that the lack of knowledge about sustainable practices and the absence of regulatory frameworks for CDW disposal are the most critical barriers to effective CE implementation. The study recommends enhancing public awareness and environmental education through government and school programs, as well as enacting stricter legislation to combat illegal disposal and encourage sustainable practices and valorization of secondary raw materials within companies. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of designing projects that prioritize waste avoidance and the development of infrastructure, technology, and processes for efficient material separation and recycling. The research also highlights potential challenges such as stagnation in the adoption of sustainable practices, skilled labor shortages, and limited research and innovation. It underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to CDW management that integrates socio-environmental, technical, financial, and regulatory dimensions to promote sustainability at both regional and global levels.

Ancient Tyranny and Modern Dictatorship

Abstract This article traces the conceptual history of key terms used to describe and criticize bad political regimes, focusing on the displacement of “tyranny” by “dictatorship” and “authoritarianism.” Classical Greek thought understood tyranny primarily in terms of the character of rulers, whereas the modern idea of dictatorship emerged from a Roman conceptual framework that focused on authority and its legitimation. New problems of legitimation in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries diminished the utility of the character-centric concept of tyranny and increased the fruitfulness of dictatorship for political analysis. The emergence of the modern state in the nineteenth century shaped the conceptual field by increasing the salience of problems concerning the appropriation or usurpation of sovereignty, the distortion of popular legitimation and accountability, and the incentives for submission to illegitimate orders. I conclude that the use of “authoritarianism” is likely to increase in prominence, but that retaining multiple regime concepts enriches analysis.

A Preface to the First Critique: Reason’s Desire and Kant’s Political History of Metaphysics

Abstract Kant begins the 1781 Preface of the Critique of Pure Reason with a history of metaphysics told as a sequence of failed political regimes. This history has been largely passed over both in the literature on Kant’s metaphysics and in that on his political philosophy. This article provides an interpretation of Kant’s history of metaphysical regimes as a way of exploring the political themes and aims of the First Critique. Kant’s opening narrative articulates the role his critique of metaphysics plays in establishing the possibility of a lawful order of reason that defends morality against threats arising from reason’s theoretical dissatisfaction. The political history of metaphysics presented in the A Preface reveals Kant’s understanding of the public role philosophy must undertake in the context of the modern crisis of reason.

The People and the Fire Tree: Co-Designing a Bushfire Early Warning System to Meet the Sustainable Development Goals

Australian rural communities face significant climate challenges including catastrophic bushfires. In line with the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs), to build resilience in the face of bushfire threats, communities need to increase adaptive capacity while maintaining the community’s integrity. To build community resilience, they should harness the hybridity between digital technology and non-technological practices. Building community resilience is gaining attention in rural human–computer interaction to ensure those who are vulnerable to disasters strengthen their ability to address adversity even in the absence of formal government assistance. How they apply digital technology into practice to ensure it meets their needs is crucial. We outline a case study of a rural Australian bushfire-impacted community. A series of co-design workshops was conducted to understand local bushfire preparation activities and the role of digital technologies in these activities. Three creative participatory design activities supported the co-design of an early-warning bushfire system. The workshop participants co-designed and merged two solutions: first The Fire Tree, a conceptual map of a preventative information system fed and validated by the community itself; second, The People System identifies and harnesses government resources to feed and generate a rich, dynamic, and constantly updated information environment. The final solution based on the two concepts is Bushwire, a communication facilitator designed and used by participants in workshops four and five. Bushwire is a co-designed web-based collective platform that leverages citizen-science behaviours, enabling them to share local knowledge and prepare for bushfire threats. The system became a communication facilitator, a space to share detailed local information and connect; fed by locally produced elements including digital technologies, weather/road conditions, and on-the-ground instructions. This case study explores how Bushwire responds to a range of UN SDGs by seeking to build sustainable communities (SDG11), to address climate action (SDG13) for this rural Australian bush-fire-prone community, and harmonises life on land (SDG15) through multi-stakeholder partnerships (SDG17). We envisage that urban planners may derive value from listening and responding to messages from nature, and from citizen-scientists embedded in rural communities as depicted in this case study.

Muhammad Abduh's Thought and Its Practical Implications on Government Work Programs For 2024-2029

This research discusses the relevance of the thought of Muhammad Abduh, a reformist Islamic intellectual, to the policies and work programs of the Indonesian government. Muhammad Abduh is known as a figure who championed the reinterpretation of Sharia principles to respond to the challenges of modernity, focusing on social justice, waqf reform, Islamic financial systems, and education. His thinking provides an important foundation for the development of a modern Islamic economy that is inclusive and equitable. In the context of Indonesian government policy, the 2024-2029 work program that carries the vision of Indonesia Emas 2045 integrates the values of Sharia economics and social justice in line with Muhammad Abduh's ideas. Programs such as strengthening the Sharia economy, optimizing ZISWAF (zakat, infaq, sadaqah and waqf) funds, and alleviating extreme poverty reflect the practical implementation of Muhammad Abduh's ideas. The government also emphasizes economic transformation, halal industry development, increasing Sharia financial inclusion, and Islamic values-based education to strengthen global competitiveness. This study uses a descriptive-analytical method to evaluate the relationship between Muhammad Abduh's thought and public policy in Indonesia. The analysis shows that Muhammad Abduh's ideas are not only relevant in addressing national development challenges, but also provide concrete solutions in creating social justice, community empowerment, and strengthening the Sharia economic system. This research also offers practical recommendations on how Muhammad Abduh's Islamic economic principles can be applied more broadly to support sustainable and inclusive development in Indonesia.

The Cycle Continues: An Assessment of Democratic Transitions in Latin America with New Data and Indicators

This study examines how theoretically driven indicators modify our understanding of transition dynamics in Latin America. Our indicators show that a noticeable wave of reversion to authoritarian rule in Latin America occurred during the last two decades. Moreover, unlike the past, where authoritarian regimes were established with military coups, the Democracy-Dictatorship Reprise for Latin America (DDRLA) confirms that the region's recent experience with democratic reversion has been brought about by presidents who secured office through elections and who manipulated rules to remain in office for more than two terms. For the period from 1946 to 2022, we discuss how the minimalist conception of democratic regimes can be further advanced with our reformed political regime indicator, as well as measures of initial elections and political regime transitions. We then demonstrate the utility of the DDRLA by replicating studies recently published in leading journals.

Framework for Biodiversity Conservation Governance in the Context of Regional Administration in Indonesia

Indonesia, as a megadiverse country, carries a significant responsibility to ensure the sustainability of biodiversity conservation. This conservation effort requires strategic regulation and adaptive governance within the context of local government administration. This study aims to explore the theoretical concepts and policy frameworks for implementing biodiversity conservation in the context of sustainable development, and to examine the strategies for regulating and governing biodiversity conservation at the regional level. The research employs a normative juridical method with a legislative, analytical, and conceptual approach. Data for this study is sourced from primary, secondary, and tertiary legal materials, including laws and regulations, expert doctrines, and supporting literature, to analyze biodiversity conservation regulation within local governance.The study finds that biodiversity conservation at the regional level requires the integration of sustainability principles into local government planning and program implementation. Key challenges identified include a lack of synergy among relevant authorities, limited local government capacity, and low participation from local communities. These issues need to be continually evaluated and analyzed to map out the appropriate policy solutions for effective governance of biodiversity conservation, particularly at the regional level. The study recommends strategic approaches such as strengthening an inclusive policy framework, establishing collaborative mechanisms between the government and local communities, and developing programs based on local needs and regional potential. Furthermore, the research suggests the development of data-driven policies to support sustainable biodiversity conservation governance at the regional level. This will ensure that conservation efforts become an integral part of effective local government administration, aligned with the needs of sustainable development.

Global warnings and the role of national filters in shaping formal governance of university performance

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to assess the continuing relevance of Olson et al.’s (1998) four primary concerns regarding the future development of New Public Financial Management (NPFM) in public service organizations. A particular focus is on understanding changes in the formal systems governing the performance management of universities across different “soft-NPFM” national contexts as well as the identification of successful strategies to mediate those four concerns.Design/methodology/approachChanges in the formal systems governing the performance management of universities in three European countries – Estonia, Finland and Norway – are reviewed in their historical contexts. Methodologically, this article is based on a content-driven analysis of documents, reports and scientific literature, supplemented by the collective memory of the co-authors.Findings“Warnings” have materialized quite differently in the three countries due to unique “national filters.” These filters are represented by different understandings of how universities are defined in terms of their governance and ownership, such as whether the universities are agents of the state or independent accounting entities with their own legal rights. These “national filters” seem to affect how NPFM is translated into the formal systems governing the performance management of universities.Originality/valueThis article contributes to the literature by examining how some countries and their governments manage to achieve “selective complementarity” of different reforms and trends. This complementarity helps to avoid the “dysfunctional effects” and “extremes” of NPFM.

Public Management Modernization Paths: A Critical Narrative Review of Digital Government and Good Governance

Digitalization has not only transformed economy, society and day-to-day routine of individuals, but also has given the government a unique opportunity to keep its sovereignty and power in an ever-changing world provided that the government is open to innovations and digital technologies implementation. Such openness should be confirmed by the willingness to be changed and optimized in order to increase public management efficiency. There are two basic models for optimizing public management: New Public Management and Good Governance. Transfer to a more advanced model of public management — Good Governance — is carried out in parallel with the digitalization of public management and formation of a digital government. The only one way to define the concepts of “digital government”, “Good Governance”, to establish effective legal framework of the relationships in this regard and to identify the reasons why these concepts should be implemented in public management is, on the one hand, to highlight basic principles they are based on, and, on the other hand, to outline essential features of both concepts.

Conspiracy beliefs and democratic backsliding: Longitudinal effects of election conspiracy beliefs on criticism of democracy and support for authoritarianism during political contests

AbstractThere are widespread concerns that conspiracy theories undermine democracies. But do conspiracy beliefs increase criticism of democracy and/or support for authoritarianism? Or are antidemocratic people more likely to endorse conspiracy beliefs? To answer these important questions, we collected longitudinal data during two concurrent democratic elections—the 2020 US Presidential Election (N = 609) and the 2020 General Election in New Zealand (N = 603). Random intercept cross‐lagged panel models tested whether conspiracy beliefs affect criticism of democracy in general, as well as support for authoritarianism, and both direct and representative democracy, specifically. There was little evidence that conspiracy beliefs temporally preceded changes in attitudes toward democracy or support for any specific form of government. Instead, people who supported authoritarianism more subsequently endorsed stronger conspiracy beliefs. The results suggested that, in the context of electoral contests (e.g., elections), antidemocratic people are more likely to endorse conspiracy beliefs rather than conspiracy beliefs fostering antidemocratic views.

The perceived identity of policy participants: The agenda-building process of universal basic income in South Korea

Due to a detrimental impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on domestic economies, many countries have considered adopting government programs that can stimulate individual consumption, such as a universal basic income. Since such programs would potentially require greater bureaucratic involvement, how civil servants evaluate the introduction of these programs has important implications for policy implementation. In this study, we develop a vignette survey experiment to understand how the perceived identity of those who drive the development of these programs, from the agenda-setting to the next stage, shapes civil servants’ assessments. Specifically, we propose four different participants with their roles related to the programs in this process as main treatment conditions. Analyzing original data of more than 4000 civil servants from central and local governments in South Korea, we find that civil servants have more positive perceptions when a basic income policy evolves through incorporating academic experts’ advice. We further find that central and local bureaucrats have different preferences, as the former actually consider reflecting demands from the public more important in this process.

Refugees as Labor: Post World War II Displaced Persons in Australia, Canada, and the USA

Abstract The resettlement of approximately one million European displaced persons (DPs) after the Second World War was a major milestone in humanitarian resettlement. It was also a major milestone in the expansion of immigration in Australia, Canada, and the USA. The humanitarian and immigration expansion aspects of DP resettlement were the result of formal government policy as well as humanitarian organizations, interest groups concerned about the need for labor, and individuals linked to DPs by ties of blood, national origin, and religion. This article examines how the search for labor was integrated into public policy, program implementation, and political debate about DPs and became an essential component of DP resettlement. Specific discussions of Australia, Canada, and the USA help show the different ways a program of humanitarian resettlement could be structured to produce immediate—rather than delayed—economic benefits. This comparative consideration of post-war DP resettlement helps open up future research options for a more integrated understanding of humanitarian and labor aspects of immigration policy more generally, especially in the way profit of various kinds can accrue to policy-guided humanitarian resettlement.

History as Political Philosophy: Republican Rome as the Best Form of Government in Livy’s Third Decade

Abstract While scholarship on Livy’s political thought has concentrated on the 1st decade, this article takes up the 3rd decade to argue that Livy makes the case for Republican Rome at the time of the 2nd Punic War as the best form of government. The excellence of Republican Rome is seen in its superiority to the imaginary cities of Greek political theory, and in its mixed constitution, which provides remedies for the pitfalls of the simple forms of democracy and aristocracy. Livy makes the latter case through allusions to Thucydides, whose implications I draw forth to show that Livy is contrasting Republican Rome with Athens and Sparta, and comparing Scipio Africanus with Alcibiades. Livy’s claim that wisdom is to be found in the study of the past, and his preference for the concrete as a means of investigating politics, suggest that his history is a form of political philosophy.

The cost-effectiveness of vaccination against COVID-19 illness during the initial year of vaccination.

Substantial investments by government programs and private health plans subsidized the costs of COVID-19 vaccine doses and vaccine administration. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of vaccination against COVID-19 illness during the initial year of COVID-19 vaccination (2021). Using a simulation model, we projected outcomes for hypothetical cohorts of US adults aged 18 and older, stratified by age and risk status for complications, comparing vaccination and no vaccination in the context of recommended concomitant prevention strategies (e.g., masking, social distancing). Vaccination against COVID-19 illness and complications used a pooled vaccination strategy for the 3 products available in 2021. Primary outcome measures included incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), projected costs, and projected quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). The model was parameterized using US epidemiologic, clinical, and cost data and the analysis used the healthcare and societal perspectives. For vaccination against COVID-19 illness compared with no vaccination, vaccination yielded cost savings and QALY gains for all adult age and risk groups using the societal perspective. Using a healthcare sector perspective, ages 18-39years required a net investment with ICERs ranging from $8400 to $15,000/QALY. Scenarios evaluating vaccine incentive programs mostly yielded ICERs <$100,000/QALY except for worker bonuses of $500 which yielded ICERs of $22,000 to $134,000/QALY. Results were most sensitive to costs of vaccination (dose cost, administration cost, travel and vaccination time costs) across uncertainty analyses. Investment in the 2021 vaccination program was attractive from an economic perspective even when using a very conservative approach to the analysis. Future vaccination programs in the US, with different associated cost structures, should be assessed to ensure ongoing value for COVID-19 vaccination.

Growing, Healing, Knowing, And Sharing: The Community Museum Of Traditional Medicine Of Huancollo, Bolivia Exhibition Review

The community museum of traditional medicine is in the centre of Huancollo, in the Bolivian Altiplano. The building, a repurposed single large room made of adobe (fig. 1), is next to both the Andin Spa, a health facility for traditional Indigenous remedies, and the community’s meeting building. As an ayllu originario, Huancollo holds a status unique for Indigenous communities(1) in Bolivia, meaning that the community, though dependent on Tiwanaku municipality, practices a form of Aymara government based on rules, procedures and collective responsibilities (Ayllu Originario Huancollo, 2013). Huancollo’s community museum was created through adhering to the Qhapaq Ñan( 2) network of community museums. Huancollo community museum gives us the opportunity to examine rootedness in three ways. The first are the literal roots, the plants collected and used by the comunarios, the community members, for healing. The second foundational roots are Huancollo’s role resisting the erasure of ancestral knowledge and preserving it through its healers. The third are the interdependent roots through which the museum was created, that is the present-day international heritage sector, and the precolonial roads and communications that have shaped Andin cultures and ecosystems for centuries. By examining the displays in the museum, I will analyse these three roots in the context of Huancollo and its museum.

Doing the Unspeakable: Material Participation in Reprod-estr-uctive Labour

This article examines everyday labours of life-maintenance – cooking, cleaning, child-rearing – for what they tell us about participation in a moment of environmental devastation. Building on feminist theories of reproductive labour, I use the term reprod-estr-uctive labour to explore a contemporary tension: how to reproduce life in a dying world? What forms of participation is this tension producing? This article is based on qualitative work with French families and weaves together: (eco)feminist theories of reproductive labour and care work, ethics of care, (Feminist) Science and Technology Studies, theories of environmental and epistemic justice, (Rancièrian) critique of pedagogy, and ecological thinking. It argues that reprod-estr-uctive labour offers speechless participation for speechless times. Reprod-estr-uctive labour allows a space for material participation which is particularly worthy of attention in a moment where words seem to fail us. How can we possibly talk about it (climate changing, species dying, oceans rising)? In the impossibility of expressing concern, doing care remains. The article contextualises material participation in a logocentric political regime which predominantly situates participation in public-oriented discourse. Yet having no words for it does not mean not caring about/for it. This article argues that the environmental situation accentuates two problems with logocentric politics: first, it calls us to the materiality of our Earthly footing, which makes ever-more problematic the disregard for unspoken, material, life-tending labours; second, it produces a moment of epistemic instability that questions the very possibility of an expert metadiscourse on the catastrophe. Attention to the material everyday can alert us to participation done in gendered, classed, and raced ways. This has the potential of decluttering our democratic imagination. It can help us move past dichotomies that pit those who care about the environment against those who do not, by reminding us that some who might not express audible concern can nevertheless care.

Analysis of factors related to the utilization of business incentives

ABSTRACT To analyze the effects of competition and the forms of government on the utilization of business incentives at the local government level, this study focuses on two major incentives: tax credit and tax increment financing. The statistical results show that the competition mechanisms operate differently for each of the incentives. The council-manager system constrains the overall adoption and extent of use of business incentives. These results could indicate the relevance of a particular form of government for business incentives.

Musa Bigiev’s perspective on the form of the Islamic state

This article examines the form of the Islamic state, comparing it with the classification accepted in continental jurisprudence and drawing parallels with secular and theocratic state models. It emphasizes that Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh) does not recognize certain structural elements, such as government, territorial organization, and political regime. Instead, the above elements represent a single category, with the caliphate as the ultimate state form. Musa Bigiev (1874–1949), a prominent Tatar theologian, philosopher, and lawyer, extensively studied the caliphate as a form of the Islamic state. His scholarly works focus on the Sunni and Shia concepts of the caliphate, the general principles of governance, as well as other critical aspects determining the essence of the Islamic state. Based on a comprehensive analysis of Musa Bigiev’s thoughts, the need to define the exact form of the Islamic state is demonstrated and justified.