Government Positions Research Articles

PERAN BADAN USAHA MILIK DAERAH SEBAGAI INSTRUMEN INVESTASI PEMERINTAH DAERAH: STUDI KASUS DIVESTASI SAHAM NEWMONT

The investments made by Local Governments in Regional Owned Enterprises (ROEs) have not yielded satisfactory returns. One potential investment opportunity for Local Governments is participating in the divestment of foreign shareholders in mining companies. This study analyzes the role of ROEs in divesting mining company shares, including the legality of ROE establishment, the position of ROEs in mining company divestment, and their role as investment instruments for Local Governments, using PT Newmont Nusa Tenggara as a case study. Using a normative method and analyzing secondary data descriptively, the study finds that Local Governments must ensure the administrative process of establishing ROEs complies with applicable laws and regulations. ROEs can partner with investors to address funding difficulties in foreign divestment transactions. Additionally, the priority position of Local Governments in divesting foreign shares in mining companies should provide a strong bargaining position in negotiating the establishment of ROEs and subsidiaries used as vehicles in these transactions.

Valuing public land in land policy: The role of accountancy regulations

Land values change in planning processes. Accountancy regulations define the book value of land held by local authorities. This affects the evaluation of alternative lines of action in land development, and in this way, the land policy of local authorities. This paper reflects on the case of the Netherlands, which has a well-established tradition of public land development. Traditionally, valuation has been based on historic costs: the prices for acquisition and costs of infrastructure provision paid in the past, and not the current exchange values. Losses foreseen must be taken immediately; profits can only be booked after they have been made. This paper analyses the changes in these accountancy regulations over time and studies their impact on the economic position of local authorities. It considers both regulations as the outcomes of these as being found in administrative records and the practice in the City of Enschede where there was a difference between the official value as recorded in the books and the value that was the basis for decision-making. The paper discusses the impact on land policy. There is a tension between regulations that more-and-more aim for a direct reflection of property market volatility in the books and the aim of local authorities to present financial stability. This may contribute to less financial involvement in land policies.

A critical review of climate change mitigation policies in the EU ——based on vertical, horizontal and policy instrument perspectives

The European Union (EU) has consistently held a prominent global position in climate governance. This paper compiles 152 climate neutrality policies issued by the European Commission (EU Commission) and employs a systematic analytical framework including "Vertical Policy Hierarchy - Horizontal Policy Path – Systematic Policy instruments" to conduct an in-depth analysis of the EU's climate neutrality policy system.This study produces several findings as follows: First, the EU's climate neutrality policy hierarchy is characterized by a structure comprising "Long-Term Planning – Specific Measures - Financial Support". Second, the EU's policy formulation process for climate neutrality emphasizes the integration of a multi-party engagement mechanism involving "Nongovernmental Level - Regional Level - National Level - Transnational Level - Supranational Level", while extensively employing a "framework-content" policy-making methodology. Third, the EU's climate neutrality governance is guided by the dual objectives of achieving a "Cleaner Energy Structure" and "Recover Ecological Environment" pursuing a broad-ranging and multi-tiered policy pathway towards climate neutrality. Fourth, the EU leverages a combined approach of mandatory measures and guiding policies to propel the climate neutrality governance process, aspiring to achieve breakthroughs in new energy technology innovation through climate neutrality governance, thereby solidifying its international standing. Moreover, this study provides an outlook on the future of the EU's climate neutrality policy governance, positing that the EU's emphasis on climate neutrality governance will remain undiminished, with a heightened focus on guiding policies and an emphasis on the roles of enterprises and the public in advancing the realization of climate neutrality.

Women’s Participation in Governance: A Quick Fix to Development Constraints in Sub-Saharan Africa?

The inhuman socioeconomic repercussions of corruption and bad governance inherent in successive male-dominated governments have generated agitation for increased women’s participation in governance. Primarily, this agitation is based on the premise that women are less inclined to corruption, which is a major impediment to good governance. Given the notoriety of these two impediments to development, this study aims to investigate the relationship between women’s participation in governance, corruption, and quality of governance in sub-Saharan Africa from 1996 to 2021. This study analyzed annual panel data of four sub-Saharan African countries using the autoregressive distributed lag model and the Granger causality test. Governance quality was proxied by government effectiveness, while women’s participation in governance and corruption were proxied by the number of women in government positions and control of corruption, respectively. Economic development and institutional quality were used as control variables. The findings revealed negative main and interaction effects of women’s participation in governance and corruption on governance quality, unidirectional causality from corruption to women’s participation in governance and from governance quality to women’s participation in governance, and bidirectional causality between corruption and governance quality. Quantitative increases in women’s participation in governance and corruption exacerbates governance quality. Women’s ability to participate in governance is determined by the prevalence of corruption in previous years. Anticorruption campaigns that focused on women’s participation in governance often result in reductions in corruption insufficient for improvement of governance quality. Corruption and bad governance are mutually reinforcing. Governance quality determines women’s participation in governance. To minimize corruption and bad governance, sub-Saharan African countries should shift their focus away from merely increasing the number of women in government positions to building strong institutions capable of creating a meritocratic political and socioeconomic environment in which selfless women and men have equal chances of being elected or appointed to public offices.

Language as a tool for creating a positive Image of the state in the system of Interstate Relations (using the example of China's Global Security Initiative)

The article examines the language tools used to create a positive image of the state in the system of interstate relations using the example of China's global security initiative. Special attention is paid to metaphors as a key element of linguistic influence. The article examines how various metaphorical techniques contribute to the formation of a favorable perception of China in the international arena. Attention is focused on the analysis of official texts related to the Global Security initiative in order to identify and interpret key metaphors. The object of our research is political discourse. The subject of the study is the image of China in the context of the representation of the Global Security Initiative. The research makes a significant contribution to the theory of intercultural communication and political linguistics, expanding the understanding of the role of language in interstate relations and the formation of public opinion. Critical discourse analysis allows us to evaluate the linguistic means of the text used, the pragmatic purpose of which includes not only an informational appeal to the world community explaining the political position of the Chinese government, but also the creation of a certain image of the country. A comprehensive analysis of the use of metaphors in official statements and documents of the People's Republic of China concerning the global security initiative is being conducted. This analysis allows us to identify specific metaphorical constructions that China uses to create a positive image in the international arena.The study deepens the understanding of how metaphors function in interstate relations and influence the perception of China as a peacemaker and stable partner. This includes studying how metaphors contribute to the formation of a positive image and strengthen trust between states. The findings of the study can be applied in the practice of international relations and diplomacy, providing recommendations on the use of language tools to improve the image of the state. This is important for developing effective public diplomacy and communication strategies. The conclusions of the article emphasize the importance of the competent use of metaphors as a tool of diplomacy and a strategic communication resource in the modern world.

Autocratic Genderwashing: Gender‐Equality Reforms in Serbia

While gender equality is usually linked with democracy, autocratic regimes frequently take the lead in such reforms. Focusing on the case of Serbia, this article demonstrates how gender equality reforms can be used as instruments of autocratic regimes. As electoral autocracies nowadays depend on international legitimation and support, they need to present a democratic image to the international audience. Very often they achieve this by introducing gender-sensitive policies and increasing the public visibility of women. This study shows that the democratic backsliding evidenced in Serbia since 2016 has been followed by increased attention to gender equality. In recent years, the Serbian parliament has increased the gender quota for national and local parliaments to 40% and passed several important pieces of legislation, including the Law on Prevention of Domestic Violence (2016) and the Gender Equality Law (2021). Additionally, the regime has appointed a record number of women to executive government positions. Since 2017, Serbia has had a lesbian woman serving as a prime minister and the government formed in 2020 was labelled a “women’s government,” with 40% of ministerial positions held by women. This article argues that the regime tends to adopt these democratic reforms while, at the same time, manipulating their meaning to advance a conservative agenda and bolster anti-gender mobilizations. These different—often contradictory—strategies help the regime address a variety of audiences—both international and domestic—and gain their recognition.

Provincial Administrative Elite and State Duma: Career and Kinship Connections (1907-1912)

This article focuses on the socio-political life during the terms of the II, III, and IV State Dumas, specifically examining the career and kinship connections within the “Stolypin administration” and the deputy corps. The study covers the period from April 26, 1906, to September 5, 1911, when P. A. Stolypin held the position of Minister of Internal Affairs. It also explores the period from the election of the II Duma on February 20, 1907, to the election of the IV Duma on November 15, 1912, to identify former or future governors or vice-governors among the deputies of the Stolypin era. The geographical scope of the study includes the provinces of European Russia. The authors aim to analyze the relationship between bureaucratic and political elites during the Stolypin era. The article examines the career biographies and factional affiliations of Stolypin administrators connected to the Duma, as well as the kinship ties between the governor corps and Duma deputies. The authors conclude that provincial administrators were predominantly associated with the Union of October 17 and right-wing factions, with most not seeking to pursue parliamentary careers. Typically, these were public figures who had previously held positions in local government and nobility self-government before serving in provincial administration.

Who is the language policy for? Translation discrepancies and their implications to (dis)trust

This paper investigates the impact of language policy translation as a discursive action on historical and political mechanisms of trust within the context of Indigenous language revitalization in Taiwan. Combining a critical discourse studies approach and translation theories, we examine the translation discrepancies between the Chinese source text and the English translation of Tawain’s Indigenous Language Development Act (2017). We focus on the analysis of the interpersonal meanings conveyed by two Chinese modal verbs (ying/應 and de/得), aiming to elucidate how Taiwan’s Government positions itself within both language versions. The findings suggest that the government constructs itself as more actively responsible for the Indigenous language development in the English version. This strategic move reflects the government’s commitment to enhancing Taiwan’s international reputation as the English version is meant for global audiences. Considering language policy is inherently ideological with the government’s political intentions, we discuss the implication of distrust created by the translation discrepancy. This study highlights that language policy translation can be recontextualized to suit a government’s political agendas and ideological appropriations.

Legal Regulation of Women’s Labor in the BRICS Countries: Current Trends

The article discusses issues of legal regulation of women’s labor in the BRICS countries. The author draws attention to the latest labor legislation adopted in these countries recently. The need to consider this issue is dictated by the fact that almost half of the working population, including in the BRICS countries, are women. The study identified current trends in relation to the legal regulation of women’s labor. It has been established that all countries have adopted legislation restricting the work of women in jobs with harmful and (or) dangerous working conditions. States are taking measures to establish additional opportunities for women to advance in their careers and occupy leadership and government positions. Despite the efforts being made, there are also negative trends, such as discrimination in hiring and during employment, in remuneration, and the inability to occupy higher positions.

A Corpus-Based Critical Discourse Analysis of Chinese and American News Coverage on Climate Change

As the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) convened, the climate issue remained a focal point of coverage in both Chinese and American mainstream media. This paper seeks to explore the linguistic features of news discourse of climate change in China and the United States and the discursive strategy applied to strengthen national ideologies. Taking the reports on climate change in China Daily and Los Angeles Times within 2 months after COP27 as the research corpus, this paper examines the language features, the discursive processes of the text and possible social factors through a combination of corpus linguistics(CL) and critical discourse analysis(CDA) under the framework of Fairclough’s Three-Dimensional Model of Discourse. The finding suggests that both countries enhance national ideologies by constructing a responsible national image through objective climate reporting. Chinese media tends to focus on national efforts to improve ecological environment and global cooperation, while US newspaper attaches importance to climate security and pursues a leading position in global ecological governance.

Measuring and Comparing Service Delivery Time in Government and Outsourced Health Posts Affiliated with Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Background: The duration of healthcare services has a significant impact on the quality of care and patient's satisfaction. Having information on service delivery time in both government and outsourced Health Posts (HPs) can contribute to evidence-based policymaking and better resource management. Therefore, this study aims to estimate and compare service delivery time in government and outsourced HPs. Methods: This descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in six affiliated HPs under Tehran University of Medical Sciences in 2019–2020. Data were collected through a census using a stopwatch and a time recording form during one working week. The average duration of each service (in minutes) was obtained. The results were reported using descriptive statistics and were analyzed using SPSS24 software and multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The total mean of duration of services provided in government HPs (777.6 minutes) was greater than that in outsourced HPs (788.5 minutes). Among the 10 services provided, the average duration of services for adolescents (20.4±4.5 minutes), young adults (20.5±5.6 minutes), middle-aged adults (26.1±10.4 minutes), and elderly individuals (24.3±13.6 minutes) in government HPs was significantly longer than in outsourced HPs (p<0.05). Additionally, the average duration of health education services (23.1±10.5 minutes) and health ambassador training (36.1±13.7 minutes) in private HPs was significantly longer than in government HPs (p<0.05). Conclusion: In outsourced HPs, it is important to focus on creating a balance between the number of visits and the staff available for services which target adolescents, young adults, middle-aged adults, and elderly individuals. In government HPs, emphasis should be placed on increasing the time allocated for educational and promotional health services. By considering the importance of service delivery time and the observed differences in findings of this study, it is crucial to prioritize the duration of service delivery as an important performance measure when comparing government and outsourced HPs.

Financial Development and Subnational Export Performance: Evidence from the Indian States

The present study investigates the relationship between export performance and the level of financial development for 30 Indian states and union territories (UTs) from 2011–12 to 2020–21. The study first ranks the states and UTs on the parameters of financial development and physical infrastructure using the robust principal component analysis method. By applying the instrumental variable fixed effects panel data technique, the study observes that the level of financial development has a significant positive impact on the export performance of the states. The study also finds a positive effect of the availability of physical infrastructure, quality of governance and fiscal position on states’ export performance but does not observe a significant role of political stability in this context. The results suggest that export growth in the economically laggard and Himalayan states can come through policy interventions to improve financial development. In contrast, landlocked states need better physical infrastructure to facilitate easier production and transportation of export goods. The study lends new perspectives to the nascent literature on inter-regional disparities in India’s export performance and is expected to provide insights into improving the sub-national export performance of other developing countries as well. JEL Codes: F14, F36, F4

Navigating the pandemic: A critical perspective on COVID-19 responses in Central America

Following the World Health Organization’s declaration of the new coronavirus as a pandemic, nations had to act swiftly to draft effective strategies for the prevention and containment of COVID-19. International literature highlights a range of approaches taken by countries, with varying degrees of success, as measured by the quality and responsiveness of their public health systems. This brief perspective proposes a critical-gerontological reflection on the Central American countries, highlighting the divergent regional approaches to the pandemic that resulted in unequal figures between nations. Despite the intention to face the health challenge collectively, varying governmental positions had a direct impact on the health of the older population. Costa Rica and Panama responded similarly to the crisis, showcasing their better social and health scenarios compared to their peers. The Central American approach to public health was tailored to the political ideology of each country, rather than adhering to the common objectives set by the regional integration scheme in place. Despite the pandemic posing a challenge, the region remains committed to building universal, equitable, and comprehensive public health for older people.

Interim performance feedback and quitting in tournaments: evidence from the civil service exam in China

ABSTRACT This study investigates the impact of interim performance feedback on candidates’ subsequent decisions on whether to quit during the tournament-like civil service exam in China, consisting of two stages: the written exam and the interview. We empirically find that, following the disclosure of written exam scores, candidates’ own scores significantly decrease their probability of quitting the later interview, whereas the scores of their rivals for the same government position significantly increase their probability of quitting. This indicates that candidates compare their own scores to those of their rivals to assess their chances and strategically decide whether to quit midway. However, this impact is only significant for laggards, requiring further explanation in future studies.

红色文化与乡村振兴耦合的现实困境与法制完善

Red culture is an advanced culture with Chinese Marxism as its core. It is scientific, advanced and contemporary. Taking the Taihang spirit as an example, red culture has multiple values. Tapping the economic value empowers rural revitalization, and tapping the spiritual value can improve the political position of grassroots governance and strengthen the ideological correction role of the red cultural industry. On the basis of discovering the existing difficulties, it is pointed out that the Taihang spirit should give full play to the value of its red cultural resources, shape red cultural IP, and promote the exploration of red connotations. Technology empowerment enables the professionalization and intelligence of red culture research and development, dissemination and education. Finally, the red culture is strengthened to consolidate the function of grassroots party building, so as to realize the Taihang spirit and help the rural revitalization of old revolutionary areas.

Why do local governments privatize? Political representation and contagion in the privatization of welfare services in Sweden

AbstractPrevious research has highlighted that decentralization is key to understanding the marketization of the Swedish welfare state, while local political factors are important to explaining the subnational differences in actual degrees of welfare service privatization. Other research has highlighted the impact of pragmatism rather than ideology in local government's decisions to outsource welfare services, including policy diffusion through geographical proximity to highly privatized municipalities. However, little research has been done on the role or type of political representation and whether this matters to the diffusion of welfare service privatization. Thus, there is little knowledge about whether local governments are primarily responsive to public preferences, the ideological position of the local government, or influences from neighboring municipalities. Drawing on the literature on political representation and policy diffusion, I test three hypotheses: that the local governments are primarily responsive to public preferences (sanction representation), that local governments are primarily responsive to their own ideological position (gyroscopic representation), or that local governments are primarily influenced by outsourcing in neighboring municipalities (contagion). Using a time‐lagged correlational design with survey data covering both local politicians and ordinary municipal residents, as well as public accounts of municipal outsourcing, I find that public preferences play a negligible role to the privatization process. A minor part of the between‐municipal variation in welfare service privatization can be attributed to the preferences of local politicians (gyroscopic representation), while a more substantial part is due to pressures from outsourcing among municipal neighbors (contagion).

The African National Congress's factionalism and targeted killings as risks to human security in KwaZulu-Natal province.

In quest for curbing the crisis of factionalism in the ruling ANC, the article recommends that the ANC needs to re-visit its leadership selection as these killings have seemingly happened during leadership selection, which leads to ruthless competition of positions in government and party structures. Members of the ruling party need to identify themselves as one, as opposed to belonging to different factional groups within the party. Failure by the ruling party to address divisions within the organisation shall result in more fatal killings resulting from competition for positions and resources.

Career Paths of Doctoral Recipients in Engineering and Computer Science: Trends by Sex, Race, Citizenship, and Discipline with an Emphasis on Biomedical Engineering

We summarize national-scale data for Ph.D. earners in engineering or computer science from 2015 to 2019 whose post-graduate school employment is known, highlighting outcomes for biological/biomedical/biosystems engineering students. We use NSF’s Survey of Earned Doctorates (SED), which has collected information from Ph.D. recipients in the USA since 1957. The data are collected at the time of degree completion and constitute a greater than 90% response rate. Compared to all engineering and computer science disciplines, biological/biomedical/biosystems engineering has a higher proportion going to 4yr/med/research institutions (52% vs. 33%) and non-profit (3.6% vs. 2.9%) and lower proportion going to industry (33% vs. 48%), government (4.3% vs. 8.4%), and is similar for non-US positions (6.1% vs. 5.7%). Compared to 2010–2014 biological/biomedical/biosystems engineering Ph.D. recipients, more 2015–2019 recipients are going to industry (25% to 33%) and fewer to 4yr/med/research institutions (59% to 52%) and governmet (5.3% to 4.3%). Across all engineering and computer science disciplines, a smaller proportion of females entered industry (43%) compared to males (49%), while a larger proportion of females entered 4yr/med/research institutions (37%) compared to males (32%). Over half of Asian doctoral recipients entered industry, as compared to 38% of Hispanic doctoral recipients. In contrast, a higher proportion of Hispanic individuals (37%) entered 4yr/med/research institutions after their doctoral programs, as compared to 31% of Asian doctoral recipients. Black doctoral recipients had the highest proportion enter positions in government (14%) and non-profit (4%) sectors. Our results are situated in the broader literature focused on postdoctoral career, training, and employment sectors and trends in STEM. We discuss implications for graduate programs, policymakers, and researchers.

What Chinese Internet Users “Like” to Read: Selective Exposure in a Restricted Information Environment

Abstract We study the phenomenon of selective exposure in China's restricted online information environment. Through an experimental survey study, we measure to what extent features of online news, such as popularity (i.e. number of “likes”), influence information selection among Chinese internet users (“netizens”). We find evidence of preferences for news information according to news topic and the nationalist sentiments of individuals. Generally, for news about domestic affairs, Chinese netizens prefer articles that take the opposite position of the government; for foreign affairs, they prefer articles aligned with the government's position. However, nationalistic individuals are more likely to select domestic affairs articles congruent with the Chinese government's issue framing. We also find social endorsements to be highly influential on news selection behaviour. Popular posts with many “likes” attract Chinese netizens to the point where they select content they may not otherwise read, even though the internet environment is easily manipulated.

О пределах взаимодействия субъектов общественного контроля и органов судебной власти в Российской Федерации

This article is devoted to the analysis of the limits of interaction of subjects of public control with judicial authorities in the Russian Federation. The paper examines the main directions of the above-mentioned interaction. In particular, the dual position of judicial authorities in their relations with subjects of public control is noted: on the one hand, their activities, acts and decisions act as objects of public control; on the other hand, the latter have the right to apply to the court in defense of the rights of an indefinite circle of individuals, the rights and legitimate interests of some varieties of legal entities. The article formalizes and analyzes the main problems that hinder the definition of the limits of interaction of subjects of public control with judicial authorities in the Russian Federation, a system of measures for their resolution is developed and justified. The methods of scientific research are used in the work: formal-logical; comparative-legal; historical-legal; statistical; sociological. The purpose of the study is to substantiate the optimal limits of interaction of subjects of public control with judicial authorities in the Russian Federation, allowing to achieve the goals and objectives of this institution of civil society.