Governance Reform Research Articles

Digital Leadership in Realizing Bureaucratic Reform in the South Sulawesi Provincial Government

Bureaucratic reform efforts over the years have yet to yield optimal results, leaving government bureaucracy associated with pathologies such as corruption, collusion, nepotism (KKN), slow service performance, and an inability to meet public satisfaction. Digital leadership among heads of local government agencies is expected to contribute significantly to achieving bureaucratic reform. This study aims to analyze the role of digital leadership in facilitating bureaucratic reform in South Sulawesi Province and to formulate a digital leadership model for effective bureaucratic reform. The research employs digital leadership theory as outlined by Klein (2020), which encompasses business characteristics, attitudinal characteristics, and general characteristics, serving as the analytical framework to assess the state of digital leadership among local government leaders in South Sulawesi. The study adopts a qualitative descriptive method, with primary data collected through observations and interviews with key informants. Data analysis techniques include data reduction, data display, and drawing conclusions. The findings conclude that: 1) Not all local government leaders possess effective digital leadership skills, which results in suboptimal contributions to bureaucratic reform. This is evident through the evaluation of business characteristics, attitudinal characteristics, and general characteristics that have yet to support reform in institutional structuring, administrative processes, human resource management, and service delivery. 2) The researcher formulated the “S4P Digital Leadership Model,” developed from Klein’s (2020) digital leadership model, which is believed to contribute to more effective bureaucratic reform. The novelty of this model lies in the incorporation of local wisdom dimensions—Sipakatau, Sipakalebbi, Sipakinge, and Sirri na Pacce—as well as digital leadership prerequisites such as digital literacy, innovation, and collaboration. This comprehensive, contextually relevant, and responsive model can be implemented across different regions in Indonesia, utilizing local cultural values as guiding principles for governance and public service delivery.

Coordinate and Optimize Political Ideology, Curriculum Reform and Local Governance to Promote Sustainable Development

Local sustainable development is the main content and long-term goal of regional governance, but in the case of the unification of ideas, it is impossible to deeply develop the potential of sustainable development. Local governments should do a good job in ideological and political work and optimize resources in various ways. Therefore, this paper puts forward the following issues: 1) the relationship between the ideological and political curriculum reform and local governance in region A, 2) the synergy of various resources can promote the reform of the political ideology curriculum, and 3) the promotion and importance of synergy resources and political ideological reform to local governance. The results show that the ideological and political curriculum reform in region A can deepen local autonomy, and the optimization of collaborative resources can positively promote the political curriculum reform. However, the relationship between local governance and political thought courses is not a necessary condition. Synergistic resources and political and ideological reform can jointly promote local governance, and political and ideological reform is the main factor.

De-ethnicizing Ethiopian higher education leadership: the quest for merit-based governance

Background This study examines the growing trend of ethnicized leadership in Ethiopian higher education institutions and advocates for a shift toward merit-based governance to improve institutional integrity and performance. Since 1991, with the introduction of ethnic federalism, leadership appointments in Ethiopian universities have increasingly been based on ethnic identity rather than qualifications. This has led to governance challenges, weakened academic standards, and reduced institutional efficiency. The study highlights the need for governance reforms prioritizing meritocracy to enhance the quality and sustainability of Ethiopia’s ethnically diverse higher education system. Methods The study utilizes a qualitative research approach, combining both primary and secondary data. Primary data were collected through semi-structured interviews with university administrators, faculty, and governance experts, while secondary data were gathered from institutional reports, government policies, and academic literature. Institutional theory, principal-agent theory, and meritocratic theory frame the analysis, providing insights into how ethnic-based leadership appointments affect university governance and performance. Results The findings reveal that ethnicized leadership has eroded governance structures, lowered academic quality, and compromised institutional efficiency. Leadership appointments based on ethnicity rather than merit have led to poor decision-making, weakened accountability, and reduced transparency. In contrast, merit-based governance improves accountability, decision-making, and institutional performance. The study emphasizes that transitioning to a meritocratic leadership model is vital for restoring institutional integrity and academic excellence in Ethiopian universities. Conclusions Ethnic federalism, while initially designed to empower regions, has politicized federal institutions, including universities, reducing them to regional entities rather than national institutions. This system of ethnicized leadership has fostered a culture of favoritism, rampant corruption, and ineffective governance, ultimately weakening Ethiopia’s higher education system. Recommendations Governance reforms that prioritize merit-based appointments are urgently needed. Legal reforms, transparent leadership selection processes, depoliticization efforts, and capacity-building initiatives are recommended to foster a meritocratic culture and improve institutional performance in Ethiopian universities.

Does government digitalisation alleviate corporate environmental violation? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment in China

ABSTRACT Despite the importance of the government forces in environmental governance, it remains unclear whether government digitalisation, an important governmental transition triggered by the integration of digital technologies into regulatory process, can alleviate corporate environmental violations. Drawing on institutional theory, we propose that government digitalisation has a negative relationship with corporate environmental violation, while this negative relationship depends on the regulative, normative and cognitive factors that shape the institutional environments. We test these ideas by examining the response of publicly listed firms to the reform of digital government in China. Our findings contribute to the understanding of institutional theory on environmental governance by highlighting the positive role of government digitalisation and provide important practical implications.

Negotiating Urban Development in Africa: Transnational Communities of Embedded Support in Dar es Salaam

ABSTRACTThis article brings together recent debates in urban and development studies to illuminate the understudied politics and compromise involved in the rollout of globally funded urban development in Africa. The argument presented builds on a detailed analysis of the World Bank's urban development portfolio in Tanzania, with a specific focus on the Dar es Salaam Metro‐politan Development Project, to draw attention to the disjuncture between rising urban investments and persistently low levels of city‐level autonomy in urban Africa. Challenging views of cities as either active agents or mere subjects of urban development, the article focuses on the negotiation strategies that have been employed by donors and recipients alike to enable the continued disbursement of urban development funding. The pragmatic and non‐confrontational nature of these negotiation strategies is illustrated by highlighting the role of a transnational community of urban development professionals who contribute to embedding local support for policy reform from within. It is argued that while this community has been key to enabling the massive growth of the World Bank's urban lending portfolio in Tanzania, it has also contributed to undermining effective local government reform, thereby reshaping conventionally assumed pathways and understandings of urban agency and development.

The Eectricity Crisis and the Feasibility of Nuclear Energy in Egypt

The power outage crisis is increasing in Egypt, negatively affecting many other sectors such as industry, agriculture, and trade. In light of the lack of sufficient capacity to meet the growing needs of consumers, which has led to regular power shortages and power outages. While Egypt needs additional energy, the production of gas and oil needed to generate thermal energy decreased in 2014, and Egypt moved from an exporter of natural gas to a net importer. In addition to this, the volume of subsidies allocated to energy increased, the rise in global prices for oil and natural gas, and the need for huge investments to create Power generation plants, development of transportation networks, and distribution of electrical energy, which led to pressure on the general budget. A continuous and reliable supply of electricity is needed for Egypt's social and economic development. Accordingly, the government encouraged the development of new energy, invited the private sector to participate in energy generation, and a number of government reforms were made in order to enhance competition in the energy market, which required the need to study the possibility of providing it using nuclear energy. Its stations have a high load capacity, operate almost at full capacity all the time, are characterized by the stability of the electrical network and energy independence, and avoid the risks of fuel price shocks, and the costs of generating electricity from them decrease with increasing production. The importance of this research lies in highlighting the challenges facing the structure of the electricity sector in Egypt, and studying the advantages enjoyed by nuclear energy as the most important renewable energy sources in the world. Its importance also lies in comparing nuclear energy with other energy sources, and trying to benefit Egypt from obtaining this energy for use. In economic development projects, rationalizing tariffs and supporting their access to the poor. <i>This research is divided into</i>:<i>The first topic</i>: The electricity generation crisis in Egypt and a development vision for the contribution of nuclear energy to its solution, <i>The second topic</i>: trends in development planning for establishing nuclear plants in Egypt. The electricity generation crisis in Egypt and a development vision for the contribution of nuclear energy to its solution.

The Effectiveness of the Inclusion of Governance as a Part of the Binding Articles of Association

This study investigates the efficacy of introducing governance as binding articles in the Articles of Association (AOA) of family businesses in Saudi Arabia, given the legislative reforms provided by the new Saudi Companies Law of 2022. The research points out that advantages will be brought by such enhanced transparency, accountability, and professional management practices, bringing family businesses up to international standards. Despite challenges such as resistance from family members, implementation complexity, and balancing traditional values with modern governance, the reforms provide substantial advantages. The case study of Saudi stock market companies illustrates the positive impact of phased governance reforms. Recommendations for successful implementation include engaging family members, leveraging external advisors, developing clear governance articles, providing training, and continuous monitoring. In all, these reforms serve as a giant stride toward ensuring that there is a strong, transparent, and sustainable business environment. This guarantees the long-term success and competitiveness of family businesses in Saudi Arabia.

POST-CONFLICT RECONSTRUCTION AND INSTITUTION BUILDING IN CAMEROON

Cameroon has been embroiled in prolonged conflicts, including the Anglophone Crisis and the Boko Haram insurgency, both of which have deeply impacted the nation's socio-political fabric. The central problem is the breakdown of institutions, displacement of populations, and socio-economic instability, necessitating urgent post-conflict reconstruction. This study aims to explore the key challenges and barriers to reconstruction, assess the roles of national and international actors, and analyze strategies to build institutions for sustainable peace and stability. The research draws on hybrid peace and conflict transformation theories and adopts a qualitative research design, relying on secondary data sources. Through an in-depth analysis of official documents, scholarly articles, and reports from international organizations, this study provides a comparative examination of similar post-conflict settings, such as Rwanda and Sierra Leone. Data were systematically analyzed to identify key themes related to governance, security, and institutional reform. Findings reveal that political instability, lack of decentralization, and limited financial resources significantly hinder effective reconstruction efforts. Governance challenges, including corruption and centralization of power, impede institution-building, while socio- economic issues, such as ethnic and linguistic divisions, further complicate peacebuilding efforts. International actors and NGOs play a vital role but often lack coordination, limiting the effectiveness of their interventions. The study concludes that Cameroon’s post-conflict reconstruction requires comprehensive reforms. Decentralization, inclusive governance, and accountability must be prioritized. International efforts should align with local needs, emphasizing long-term development over short-term aid. Effective security sector reform, alongside strategies for institutional capacity-building, will be essential to fostering peace and preventing future conflict.

IMPACT OF POLITICAL APATHY ON THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS AND GOVERNANCE IN NIGERIA

This study investigates the multifaceted impact of political apathy on the democratic process and governance in Nigeria, with a focus on local government elections in Ogun State. Through a descriptive research design, data was collected from 230 male and female adults in Ogun State, employing stratified and simple random sampling methods. Statistical analysis, including means and correlation analysis, was utilized to examine factors contributing to political apathy, manifestations of apathy, and its consequences on governance. The findings revealed widespread agreement among respondents regarding factors contributing to political apathy, including corruption, ethnic and religious divisions, and socio-economic disparities. Moreover, low voter turnout, limited civic engagement, and elite capture of political institutions are identified as manifestations of political apathy, undermining democratic principles such as representation and accountability. The consequences of political apathy on governance are profound, exacerbating socio-economic inequalities and eroding democratic legitimacy and accountability. Recommendations are provided to address these challenges, including comprehensive governance reforms, promotion of civic engagement, and initiatives to address socio-economic inequalities. These findings underscore the urgent need for proactive measures to combat political apathy and revitalize democratic governance in Nigeria, emphasizing the importance of transparency, inclusivity, and accountability in political processes.

The Law of Natural Resources Management for Economic Prosperity: A Critical Analysis of Law No. 3 of 2020 on Mineral and Coal Mining

This research critically analyzes Law No. 3 of 2020 on Mineral and Coal Mining, focusing on its impact on natural resource management for economic welfare in Indonesia. Utilizing a normative legal research method, the study examines the law’s potential to strengthen the mining sector and increase its contribution to the national economy. While the law aims to boost investment and revenue, it faces significant challenges related to environmental sustainability, local community rights, and governance. The findings reveal that criticisms of Law No. 3/2020 underscore the need for a more balanced approach, ensuring that economic interests do not compromise environmental protection and social justice. To achieve sustainable, fair, and transparent mining sector management, governance reforms and stronger law enforcement are essential. This will ensure that Indonesia's natural resources are managed equitably for the benefit of all, not just a select few.

Sustainable development goals and environmental performance: Exploring the contribution of governance, energy, and growth

This study investigates the impact of renewable and non-renewable energy consumption, governance quality, and economic growth on environmental sustainability across frontier, emerging, and developed economies from 2001 to 2021. The Environmental Performance Index (EPI) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are environmental sustainability measures. The study addresses potential endogeneity issues through advanced econometric techniques and explores the differential impacts of energy sources, governance structures, and economic factors on environmental performance. The findings reveal significant variations in how these factors influence environmental sustainability across frontier, emerging, and developed economies. The results demonstrate a positive relationship between renewable energy consumption and governance quality with environmental sustainability, while non-renewable energy consumption exhibits a negative association. Economic growth emerges as a crucial factor influencing both environmental performance and the advancement of SDGs. This research contributes to the expanding literature on environmental sustainability by presenting a comprehensive analysis of its determinants across different economic contexts. The findings provide valuable insights for policymakers, underscoring the importance of tailored approaches to energy policy, governance reforms, and economic development strategies in the pursuit of environmental sustainability goals.

PwC Involved in Evergrande Financial Scandal: An Ethical Crisis for the Auditing Profession?

This article discusses PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PwC) involvement in the Evergrande financial scandal and its implications for the audit profession. The scandal exposed PwC's failure to detect and report significant financial discrepancies that led to the collapse of Evergrande, one of China's largest property developers with more than $300 billion in debt. The findings highlight weaknesses in the audit process as well as a lack of effective regulatory oversight. PwC, as one of the Big Four accounting firms, faced severe sanctions in the form of a $62 million fine and a six-month ban on operating in China. The article also explores how the scandal exacerbated the loss of public trust in the auditing profession, which is perceived as failing to maintain the integrity of financial reporting. This analysis offers important lessons about the need to strengthen ethical rules, auditor independence, and accountability in the audit process. In addition, the research recommends reforms in oversight and corporate governance to prevent similar crises in the future. This article is expected to contribute to efforts to improve audit quality and restore public confidence in the global financial system.

Sustainability of Local Public Finances from the Perspective of Territorial Disparities in the Rural Areas of Romania

The sustainability of local public finances is of general interest in the context of the socio-economic transformations of recent decades. In former communist countries such as Romania, where there has been no real reform of local government, this interest is heightened by the strong disparities between administrative units that have adapted to the new context and those that, for various reasons, have become dependent on government subsidies to be able to function. Using information derived from the budget execution for 2019–2023 at the level of the administrative units in rural areas, this study analyzes the structure of income and expenditure budgets. The territorial disparities are demonstrated by typological analyses showing strong regionalization, with a well-defined income or expenditure structure profile. In the same sense, multivariate analysis which uses a series of illustrative demographic and socio-economic profiles as explanatory variables shows significant correlations with the structure of local budgets. It is thus possible to distinguish certain regional patterns, depending on the level of development, geographical position, or quality of infrastructure. The study results demonstrate the need for genuine administrative reform to reduce the dependence of local budgets on subsidies and increase their self-sustainability, especially in rural areas.

Analysis of Regulatory Quality, Interagency Coordination, and Institutional Capacity on the Effectiveness of Public Services in Jakarta

This study examines the impact of regulatory quality, interagency coordination, and institutional capacity on the effectiveness of public services in Jakarta. Using a quantitative approach, data were collected from 100 respondents working in Jakarta’s public service sector. A Likert scale (1-5) questionnaire was employed to measure perceptions of the governance factors and service effectiveness, and the data were analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling-Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS 3). The results reveal that all three governance factors—regulatory quality, interagency coordination, and institutional capacity—significantly and positively affect public service effectiveness, with institutional capacity having the strongest influence. The findings highlight the importance of governance reforms aimed at improving regulatory frameworks, enhancing interagency collaboration, and strengthening institutional capacity to ensure efficient public service delivery in Jakarta. This research provides key insights for policymakers to optimize governance systems for better public sector performance.

Governance quality and sustainability: Uncovering the moderating role of commitment and assessment

Corporate governance reform in Indonesia after the Asian financial crisis and global scandals shows a lag in effectiveness, with the lowest governance rating of 33.6 in 2020. Despite regulatory improvements, weak leadership commitment and failure of governance implementation hinder improvements. In-depth evaluation and reform are needed for significant improvement. Governance quality and commitment are important for sustainability, but the study has limitations. This, raises violations in governance and sustainability, which requires further exploration of external variables and factors. This study integrates RBV to understand the effect of governance assessment and quality on corporate sustainability on the Indonesia Stock Exchange. This study assesses the effect of Commitment (M1) and Governance Quality (X) on Sustainability (Y) to show significant results. This study explanatory uses a survey with a Likert Scale to evaluate commitment, governance, and sustainability involving management with a higher education background, using a questionnaire distributed via email and WhatsApp. This study uses the SEM-PLS procedure with SmartPLS 3.2.9 to test the relationship between variables and construct validity, as well as model evaluation. This study shows that Commitment (M1) and Governance Quality (X) have a significant influence on Sustainability (Y), with T Statistics of 6.494 and 3.431, and p-values of 0.000 and 0.001. In contrast, Assessment (M2) has no significant influence, with T Statistics below 1.96 and p-value greater than 0.05. The blindfolding analysis model shows a Q² for Sustainability (Y) of 0.539, with R² of 0.756 and R² Adjusted of 0.744. Future research should explore additional factors or different methodologies to deepen understanding.

Governance and health system reform: a case study of new health regions in Ireland, 2018-2023

Abstract Background While the significance of good governance is recognised within health systems research, its role in health system reform is underexplored. This research focuses on the establishment of new decentralised regional health structures in Ireland in the period 2018-2023, examining how aspects of governance impacted the decentralisation reform process, from policy design through to implementation. Methods The research applied a qualitative, multi-method approach involving analysis of official documents relevant to the regional decentralisation process, and 12 semi-structured interviews with key informants from across the health sector. The research applies the TAPIC framework for health governance as its analytic framework and the data is analysed using thematic analysis. Results Deficiencies in accountability arrangements, poor transparency within the system and vis-à-vis external stakeholders, and a lack of clarity of roles and responsibilities for various process and key decisions related to the reform were identified as undermining progress at various stages of Ireland’s decentralisation reform process. An underlying distrust between key institutional actors was identified. These findings are grounded in complex social, cultural, and political and institutional developments in Ireland’s history. Also of note is the interwovenness of the five TAPIC domains and the importance of engaging with the complexity and relationality intrinsic to health system reform processes to achieve the aim(s) of the reform in question. Conclusions Large scale health system reform is a complex process and its governance presents distinct challenges and opportunities for stakeholders. To understand and address these, critical analysis of the historical context surrounding the policy reform and the institutional relationships at its core are needed. Key messages • Governance plays a crucial if overlooked role in health systems reform. Effective governance arrangements are central to the successful design and implementation of reform initiatives. • Ensuring a strong link between policy design and implementation processes is crucial to the success of health systems reform.

The Effects of Governance-Related Regulatory Reform: Ownership Structure and Earnings Management in Vietnamese Listed Firms

The purpose of this study is to examine how the influence of the internal corporate governance mechanism, namely ownership structure, on firms’ earnings management (EM) practices and insider choices between accrual-based and real EM changed after regulatory reform in Vietnam. The author considers the role of three ownership types, managerial, state and foreign, and assess how the relation between ownership structure and EM was affected by the Code of Corporate Governance reform. The study relies on a comprehensive sample of 4,408 firm-year observations of 596 firms listed on either the HOSE or HNX between 2008 and 2016. The study finds a significant effect of the reform on the relation between ownership structure and EM. Thus, the reform mitigated agency problems of managers and foreign investors in Vietnamese listed firms. The study contributes to the literature as it provides a more complete picture of the effects of managerial, state and foreign ownership on EM where the protection of minority investors is generally weak and legal enforcement is low in a developing economy.

X-raying Human Rights Violations by Government Agencies in Nigeria's Democratic System of Government

Respect for human rights is diminishing within Nigeria's democracy, with the political elite often acting with impunity and ignoring the rule of law. Gender discrimination and exclusion of marginalized citizens persist in politics. This study investigated human rights violations by government agencies in Nigeria, with the aim of enhancing understanding of the situation and proposing policy recommendations for promoting human rights. The study employed a descriptive survey research design, with 150 individuals randomly selected from government agencies in Lagos state. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, with the analysis focusing on patterns in conversations, text, and activities. The findings reveal the emotional and systemic impacts of government agencies' human rights violations, calling for sweeping reforms and enhanced accountability. Respondents also stress the complexity of accountability challenges and advocate for a collaborative approach. They offer valuable strategies, including government reforms, civil society involvement, education and awareness, learning from successful examples, and using media and digital platforms to promote human rights and accountability. The study concluded that the findings underscore the urgent need for comprehensive and collaborative efforts to address the multifaceted challenges of human rights violations in Nigeria. This requires the involvement of all stakeholders, including the government, civil society organizations, and the media. Sweeping reforms and enhanced accountability mechanisms are essential to ensure justice and the protection of human rights for all Nigerians. This study provides a valuable overview of human rights violations by government agencies in Nigeria's democratic system of government. The findings highlight the need for urgent action to address the root causes of these violations and to ensure accountability for perpetrators. The study's recommendations offer a roadmap for promoting human rights and strengthening democracy in Nigeria.

Impact of Indonesia's Forest Management Units on the reduction of forest loss and forest fires in Sulawesi

The establishment of Forest Management Units (Kesatuan Pengelolaan Hutan/ KPH) represents one of Indonesia's most significant forest governance reforms, covering the 120 million hectares of designated Forest Areas. Sharing features with the Landscape Approach, KPHs are expected to reduce deforestation and forest degradation through improved forest planning, oversight, open access avoidance, and fire prevention and response. This paper assesses the impact of KPHs on the reduction of forest loss, including forest loss due to fire, and the factors that influence this impact (e.g. KPH's primary objective, deforestation risk). We use remotely sensed data to estimate difference-in-differences models accounting for differences in baseline characteristics and multiple time periods. Our case study, Sulawesi Island, is primarily shaped by smallholder farmer land use, where KPHs can exert significant influence. We do not find evidence of an overall effect of KPHs on deforestation. However, we observe intriguing heterogeneous effects depending on the year, including significantly less deforestation in already-established KPHs during the El Niño years of 2015–16, and a notable impact on the reduction of forest loss due to fire in some early-established KPHs. These findings warrant further investigation.

The proposed WHO Pandemic Agreement: Ambitious progress or business as usual?

The World Health Organization (WHO)’s proposal for a Pandemic Agreement, released in April 2024, at first blush, seems laudable (WHO 2024a). The failure of governments to coordinate a response to COVID-19, as implored by the WHO and the United Nations (UN) at the beginning of the pandemic, underlines the urgent need for reform in the global governance of pandemics. This editorial considers: how has the Agreement progressed to date? And will it adequately prepare societies to tackle future pandemics?