Government Coordination Research Articles

Government Coordination In Implementing Stunting Weighing Operations In Kupang City

This study aims to determine Government Coordination in Implementing Stunting Weighing Operations in Kupang City. The type of research used is qualitative research. The research results show that the implementation of stunting operations in Kupang City involves cross-sectoral coordination. Availability of stunting toddler data as a result of carrying out operations as a basis for carrying out stunting interventions in Kupang City. Based on horizontal coordination, even though the leading sector is in the health office, coordination with equivalent institutions has been running optimally. However, vertical coordination is still a problem because the target for weighing (toddlers) at the community level involves community participation in load operations. Even though the level of attendance is relatively high, not all toddlers participate in these activities. Based on this, coordination between central, regional, and local government institutions needs further improvement. Apart from increasing coordination between governments, more effective community participation is also required. Inter-governmental coordination and community participation are the keys to success in dealing with the stunting problem in Kupang.

The mental health needs of healthcare workers: When evidence does not guide policy. A comparative assessment of selected European countries.

The healthcare workforce (HCWF) globally is facing high stress levels and deteriorating mental health due to workplace, labour market and policy deficiencies that further exacerbate the existing crisis. However, comprehensive and effective action is missing. We adopt a health system and governance perspective to address the mental health needs of healthcare workers (HCWs), considering the nature of interventions and the levels and actors involved in governance. The aim is to move the debate forward by identifying governance gaps hampering the implementation of health workforce policies and exploring strategies to effectively increase mental health support. A qualitative comparative methodology is applied based on a case study design utilising a multi-level intersectoral governance matrix. We conducted a rapid assessment of HCWF developments in the European context (Germany, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland and the United Kingdom), drawing on secondary sources and country experts. Awareness of mental health threats among HCWs increased, but policy discourse is driven by service delivery and labour market demands. The attention to HCWs' needs is stronger on the international level and weakest at national/regional levels. Although organisations and professions demonstrate varying degrees of activity, their efforts are scattered and lack sustainability. Similar challenges were identified across healthcare systems, including limited action, disconnected actors, missing coordination, and a lack of attention to governance gaps and system weaknesses. Adopting a health system approach is important but not sufficient. Successful mental health policy implementation needs multi-level governance and coherent coordination mechanisms.

Planeación para el ordenamiento territorial en un destino turístico: Puerto Vallarta-Bahía de Banderas

The planning of tourist destinations has gained greater interest in territorial ordering and sustainable development through the implementation of regulatory and strategic instruments that establish elements to follow and reinforce the possibilities of participatory planning, which are not exempt from difficulties. The present study focuses its attention on carrying out an evolutionary analysis of the planning and of the significant urban-tourist instruments in the destination of Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas, using the path dependence approach and with a review of the legal foundation in its three levels of government. The results reveal that there is a multiplicity of planning instruments with different criteria due to the lack of coordination of territorial governance and the discretionary application of regulations that have led to an expansive and diffuse territorial model that does not respond to any development plan or territorial ordering.

Ramy prawne koordynacji działalności samorządu lokalnego w Rumunii

This scientific paper aims to fill the gap in intergovernmental coordination in Romania by assessing the strengths and shortcomings of the corresponding legal framework. Methodologically, it employs the doctrinal legal research of institutions involved in the vertical and horizontal coordination of local government. In essence, local government coordination occurs both within and beyond a complex framework of institutional structures dedicated to cooperation. Local councils may engage in town twinning and join national or international local government associations, while county councils and prefects exist for the very purpose of local intergovernmental coordination: local councils are coordinated by county councils in the pursuit of county-level goals, whereas prefects head the deconcentrated public administration and may foster vertical coordination with the central government. However, coordination amongst local governments may also occur by setting up or joining intercommunity development associations or administrative consortia, especially if they are unable to secure EU funds on their own. The authors argue that the complex institutional framework of the Romanian legislation both fosters and hinders coordination.

Strategy of Organik Agriculture Development in West Sumatra

This study reviews the development of organic farming, especially in the paddy field sector, since the introduction of Organic Agriculture Certification (SPO) in 2010. The method used The research was conducted using a qualitative approach and using the Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) method, while the population used for the research is in the areas of Agam Regency and Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra as well as a sample of farmer groups/individual farmers in Agam Regency and Padang Pariaman Regency who have obtained SPO certification. The results of an analysis of organic farming in Agam Regency and Padang Pariaman Regency, West Sumatra, focus on paddy fields for several farmer groups that have been certified until 2023. This study details the growth of organic farming in West Sumatra and strategies to support sustainability in the region. Efforts such as SLAPO, PPO, and organic certification are supported by the Organic Task Force and LSO. The strategy analysis involved coordination between Provincial and Regency governments, strengthening farmer groups, active incentives, production subsidies, and wholesaler partnerships. The ISM method is used to identify priorities, including government coordination and improvement of field officers and farmers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Modeling saltwater intrusion risk in the presence of uncertainty

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

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

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

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

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

Resilience beyond insurance: coordination in crisis governance

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Formal local government coordination to mitigate climate change

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

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

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

Policy coordination and integration in local government: perspectives on barriers

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