Government Research Articles

Direct and Digital Democracy in the Ideology and Politics of the Five Star Movement

The article analyses the role of direct and e-democracy in the ideology and political practice of the Italian populist party Five Star Movement (M5S). Founded as a party in 2009, Movement stood out among European populists with its pronounced leftgreen agenda aimed at solving local problems of an urban nature. However, an even more remarkable feature of the Five Stars has become an equally clearly noticeable technoutopianism mixed with direct democracy, which argues for the need to expand democratic participation for ordinary citizens through the tools of direct democracy and digital technologies. Based on the study of primary sources (party documents, Beppe Grillo's blog and the official party blog), as well as text media materials, an attempt is made to trace how during two periods of activity of Five Star Movement in 2013–2022 the attitude of the party leaders to the role of direct and electronic democracy in the political activity of Five Stars gradually changed. The article analyses changes in Five Star Movement’s organisational structure and tools of the e-democracy in the course of the development of the party and its institutionalisation into the Italian party-political system. The article concludes that with the process of Five Stars’ incorporation into the political regime, the party has pushed technoutopianism out of its agenda and practice, strengthening party centralisation. Thus, innovative practices in the digitalisation of the political process did not lead to a real expansion of democratic participation, but were subordinated to a party discipline.

Sanctions as a Coercive Leverage Within ECOWAS

Over the past few years, West Africa has become one of the most turbulent regions in the world and has shocked the world community with a series of military coups. However, escalating tensions between the “rebel states” and ECOWAS have received the most attention. ECOWAS has a wide range of means to exercise pressure on its member states. One of the most powerful is sanctions, but after the recent military coup in Niger, as a result of which the Community imposed unprecedentedly harsh sanctions against the state, the situation has changed radically. The authors list factors that determined the order and reasons for the particular political and economic sanctions before the coup in Niger, analyze the events after it. The paper dwells upon mechanisms of their economic and political impact on the economy of “rebel states” and the long-run efficiency in changing their foreign policy direction. The authors conclude that the economic sanctions have had a negative impact on the sustainability of the long-term development of Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, which forced them to adopt compromise transition plans. However, sanctions turn out to be inefficient in trying to change the political regime to the one desired by ECOWAS. The disintegration of the association as a result of the creation of the Alliance of Sahel States can be considered a result of the ECOWAS sanction policy.

Do religious values mitigate the effect of formal corporate governance rules on earnings management in Islamic countries? Evidence from Jordan

Purpose This study aims to assess the board of directors’ effectiveness in curbing earnings management (EM) in Jordan, a country where Islamic religious values strongly influence corporate practices. Design/methodology/approach Using a sample of 51 Amman Stock Exchange-listed firms from 2012 to 2022, generalised least squares regression is used to examine the association between board characteristics and EM. Findings Most board characteristics do not significantly affect EM. Interestingly, board activity is significantly and positively associated with EM, suggesting that the board’s monitoring function has been relegated to a secondary role. Research limitations/implications Formal corporate governance mechanisms may prove ineffective, as their effectiveness in limiting EM is undermined by informal rules. Practical implications Regulators should adapt corporate governance rules to the context in which they are embedded. Greater attention to religious dynamics could improve board oversight effectiveness. Originality/value This study provides a new perspective to analyse the relationship between corporate governance and EM. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first studies to explore this issue within the context of Islamic countries.

»Trst bi nam pomagal živeti saj je naše najbližjemesto. Mi bi njemu pomagali, prinašali mu hrano in krepili življenje«.Vsakdanje življenje ob jugoslovansko-italijanski meji po drugi svetovni vojni:primer severne Istre (s poudarkom na problemu prehajanja meje in pretoka ljuditer dobrin)

This paper examines the relations (especially economic and social) that were established after the end of the Second World War in a region divided by national borders. Defining the border in an area inhabited by a population that identified itself ethnically and linguistically differently, was extremely complex. Changing political circumstances or regimes have ulteriorly complicated the situation. The question was therefore not only the one of survival on a everyday level, but also of adapting to the new political circumstances. The paper, which primarily dealt with everyday survival strategies and experiences in the border area, showed one perspective or approach to studying the topic. The central question was how the borderline, which physically and ideologically divided the space, affected the local population along the Yugoslav-Italian border in Istria. The research focused on the population on the eastern side of the former border. In order to gain a broader and better understanding of the relations and interactions between the inhabitants of the border area, similar research should be carried out with the population on the western side of the then »new« border.

Regime Type and Data Manipulation: Evidence from the COVID-19 Pandemic

Context: This study examines whether autocratic governments are more likely than democratic governments to manipulate health data. The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique opportunity for examining this question because of its global impact. Methods: Three distinct indicators of COVID-19 data manipulation were constructed for nearly all sovereign states. Each indicator was then regressed on democracy and controls for unintended misreporting. A machine learning approach was then used to determine whether any of the specific features of democracy are more predictive of manipulation. Findings: Democracy was found to be negatively associated with all three measures of manipulation, even after running a battery of robustness checks. Absence of opposition party autonomy and free and fair elections were found to be the most important predictors of deliberate undercounting. Conclusions: The manipulation of data in autocracies denies citizens the opportunity to protect themselves against health risks, hinders the ability of international organizations and donors to identify effective policies, and makes it difficult for scholars to assess the impact of political institutions on population health. These findings suggest that health advocates and scholars should use alternative methods to estimate health outcomes in countries where opposition parties lack autonomy or must participate in uncompetitive elections.

Hybrid governance in selected African countries:

Governance is still a contested concept in both theory and practice. A proliferation of the concept has sprung up in literature. One comes across variations where reference is made to co-production, public governance, good governance, hybridity governance, hybrid governance, to name but a few. The aim of this paper is to provide a conceptual overview of the evolution of the concept governance in general and hybrid governance particulary focused on selected African countries. It is important to clarify what hybrid governance involves, and its implications for state capacity and service delivery. Furthermore, it is imperative to discern whether hybrid governance could be a useful conceptual tool for facilitating more organised systems of service delivery in parts of Africa and South Africa, or whether it is just “new developmental jargon”. The paper employed a qualitative research approach where secondary sources of information, constituting document analysis, premised around forms of hybrid governance in selected African countries were explored. The paper makes a conceptual contribution to the collaborative international governance discourse.

Place-based climate commissions: embracing messy governmentality

The role of the ‘place’ in delivering climate action is vital, however much action on climate change locally is fragmented. Independent place-based climate commissions are a novel structure of climate governance developing at the subnational level across cities, regions and counties in the UK. Little is known about these emerging forms of local climate governance and their experiences of navigating ‘mess’ in governance practices and processes. Building on Castán Broto’s framework of messy governmentalities, this paper seeks to assess the capacity of climate commissions to affect meaningful climate mitigation and adaptation action, to understand how they interact with existing climate governance structures and to consider their longer-term sustainability. This paper examines the nature and impact climate commissions have had on local climate action, drawing on qualitative interviews with chairs, commissioners, members of the secretariat and associated local authorities of the Edinburgh, Belfast, Leeds, Surrey, Yorkshire and Humber, and Lincoln commissions in the UK. Analysing the journeys of the commissions through a lens of messy governmentalities, and a focus on bodies, strategies and knowledges within them, we draw out insights on how climate commissions came about, their function and role, their impact and influence, and how they have evolved.

Militarized Governance and Counterrevolutionary Infrastructure in Egypt

Since seizing power in a 2013 military coup, the regime of President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has imposed a form of militarized governance in Egypt. The military controls much of the economy, while tightening domestic security to suppress dissent and prevent a recurrence of street protests. In an effort to stamp out lingering public support for (and emotional attachment to) the 2011 revolution, the state has pursued urban restructuring in Cairo, razing working-class districts and relocating their inhabitants—as it builds a new capital outside the city, at a safe remove from the population.

Climate-smart agriculture in India: Greenhouse gas mitigation strategies

This review paper examines Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) as a crucial approach to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from India's agriculture sector. It analyzes various CSA practices implemented in India, focusing on their effectiveness in reducing emissions while enhancing food security and farmer livelihoods. The paper explores crop management techniques like improved varieties, nutrient management, and water management, alongside soil management practices such as conservation agriculture and agroforestry. Additionally, it delves into livestock management strategies, including improved feeding practices and manure management. The review highlights the role of government policies and programs in promoting CSA adoption, such as the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture and the Parampara at Krishi Vikas Yojana. Challenges hindering wider CSA adoption, including financial constraints, lack of awareness, and data gaps, are discussed. The paper concludes by emphasizing the need to address these challenges and leverage opportunities like strengthening extension services, promoting farmer-to-farmer learning, and utilizing technology to unlock the full potential of CSA in India.

Analisis Komunikasi Kader Posyandu Dahlia dalam Menyampaikan Informasi Kesehatan Anak di Total Persada Kota Tangerang

Integrated Service Post (Posyandu) is part of a government program that is integrated between the community, government, and the private sector. Based on that, cadres have an important role in the success of a Posyandu, therefore researchers are interested in examining the credibility of communicators in this case the Dahlia Posyandu cadres in conveying information about children's health. This study uses a qualitative descriptive analysis method with the theory of source credibility. Data collection techniques with observation, interviews, documentation. The results of the study showed that the Dahlia Posyandu communicators have good skills, this can be seen from the knowledge possessed by the Dahlia Posyandu cadres regarding child health and the clarity of the information conveyed. Furthermore, the results of the study showed that the Dahlia Posyandu communicators are trustworthy, this can be seen from the information conveyed regarding child health to the community. Meanwhile, the Dahlia Posyandu cadres are quite attractive, this can be seen from the Dahlia Posyandu cadres being kind and being able to establish familiarity with the community who come to the Dahlia Posyandu.

Increasing the Effectiveness and Efficiency of Local MSME Consignment Cooperation with the Portal Vendor System

MSMEs have an important role in the Indonesian economy, but they face challenges in adapting to the digital era and establishing effective collaborations with retail companies. This study aims to develop and evaluate a vendor portal system that can overcome this challenge by increasing the effectiveness and efficiency of consignment cooperation between local MSMEs and retail companies. Using a qualitative descriptive method, this study analyzes the impact of the implementation of the vendor portal system on the consignment business process, including operational efficiency, transparency, and collaboration between the two parties. The results show that the vendor portal system has succeeded in improving operational efficiency, providing real-time transparency of sales and inventory data, and facilitating better communication between MSMEs and retail companies. In addition, this system also supports the government's program in encouraging MSMEs to "Go Digital" and "Upgrade Class".

Implementation of the Transpolitan Program on Labor Absorption in Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDES) in Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province

Transpolitan is a government program to revitalize transmigration areas with a new paradigm. One indicator of Transpolitan's success in the economic dimension is that it can optimize the role of BUMDes as a legal entity that can manage village assets, where the BUMDes workforce absorption rate is the clearest indicator for assessing BUMDes performance. Based on the results of research conducted quantitatively, it was concluded that the internal variables: transportation, population number of people, rural markets, credit facilities, retail trade, tourist attractions have a significant influence on the workforce of BUMDes. However, partially the Transpolitan variable does not have a significant effect on the absorption of BUMDes workforce in Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. Transpolitan does not have enough of an impact because it is felt that this program has not ben massively socialized to the community so it has not aroused people's interest in transmigrating to the Mutiara Area, Muna Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province.

The role of firm AI capabilities in generative AI-pair coding

ABSTRACT Generative Artificial Intelligence (genAI) is the latest evidence of the transformative value of AI in organisations. One promising avenue is in software engineering, where genAI can contribute to coding by pairing with developers. Based on a sample of global companies, two key findings emerge from an analysis of the productivity impact of genAI pair coding. Coding quality is negatively correlated with productivity throughput gains, while quality-adjusted productivity gains depend on the extent to which firms have deployed AI capabilities in the form of data, skills upgrading and AI governance. As observed with other digital technologies, the success of using genAI is closely linked to complementary technical skills and organisational resources.

Democracy and Climate Change for Realists: An Integrated Empirical and Normative Assessment

Abstract When scholars consider the relation between domestic political regimes and global climate change, they typically rely on assumptions about liberal democracy's core competencies with respect to environmental protection in general. As a result, an ostensibly normative debate pitting democracy against “eco-authoritarianism” depends for its resolution on causal theory and empirical analysis. I offer an integrated assessment of both empirical (causal) and normative (ethical) theories on democracy, autocracy, and climate change, concluding that democracy's superiority is less compellingly supported than regime-neutrality. Theoretically, the causal logic of environmentally protective democracy cannot readily be extended to climate change as a distinctive political problem. Empirically, my review of global statistical analyses of regime type and climate change reveals that the evidence is more consistent with regime-neutrality than democratic advantage. Regime-neutrality, in turn, revitalizes difficult normative arguments about trade-offs between democratic freedom and climatic stability. Something resembling the “win-win” situation of climate-fixing democracy may still be salvaged, theoretically. But political science's search for this outcome should take a realist turn: abandoning the liberal-authoritarian dichotomy in favor of a new one, pitting post-liberal forms of democracy against climate-fixing hybrid regimes.

Do the Reasons for Social Media Censorship Vary Across Political Regimes and Social Media Platforms?

We analyzed 360 incidents of social media censorship (SMC) across 76 countries from 2009 to 2023 to examine if regime types and social media (SM) platforms can predict the reasons for SMC. Our multinomial logistic regression analysis based on two hypotheses suggests that regime types significantly fully influence, while SM platforms partially influence censorship reasons. Even though the democratization process in a country tends to increase online liberty, there is a potential for increased control in democratic environments if SM platforms threaten user safety and privacy. We also suggest that security reasons, often cited by democracies, may have underlying political motivations. These insights could inform the development of more appropriate frameworks and strategies for SM regulation across diverse political contexts.

Estimation of the Proportion of Vulnerable Households and Its Determinants in Lampung Province in 2022

Aims: The purpose of this research to determine the profile of poverty vulnerability in Lampung Province and the factors that influence it. This is one of the efforts to achieve the ultimate goal of determining targeted policies as a preventive effort to prevent poverty from occurring in vulnerable households in Lampung Province in 2022. Study Design: Carrying out poverty grouping then carries out testing to determine poverty vulnerability. Place and Duration of Study: The data sources used in this study are secondary data in the form of raw data from the National Socio-Economic Survey (SUSENAS) KOR and Module for March 2022. In addition, this study also uses various other data sourced from the BPS Lampung Website and the Lampung Province Publication in Figures 2022. Methodology: The first step is to estimate poverty vulnerability using the Vulnerability as Expected Poverty (VEP) method. The study continued by analyzing the determinants of poverty vulnerability. The analysis of vulnerability determinants was carried out using the logit regression method. Results: Analysis of the level of vulnerability to poverty in the Lampung region shows that areas with high vulnerability, such as East Lampung, Tanggamus, and South Lampung, are influenced by various structural factors such as limited access to infrastructure and public services, minimal economic opportunities, and dependence on the agricultural sector. These factors are exacerbated by low levels of education and limited access to credit, which further worsen the economic conditions of the community. The number of household members, age of the head of household, education, gender, regional classification, access to credit, savings, employment status, and non-cash food assistance all contribute to the level of vulnerability; increasing the number of household members and the age of the head of household increase the likelihood of vulnerability, while higher education is also associated with increased risk. Male heads of households and urban areas are less likely to experience poverty vulnerability, while access to credit, savings, employment status, and non-cash food assistance can reduce the risk of poverty. Conclusion: The government needs to prioritize infrastructure development in vulnerable areas, such as East Lampung, Tanggamus, and South Lampung, to improve connectivity and public accessibility to basic services, in line with the Lampung Provincial Government's program to improve production efficiency and regional connectivity.

Populism and Accountability: Interdisciplinary Researches on Active Citizenship, edited by Antonio Maria Baggio, Maria-Gabriella Baldarelli, and Samuel O. Idowu. XVIII, 325 pp. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20032-8

This book comparatively analyzes various forms of populism in countries with democratic political systems and regimes. In various chapters, the authors draw attention to the common elements of populism that have already emerged: the desire for political representation, a charismatic leader, a nationalist idealization of the historical role of ‘the people’, criticism of the EU, the Council of Europe, the OSCE and international law. In this book, various authors point out that populist phenomena are used to destroy both the tools and the rules and culture of democracy. Most populist political parties gain widespread acceptance among young people because of their extreme views and statements, thereby calling for the abandonment of democratic principles, that is, the political order and the rule of law. In this book, the authors use an interdisciplinary approach to highlight the importance of political and social accountability and responsibility, examining the major challenges facing current and future corporate leaders. In its various chapters, the authors propose counter-populist approaches for effectively measuring political and socially responsible action and accountability. In this context, the authors offer tools to combat the causes of populism in both the political and social spheres, as well as in business.

Informal venture capital in emerging economies: a case of Pakistan

ABSTRACT Venture capital in emerging economies is part of the shadow economy and consequently under-explored. The paper attempts to disentangle the hidden operations of informal venture capital (IVCs) in emerging economies such as Pakistan. Moreover, the study examines the impact and consequences of the un-documented economy, the role of IVCs and networks that give rise to the shadow economic systems. Using 21 semi-structured interviews, (1) we developed a conceptual framework to study the presence of IVCs; (2) the analysis suggests that IVCs fill the finance gap where formal financial institutions and government funding schemes failed to meet the needs of high-growth entrepreneurs; (3) IVCs have a significant presence in case of Pakistan and serve a vital role in promoting economic well-being; (4) the findings suggest that government-sponsored schemes give rise to favouritism and malpractices in the distribution of funds give rise to “Hybrid” IVCs operation; (5) finally, our results suggest rationalisation of IVCs promote sustainability and agenda for entrepreneurial growth. The findings have implications for policymakers to develop venture capital markets and facilitate the transition of IVCs to formal capital markets.

Influence of Information and Communication Technology-Based Training on Livestock Production Efficiency in Bwari Area Council, Abuja

This study examines the influence of ICT-based training on livestock production efficiency among farmers in Bwari Area Council, with a focus on socio-economic characteristics, ICT knowledge post-training, productivity impact, effectiveness factors, and preferred ICT tools. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, 250 livestock farmers were selected. Primary survey were collected and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics to meet the research objectives. The socio-economic analysis reveals a farming population primarily composed of middle-aged individuals (mean age 41.7 years), with 72% male and 64% married. Education levels varied, with 38% having secondary education. Post-training evaluations indicated that 80% of farmers were proficient in SMS alerts for disease management, 72% confident in mobile applications, and 70% experienced productivity gains using ICT tools. ICT training was found to positively impact areas like increasing awareness of government programs and subsidies (3.4), scheduling vaccinations accurately (3.3), disease prevention (3.2), and record-keeping (3.1) and feeding practices (3.0), preparing and storing livestock feeds (2.9), etc. Logit regression analysis identified significant factors influencing ICT effectiveness, including educational level (p=0.010), cooperative membership (p = 0.012), household size (p=0.032), contact with extension agents (p=0.011), and access to credit (p = 0.002), while gender, marital status, and farm size were non-significant. Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance analysis ranked mobile applications, SMS alerts, and radio broadcasts as the most effective ICT tools, demonstrating high consensus. Partnerships with telecommunication companies and government initiatives is recommended to address connectivity barriers, ensuring that all farmers can fully utilize digital tools in their livestock management practices.

Influence of Information and Communication Technology-Based Training on Livestock Production Efficiency in Bwari Area Council, Abuja

This study examines the influence of ICT-based training on livestock production efficiency among farmers in Bwari Area Council, with a focus on socio-economic characteristics, ICT knowledge post-training, productivity impact, effectiveness factors, and preferred ICT tools. Using a multi-stage sampling approach, 250 livestock farmers were selected. Primary survey were collected and analyzed with descriptive and inferential statistics to meet the research objectives. The socio-economic analysis reveals a farming population primarily composed of middle-aged individuals (mean age 41.7 years), with 72% male and 64% married. Education levels varied, with 38% having secondary education. Post-training evaluations indicated that 80% of farmers were proficient in SMS alerts for disease management, 72% confident in mobile applications, and 70% experienced productivity gains using ICT tools. ICT training was found to positively impact areas like increasing awareness of government programs and subsidies (3.4), scheduling vaccinations accurately (3.3), disease prevention (3.2), and record-keeping (3.1) and feeding practices (3.0), preparing and storing livestock feeds (2.9), etc. Logit regression analysis identified significant factors influencing ICT effectiveness, including educational level (p=0.010), cooperative membership (p = 0.012), household size (p=0.032), contact with extension agents (p=0.011), and access to credit (p = 0.002), while gender, marital status, and farm size were non-significant. Kendall’s Coefficient of Concordance analysis ranked mobile applications, SMS alerts, and radio broadcasts as the most effective ICT tools, demonstrating high consensus. Partnerships with telecommunication companies and government initiatives is recommended to address connectivity barriers, ensuring that all farmers can fully utilize digital tools in their livestock management practices.