Government Response Research Articles

Digital trust in China’s digital transformation process: methodology and results of an empirical research

The article is devoted to the topical issues of China's digital transformation and the role of digital trust in it. Digital transformation is a long — term comprehensive and rapid process, accompanied by rapid development of digital technologies, institutional changes and appropriate adaptation of people to new conditions. At the same time, it is emphasized that the drastic changes caused by digital transformation bring a lot of uncertainty and risks to society, which, without proper government response, can lead to social unrest and social unrest, and reduce confidence in this process. In the process of digital transformation, high trust between people can reduce suspicions, doubts and reduce social tension in society. In this regard, digital trust comes to the fore of sociological analysis — a new complex social phenomenon that combines sufficient confidence in the reliability of individuals, processes and technologies related to the security and benefits of the digital world. The author shows that the structure of digital trust is multifaceted and sets various objects for research: they can be technologies, processes, individuals, etc., therefore, those factors that affect these three components of the trust structure can be considered as factors affecting digital trust as a whole. However, the topic of digital trust has not been studied much, both from a theoretical and practical point of view, and its valid empirical studies are clearly insufficient. Indeed, some scientists have used factor analysis in their research to study the elements that affect digital trust. However, due to the lack of a well-developed theoretical framework, the mechanism of interaction between influencing factors and characteristics of digital trust cannot be reliably described. The article presents an original methodology for the sociological analysis of digital trust, based on the methodology of factor analysis. As a result of its testing, factors affecting the level of digital trust have been identified, which are of theoretical and practical importance.

Policy impact of the Imperial College COVID-19 Response Team: global perspective and United Kingdom case study.

Mathematical models and advanced analytics play an important role in policy decision making and mobilizing action. The Imperial College Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Response Team (ICCRT) provided continuous, timely and robust epidemiological analyses to inform the policy responses of governments and public health agencies around the world. This study aims to quantify the policy impact of ICCRT outputs, and understand which evidence was considered policy-relevant during the COVID-19 pandemic. We collated all outputs published by the ICCRT between 01-01-2020 and 24-02-2022 and conducted inductive thematic analysis. A systematic search of the Overton database identified policy document references, as an indicator of policy impact. We identified 620 outputs including preprints (16%), reports (29%), journal articles (37%) and news items (18%). More than half (56%) of all reports and preprints were subsequently peer-reviewed and published as a journal article after 202days on average. Reports and preprints were crucial during the COVID-19 pandemic to the timely distribution of important research findings. One-fifth of ICCRT outputs (21%) were available to or considered by United Kingdom government meetings. Policy documents from 41 countries in 26 different languages referenced 43% of ICCRT outputs, with a mean time between publication and reference in the policy document of 256days. We analysed a total of 1746 policy document references. Two-thirds (61%) of journal articles, 39% of preprints, 31% of reports and 16% of news items were referenced in one or more policy documents (these 217 outputs had a mean of 8 policy document references per output). The most frequent themes of the evidence produced by the ICCRT reflected the evidence-need for policy decision making, and evolved accordingly from the pre-vaccination phase [severity, healthcare demand and capacity, and non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs)] to the vaccination phase of the epidemic (variants and genomics). The work produced by the ICCRT affected global and domestic policy during the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus of evidence produced by the ICCRT corresponded with changing policy needs over time. The policy impact from ICCRT news items highlights the effectiveness of this unique communication strategy in addition to traditional research outputs, ensuring research informs policy decisions more effectively.

Understanding seismic hazard resilience in Montenegro: A qualitative analysis of community preparedness and response capabilities

Abstract Enhancing resilience against seismic hazards in earthquake-prone regions is essential for reducing the devastating impacts of disasters. Seismic resilience refers to a community’s ability to withstand and recover from earthquake impacts, while preparedness gaps are the areas where current measures are insufficient to effectively respond to or mitigate earthquake damage. This study focuses on Montenegro – a region with frequent seismic activity – aiming to assess resilience levels, identify critical gaps in preparedness, and evaluate the effectiveness of existing response strategies. Using qualitative methods, including semi-structured interviews, the research gathered insights from residents of Montenegro’s most vulnerable cities: Nikšić, Podgorica, Bar, Kotor, Cetinje, Budva, Herceg Novi, and Berane. Participants, chosen for their first-hand experience with significant earthquake impacts, provided valuable perspectives on various aspects of resilience, from local government response to individual preparedness. This research revealed significant disparities in resilience across communities: for instance, approximately 62.5% of the respondents highlighted inadequate education as a barrier to effective earthquake preparedness, and only 37.5% reported awareness of basic earthquake response procedures. Furthermore, while some communities, such as urban areas with accessible services, reported higher preparedness levels, rural areas showed deficiencies, with 50% of the respondents from these areas identifying a lack of organized drills and limited public awareness initiatives. These findings underscore the urgent need for community-specific preparedness programs and enhancements in both structural resilience and public education to bolster community readiness effectively. Also, findings highlight the need for customized preparedness programs tailored to specific community needs, alongside improvements in structural safety measures and educational outreach. The study underscores the importance of a comprehensive approach involving detailed risk assessments, community-focused preparedness training, and stronger public awareness initiatives. Furthermore, the study calls for enhanced local government capabilities to sustain proactive response measures, including rapid mobilization of emergency resources and regular disaster simulations, to build long-term resilience across communities.

Management of Inter-Religious Conflicts in Kwara State: Prospects and Challenges

Nigeria has experienced various inter-religious conflicts that have obvious effects on peace. In Kwara State, for example, inter-religious conflict has surfaced as a major feature of inter-group relations. This paper examines the management of inter-religious conflict in Kwara State. Nigeria with the use of descriptive analysis. Conflict theory was employed as the basis of the study. The Kwara State Government applied various strategies in the management of inter-religious conflict, among them attempts to provide good governance and equitable development, litigation, use of police actions to prevent or quell emergent violence, establishment of inter-faith dialogue committees and partnership with traditional and religious institutions such as the Ilorin Emirate Council. Other government response strategies include court processes and the deployment of security forces. These have attracted considerable attention. In view of the situation on ground, the study advocates for some measures towards effective management of inter-religious conflicts in the state. These include the establishment of a committee comprising all representatives of social groups within the state. The committee should provide a forum for discussing and resolving communal issues instead of resorting to violence. Besides, it is further recommended research be carried out for an in-depth understanding of the causes and solutions to inter-religious conflicts in the state, where experts in conflict resolution would be used to curtail possible outbreak of conflicts, while increased attention is devoted to the prevention of social conflicts, the peaceful resolution of existing conflicts should be intensified through constant dialogue.

“It's Not Our Responsibility, But We Need to Do Something”: Explaining Local Government Responses to the Homelessness and Housing Crises

“It's Not Our Responsibility, But We Need to Do Something”: Explaining Local Government Responses to the Homelessness and Housing Crises

Back in the U.S.S.R.: Russian Popular Music in the Times of Military Censorship

The article deals with the field of popular music in Russia in the aftermath of the Ukraine invasion on 24 February 2022. It focuses on the changing public perception and governmental response towards Soviet music stars as well as younger generation of musicians who have taken an anti-war stance. The article also analyses the efforts of state ideologists to create a patriotic music scene that can silence dissenting voices. The framework used juxtaposes contemporary tactics with Soviet-era practices. The author analyses the current official critical discourse on Russian popular music, exploring the work of modern music censorship, the primary mechanism governing the Russian popular music market since the full-scale invasion began.

The COVID-19 restrictions, child services and the well-being of children in South Africa

Covid-19 posed little danger to children. Nevertheless, the South African government imposed lockdown measures that impeded children’s education, play and food. Schools were closed, feeding schemes were halted and organised sports were banned. In this study of South African children’s experience during the 2020–22 pandemic, we use the capabilities approach, particularly Nussbaum’s ten capabilities, to assess how the lockdown measures affected their development. The one-dimensional nature of the government response was evident in its focus on physical health and safeguarding adults and the health system, at the expense of children’s well-being. Children were masked and their voices were not heard. Despite being far less at risk of illness or death than adults, children and young people were disproportionately affected by government regulations. Children from low-income environments were particularly severely affected.

The State Of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPS) In Nigeria And Implications To National Security: Northwest And North Central In Focus

The ongoing insurgency and banditry in northern Nigeria and the government's harsh attempts to put it down have resulted in a wave of refugees and internally displaced people. Increase in population density and the migration of displaced people into places that are thought to be relatively quiet are prominently causing significant security concerns. With particular reference to the city of Ilorin, this study investigates the role of internally displaced people and community concerns in connection to national security and their repercussions. The study showed that the state's failure to provide security and deal with residents' socioeconomic problems contributed to the instability that drove large population displacement. Losses of life, insecurity, population relocation, intolerance toward other ethnic and religious groups, the operation of the militant groups and most importantly economic disasters are the consequences of these unfavorable tendencies, as this article has discovered. The findings of this study shows that the government's response to the situation of internally displaced people in the nation has been patchy, with no long-term fix in sight. Additionally, the dilemma of internally displaced people severely impedes the region's growth. This paper consequently promotes the establishment of offices for these displaced people's representatives by including the affairs of internally displaced people at the local government level. As an option to dealing with the problem of internally displaced people in the nation, increasing funding for national security among residents would improve security in Ilorin metropolis.

A Systematic Review of Alternative Service Delivery in Africa for Taming Wicked Risks

This research considers the role that alternative service delivery can play in addressing wicked problems. The aim of this research is, firstly, to determine which evidence and knowledge are available on alternative service delivery arrangements relevant to African countries to inform decisions about addressing wicked problems on the continent. Second, this research determines suitable mechanisms for an alternative service delivery model for mitigating wicked risks in Africa. This research is based on a systematic literature review. This systematic literature review reveals that most work on alternative service delivery has been done in developed countries, with developing African countries being left behind in research on alternative service delivery. Furthermore, most of the alternative service delivery efforts have not focused on addressing wicked problems. A large number of articles on alternative service delivery models show that alternative delivery is not a preferred approach in Africa. This research recommends an alternative service delivery model that is based on digital governance, service delivery innovation and partnerships. Robust governance responses are needed to mitigate these wicked risks, and alternative service delivery presents robust features to mitigate these risks given that it is more flexible, agile, adaptable, and decentralized in nature than simply relying on traditional government responses. Lastly, risk-informed decision-making should be placed at the center of the reform agenda for a smart and sustainable society.

Critical learning development and the crisis of the university: a collective consideration

This participatory session concerned consideration of the ‘critical turn in LD’ (Syska and Buckley, 2023: 107), manifest through an emerging critical LD movement – as centring an academic literacies approach (Hilsdon, 2018; Asher, 2022, 2023a; Dhillon, 2023; Rooney, 2023) – as a response to ‘the crisis of the university’ (Bacevic, 2017). The focus is on the positionality of LD/LDers within the increasingly neoliberal university, and to this critical learning development movement. Time and space are provided for sharing experiences, worries and hopes for LD/HE and to collectively explore the contemporary realities/trajectory of LD/HE – and alternative futures. The central cause of the crisis of UK HE, exacerbated by government and senior management responses to COVID-19, is intensifying and accelerating processes of the ‘deep neoliberalisation’ of the public university – reflected in industrial action concerning ‘pay devaluation; pay inequality, based on gender and race; excessive workloads; and casualisation’ (Hall, 2020a). The session explores where LD/LDers are positioned within the HE crisis, before considering how critically oriented LD/LDers who believe HE should be a social and public good can best respond to the crisis, while connecting such to wider contemporary societal and global crises. Specifically: How might LD/LDers respond to different contexts of crisis in ways that encompass LD’s developmental/pedagogical ethos, emancipatory values and empowering academic literacies approach (Syska and Buckley, 2023; Webster, 2019)? How do we link with wider critical educational theories, practices, communities and struggles? What might be the role of critical Learning Development and academic literacies? The objective is critical reflection on contemporary LD/HE contexts – with take-aways, as thus grounded in actual lived experiences of the crisis, including: Developing understandings as to self, team and LD contemporary positionality. Considerations of possible actions and next steps, including the potential for an ALDinHE CoP focused on critical LD and academic literacies.

Políticas gubernamentales en pandemia y el Plan Nacional de Competitividad y Productividad

The study presents an analysis of government policies implemented during the pandemic in Peru and their impact on the National Plan for Competitiveness and Productivity (PNCP). Measures taken in areas such as health, economy, education, and security are examined, highlighting their comprehensiveness and the progress observed until June 2024. Despite challenges, significant compliance with PNCP objectives was achieved, reflecting the country's resilience. The study demonstrates the crucial influence of government policies on long-term competitiveness and productivity. Future research on the long-term economic and social impact of these policies is suggested, along with possible additional strategies to enhance governmental response to similar crises.

When Liberalism Fails: An Examination of U.S. Governmental Responses to Refugee Crisis

This paper examines the responses of the United States (U.S.) to the refugee crises of Syria and Venezuela respectively and compares how the immigration policies have hindered effective humanitarian settlement. While the paper takes into consideration the differences in political climates that have led to dissimilar responses among the two governments in the early stages, the study examines the consistent mismatch between the humanitarian claims and the restrictive policies enacted, highlighting their negative impact on both the population of displaced persons and the resolution of the crisis-at-large. The paper argues that the incoherency between claims and actual deeds as well as conflicts between levels of governance have rendered humanitarian responses ineffectual and even detrimental to the humanitarian conditions for the refugees. Furthermore, the paper critiques the preferential attitude held towards humanitarian aid and reveals how in both cases, such aid has crafted self-perpetuating cycles of marginalization, exploitation, and violence.

Navigating Borders: The Impact of Migrant Networks on Citizenship and Security in Sabah, Malaysia

This article explores the dynamics of migrant networks, citizenship, and security in Sabah, focusing on the experiences of Filipino and Indonesian migrant communities. Through a qualitative and ethnographic methodology, conducted over 12 months from January to December 2023, the study investigates how these networks support migrants in navigating complex legal frameworks and social challenges, while also shaping local perceptions and governmental policies. The findings reveal that despite their significant contributions to Sabah's economy and cultural diversity, migrants face substantial barriers to legal recognition and social acceptance. The interplay between migrant networks and citizenship rights highlights the need for more nuanced migration policies that promote integration rather than marginalization. As security concerns increasingly influence governmental responses, this article argues for a balanced approach that safeguards national interests while upholding human rights. The research underscores the importance of inclusive policies that facilitate pathways to legal residency, ensure access to basic services, and foster community engagement. Ultimately, the experiences of migrant communities in Sabah offer valuable lessons for other regions facing similar challenges in the context of globalization.

How agency resources matter to government reactive transparency: Evidence from freedom of information requests in China

Studies of reactive transparency argue that organizational resources are crucial for government responses to freedom of information requests but ignore the fact that governments may be reluctant to actively allocate resources because of the information control preference of the bureaucracy. Combining the resource-based view with the inherent preference for bureaucracy, this study examines the influence of organizational resources on multifaceted dimensions of reactive transparency by sending freedom of information requests to 949 provincial agencies in China. The analysis of multilevel logistic and ordinal logistic regressions of response results revealed that platform capacity significantly increased agency replies and compliance with requests, financial capacity significantly increased the likelihood of agencies providing additional information, and data availability is significantly associated with agency replies. Additionally, a significant relationship between agency orientation and compliance was confirmed. These findings enrich our understanding of the crucial role of various organizational resources in explaining the practice of developing reactive transparency.

Lockdown and Unrest: Inequality, Restrictions and Protests During COVID-19

This paper analyses how pre-pandemic levels of inequality across US counties have shaped the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the incidence of protests. The results from difference-in-differences and instrumental variable models using high-frequency weekly data show that more stringent measures to contain the pandemic increased the incidence of protests, but only in US counties with high levels of inequality before the start of the pandemic where grievances may have been initially stronger. The impact of government responses to COVID-19 on protests is largely explained by adverse changes in economic conditions in counties with the highest levels of pre-pandemic inequality. Policy stringency measures were also associated with more protests in the most unequal counties which voted for the Republican party in the 2016 elections and exhibited, at the start of the pandemic, lower levels of trust in the president and lower satisfaction with democracy.

The Great Lockdown and Economic Voting: Estimating the Impact of the COVID-19 Recession on the 2020 US Presidential Election

The 2020 US presidential election was won by Democrat challenger Joseph Biden over Republican incumbent Donald Trump and was contested during the global Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Unemployment increased sharply during the pandemic but was followed by a large federal relief package. We investigate whether there was economic voting in the 2020 election, that is, whether the increased unemployment rate and the subsequent government response during the pandemic affected Trump’s vote negatively or positively overall. We examine 48 states (by excluding Alaska, Hawaii, and DC). Using a triple-differences (DDD) model (that is, examining changes in a candidate’s county-level vote-share depending on the change in unemployment and historical Republican-Democrat partisanship), we predict what would have happened if the increase in unemployment rate in between March and October 2020 had been more modest. Although many states show significant negative expected impacts on the Trump vote, we predict that only when when the unemployment rates experience little change during the pandemic would overall results have swung in the incumbent’s favour – and only then in Arizona and Georgia.

Perpetrators as Victims? Inclusivity and Proximity in Post-Genocide Cambodia and Rwanda

ABSTRACT In post-genocide Cambodia and Rwanda, low-level perpetrators often identify as victims of the genocidal regimes alongside those they tortured and killed. However, state and societal responses to these claims appear to have varied dramatically. In Cambodia, the government and civil society organizations seem to view former Khmer Rouge cadres’ claims to victim status as socially acceptable and politically useful, while in Rwanda, the government and civil society organizations have firmly rejected perpetrators’ efforts to claim space as victims. What accounts for these different societal responses in Cambodia and Rwanda? At present, there is ample literature on how authoritarian government actors in both contexts have shaped their nation’s post-genocide transitional justice responses to prevent future bloodshed, while simultaneously reinforcing their regimes’ sometimes tenuous political legitimacy. However, this article offers complementary insights by exploring two otherwise under-researched factors that we argue further inform these polar-opposite reactions to perpetrators’ claims to victim status: (1). post-genocide governments’ offers of inclusivity in defining who is part of each nation’s ideal post-genocide ingroup; and (2). the social proximity of perpetrators and their victims during and after the genocides. Our focus on inclusivity and social proximity related to the Cambodian and Rwandan genocide advances scholarly understandings of the various factors that shape government and social responses to perpetration in the aftermath of genocide internationally.

Coordinating public and government responses to air pollution exposure: A multi-source data fusion approach

Aligning public demand with government supply of clean air aids in efficient air pollution control and enhancement of public happiness. However, comparative empirical analyses of public and government attention to air quality changes are still sparse due to data and methodological constraints. Here, we adopt multi-source data fusion approaches to assess the impacts of air pollution exposure on public and government attention. Specifically, remote and social sensing data, alongside keywords extracted from textual data, are utilized to quantify air pollution exposure and corresponding public and government attention levels in 273 Chinese cities from 2011 to 2019, and a two-stage least squares regression model is employed to tackle reverse causality issues underlying the exposure-response relationship. Our findings reveal that, on average, a unit increase in PM2.5 levels would result in a 17.7% growth in public attention and a 12.7% rise in government attention, respectively, suggesting that demand-driven public attention tends to be more sensitive to air quality changes than policy-driven government attention. Results for the spatial-temporal heterogeneity further demonstrate that public attention varies across time and space, whereas government attention remains relatively consistent. Additionally, we have identified 116 cities exhibiting disparities between the public and government responses to air quality changes, calling for environmental policy refinements to better serve the needs of residents. This study emphasizes the necessity of public engagement in environmental governance and offers rich policy implications for air pollution control in China.

Supporting young people through the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond: a multi-site qualitative longitudinal study

BackgroundThroughout the COVID-19 pandemic, youth have experienced substantial stress due to abrupt changes in education, finances, and social life, compounding pre-existing stressors. With youth (ages 15–26) often at critical points in development, they are vulnerable to long-term mental health challenges brought on by pandemic trauma.MethodsTo identify youth experiences throughout the pandemic and examine changes over time, we conducted semi-structured interviews among n = 141 youth in two Canadian provinces (Ontario and British Columbia) and across the country of Ireland at three time points over the course of more than one year (August 2020-October 2021). We conducted a qualitative longitudinal analysis using an inductive content approach.ResultsCategories identified were (1) coping with hardship; (2) opportunities for growth; (3) adapting to new ways of accessing services; (4) mixed views on the pandemic: attitudes, behaviour, and perception of policy response; (5) navigating COVID-19 information; (6) transitioning to life after the pandemic; and (7) youth-led recommendations for government and service response. The findings also reveal trends in health and wellness in accordance with prolonged periods of lockdown, changes in weather, and return to normalcy after the availability of COVID-19 vaccines. Key recommendations from youth include incorporating youth voice into decision making, communicating public health information effectively to youth, enhancing service delivery post-pandemic, and planning for future pandemics.ConclusionsThese results provide insights into the extensive longitudinal impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on young people across three geographical locations. Actively involving youth in decision making roles for future pandemics or public health emergencies is critical.

Study on the Type of the type of wealth and tax

The Japanese economy is facing a new phase from a long-term recession over the past 30 years to an annual economic growth of around 2%. With the recovery of the Japanese economy, not only foreigners but also Japanese capital are returning to Japan. Already, the Japanese Composite Stock Price Index has exceeded 39000 points before the bubble burst. Changes in the yen exchange rate are also inducing the inflow of foreign capital into Japan. In this economic trend, investors are paying attention to the Japanese capital market, and in particular, the wealthy in Japan are focusing on the Japanese domestic market to increase their assets. In particular, the Japanese financial market is attracting attention as a relatively safe asset due to the unstable environment at home and abroad. According to this trend, asset management of the wealthy in Japan is also carried out in various ways. Sometimes there are considerable losses due to asset management failures. That is why it has emerged recently to use various tax savings. Companies and individuals show the same behavior, but on the contrary, the government sometimes strengthens monitoring in various ways to prevent a decrease in tax revenue. This phenomenon has recently become common in Japan. This paper will help the wealthy in Japan understand their asset management and the Japanese government's response by examining the types of asset management and measures to manage assets through tax savings. It is also expected that problems with asset management and implications for government policies will be used as reference for various countries. Therefore, this paper will focus on the asset management and tax savings of the wealthy in Japan.