Government Work Research Articles

The Role of TVET Colleges in Addressing the Needs of NEET Youth in a South African Province

ABSTRACT This study is justified by the ever-rising poverty, unemployment, and inequality that South African youth experience, particularly not in education or employment and training (NEET) youth. It explored and evaluated the functions of Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the National Development Plan (NDP) with a focus on the requirements of NEET youth in a province of South Africa using theories of human capital and empowerment. The methods and mitigating measures that TVET are implementing to address the needs of NEET youths were captured using a phenomenological and explorative research technique to achieve this purpose. Convenience and purposive sampling were used to choose participants for the semi-structured interviews with TVET managers (N = 2) and focus groups for educators (N = 20). Following thematic data analysis, these four themes were identified: (i) Unlocking Youth Potential through TVET, (ii) Relationship between TVET curriculum and economic development, (iii) TVET’s Contribution to National Development and Youth Empowerment, (iv) Constraints faced by the youth in implementing the national development plan. The themes illustrated the government’s obligation to eradicate youth inactivity by providing them with a variety of skills through TVET frameworks. Young people are therefore advised to actively participate in TVET initiatives designed to end poverty and youth unemployment. Additionally, it is recommended that the South African government, TVET colleges, and industry work together to ensure that national development programs, particularly those that focus on the economic empowerment and development of youths, may be accomplished to attain the NDP 2030 target on schedule.

Living the popular solidarity economy as an entrepreneurial bureaucrat: Creating and reinforcing ethical frameworks through middle‐class consumption

AbstractThis article examines how middle‐class bureaucrats in Ecuador create and reinforce particular ethical frameworks through their work, their consumption, and their “side hustles.” Having been tasked with growing and strengthening an alternative economy to capitalism, these government functionaries find it important to engage in productive and consumptive practices to help them experience the correct feelings to be able to promote the Popular Solidarity Economy and avoid being disenchanted bureaucrats. Due to the precarious context in which they work, however, these practices are generally reflective of and idealize entrepreneurial logics. I contribute to an expanding literature on the importance of affect to bureaucrats as well as putting that literature in conversation with authors writing about entrepreneurial self‐making. In doing so, I demonstrate how entrepreneurial logics spread into alternative economy space by responding to the very real material and affective needs of government workers in circumstances of precarious employment.

واقع ممارسة العلاقات العامة في الجهات الحكومية في المنطقة الشرقية في المملكة العربية السعودية

This research deals with a comprehensive view of the reality of practicing public relations in government agencies in the Eastern Province, by addressing the concepts of public relations and its role in shaping the image of the agency, as a human communication activity, and in light of the radical transformations witnessed by the world and the field of communication due to rapid technological developments and changing public behavior, with the emergence of social media and the increase in public interaction, public relations have become more interactive and transparent. Also, the increasing competition between institutions imposes on public relations practitioners to devise new and innovative strategies to reach the target audience. In light of the fact that public relations is a fundamental pillar in the work of any system, this research deals with part of the reality of public relations in government organizations in the Eastern Province, considering the public relations function an important pillar in building perceptions and relationships with the public. In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, after the launch of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, communication activities have re-emerged in the government work arena, and witnessed a transformation in work methods and mechanisms. These activities focused on reflecting the true image of the achievements of the entities working in the field, and for these activities to stem from a deep understanding of the public and its aspirations, with a focus on new media, as they are the closest to the target group.

Research on Strategies in Translating Metaphors in the 2024 Chinese Government Work Report

Metaphors are widely used in political discourse, which arouses great attention in academic study. The report on the government work, as a paradigm in political discourse, shows a distinctive feature of the times and text by using metaphors to construct a thinking framework for political reality. This paper aims to explore the application and translation strategies of metaphors in the English translation of the report of Chinese government work in 2024. By contrastingly analyzing the Chinese text and its English version, this paper reveals the corresponding translation methods of metaphors in political discourse to enhance the communication effect. In the translation process of metaphor, the translator not only experiences a profound shift from one cultural background to another but also finishes a complex cognitive journey. Literal translation can keep the original cultural elements but may cause confusion or misunderstanding while free translation can convey the meaning briefly and clearly but may lack the original cultural element, weakening the emotional strength of the original metaphors. Therefore, flexible translation methods should be adopted to deal with different metaphors to keep a balance between cultural differences and meaning conveying.

Traditional family fertility values and performance evaluation of grassroots governments: evidence from the China Family Panel Studies

Throughout the historical process of institutional change, traditional family fertility values (TFFV) have largely persisted and been preserved as an informal institution, maintaining a substantial influence in present times. Building upon reflections on the theory of endogenous institutional change aimed at reducing transaction costs, there’s significant merit in harnessing TFFV to enhance governance efficiency. Drawing on the CFPS data from 2010 to 2018, this study examines the impact of TFFV on the performance evaluation of grassroots governments. Results indicate that TFFV have a more pronounced influence in rural areas compared to urban regions, and significantly affects the evaluation of grassroots government performance. This influence remains uninfluenced by internet and exhibits an inverted U-shaped pattern. Additionally, its influence on the evaluation of government work performance becomes even more noteworthy when TFFV are more emphasized. The reasons for these observations lie in the endogenous characteristics of TFFV, closely tied with traditional political values and affected by clan culture. Given that the endogenous trajectory is difficult to alter and cannot be overlooked, it’s imperative to factor in TFFV when governing rural grassroots. Governance strategies should be tailored depending on the varying influence of traditional values in different regions to optimize governance efficiency.

Availability, price, and affordability of diabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction medicines in South Wollo zone, Northeast Ethiopia

BackgroundDiabetes mellitus and thyroid dysfunction are prevalent endocrine disorders that impose enormous burdens on patients and countries. However, access to essential medicines remains inadequate in many low-income countries. This study evaluated medications’ availability, price, and affordability for these conditions.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at health facilities in the South Wollo zone in 2022. Following World Health Organization (WHO)/Health Action International (HAI) guidelines, 34 medicines were evaluated across 60 medicine outlets. Data were collected using a standardized tool adapted from WHO/HAI. Availability was measured by the percentage of facilities where the medicines were in stock. Prices were reported as median prices and median price ratios (MPR). Affordability was assessed based on the number of days’ wages required for the lowest-paid government workers to cover the full course of therapy.ResultsThe availability of lowest-priced generic (LPG) diabetes and thyroid dysfunction medicines in the public sector was 24.4% and 28.7%, respectively. In private pharmacies, availability was 26.3% for diabetes and 21% for thyroid dysfunction medicines. Median prices for LPG medicines were higher in private pharmacies than in public health facilities, with 81.81% showing a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05). In private pharmacies, the prices of LPG diabetes (5, 71.43%) and thyroid dysfunction medicines (5, 83.33%) exceeded the reference price. None of the LPG diabetes and thyroid dysfunction medicines were affordable in either setting.ConclusionsThe study revealed a very low availability of medicines and a financial burden on patients. Therefore, the government should improve the availability of these essential medicines and regulate their prices.

Government environmental attention and enterprise greenwashing behavior: evidence from China

PurposeThis study investigates whether Chinese local governments’ environmental attention can mitigate corporate “greenwashing”, focusing on the extent of environmental content in annual government work reports as indicative of government environmental attention. This study aims to determine whether enterprises respond to changes in local governmental attention by improving the quality of their environmental information disclosures.Design/methodology/approachData from China’s A-share listed companies spanning 2013–2021 were sourced from the CSMAR database and company annual reports. Environmental attention data were manually gathered from local government work reports published on official local government websites by using text analysis methods. These datasets were analyzed empirically to assess the impact of local governments’ environmental attention on corporate greenwashing behavior.FindingsResults show that increased governmental environmental attention significantly reduces corporate greenwashing behavior by alleviating corporate financing constraints, enhancing independent engagement in environmental initiatives and bolstering stakeholder oversight. Moreover, heterogeneity analysis indicates that the influence of government environmental concerns is pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises, firms with subpar audit quality and those exhibiting myopic management tendencies.Originality/valueThis study enriches the existing literature on the government–business nexus. It also introduces methodological innovations by employing a lexical analysis of environmental themes in local government work reports instead of using typical event study approaches. Furthermore, it uses a mediating effect model to identify the mechanisms through which government environmental attention influences corporate greenwashing, namely, government subsidies, corporate environmental initiatives and external stakeholder oversight.

Matching Is Best: Enhancing Effects of Future Orientation and Construal Level on Green Consumption.

The 2024 Report on the Work of the Chinese Government promotes trade in consumer goods and green consumption. Therefore, better understanding is needed of consumer attitudes and behaviors toward environmental protection and sustainable development. The relationships among future orientation, construal level, and green consumption were explored using a delayed-effect design to conduct two surveys at one-month intervals with 160 participants (100 women and 60 men). The results showed that (1) future orientation positively predicted green consumption intention and green consumption behavior, and (2) the construal level significantly moderated the influence of future orientation on green consumption. Specifically, a high construal level and high future orientation predicted the greatest green consumption intention, green consumption behavior, and green consumption decisions, while at a high construal level, future orientation positively predicted green consumption intention and behavior, with a greater tendency to purchase environmentally friendly rather than hedonic products. At a low construal level, future orientation had no significant effect on green consumption intention, behavior, and intention to purchase environmentally friendly products. This study is important for promoting public awareness of the importance of green consumption and encouraging green consumption behaviors to achieve the goals of sustainable development and protect the environment and social well-being.

Strategy for the development of Dermaji Village Tourism

This research aims to identify the tourism potential and formulate competitive rural tourism development strategies in Dermaji Village, Lumbir District, Banyumas Regency, Central Java. The study employs a qualitative descriptive approach using an exploratory case study. Primary data were obtained through in-depth field observations and interviews with key informants, while secondary data were sourced from literature reviews and documentation. The research utilized the analysis of 11 tourism components, modified from various experts, CHSE analysis, government work programs, market preferences, and SWOT analysis, including SWOT Matrix. The findings reveal significant potential and 15 main strategies for developing Dermaji Village into a competitive rural tourism destination. The village has already undertaken initiatives such as collaborating with Perum Perhutani and local community efforts to create unique rural tourism destinations. Active and adaptive strategies are required to develop Dermaji Village into a competitive rural tourism destination with unique offerings in Banyumas Regency, considering both micro and macro perspectives.

Unpacking Public Satisfaction: An Analysis of the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Voters’ perception of how satisfied they are with the work of the incumbent government is decisive for their voting decision, with satisfaction in most cases leading to support for the incumbent government and dissatisfaction leading to votes against it. This article is not about exploring the relationship between satisfaction with the incumbent party’s performance and voting for it. The main objective is to identify the factors that contribute to voter satisfaction. What aspects of the incumbent government’s performance or policy influence their positive assessment? Considering the election campaigns and prominent issues leading up to the elections and drawing insights from existing literature, this analysis examines the potential determinants of voter satisfaction. It aims to identify how these factors explain voter satisfaction or dissatisfaction. The findings reveal that voter satisfaction with the incumbent government during the 2024 Lok Sabha election was mainly influenced by recent and visible accomplishments rather than long-term factors. The construction of the Ram Mandir and positive evaluations of the government’s performance on economic issues played a significant role in increasing satisfaction.

How does government feel? Toward a theory of institutional pathos in public administration

AbstractIn the study of policy and administration, emotions are largely conceived as an exogenous factor that impacts on institutions and processes. Still ignored are the emotions felt and performed not just individually by civil servants, but collectively within government organizations. This article turns to insights on emotions from organizational studies to offer a conceptual framework through which to understand the lifeworld of government, or “institutional pathos.” It then applies this framework to an extreme case: Whitehall's response to the Brexit vote. Drawing on rich interview material from the Brexit Witness Archive, this article illustrates how the experience of individual and collective emotions deeply colored the work of British Government in delivering Brexit. The article concludes with a research agenda for public administration that foregrounds emotions.

Measurement of government performance in literature review

Government performance means the results of government work. Its use is to evaluate government accountability, decision-making, efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, and achievement of goals. Purpose: This paper aims to explore the understanding of performance measurement tools commonly used in government, the reasons for using them, and the implementation of performance measurement in Indonesia. Method: This study uses a meta-synthesis method, an integrative review approach from 2000–2021, in the Scopus database using the keywords measurement system, performance measurement, performance measurement government, measurement system government. Results and Discussion: The final sample consisted of 23 studies, and the results showed that the most commonly used performance measurement was the balanced scorecard. This is because the balanced scorecard is able to explain the vision, mission, strategy, results, and operational actions, so that it can achieve local government goals. Research implications: Insight into government performance measurement can be used to determine the strengths and weaknesses of various performance measurement tools so that the government can implement performance measurement tools that are more appropriate for its government. Originality/Value: This study offers an adaptation of existing methods to measure government performance more effectively. In addition, this study focuses on the context of developing countries, which can provide new contributions to the literature.

Does collaborative governance work? Looking at Ghana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Does collaborative governance work? Looking at Ghana’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic

Vegetation community recovery on restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana, USA.

Vegetation communities in restored bottomland hardwood forests in northeast Indiana were studied 6-21 years after restoration to assess progress toward restoration objectives. The study focused on four sites that were restored to compensate for resource injuries after contaminant releases. The restored sites were compared with four reference-site conditions, including crops (prerestoration condition), old field communities representing a no-management alternative, locally sampled second-growth mature forests, and forest community types described by the US National Vegetation Classification (USNVC), which represent ideal or defining conditions of recognized vegetation communities. Fixed-area plots provided data on field-sampled environmental variables, vegetation, soil, and hydrological conditions for crops, old fields, restored areas, and mature forests. The USNVC database provided quantitative data for three historically and geographically relevant reference forest community types for comparison with the sampled communities. Results of nonmetric multidimensional scaling based on species cover revealed clear gradients relating to site age and canopy development. Along those gradients, restored areas demonstrated increasing similarity to mature forest reference communities in terms of floristic composition. Specifically, the floristic quality of restored areas was significantly greater than that of crops and old fields. Furthermore, soil health measurements of physical, chemical, and hydrological conditions indicated significant improvements in restored site soils compared with prerestoration conditions represented by cropland soils. Descriptions and data from the USNVC provided ecological context for restoration target conditions and facilitated the assessment of restoration recovery along a trajectory from starting conditions to those target conditions. Descriptions by USNVC also helped identify deviations from the intended restoration objectives (e.g., invasive species recruitment) and potential adaptive management actions to return sites to their intended trajectories. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1917-1938. Published 2024. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).

Understanding friction points in making national active sustainable travel policy work in coastal rural local government: an in-depth qualitative policy analysis

BackgroundActive travel is a key public health focus in local authorities, and increasingly part of their ‘low carbon’ transport planning. However, much focus is on cities, while promoting walking, cycling and wheeling in rural communities is acknowledged to be a major challenge. In our policy situation analysis, we asked how local government ambitions and challenges to create sustainable and healthy transport systems in rural communities have been shaped by national agendas and local concerns. MethodsIn our in-depth qualitative policy analysis, we analysed key national (n=6) and local (n=15) policy documents, and interviewed 11 civil servants, councillors and civil society representatives in the South-West and North-East of England who developed or used these documents. Participants and documents were identified through purposive sampling. We analysed documents using the READ (Ready, Extract, Analyse, Distil) approach, and inductively and thematically analysed interview transcripts using NVivo. FindingsWe identified scarcity, volatility, and contestation as three friction points between national and local policy production and implementation. Scarcity of policies concerning rural areas in national policy and guidance documents, combined with funding mechanisms that are based on urban infrastructure, led to rural areas ‘losing out’. Volatility in national and local political agendas created vacuums of policy support concerning the roll out of schemes (eg, ‘20 is plenty’). Local contestation, alongside hostile responses to schemes via local and national media, delayed policy implementation. Opportunities were also identified, including local schemes setting national standards (eg, the integrated Transport for Cornwall). InterpretationOur analysis demonstrates the challenges that rural areas experience in the creation and implementation of active and sustainable policies. Despite this, amongst decision-makers there is a real desire for further innovation (eg, digital solutions), evidence to understand what works, and equity. In our upcoming work, we will be mapping the policy system to understand leverage points for future action. FundingThis study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) School for Public Health Research (grant reference number NIHR 204000). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Valuing mortality risk reductions in the time of COVID-19: A stated-preference analysis

Lack of high-quality value per statistical life (VSL) studies in low- and middle-income countries have been recognized by scholars and analysts in the benefit-cost analysis field for decades. However, progress has been slow in addressing it. We estimated VSL in China using a stated-preference survey in the context of reducing mortality risks associated with COVID-19. The survey was administered in seven cities across China in 2022 with a purposive sampling approach, and consistency checks at different levels of stringency regarding willingness to pay (WTP) for mortality risk reductions of different magnitudes were used to screen respondents. The estimated VSL ranges from 8.0 million to 10.3 million Chinese Yuan, which is higher than previous estimates. Also previous studies found much higher VSL estimates from a subsample obtained with more stringent consistency check requiring that WTP be approximately proportional to the magnitude of mortality risk reduction, we did not find such a difference with our dataset. In addition, based on our anlaysis, respondents in first-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou had higher VSL than those in second-tier cities such as Changchun, Chengdu, Wuhan and Xi’an; the VSL-age relationship showed a U-shaped pattern; and the collective experience of city lockdown had a negative impact on VSL. Other factors which was found to influence VSL include education, sector of work, health status, risk perception, behaviors (physical exercises, wearing face masks, getting vaccinated), knowledge, political identity, and trust in government. JEL Classification codesI12, I18

A survey of availability and affordability of polypills for primary and secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases in selected countries

Abstract Background/Introduction The recent inclusion of polypills—fixed-dose combinations of two or more antihypertensive drugs and statin with or without aspirin—in the World Health Organization’s Essential Medicines List (EML) reiterates the potential of this approach to improve global treatment coverage for primary or secondary prevention of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Although there exists extensive evidence on efficacy, safety, and acceptability of polypills, there is no research to-date assessing the "real world" availability and affordability of polypills globally. Purpose We conducted a cross-sectional survey of public and private sector facilities in 13 countries from around the world to evaluate the availability and affordability of polypills. Methods In the surveyed countries, we first ascertained whether any polypill was authorized for marketing and/or included in the national EMLs and clinical guidelines. The facility survey employed a modified WHO/Health Action International methodology. In each country, we collected retail and price data for polypills from at least one public sector facility and three private pharmacies using convenience sampling. Polypills were considered unaffordable in a given country if the lowest paid worker spends more than a days’ wage to purchase monthly supply. Results Polypills were approved for marketing in four of the 13 surveyed countries: Spain, India, Mauritius, and Argentina. None of these countries included polypills in national guidelines, formularies, or EMLs. Further, none of the surveyed public pharmacies in any of the four countries stocked any polypills. Among the surveyed private sector facilities, availability ranged from 0% in India (out-of-stock on the survey day but listed for sale) to 100% in Argentina and Spain. In the private sector, we identified seven unique polypill combinations, marketed by eight different companies. Although not in stock, India had a wider range of various combinations (n=5). Many combinations (63%) found in this survey were affordable in the local context, but these were limited to India and Spain. A lowest paid government worker would spend between 0.2 (India)–2.8 (Mauritius) days’ wages to pay the price for one month’s supply of the polypills. Polypills were likely to be affordable in countries that locally manufactured them. Further, two-pill combinations (one antihypertensive and a statin) were stocked by private pharmacies in Argentina, Bangladesh, Cameroon, India, Nepal, and Spain, with affordability ranging from 0.2 (India)–7.1 (Cameroon) days’ wages. Conclusion Low availability and affordability of polypills in both public and private sectors suggest that the implementation and overall uptake of polypills remains poor globally. Context-specific multi-disciplinary health system research is required to understand factors affecting polypill implementation and to design and evaluate appropriate implementation strategies.

Making a difference? Attracting new generations into local government

ABSTRACT The nature of local government work has radically changed over the past fifty years. Local government officers could once be characterised as processing transactional work (e.g. rent collection). However, the changing nature of public services and increasing expectations of citizens have required more transformational and relational work, alongside new roles and skills. This context may now be shifting again. Fiscal pressures may prompt a return to narrow definitions of statutory responsibilities and transactional relationships. We focus here on the implications of these changes for newer generations of public servants, particularly so-called Millennials. Younger workers express a desire to ‘make a difference’ and don’t necessarily see local government as the sector in which to do this. To recruit and retain the best public servants, local government needs to provide a vision of hope for the future and to articulate how it can be the sector where people can make a difference.

Analisis Pengelolaan Limbah Bahan Berbahaya dan Beracun (B3) di Industri Perhotelan Kota Jambi

This research aims to identify the type and amount of B3 waste, identify B3 waste management based on Government Regulation Number 22 of 2021, as well as the SWOT strategy for B3 waste management in the Jambi City hotel industry. The research method is a mixed method. Data collection techniques were carried out by means of open interviews using questionnaires, documentation and literature studies. This research used two types of informants, namely 5 experts and 36 hotel staff, with a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. The results of this research are the type of B3 waste in hotels, namely used oil with the highest amount, namely 0.786 tonnes, and the smallest amount, namely used cloth, amounting to 0.009 tonnes. The research results also found that the hotels that produced the most B3 waste were 5-star hotels, amounting to 0.752 tons. The stages of B3 waste management implemented in the hotel industry are the reduction stage and the storage stage. In the SWOT diagram, it is in quadrant II, namely a combination of strategies between strengths and threats (ST strategy), namely central government regulations, administrative sanctions for hotels, reducing the use of B3 waste in hotels, preparing TPS for B3 waste not mixed with other waste, the government working together. with third parties for B3 waste management, inviting the public to protect the environment.

The new private urban governance: Vestiges, ventures and visibility

Despite the growth, prevalence and influence of private urban governance, scholarship that explores the intimate workings of these manifold and mutating forms remains limited. While these private ventures carry forward elements from the past, the landscape of urban governance has nonetheless undergone profound transformation. Over the past few decades, the global expansion and influence of private governing ventures have reshaped how cities are managed, organised and experienced. This special issue on the New Private Urban Governance examines the constantly evolving modalities of private governance (i.e. business improvement districts/areas, condominium/strata corporations, gated communities, POPS and others) in a global context. Organised around new, interrelated themes of vestiges, ventures and visibility, this issue comprises case studies, syntheses of longstanding empirical projects and novel theoretical/conceptual interventions into political and spatial practices, knowledges and technologies of these privately governed realms. Focused on the spatialisation of politics, vestiges reflects the idea that while neoliberal forms of private urban governance continue to proliferate, they rely and build upon, rather than fully replace, earlier, more public governance practices, logics and spaces. Ventures emphasises that the private and market-oriented thrust of urban governance is heavily predicated on the protection and extraction of value and the intensifying financialisation of urban landscapes and life. Visibility highlights how governing technologies render private urban governance visible and in doing so highlight the politics of space. These three themes together expose the workings of the new private urban governance while invigorating further explorations of this complex phenomenon.