Implications For Public Administration Research Articles

Tricycle Fare Price in The Municipality of Concepcion: A Commuters’ Perspective

Objectives: The objective of this study is to evaluate the tricycle fare price in the Municipality of Concepcion from the perspective of commuters. Additionally, the study aims to assess the demographic profile of respondents in terms of age, gender, and socioeconomic status, examine passengers' experiences with tricycle fares, identify problems encountered by passengers regarding tricycle fares, propose recommendations to address prevailing issues, and explore the implications of the study for public administration. Methods: This study employs a phenomenological qualitative research approach, utilizing discussions and narrative discourses of respondents to explore their experiences with tricycle fares. The research focuses on gathering insights into commuters' perspectives on fare pricing and their encounters with fare-related issues. Results: The study reveals that tricycle fare pricing in the Municipality of Concepcion exhibits irregularities, with fares often being more expensive than in previous years. Passengers report dissatisfaction with fare inconsistencies and express concerns about the affordability of tricycle transportation. Based on the experiences shared by respondents, it is concluded that implementing a standard fare matrix is necessary to benefit both commuters and drivers. Conclusion: In conclusion, this study highlights the need for a standardized fare structure for tricycle transportation in the Municipality of Concepcion. By addressing fare irregularities and ensuring fare affordability, public transportation services can better serve the needs of commuters. The findings of this study have implications for public administration, emphasizing the importance of regulatory measures to improve transportation accessibility and affordability for the local community.

FDI and Wellbeing: A Key Node Analysis for Psychological Health in Response to COVID-19 Using Artificial Intelligence.

Developing countries are primary destinations for FDI from emerging economies following the World Investment Report 2022, including destinations in OECD countries. Based on three theoretical lenses and case analyses, we argue that Chinese outward FDI has impacts on wellbeing in destination countries, and that this is an important issue for psychological health in response to COVID-19. Based on the super-efficiency DEA approach, our study investigated the impact of Chinese outward FDI on wellbeing in OECD countries. We also applied a Tabu search to identify country groups based on the relationship between Chinese outward FDI and wellbeing and we developed a key node analysis of the country groups using an immune algorithm. This research has implications for public administrators in global governance and could help shape FDI policies to improve psychological health of the destination countries in response to COVID-19.

Community Life System of Consecrated Persons: Implications for Public Administration in Nigeria

Community Life System of Consecrated Persons: Implications for Public Administration in Nigeria

Weaponization of Wokeness: The Theater of Management and Implications for Public Administration

AbstractContemporarily, the word “woke” has moved into the popular lexicon, largely to mean aware of and ideally doing something about systemic racism. After the George Floyd murder, and many other state‐sanctioned murders of Black Americans, protests erupted globally, and public administrators responded either with actionable policy changes or sometimes symbolic, “woke” statements that did little to alter the system. In this conceptual paper, we explore the reasons for this via Baudrillard's phases of the image, showing how the word “woke” has moved from roots in the Black community to being weaponized today via its disconnection from this reality, thus trending toward its own hyperreality. In this final phase, the word “woke” has no connection to its former reality, leading to the passage of legislation that upholds White power structures.

Cost-Benefit Analysis of an Intervention in Divorced Parents: Implications for Society, Public Administrations and Family Visitation Centers.

Families going through conflictive divorce processes are at increased risk of developing mental health problems. The Egokitzen program is a group intervention for parents who have undergone a divorce process, funded by the public administration. Budgetary constraints cause funding institutions to be interested in the effectiveness and economic efficiency of these programs. Therefore, the objective of this research is to carry out an efficiency analysis of the Egokitzen program, implemented by family visitation centers in Spain, through a cost-benefit analysis, to determine whether the positive impact on symptomatology (measured using CBCL and SCL-90 instruments) is translated into a positive economic impact for society. A sample of 382 parents participated. Costs will be first identified and valued; secondly, benefits achieved with the program will be identified through a prevalence analysis and, finally, the cost-benefit comparative analysis will be carried out. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis will be performed. The results obtained in the analysis indicate that for every euro spent on this program, the public administration and society save 3.10 euros in future interventions through medical costs and productivity losses. The study has practical implications for public administration, organizations, and the family visitation centers that implement the program.

La regulación en su encrucijada Una conversación

This article is an edited version of the roundtable that took place at the Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas (CIDE) in Mexico City, June 6th, 2018. Based on a set of key questions about regulation as a field of studies with implications for public administration, public management and public policies, as well as a fundamental activity of multiple organizations and numerous public servants, Sharon Gilad, Andrea Mennicken, Salvador Parrado, Bruno Queiroz Cunha and Martin Lodge participated in a free flowing conversation hosted by Mauricio I. Dussauge-Laguna. Their commentaries and points of view about theoretical and empirical developments of regulation around the world provide some interesting insights into the state of this field, its essential debates and its future implications (both theoretical and practical).

Some reflections on contestation and cosmopolitanism in democracy and their implications for public administration

Ongoing contestation over the meaning of democracy reflects value conflicts that exist within and across different national cultures and, as such, is intimately tied to the conduct of politics. It follows that the imposition of any single abstract and cosmopolitan idea of democracy on a society is always potentially dangerous to the practice of politics and to the variety of different values that different individuals, groups and cultures hold to be important to them. However, this need not lead one to be nihilistic about the meaning of democracy. Drawing on Camus’ idea of rebellion, this paper argues that any cosmopolitan conception of democracy must include recognition of the right of citizens to contest the decisions and actions of their government. The implications of this idea for public administration scholarship and practice are examined.

Evaluation of Potential Contribution of Dockless Bike-sharing Service to Sustainable and Efficient Urban Mobility in China

China has recently experienced the rapid development of a new generation of bike-sharing service, namely dockless bike-sharing service (DBS). Though previous studies indicated that bike-sharing is associated with various social, environmental, and economic benefits, unintended adverse outcomes of DBS that constitute public nuisance also have been reported. Thus, it is necessary to assess the DBS effects on urban transport sustainability for strategic decisions on its further developments. This study is focused on the evaluation of environment-, public- and individual user-interest related effects of DBS, in terms of efficient resource utilization by sharing, Green House Gas (GHG) emission reduction, urban transport efficiency enhancement, public space occupation and individual cost-savings. The assessment models of DBS's resource demand and GHG emission, user transport time and cost, road and roadside parking space demand allocated in the functional unit of transporting one passenger for one kilometre are developed. Economic value models of the reduced resources demand, GHG emissions, transport time, and the occupied public space are then proposed for scaling DBS's overall benefits. A scenario model is developed to describe the DBS scheme and the benefits analysis's social-economic backgrounds. The case study of Shanghai, the largest DBS market nationwide, is presented to enrich the knowledge about DBS schemes in China, their potential contribution to urban transport sustainability, and implications for public administration, operation management and user behaviour guidance. The proposed assessment models can be applied to studies on DBS schemes in other China contexts to provide some comparisons and a more comprehensive understanding of its effects.

An Improvised Patchwork: Success and Failure in Cybersecurity Policy for Critical Infrastructure

AbstractThe last two decades have revealed the vulnerability of privately owned “critical infrastructure”—the power grid, pipelines, financial networks, and other vital systems—to cyberattack. The central U.S. response to this challenge has been a series of sectoral “partnerships” with private owner‐operators of critical infrastructure, involving varying degrees of regulation. Qualitative analysis based on in‐depth interviews with over 40 policymakers and senior private sector managers, as well as public documents, reveals considerable variation in how well this approach has worked in practice. The main predictors of policy success appear to be (a) the nature of the cyber threat to firms’ operations and (b) regulatory pressure on firms. However, other factors—such as the nature of intra‐industry competition—also affect how well the current regime works in specific sectors. Our findings have implications for public administration on civilian cybersecurity, as well as ramifications for regulation in other policy domains.

“Who’s Been Fooling Who?” Reflections on Truth and Deception in Politics and Their Implications for Public Administration

This article examines the role of truth and deception in social and political life and its implications for public administration. Because deception is a necessary part of social and political life, the pursuit of absolute truths poses significant dangers to political practices. However, without some commitment to truth in social and political life, the resulting nihilism also endangers political practices. Public administrators, in seeking truth, therefore, should pursue a middle path between moral virtue and moral realism that preserves the practice of politics, a middle path such as is offered in the writings of the Founders of the Constitution.

Populism and Public Administration: Confronting the Administrative State

Populism has been perhaps the most popular explanation for the difficulties that have been besetting contemporary governments. But despite the intense interest in populism as a political phenomenon, very little has been written assessing the implications for governance and even less on the implications for public administration. Focusing on the United States, but adding some comparative analysis, this article examines the implications of populist politics for public administration and the role of the bureaucracy in governance.

Racist Fake News in United States’ History: Lessons for Public Administration

This article explores the relationship between fake news and administrative racism using post-Reconstruction U.S. history. Administrative racism is when public organizations severely harm people of color. This article argues that fake news based on racist ideas feed a climate where administrative racism becomes more likely. In one decade, from 1877–1887, the Republican Party drifted from its moorings as the party of emancipation, equal protection, and Reconstruction to creating the conditions in which anti-Black violence thrived, Chinese immigrants were legally excluded, and American Indian tribes were dispossessed of 80% of their treaty-promised land. According to historians, fake news spread racist ideas in ways that made each of these policies more likely. The legacies of that racist fake news and those policies impact modern debates on integration, immigration, and equality, with implications for public administration.

The relationship between leadership style and employee performance

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to advance critical theoretical insights into the idea of “relational bureaucratic leadership” and its implications for public administration in developing countries (DCs). In doing so, the paper sets out new agendas for public service governance in DCs that recognizes the changing nature and emerging complexities of both the public service and society.Design/methodology/approachThis is an exploratory study which synthesises literature in management, human resources, leadership studies and public administration, to understand the limitations of mainstream approaches to bureaucratic leadership in DCs, particularly SSA, with a view of identifying alternative practices.FindingsFindings from this paper suggest that public service governance in DCs are embedded in complex dynamics between power relations, complexity and social norms, and bureaucratic leaders should, therefore, focus on building relationships as a means of deepening trust and enhancing cooperation among critical actors. The case for a shift in focus to “relationality” reflects changes in the broader global political economy, including emerging wicked and multi-faceted policy problems that require heterodox and context-sensitive responses from governments and greater collaboration among key stakeholders.Originality/valueThe analysis of the limitations of traditional approaches to public service governance in this essay reveals the importance of a shift from a preoccupation with conventional organizational forms and functions, to place greater emphasis on social networks and relationships, as a way of improving leadership efficiency in the public services of DCs.

The Professional Mind-Set of City Managers: Implications for Public Administration

We develop a theoretical model of city manager professionalism addressing professional guidance and commitment, and four public service values: ethical solutions, neutral competence, political responsiveness, and political solutions. We tested these professionalism values on a national survey sample of city managers in the United States. Using structural equation modeling, we found evidence that professionalism acted directly on reported ethical behavior, and ethical behavior indirectly explained political responsiveness positively and political solutions negatively through neutral competence. Our analysis supports arguments that public service professionalization is possible and clarifies the pathways toward this important goal. Our study focuses on understanding how involvement in professional associations and activities relates to city manager perceptions of their own values and competence.

Playground or Church? Implications for Public Administration from Trinity Lutheran v. Comer

AbstractThe roots of public administration are in the fields of management, political science, and the law. The law is underrepresented in the literature and is not as well understood by nonlawyer practitioners, yet it increasingly enables, constrains, and prescribes government action. In 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on a case involving whether a government grant awarded on secular criteria must be provided to a qualified church. This article contributes to the field's understanding of the interplay of law and administration by examining the constitutional issues in the case and their implications for public administration. By considering how this dispute was framed and the ways in which the court approached its resolution, public officials can better understand the issues in similar cases; anticipate potential disputes; and (re)design policies that will serve their communities, remain within constitutional limits, and reduce the likelihood of litigation.

Into a New Regressive Era: Implications for Public Administration

American politics periodically shifts from a progressive orientation toward social change to a regressive orientation. During progressive phases, governmental attention is focused on strengthening the social safety net, protecting minority and immigrant populations, and regulating private sector activities in finance, business, and the physical environment. During regressive phases, legislation and administrative actions are designed to weaken or reverse these measures. In this time of heightened awareness of race, religion, inequality, and environmental change, recent political events signal a widespread reaction to trends in contemporary society and a shift toward a deeply regressive phase in governance. The article examines characteristics of this shift and what it may mean for public administration.

Accountability, Complacency, or Obfuscation? An Analysis of the U.S. Military’s Prevention and Response Efforts to Military Sexual Trauma

On December 3, 2015, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter announced the end of the combat exclusion policy prohibiting women from serving in direct combat roles, regardless of the service branch or military occupation. For many, this represented the final barrier to women’s opportunity for equality within the armed forces, since many jobs and promotions are tied to combat experience. However, this historically significant milestone is juxtaposed against a recurring problem for the military that threatens its state of readiness and national security: military sexual trauma (MST). This article explores the prevalence of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the U.S. military, and the misleading, and often contradictory, data provided by military officials and the Department of Defense. The argument presented here is that the obfuscation of MST data has ethical implications for public administration, as it negatively impacts any meaningful prevention, intervention, and reform efforts. At a time of emerging global threats and with less than 1% of the American public currently serving in the all-volunteer military, can the nation continue to risk remaining ignorant about these preventable crimes against its service members?

Public Administration Dilemmas: An Analysis of Teachers’ Perceptions of the Effects of Performance Evaluation in Post-Colonial South Africa

ABSTRACTThe adoption of the principles of New Public Management by many governments across the world was invariably accompanied by the implementation of performance evaluation. It is generally accepted that performance evaluation optimizes the performance of workers. As part of a broader investigation which employed a mixed methods approach, the study used data from six interviews with high school principals and 100 survey questionnaires with purposively selected high school teachers in uMgungundlovu District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. In the analysis of this data, the paper demonstrates that beyond the obvious benefits of performance evaluation such as improvement in performance, there are also unintended consequences such as a narrow focus on measured output, teacher burnout, and falsification of information in order to maximize credit or to avoid punishment. This study illustrates the understandings of high school educators in uMgungundlovu District of the effects of performance evaluation. The findings have important implications for public administration and scholars alike.

Critical Management Studies and public administration: Reinterpreting democratic governance using critical theory and poststructuralism

AbstractIn this article we present the schools of thought comprising Critical Management Studies (CMS), explore their implications for public administration, and provide an alternate definition of democratic governance. We synthesize and describe the “modern stream,” inspired by the Frankfurt School, and the “postmodern stream,” associated with poststructuralist authors. Despite significant epistemological and ontological differences, these perspectives complement each other and cast new light on democratic governance. We present the respective theories of Foucault and Habermas, explore their implications for public administration, reconcile their views on power as a basis for a normative definition for so‐called good governance, and redefine the concept of “democratic governance.”

Austerity and Public Administration

This article analyzes the Italian government’s response to the sovereign debt crisis. Given the severity of the fiscal crisis affecting Italy, this article provides insights about the crisis’s implication for public administration in such a politically sensitive environment where drastic and far-reaching measures had to be taken by the government. Drawing on the historical institutionalist approach, the impact of the crisis is not considered in isolation but in the context of the historical trajectory that has shaped the government’s capacity to respond. To assess the crisis’s implications for public administration, the empirical analysis focuses on public employment as an area that is especially exposed to fiscal restraint. The findings reveal that the current crisis has been managed with straight cutback management, as public administration has been considered by policy makers just as a source of public expenditure to be squeezed rather than as a provider of public services in need of modernization so as to sustain economic growth.