Local Public Services Research Articles

Women’s political representation in local government: Its impact on public service quality

Public service quality has been a significant issue in Indonesia (Lanin & Hermanto, 2019) along with woman’s representation in politics (Aspinall et al., 2021). This study investigates the effect of woman’s representation in the local government head and legislative positions on public service quality in Indonesian local governments. We use secondary data from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, a local government website, and the Indonesia Statistics Bureau from 2016–2019, analyzed with panel data regression analysis. Overall, we find that local government public service quality is at a high level. Meanwhile, women’s political representation in Indonesian local government is still considerably low, both in legislative and top executive positions. Empirical findings demonstrate that women’s representation in the legislative board provides a positive impact on public service quality while women’s local government head has no significant effect. The effect is consistent both in district local governments and city local governments observations. Our study provides recommendations that suggest that women’s representation in local politics should be increased to promote gender equality which leads to better public governance

Research on the Ecological Agricultural Landscape Planning and Design Strategy of Nihegou Village in Northern Shaanxi Province

The village of Nihegou in northern Shaanxi is an important agricultural and cultural heritage site, a traditional Northwest China village and a model village for rural tourism. With the participation and efforts of many parties, various strong and beneficial agricultural policies have been imple-mented, the local infrastructure and public services have been continuously improved, the village environment has basically been maintained as neat and orderly, and actions to improve the rural living environment have been conducted in succession, but the unbalanced, inadequate and dis-harmonious situation in the local area still needs to be alleviated, there are no stable industries in the area, the population is aging, “hollowing out” exists to a certain extent in the villages, the ecological landscape has been destroyed, and the rural agricultural tourism industry lacks hard-ware support. In this paper, we study the work of the “three rural areas” in the context of the harmonious countryside, sort out the ecological and agricultural landscape resources and problems in Nihegou village in northern Shaanxi, and implement specific design strategies for the agricul-tural landscape of the selected site. The project will continue to improve the quality of the rural habitat and public services, promote the harmonious development of the rural economy and ecol-ogy.

The role of crisis leadership in improving organisational culture during the COVID-19 pandemic among Kwazulu-Natal Christian business leaders

The study wants to know how Christian business leaders navigated the difficult and uncertain times of COVID-19 so that their companies thrived, retained their employees, and continued to operate successfully during a global economic crisis. This study employs an approach that combines quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative methodology is used to gather demographic data about study participants, a qualitative methodology is used since the goal of the study is to explore the range of opinions. The findings of this study ascertained that Christian leaders who demonstrated high levels of resilience were able to survive and, in some cases, thrive during the COVID-19 crisis. Leaders who demonstrated resilience and a positive outlook could increase the level of resilience in their followers, allowing them to survive the crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has also brought attention to the necessity of situational analysis in dealing with and resolving a crisis. Conscious of the COVID-19 situation and guided by the contingency theory, Christian business leadership had to unlearn old habits and adjust to new ways of operating. This research is a new investigation into the ability of Christian business leaders to navigate through the turbulent times of COVID-19 so that their businesses and their followers can survive and prosper.

Determinants of local government public service quality: Evidence from the developing economy

Public service delivery in Indonesia has been mandated to local governments following decentralization (Lewis et al., 2020). Due to public criticism, this research investigates public service quality determinants from local politics, head, and financial factors. Using the purposive sampling method, we collect secondary data from the authorized government institutions during 2016–2019, analyzed with panel data regression. The findings demonstrate that the average achievement of public service quality in Indonesia is at a high level with Java and Bali regions having better average accomplishments than other geographic regions. However, there still exist several local governments with medium and even low public service quality that requires urgent improvement. Further, we find that local government women’s political representation in the legislative board, operational expenditure, and capital expenditure positively affect public service quality while other variables exhibit insignificant effects. Our study provides practical implications to the public for public service quality improvement. Firstly, the public should elect accountable candidates with the best qualifications during local elections. Local government should also improve financial management by allocating adequate expenditure budget for public service delivery. Despite still being limited to using quantitative analysis only that can be improved in future studies by employing a mixed method.

Marketing in Regional Apparatus: A Regional Innovation Initiative to Build Institutional Identity, Image and Reputation

Marketing is an ideal conception that has not been much in demand and has not been seen in its application in local governance and public services in Banten Province Regional Apparatus. The main cause of this is that there are no regulations and limited education about the importance of implementing marketing in regional apparatus. So that the application of marketing in regional devices needs to be used as a regional innovation initiative as stipulated in Government Regulation No. 38 of 2017 concerning Regional Innovation. Because with marketing, regional apparatus get tangible benefits; improve performance and as an effort to build identity, image and achieve institutional reputation.

Local Government Public Service Quality Innovation in Bengkulu City: A Case Study of SAMSAT VIRTU Application

Public Service Innovation enables governments to innovate in the design and delivery of public goods and services. However, it needs careful planning, leadership, and stakeholder coordination. In addition, officers in the public sector must learn to detect social and aspirational challenges. On the other hand, research into public service innovation efforts has only made a limited effort. It means that Indonesian public service innovation, particularly those acknowledged and assessed by the Ministry of Administrative Reform, has received less elaboration. This study aims to describe and provide an overview of an innovation in public services in the field of motor vehicle tax payments called SAMSAT VIRTU. This study was designed using a qualitative approach through the descriptive method by utilizing the two data sources, including primary data collected from interviews and secondary data used via library research. In addition, quality services theory consists of five crucial elements: tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy are studied. The study results indicate that the public service innovation practice carried out by the Bengkulu Regional Government is considered quite successful. It can be seen from the enthusiasm and response of the people who come to get services at SAMSAT VIRTU. This study concludes that Public Service Innovation is a necessity carried out by government administrators in Bengkulu city to improve the quality of public services. Theoretical policy implications are related to the local government's capacity to develop Innovation, which three main strategies that affect the ability of government organizations to innovate, namely, leadership credibility; strong management teams; and Governing board functioning. The practical implications are a grand national design regarding government innovations related to the implementation of the main functions and tasks of government, namely the function of public services and public goods delivery.

E-Government Implementation to Support Digital Village in Indonesia: Evidence from Cianjur Village, Bogor Regency

The implementation of e-government is considered as one of the bureaucratic reforms in terms of improving local public services, in Indonesia itself we can trace starting from Presidential Instruction Number 6 of 2001 concerning Telecommunications, Media, and Informatics, until later Presidential Decree Number 20 of 2006 established the National Information and Communication Technology Council with the aim of accelerating the implementation of e-government. Although referring to the 2020 E-Government Development Index (EGDI) assessment survey issued by the United Nations every 2 years, it shows that Indonesia's position is ranked 88th, up from 107th in 2018, the digital divide and inequality of internet access in various regions are inevitable. Taking a case study of Cijantur Village, Rumpin District, Bogor Regency, in order to support digital village program, this study tries to see the extent of the effectiveness of the implementation of website-based E-Service by the local community. Using a qualitative approach with observation data and literature studies collecting data method, this study concluded that the failure of the implementation of website-based e-government in Cijantur village is influenced by many factors including, residents' knowledge about the use of websites, the orientation of e-government development has not targeted the aspect of utilizing digital economy, and the level of community needs, whereas villages that still lack access to digital tools. This research suggests that there must be attention by relevant officials, so that Cijantur village is no longer an isolated village and streghtening construction and infrastructure of Cijantur village and provide a strong internet network to support the progress of the community in the field of technology.

TOWARD VALUE CREATION IN LOCAL AUTHORITIES: THE ROLE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to focus on the use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) by local authorities (LAs) in order to understand to which extent, they impact the value chain of local public services. The value creation in this article concerns not only economic effectiveness and efficiency but also the articulation and development of ICTs in the strategy of the LA, as well as the impact on citizen satisfaction. Research methodology – The methodology applied is quantitative, based on a questionnaire addressed to managers and officials in different Moroccan LAs (regions, provinces and prefectures, municipalities). SPSS 25 was used as a materiel to analyze the result of the linear regression. Findings – The results obtained confirm the importance of ICT in terms of optimization of expenses, the improvement of the quality of work by facilitating communications between services. In addition, the ICT are no longer centered on the managerial side, but contribute to the consecration of good governance principles, namely transparency and citizen participation. Research limitations – The present research excludes political leaders throughout data collection. Methodologically speaking, this means that the study can also take on the meaning of an exploratory study with qualitative method (interviews, case studies) in order to understand how these ICT, contribute to local public value creation. Practical implications – The research provides clues to LA managers about the importance of ICT and their contribution to value creation. The results obtained encourage decision makers to accept this change and to adopt the ICT approach in order to provide a higher quality of services. Originality/Value – The originality of this paper lies in the variables and the context in which they are studied. The existing literature interested in introducing ICTs in the public sector focus on the use of these tools to achieve economic performance. Furthermore, only a few research papers have been conducted on value creation in LA including the impact of ICT which justifies the originality and novelty of this paper.

Off-budget revenues and debt limit in municipalities in the Wielkopolska

The paper aims to assess whether the size of municipal off-budget activities carried out by municipally-owned companies (MOCs) depends on the municipality’s outstanding debt and unused debt capacity. The fiscal debt rule limits municipal debt capacity based on the individual debt ratio. In other words, the article attempts to establish whether and to what extent the size of off-budget financing through fees for local public services provided by MOCs depends on the municipality’s financial situation. We use panel data of 89 municipalities in Wielkopolska voivodeship (499 observations) retrieved from consolidated financial statements, reports on surplus/deficit of municipalities for 2010–2018, the Bank of Local Data and information on the MOC’s ownership structure and revenue volume obtained from the Orbis database. The models were estimated by the General Method of Moments (GMM) on a total sample of all municipal shareholders of MOCs in the Wielkopolska voivodeship. We show that municipalities shifted off-budget activities in response to fiscal debt limit restrictions valid since 2014 and election years. Furthermore, the structure and size of budgeted activity are linked to municipal activities’ relative opportunity costs. It is because increasing municipal fees generates lower political costs than raising taxes or local fees. Thus, we show that the fiscal debt constraint introduced in 2014 raises the scale of shifting expenditure off-budget using MOCs in the Wielkopolska voivodeship.

From Fiscal Decentralisation to Economic Growt The Role of Complementary Institutions

Decentralisation is theoretically expected to be a platform towards efficient provision of the local public goods and services. This is expected to boost economic growth due to efficient and effective utilisation of scarce fiscal resources. Nevertheless, the existing empirical studies present mixed results on this expected positive relationship among decentralisation and economic growth. Recently, the theories of fiscal federalism have also pressed upon the enabling environment for effective decentralisation; talking explicitly, an enabling institutional setup is required. The current study explores the complementarity between fiscal decentralisation and other institutions for stimulating growth and the study uses rich crosscountry panel data for the period 1984 to 2012, covering both the developing and developed countries of the world. The results suggest that positive relationship exist between fiscal decentralisation and economic growth for the developed countries while evidence was not found in the case of developing countries. Further, it was found that fiscal decentralisation and quality institutions are complementary for economic growth. JEL Classification: C22, H11, H77, O40 Keywords: Fiscal Decentralisation, Institutions, Economic Growth, Panel Data, unequally spaced panel data

The effectiveness of a telemedical program for COVID-19 positive high-risk patients in domestic isolation

Abstract Background For almost two years, the Covid-19 pandemic has posed an enormous challenge to healthcare systems. Recurrent waves of disease brought the health systems to the limit of their resilience. Purpose The Tele-Covid telemedicine care program was installed in December 2020 to monitor high-risk patients in home isolation. Close monitoring allows early detection of disease deterioration and timely intensification of therapy, ideally avoiding intensive care. Conversely, if the course of the disease is stable, unnecessary hospitalisation can be avoided, thus reducing the burden on the healthcare system. Methods Patient acquisition was performed in collaboration with the local public health service and primary care physicians. Covid-19 positive high-risk patients (age >65 years and/or severe comorbidities) from the greater Innsbruck area were fitted with an ear sensor-based home monitoring system. The ear sensor measures SpO2, respiratory rate, body temperature and heart rate. The monitoring team (25 medical students supervised by 6 physicians) provided continuous monitoring of vital signs (24/7). After validation of the measurements, the collected parameters were evaluated using a specially developed risk score. If a defined risk score was exceeded, the patient was contacted by telephone. The combination of the clinical condition and the risk score determined the further course of action: (a) wait and see, (b) notify the primary care physician, or (c) refer for inpatient admission. The program was active from December 2020 to March 2022. In Summer 2021, the program was temporarily paused due to the epidemiological situation. Results A total of 132 patients (59.8% women) were monitored. The median age was 74 years (IQR: [67.3–80.8]). 91 patients (68.9%) had at least one relevant comorbidity. During the monitoring period, hospitalisation was required in 20 patients (15.2%), 3 of whom were transferred to the intensive care unit. Of the hospitalised patients, 3 (15%) patients died. During the same monitoring period, the Austrian Ministry of Health reported a mortality rate of 20.5% of all hospitalised patients in Austria aged 70–79 years. Subjectively, the patients felt safe due to close monitoring. Conclusion The Tele-Covid program is the successful implementation of a remote monitoring system in a pandemic situation. In the future, a broad application of the program is feasible. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Funded by the Region of the Tyrol

FILE OF LIFE: OLDER ADULT PERSPECTIVES AND SUGGESTIONS TO INCREASE FOL USAGE

Abstract IntroductionIn a home emergency, an accurate patient medical history is vital for proper medical decision-making. One method to provide medical information in an emergency is through the FILE OF LIFE™ (FOL); a document distributed by local medical centers and public service organizations completed by community adults and placed on their refrigerator in a magnetic folder. To date, there was no known study, until this one, conducted with older adults to check the FOL design suitability for older adults; the goal of this project. MethodsOlder adults were recruited through the UNE COM Geriatrics Education Mentor (GEM) program for this pilot qualitative research. Twenty-one GEMs volunteered to participate in five 90-minute focus groups. Questions were specific for each section - Patient Identifiers, Emergency Contacts, Medical Data, Medical Conditions, Allergies, and Medical Insurance Information, and the usability of the FOL. Qualitative content analysis followed by NVivo 12+ analysis applied inter-rater reliability methods and changes for each FOL section were based on reaching data saturation. ResultsFILE OF LIFE™ comments (N=328) were coded to the following themes: Layout, Font Size, Spacing, and Section Ordering. Sections were edited accordingly with “Identifiers,” Medical Data, Medical Conditions, Allergies, and Emergency Contacts requiring substantive changes. Other minor changes were made throughout the form. ConclusionFurther research will ensure efficient usability by older adults and emergency response personnel. The FILE OF LIFE™, although a trusted resource for older community dwelling residents, has a chance to increase usability by incorporating the suggested changes from this research.

Exploring phronesis in cyber security, management and resilience

The aim of this paper is to introduce phronesis and fractal knowledge to present a practical approach that can help a local public service to contextually understand the information assurance (IA) and cyber journey in a holistic way, by considering the various components that integrate information governance strategy, policy and assurance. It goes on to present a case study and ideas for further research. The fields of cyber security, information security and governance have a number of overlapping domains and spheres of interest. Within a local authority (LA), resources are sparce, with one person often having to oversee the entire security process, which is often regarded as an integral part of the information and communications technology (ICT) function.

Building conditions and citizen satisfaction with local public services

PurposeAlthough Norway is an affluent country, there is widespread and long-lasting worry related to the condition of public purpose buildings. The purpose of this paper is to study how the condition of local public purpose buildings affect citizen satisfaction with local public services in Norwegian local governments, using data from two Norwegian survey data sets.Design/methodology/approachThis paper investigates how the conditions of local public purpose buildings affect residents’ satisfaction with local public services, using data from two Norwegian survey data sets. The data is analyzed using regression analysis.FindingsThis paper finds a significantly positive relationship between building conditions and overall satisfaction with local public services, kindergartens and schools. This paper finds no such relationship between building conditions and satisfaction with nursing homes. This paper quantifies the average expected impact on public service satisfaction from a hypothetical one unit improvement in building conditions, as measured on the building condition scale, and discuss this impact in the context of expenditure on public services.Originality/valueThere is widespread worry that poor facilities adversely impact public services, but the size and significance of this impact are open questions. This paper contributes by offering new insights into the relationship between the condition of public buildings and provision of public services. The results indicate how the state of public facilities should be considered a part of the production function for public services.

REGULATION OF PUBLIC SERVICES IN THE ADMINISTRATIVE CODE OF ROMANIA: CHALLENGES AND LIMITATIONS

Background: In 2019, in Romania, a legislative event of special importance took place – the adoption of the Administrative Code. The scientific problem addressed in this article refers to the way in which the recently adopted Code realises the general regulation of public services respecting the best practices in order to create a good administration that is flexible and adaptable to the constantly changing needs of citizens today. Methods: This article investigates how the general regulation of public services in the Administrative Code is realised, taking into account the trends manifested in the field at the EU level and in comparative law. The categories of public services with which the EU operates (services of general economic interest, non-economic services, and social services of general interest) and the concept of universal service are highlighted. Then, the principles of organisation and functioning of public services in France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the UK are investigated. In a separate section, the challenges and limitations in the regulation of local public services are analysed critically against the Administrative Code of Romania, starting from the regulation of the EU and the good practices observed in comparative law. Results and Conclusions: At the end of the article, I proposed we use the observations resulting from research on the Administrative Code to increase the degree of administrative convergence with the other member states of the EU.

Can Institutionalization Be Considered a Trap in Defining Functional Cross-border Areas? Coopetition and Local Public Services in Borderlands

Abstract Cross-border cooperation can be an example of a non-hierarchical co-governance tool based on the principle of multi-level governance, which was successfully implemented mainly thanks to European integration as part of building EU territorial cohesion. As a new tool, it has not been limited by the experience of public administration organizations to date, and it is largely based on coopetition aimed at more effective co-management of border regions. Within the framework of this paper, we are exploring the new point of view in the debate on functional cross-border areas. In the first part of the paper, we shall move towards the establishment of multi-level governance (MLG) and re-analyze the adequacy of this concept in line with the general scientific discourse of functional cross-border areas. In the next part, on the basis of desk research and analyses of public policy, the tools and forms for MLG research as well as their implementation were identified and compared on the national and cross-border levels. In the last part of the case study from the Czech-Polish border, we identify the determinants for the organization and implementation of cross-border public services as a basis for defining cross-border areas functional for fire protection in the Jesenik District (CZ).

A realist approach to understanding alliancing within Local Government public health and social care service provision.

Within the current context of continued austerity and post-pandemic recovery, it remains important that Local Government services address the increasing needs of residents as cost-effectively as possible. Alliancing, whereby services work collaboratively focusing on the 'whole-system', has gained popularity as a tool with the potential to support collaborative whole systems approaches. This synthesis aims to identify how alliancing can be successfully operationalised in the commissioning of public health, wider National Health Service (NHS) and social care-related services. A realist literature synthesis was undertaken in order to identify underlying generative mechanisms associated with alliancing, the contextual conditions surrounding the implementation and operationalisation of the alliancing approach mechanisms, and the outcomes produced as a result. An iterative approach was taken, using a recent systematic review of the effectiveness of Alliancing, online database searches, and grey literature searches. Three mechanistic components were identified within the data as being core to the successful implementation of alliances in public health and social care-related services within Local Government: (i) Achieving a system-level approach; (ii) placing local populations at the heart of the system; and (iii) creating a cultural shift. Programme theories were postulated within these components. The alliancing approach offers an opportunity to achieve system-level change with the potential to benefit local populations. The realist synthesis approach taken within this study has provided insights into the necessary contextual and mechanistic factors of the Alliancing approach, above and beyond effectiveness outcomes typically collected through more conventional evaluation methodologies.

IMPACT OF ICT IN STRENGTHENING TRANSPARENCY IN RURAL LOCAL GOVERNANCE: A CASE STUDY IN FOUR GRAM PANCHAYATS IN WEST BENGAL, INDIA

The use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in local governance and public service delivery systems has added a new dimension in the recent times. In West Bengal, processes of decentralisation and institutional issues were assisted by special projects like SRD (Strengthening Rural Decentralisation) and ISGP (Institutional Strengthening of Gram Panchayats) respectively supported by DFID (2005-2011) and World Bank (2011-ongoing). Emphasis on GIS based monitoring of decentralised planning process, tracking key services provided by Gram Panchayats, use of GPMS (Gram Panchayat Management System) software for administrative and financial management are few of these key measures which rely on the use of ICTs in the local governance system. Apart from that, Ministry of Panchayati Raj has issued several guidelines on use of uniform portal like e-Gramswaraj for uploading Gram Panchayat Development Plans online. It is widely believed that issues like accountability and transparency can be ensured in the institutions of Gram Panchayats with advent of such measures. In this article we will analyse the effectiveness of ICT in bringing transparency and strengthen institutional accountability in the Gram Panchayats. Four Gram Panchayats in the District of Birbhumwere selected to understand how the effective implementation of ICT measures impact on the overall institutional strengthening of Gram Panchayats. For the purpose and the rigour of the study the GPs were selected on the basis of identified socio-economic and other important methodological indicators. Elected Representatives and local residents were selected as respondents. Gram Panchayats were visited for this purpose. For the collection of data structured questionnaire, personal interview, FGDs and case study methods were also used.The finding shows that the role of ICTs in the rural local governance process is limited. The administrative practices, monitoring of planning cycle, GPs financial management has improved undoubtedly but it is not a panacea as viewed by some experts. The study argues that limited involvement of the local residents in the process with low attendance in Gram Sabha and Gram Sansads meetings cannot be compensated with the modern technologies.

부동산 관련 지방세제의 문제점과 개선방안

A local tax system is established as a taxation system that takes into account the price function for local government work and public services and the revitalization of the local economy. To strengthen the financial independence of local governments, there is a need to expand the fiscal decentralization and the size of local governments' own financial resources.
 The tax revenue from local government finances is composed mainly of local taxes, local nontax revenue, state subsidies, local grants, and local grant tax and other income. Much of the local tax is centered on property transaction tax, thereby being characterized by being closely related to the real estate business.
 A flow of real estate taxation imposes a heavy tax on multiple homeowners, thereby leading to pressuring selling as a measure to prevent a price from rising due to the lack of supply. This tax policy is functioning as a means of stabilizing the property prices and transactions by regulating real estate speculation, not the financing method that is the original purpose of the tax.
 Owing to a difference in economic conditions between regions, the inequality of local government's fiscal power poses another level of a problem. The problem of income disparity between regions makes it a rule to be dealt with at the level of national redistribution policy with the support from the central government. However, the income gap between regions can be resolved through the industrial policy or the balanced national development.

It is a relay not a sprint! Evolving co-design in a digital and virtual environment: neighbourhood services for elders

There is an emerging body of research on the co-design of public services, including co-design with vulnerable adults. However, what has been less explored has been the impact of digital technology and virtual environments upon the co-design process in this context. This paper analyses the contingencies of virtual co-design through a case study of a project to develop supportive local communities for vulnerable elderly people. This project was initially planned to use traditional co-design methods within a face-to-face environment, in the context of the local public service ecosystem. The CoVid-19 pandemic made this impossible. Consequently, an innovative approach to co-design was developed that shifted the process from a face-to-face to a virtual environment. This exploratory paper reports and evaluates this approach and its implications for the future of the theory and practice of the co-design of public services for vulnerable adults. Theoretically the paper evolves a model of co-design in a virtual space that is embedded within a public service ecosystem framework of value creation. At a practice level, the paper provides insight into the strategic and operational management of co-creation in a virtual space. It evolves the ‘Relay’ model of asynchronous co-creation across time and considers it key contingencies.