Policy Transparency Research Articles

Employer Strategies for Health Care Price Transparency.

This paper describes hospital, insurance, and pharmaceutical price transparency policies and applications in the United States and in selected countries around the world. Many of these policies apply to self-insured employers. So far, the experience in the United States and elsewhere is clear that federal and state price transparency regulations have had little impact on whether employees or dependents search for low-cost or high-quality providers or on the cost and quality of their health care. This is because of weak regulatory oversight, conflicting federal and state reporting requirements, and few economic incentives for providers and insurance companies to supply easily readable or analyzable price information. However, price transparency requirements are here to stay. This paper therefore offers several recommendations to maximize the utility of price transparency tools provided for employees and other insureds, by their employers, providers, commercial insurance carriers, or technology firms. From a policy perspective, coupling reporting requirements with clearer technological guidance and much stronger regulatory oversight would increase the utility of price transparency efforts. For individual employers, the impact of price transparency efforts may increase by coupling price transparency tools with health plan network and design strategies, behavioral economic nudges, and programs designed to improve health, well-being, and quality of care. Many program vendor partners, consultants, and actuarial, technology, and research firms can help make these efforts useful.

The investment of renewable energy: Is green bond a safe-haven to hedge U.S. monetary policy uncertainty?

This paper uses the bootstrap rolling-window Granger causality test to investigate the relationship between U.S. monetary policy uncertainty and green bond. The method addresses the limitations of ignoring the instability of coefficients and the time-varying relationship between the variables in previous literature. The results find both insignificant and significant relationship in the full period. One explanation of the insignificant relationship is that the changes of investor sentiment influence their judgment regarding to the monetary policy uncertainty and green bond, and thus the significance of the relationship between the variables. Besides, this paper finds the significant inter-relationship is time-varying. Specifically, in the sub-period when the market sentiment is low, the rising monetary policy uncertainty influences green bond price negatively. Meanwhile, the unexpected changes of green bond may also have both positive and negative effects on monetary policy uncertainty in different sub-periods. Thus, this paper proposes that the impact mechanism between the variables is effective when the investors are irrational. Furthermore, the findings may provide valuable implications for investors and governments, including adjusting investment strategy when the monetary policy is unclear, increasing monetary policy transparency, and monitoring speculative activity in green bond market. In addition, it is necessary to emphasize that the validity of the findings is limited to the U.S. and the period when investors’ sentiment experience large fluctuations. Finally, future research may consider expand the analysis to the green stock, as it is another important channel for renewable energy investment.

Cost transparency in otolaryngology: Outpatient procedures cost information at New England hospitals

PurposeHealthcare costs have dramatically increased, resulting in barriers to care for many Americans. To address this, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services implemented a price transparency mandate, requiring hospitals to provide cost-estimate tools. This study evaluates the accessibility and usability of these tools for common otolaryngology outpatient procedures. Materials and methodsCost transparency was investigated using cost-estimate tools from websites of the seven New England hospitals ranked on the US News top 50 list. Ten common current procedural terminology codes were used to collect data on availability of cost information, cost comparison, and ease-of-use by six investigators acting as “patients” for each hospital and procedure. ResultsAll investigated hospitals had cost-estimate tools, with a 35.7 % mean success rate of generating an estimate. The mean times to cost-estimate tools and generated estimates were 35.69 and 34.15 s, respectively. Pre-insurance costs varied by hospital and procedure; creation of eardrum had the largest range. Seven out of ten procedures resulted in lower post-insurance costs. The mean ease-of-use rating was 5.76 out of ten. ConclusionAll hospitals complied with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services price transparency policy. The information available is sparse, difficult to access, and frequently lacks specific estimates for common otolaryngology procedures. Although hospitals are following new Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services mandates, the estimators currently in existence are ineffective tools for financial decision-making.

The impacts of policy restrictions on trade in services

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to estimate how different types of policy restrictions affect trade in services. We employ the Service Trade Restrictiveness Index (STRI) database and the International Trade in Services Statistics (ITSS) provided by the OECD to compile a sample encompassing 15 service sectors across 48 countries for the period from 2014 to 2018. The estimated results indicate that more restrictive regulations impede international service trade in terms of both the value of trade (intensive margin) and the probability of trade (extensive margin). We also find that the negative impact of policy restrictions on trade does not always increase with increasing restrictiveness. While moderate policy restrictions can facilitate international trade in services, stricter regulations impede it. Finally, the impact of policy regulations on service trade depends on the type and objective of restrictions. Regulations that are discriminatory or target foreign firms tend to reduce trade values, whereas non-discriminatory regulations related to policy transparency enhance service trade between countries.

The Effectiveness of Digital Government Services, Public Participation Mechanisms, and Policy Innovation in Public Administration

This study investigates the effectiveness of digital government services, public participation mechanisms, and policy innovation in enhancing public administration. The primary objective is to qualitatively analyze the literature to understand how these elements contribute to improving the efficiency, transparency, and responsiveness of public administration. The research employs a qualitative literature review methodology, synthesizing findings from academic articles, government reports, case studies, and empirical studies to provide a comprehensive overview of current knowledge in this field. The literature review methodology involves systematically collecting and analyzing scholarly sources that discuss various aspects of digital government services, public participation mechanisms, and policy innovation. The study categorizes the literature into key themes, such as the benefits of digital government services in streamlining administrative processes, the impact of public participation mechanisms on policy legitimacy and public trust, and the role of policy innovation in addressing complex societal challenges. Thematic analysis is used to identify patterns and trends in how these factors influence the effectiveness of public administration. The findings indicate that digital government services significantly enhance administrative efficiency by reducing bureaucratic delays, lowering costs, and improving service delivery. Public participation mechanisms, including e-participation platforms and citizen engagement initiatives, are shown to increase policy transparency and accountability, fostering greater public trust in government. Policy innovation, through the adoption of new technologies and innovative practices, addresses emerging issues and improves public sector adaptability.

Impact of organizational politics on organizational performance: the mediating role of individual performance

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine mediating role of individual performance between the association of organizational politics and organizational performance in Jordanian public sector. Design/methodology/approach The partial least squares–structural equation modeling was conducted to test the suggested hypotheses. Findings The findings revealed that organizational performance is significantly and negatively influenced by organizational politics and positively influenced by individual performance. In addition, the results also revealed that individual performance is significantly and negatively influenced by organizational politics. Finally, the results show that individual performance has mediated the association between organizational politics and organizational performance, and hence last hypothesis was accepted. Originality/value The current study provides several recommendations to the decision-makers in the Jordanian public sector, including enhancing transparency and publishing policies and regulations in a general and easily accessible manner.

An Inquiry Into the Use of Generative AI and Its Implications in Education

The emergence of generative AI technologies has provoked considerable debate among educators regarding their role in education. This study is an investigation of the benefits, disadvantages, and potential strategies for integrating generative AI in educational settings by analyzing societal impacts based on a literature review. We have surveyed the influence of generative AI in education through sources from peer-reviewed journals. The main findings show that generative AI can enhance accessibility and customization in learning for individual learners' needs and pacing. But there are problems with algorithmic biases, discrimination, and data privacy issues, too. This study advocates for mitigating bias, data transparency, and promotion and evaluation of AI policy and research. Generative AI in education hinges on how it is responsibly integrated and observes ethical guidelines, by way of the constant assessment that will guarantee its potential in revolutionizing learning.

Do Enterprises That Publish Sustainability Reports Have a Better Developed Environmental Responsibility and Are They More Transparent?

Enterprises increasingly publish sustainability reports to address concerns about their environmental and social impact. However, the voluntary nature of these reports and the lack of independent auditing often lead to skepticism regarding their authenticity, with some perceiving them as mere marketing or greenwashing tools. This study aims to investigate whether the publishing of sustainability reports truly reflects transparency and responsible behavior. The relationship between the publishing of sustainability reports, environmental responsibility policies, and transparency policies is analyzed. The research was conducted in Uruguay. A quantitative methodology was used. The sample was made up of a group of companies that evaluate their social and environmental responsibility practices. This is a non-probabilistic sample, which includes companies that publish sustainability reports and companies that do not publish them. The environmental responsibility and transparency of both groups were compared. Thirteen indicators were used to measure environmental responsibility, and eight indicators were used to measure transparency. To evaluate the relationship between the variables, different statistical techniques were used: chi-square, difference of means test, and simple correlations. Our findings reveal that: (1) enterprises publishing sustainability reports tend to have more developed environmental responsibility policies and greater transparency compared to those that do not publish, and (2) interestingly, the choice of reporting standards, particularly the Global Reporting Initiative, does not significantly impact the observed outcomes. Furthermore, the relationship among report publication, environmental responsibility, and transparency is influenced by enterprise size but remains unaffected by public trading status or capital origin (local or international). Despite its methodological limitations, this work contributes to the debate on the sincerity of companies that publish sustainability reports. Its results contribute to reducing the skepticism and distrust that exists about these reports. Also, the work contributes to the study of the relationship between environmental responsibility and the publishing of reports because it included segments of companies that are not considered in most research: medium-sized companies and private companies that are not listed on the stock market.

Future research directions: Enhancing the citizenship experience

This article explores the emerging concept of the Citizenship Experience (CZX), which encompasses the interactions individuals have with public services and infrastructure. Synthesizing insights from the recent literature and findings from our Special Issue, we highlight key areas, including public services, urban mobility, healthcare digital transformation, urban design, and taxation. We propose a future research agenda focused on integrating technology, applying user-centered design, evaluating digital government initiatives, enhancing transparency in policies, and fostering community engagement through urban design. This framework aims to enhance CZX and contribute to citizens’ overall well-being.

Influence of Geopolitical Events on Procurement Strategies and Supply Chain Dynamics in Multinational Corporations

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the influence of geopolitical events on procurement strategies and supply chain dynamics in multinational corporations Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study found that geopolitical events exert a profound influence on procurement strategies and supply chain dynamics within multinational corporations (MNCs), compelling them to adapt swiftly to global uncertainties. The study underscored that events such as trade conflicts, sanctions, and political instability disrupt established supply chains, necessitating strategic adjustments in sourcing, supplier relationships, and operational practices. MNCs respond by diversifying sourcing locations, enhancing supply chain transparency, and integrating robust risk management frameworks to mitigate geopolitical risks effectively. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Institutional Theory, Resource Dependence Theory & Transaction Cost Economics (TCE) may be used to anchor future studies on influence of geopolitical events on procurement strategies and supply chain dynamics in multinational corporations. Encourage MNCs to adopt agile procurement strategies that prioritize flexibility and responsiveness to geopolitical disruptions. This includes establishing multi-sourcing strategies, leveraging local suppliers, and implementing digital platforms for real-time risk monitoring and decision-making. Strengthen supplier relationship management practices to build resilient supply networks. Foster transparent communication and collaboration with suppliers to co-develop contingency plans and mitigate supply chain risks arising from geopolitical events. Advocate for transparent and stable trade policies that reduce uncertainty and facilitate global supply chain operations. Engage in constructive dialogues with policymakers to address trade barriers, tariffs, and regulatory inconsistencies that hinder cross-border trade and procurement efficiency.

Key Trends In Implementing The Fund's Transparency Policy

Key Trends In Implementing The Fund's Transparency Policy

Ethical Challenges in Digital Communications: Online Privacy, Security, and Responsibility

Social media and online communication platforms have increased significantly in today's digital era. However, these developments raise ethical challenges regarding online privacy, security and responsibility. These issues include data breaches, misuse of personal information, and the spread of inappropriate or misleading content. This research aims to identify and analyze the main ethical challenges in digital communication. Specifically, this research focuses on privacy, data security, and responsibility in sharing and using the information on the Internet. This research aims to develop a framework to address these ethical issues to increase trust and security in digital communications. This research uses a qualitative approach by collecting data through in-depth interviews and document analysis. The results of the study show that there are significant concerns regarding the handling of personal data by large and small platforms. Respondents emphasized the importance of transparency and clarity in privacy policies and the need for user education about online security. The research also identified the need for stricter ethical standards and more effective regulations to protect users. The conclusion of this research is to confirm that ethical challenges in digital communication require severe attention and coordinated action. The proposed framework includes increasing user awareness, strengthening regulations, and developing technologies that support privacy and security. Implementing these recommendations is expected to increase integrity and trust in digital communications and protect individuals' rights online.

Does climate policy uncertainty predict renewable energy stocks? A quantile-based (a)symmetric causality analysis

The identification of factors influencing the renewable energy stock market has recently received much attention from scholars. While the implications of economic policy uncertainty on renewable energy stock markets have been extensively studied in recent literature, less attention has been paid to climate policy uncertainty. This study adds to the existing body of knowledge by investigating whether the U.S. climate policy uncertainty predicts the return and volatility of five NASDAQ OMX Green Economy indices (fuel cell, wind, solar, developer/operator, and geothermal). The analysis is based on the nonparametric causality-in-quantile test and employs data from November 2010 to August 2022. The findings provide strong evidence of heterogeneous distributional predictability of climate policy uncertainty on the return and volatility of renewable energy stocks, which depends on the renewable energy sector and the market condition. More specifically, climate policy uncertainty does not cause stock returns during extreme downward and/or upward renewable energy market conditions. Additionally, uncertainty cannot predict volatility during the turmoil episodes that occurred in the renewable energy stock market. Further in-depth analysis considering the asymmetry reveals that a decrease (increase) in climate policy uncertainty improves the prediction of renewable energy stock returns (volatility) instead of a decrease (increase). These findings still hold when using a parametric causality-in-quantile test. The findings underscore the critical role of climate policy transparency and sector-specific strategies in reducing uncertainty and encouraging long-term investments in the renewable energy sector.

New development: Assessing the influence of Brazil's public governance narrowness on the Brazilian Army

IMPACT This article addresses the challenges non-English-speaking countries face in implementing imported policies and how Brazil's federal-level understanding of governance impacts sectoral public organizations. The authors’ focus is on the impacts on the Brazilian Army, an understudied organization among public administration scholars, which is often called to operate in areas other than defence policy. The insights provided in the article will help researchers, policy-makers, and practitioners to navigate such challenges by advocating for a more transparent policy debate and fostering context-specific approaches to governance. ABSTRACT Concerns have been raised in Public Money & Management about Brazil's narrow view of governance and its disregard for networks. The authors extend this debate, investigating its effects on the Brazilian Army’s governance norms and structures and whether network dynamics play a role in the army's operations. A narrow understanding of governance was discovered to persist. However, networked action exists under other-than-governance labels.

Signaling Targeting Cost Through List Price

Data analytics enable firms to offer personalized prices to targeted consumers but at a cost. We study a competitive personalized pricing game where the entrant is uncertain about the incumbent’s targeting cost. We demonstrate that implementing personalized pricing through a “list price-discount” scheme allows the incumbent to signal its targeting cost via the list price. This signaling mechanism is effective because the list price serves as a price ceiling, which limits the incumbent’s ability to extract consumer surplus through personalized discounts. The high-cost incumbent can strategically set its list price below the full-information level to separate itself from the low-cost incumbent. Interestingly, the high-cost incumbent prefers separating over pooling only when there is a moderate variation in the incumbents’ targeting costs. Personalized pricing can affect firms differently, benefiting the incumbent but hurting the entrant. Asymmetric information about targeting costs weakens the high-cost incumbent’s incentive to offer personalized discounts, resulting in lower total targeting costs and potentially increasing social surplus. These findings shed light on government regulations and transparency policies regarding personalized pricing. This paper was accepted by Dmitri Kuksov, marketing. Funding: P. Yu was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 72371038 and 72033003]. J. Zhang was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grants 72371061 and 72232001]. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2023.02031 .

Mapping the Apps: Ethical and Legal Issues with Crowdsourced Smartphone Data using mHealth Applications

More than 5 billion people in the world own a smartphone. More than half of these have been used to collect and process health-related data. As such, the existing volume of potentially exploitable health data is unprecedentedly large and growing rapidly. Mobile health applications (apps) on smartphones are some of the worst offenders and are increasingly being used for gathering and exchanging significant amounts of personal health data from the public. This data is often utilized for health research purposes and for algorithm training. While there are advantages to utilizing this data for expanding health knowledge, there are associated risks for the users of these apps, such as privacy concerns and the protection of their data. Consequently, gaining a deeper comprehension of how apps collect and crowdsource data is crucial. To explore how apps are crowdsourcing data and to identify potential ethical, legal, and social issues (ELSI), we conducted an examination of the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store in North America and Europe to identify apps that could potentially gather health data through crowdsourcing. Subsequently, we analyzed their privacy policies, terms of use, and other related documentation to gain insights into the utilization of users’ data and the possibility of repurposing it for research or algorithm training purposes. More specifically, we reviewed privacy policies to identify clauses pertaining to the following key categories: research, data sharing, privacy/confidentiality, commercialization, and return of findings. Based on the results of these app search, we developed an App Atlas that presents apps which crowdsource data for research or algorithm training. We identified 46 apps available in the European and Canadian markets that either openly crowdsource health data for research or algorithm training or retain the legal or technical capability to do so. This app search showed an overall lack of consistency and transparency in privacy policies that poses challenges to user comprehensibility, trust, and informed consent. A significant proportion of applications presented contradictions or exhibited considerable ambiguity. For instance, the vast majority of privacy policies in the App Atlas contain ambiguous or contradictory language regarding the sharing of users’ data with third parties. This raises a number of ethico-legal concerns which will require further academic and policy attention to ensure a balance between protecting individual interests and maximizing the scientific utility of crowdsourced data. This article represents a key first step in better understanding these concerns and bringing attention to this important issue.

Morality in Higher Education's AI Integration: Examining Ethical Stances on Implementation

The research focuses on transparency and education related to artificial intelligence (AI) in higher education, as well as how these factors affect student and academic staff acceptance of technology. The main objective of this study is to explore users' views and attitudes towards the use of AI, with a special emphasis on ethical and practical aspects. This study uses a mixed approach, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews conducted at Superior University, Lahore, Pakistan. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while thematic methods analyzed qualitative data. The study results showed that 75.2% of respondents supported education and transparency related to AI. 54.7% of respondents expressed concern that AI could threaten academic integrity if not used transparently and fairly. However, 45.3% of respondents see AI as an effective tool to detect plagiarism and improve academic supervision. The implications of this study underscore the importance of comprehensive education and transparency policies to ensure the ethical and practical use of AI in higher education. This research provides an empirical foundation for developing policies that can increase trust and acceptance of AI in academic contexts.

Pengaruh Mutasi dan Remunerasi terhadap Loyalitas Pegawai dengan Kepuasan Kerja sebagai Variabel Mediasi pada Lingkungan KPP Pratama Jember

This study aims to analyze the influence of mutation and remuneration on job satisfaction and employee loyalty at the Tax Office (KPP) Pratama Jember. The research method used is quantitative descriptive with data collection using a sample of all employees of KPP Pratama Jember totaling 93 samples. Data analysis is carried out using Variance-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-PLS) with the assistance of Warp PLS V.8.0. The results of the study show that mutation has a significant positive effect on job satisfaction, as well as remuneration. Job satisfaction also has a strong positive impact on employee loyalty. This finding emphasizes that good management of mutation and remuneration can increase employee satisfaction and loyalty in the tax institution. Path analysis results show significant direct and indirect influences among variables. Mutation and remuneration affect job satisfaction, while job satisfaction becomes a significant mediator in the relationship between mutation, remuneration, and employee loyalty. This research contributes to understanding the factors that influence job satisfaction and employee loyalty in the tax institution environment. Managerial implications include the expa This study aims to analyze the influence of mutation and remuneration on job satisfaction and employee loyalty at the Tax Office (KPP) Pratama Jember. The research method used is quantitative descriptive with data collection using a sample of all employees of KPP Pratama Jember totaling 93 samples. Data analysis is carried out using Variance-based Structural Equation Modeling (SEM-PLS) with the assistance of Warp PLS V.8.0. The results of the study show that mutation has a significant positive effect on job satisfaction, as well as remuneration. Job satisfaction also has a strong positive impact on employee loyalty. This finding emphasizes that good management of mutation and remuneration can increase employee satisfaction and loyalty in the tax institution. Path analysis results show significant direct and indirect influences among variables. Mutation and remuneration affect job satisfaction, while job satisfaction becomes a significant mediator in the relationship between mutation, remuneration, and employee loyalty. This research contributes to understanding the factors that influence job satisfaction and employee loyalty in the tax institution environment. Managerial implications include the expansion of transparent mutation policies and a fair remuneration system to support career development and employee satisfaction. Thus, the results of this study can serve as a basis for strategic and managerial improvements in efforts to maintain and enhance employee performance at KPP Pratama Jember. Keywords: Employee Loyalty, Job Satisfaction, Mutation, Remuneration, Tax Office (KPP) Pratama Jember. nsion of transparent mutation policies and a fair remuneration system to support career development and employee satisfaction. Thus, the results of this study can serve as a basis for strategic and managerial improvements in efforts to maintain and enhance employee performance at KPP Pratama Jember. Keywords: Employee Loyalty, Job Satisfaction, Mutation, Remuneration, Tax Office (KPP) Pratama Jember.

Legal and Policy Implications in the Age of Social Media in South Africa

Purpose: The aim of the study was to examine the legal and policy implications in the age of social media in South Africa Methodology: This study adopted a desk methodology. A desk study research design is commonly known as secondary data collection. This is basically collecting data from existing resources preferably because of its low cost advantage as compared to a field research. Our current study looked into already published studies and reports as the data was easily accessed through online journals and libraries. Findings: The study revealed that privacy concerns, copyright infringement, cyberbullying, data protection regulations, content moderation, online political advertising, employer surveillance, and emerging technologies like deepfake, researchers have shed light on the evolving legal frameworks governing social media platforms. The study emphasized the critical need for enhanced privacy protection measures, transparent content moderation policies, comprehensive cyberbullying laws, and stricter regulation of online activities to safeguard users' rights and mitigate potential harms. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Social Contract Theory, Diffusion of Innovations Theory & Network Society Theory may be used to anchor future studies on legal and policy implications in the age of social media in South Africa. Formulate policies that strike a balance between freedom of expression and the need to curb harmful content such as hate speech, misinformation, and online harassment. Legal frameworks should provide guidance on content moderation practices while safeguarding fundamental rights. Encourage social media companies to adopt ethical principles and practices that prioritize user well-being and societal good over profit maximization. This includes measures to combat online addiction, promote digital well-being, and mitigate the negative impacts of their platforms on mental health and democracy. This contributes to both legal theory and practice by emphasizing the role of corporations in upholding broader societal values.

Information Transparency With Targeting Technology for Online Service Operations Platform

Social technologies have enabled the emergence of online platforms that provide offline service consultations and recommendations. In this environment, economic inefficiency arises when customers are not fully aware of their horizontally differentiated preferences. With its expertise or data dominance, a platform can be more informed about customers’ hidden preferences. We focus on an instrumental social technology, that is, targeting, which is a type of data-driven personalized information provision to manipulate customers’ beliefs about service quality. We propose a Hotelling model wherein customers are sensitive to the delays for service while making Bayesian belief updates based on a platform’s recommendations. When customers self-select their favorite service, their choices impose negative externalities through congestion and welfare loss. Our results indicate that service recommendations allow customers to navigate toward the more appropriate service, thus improving matching efficiency, reducing congestion costs, and enhancing aggregate customer welfare. We further identify the role of “information transparency” and study how the platform should strategically release information by making personalized service recommendations to customers. Interestingly, when a customer-centric platform maximizes aggregate customer welfare, we identify the “value of opaqueness” by strategically withholding service recommendations from a subset of customers and notice that this effect is more pronounced for a profit-seeking platform. Our results offer a better understanding of information transparency policies in the joint design of service recommendation systems and pricing mechanisms.