Practice Of Public Administration Research Articles

The relevance of CRT to public administrative practice: The role of leaders

Public administration is poised to recognize that race is constitutive of bureaucratic hierarchies, processes, and outcomes and, as such, to ground our work in a more critical and progressive conceptual framework. In this exploratory analysis, we center Critical Race Theory (CRT) around practice, or praxis, a process that is self-reflexive and race-conscious to address root causes of racism, on the role of public sector leaders. This paper applies leadership research to demonstrate how public leaders, particularly career bureaucrats, can help to eliminate institutional racism. We specifically explore how critical race praxis (CRP) can apply to environmental justice and the movement against environmental racism.

Пороговые значения уровня региональной дифференциации социально-экономического развития как инструмент обеспечения экономической безопасности

The article defines the high level of uneven regional development of the Russian Federation as a significant threat to its territorial integrity and national security. In this regard, an urgent problem in the theory and practice of public administration is the development of methods for assessing the degree of regional differentiation and determining its threshold values. The article reveals the essence of various approaches to determining indicators characterizing the unevenness of territorial development and substantiates the need to develop an indicator of its critical state.

Integrating philosophical perspectives into the study of public administration: The contribution of Critical Realism to understanding public value

Philosophical thought may provide an important contribution to the development of the theory and practice of public administration (PA). Notwithstanding such potential, however, philosophical thought has so far been limitedly employed in PA studies. To the extent philosophy has been brought into PA, three philosophies have been mainly used: Pragmatism, strands of Relativism-Constructivism, and Positivism. This paper argues that another philosophical approach can and ought to be considered much more systematically for application to foundational issues in PA studies, namely Critical Realism. The potential of this philosophical perspective is deployed to shed new light on key issues in the theory and practice of public value governance and management, a major area of academic investigation and practical application in the field of public administration and public management.

Performance audit as an advanced form of public administration

Since the introduction of the principles of results-based budgeting into the global practice of public administration at the beginning of the twentieth century, the role of such an indicator as the effectiveness of the functioning of public institutions has increased every year, which led to the emergence and development of such a tool of public audit bodies as a performance audit. Having originated in the middle of the twentieth century in Western countries, performance audit has over time become one of the key tools of independent public audit bodies aimed not at finding violations, but at eliminating both fundamental and less global problems in the activities of executive authorities. At the same time, the principles on which the performance audit is based can be applied in their activities not only by state audit bodies, but also by representatives of the executive authorities of various states, such as financial control bodies, executive authorities and state organizations. The basis for the proper functioning of state institutions in the rapidly changing world of our time are public administration and control systems based on the principles of permanent search for shortcomings and improvement of processes at the state and municipal levels.

Book Review: The scaffolding is on and Public Administration literature will change

With the attempt to put behind the fallacy of considering the doctrine of separation of religion and state as an ideal for Public Administration (PA) globally, Edoardo Ongaro and Michele Tantardini (2023) have brought out an important book that makes an important contribution to the field of PA. The book not only reinforces the recognition of the significant impact that religion has on the studies and practice of PA but, more importantly, helps to establish a framework that could serve as the groundwork for future research in this field.

Slow and steady? Capacity building for participatory governance in local arts development through practitioner-researcher collaboration

With a focus on local government's role in participatory cultural governance, this paper argues two points. First, self- and critical reflexivity of institutional brokers is important to community-wide capacity building for participatory cultural governance. Second, this reflexivity can be enabled through slow, inquiry-based collaboration between practitioners and researchers. The paper presents the experiences of a practitioner-researcher collaboration between a local authority arts officer and a cultural policy scholar in the development of a place-based local arts development programme taking place from 2017 to 2019 in Dublin, Ireland. The paper surfaces how efforts to promote greater participation in local decision-making require acts of reflexivity as core to the repertoire of capacity building for enabling participatory cultural governance practice in local public arts administration. Three interrelated factors are determined to have helped enable this reflexivity: (1) the arts officer's openness to engage in collaborative processes that (2) emphasised reflection and learning and were supported by (3) the presence of an embedded researcher with mutual interest, beliefs and experience or knowledge of the institutional context. Limitations in the study highlight areas for further research regarding the affective nature of practitioner-researcher collaborations and the potential of promoting reflexive practice in processes aimed at promoting participatory governance.

ADAPTATION OF M. MOORE’S STRATEGIC TRIANGLE CONCEPT TO THE PRACTICE OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The article is devoted to the study of the possibility of adapting the concept of strategic triangle of M. Moore in the practice of public administration. The authors analyse Moore’s basic principles and ideas regarding strategic management and consider the possibility of their application in the context of public administration. The article proves that the use of Moore’s concept allows to create an effective system of political decision-making capable of solving complex social problems taking into account a wide range of factors and involving a large number of stakeholders. The main advantages of this approach are its comprehensiveness, flexibility and focus on innovations that promote efficiency in the long term. The concept of M. Moore’s strategic triangle, which includes the elements of public good value, legitimacy and support, and operational capability, has been shown to be key to effective public administration and social change management. These three components are interrelated and together determine the government’s ability to achieve public goals. The partnership with the private sector in the concept under study emphasises the importance of involving the public in decision-making processes in public administration. Taking into account the opinions and needs of citizens can contribute to greater legitimacy of the decisions made and improve the quality of public service delivery, efficiency of public administration mechanisms and public policy in certain sectors. It is proved that the adaptation of M. Moore’s concept of strategic triangle in the practice of public administration will contribute to the construction of a democratic and open decision-making procedure, where any actor can participate in making important decisions and influence the development of their country. The use of the studied concept allows to provide the voice of civil society in the process of public administration, increasing the responsibility of the state to society and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of public institutions.

ЄВРОПЕЇЗАЦІЯ ПУБЛІЧНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ ТА АДМІНІСТРУВАННЯ ЯК ПРОЦЕС ФОРМУВАННЯ ЄВРОПЕЙСЬКОЇ ІНСТИТУЦІОНАЛЬНОЇ ІДЕНТИЧНОСТІ В УКРАЇНІ

The article substantiates the fundamentally important importance of a methodologically correct understanding of Europeanization as a cultural and ideological phenomenon. It is claimed that the content of Europeanization is socio-cultural, socio-psychological processes and mental attitudes that support the cultural-ideological process of perception of European values in Ukraine. The result of these processes should be the institutional European identity of Ukraine, the completion of which should be based on the establishment of a logical connection along the lines: «society – culture – social institutions – institutional practices of public management and administration – social strata – organizations – small groups – the individual». The logic of actions should be aimed at instilling stable habits and traditions of people-centered public management and administration, public management behavior and a way of thinking, adequate to the norms and principles of European governance. In turn, the results of the implementation of governance in Ukraine should be a new institutional order based on trust between the state and regions, the state and business, the state and civil society.
 The authors claim that today in Ukraine to solve the theoretical and practical problems of Europeanization, it is necessary to comprehensively develop the theory of Europeanization, define the strategic goal and expected results of Europeanization in the concept or program of institutional development of Ukraine.

Can Lamb And Lion Tango? Investigating Nigeria’s Practice of Public Administration and Peculiar Challenges from Structural Functional Theory

There is a gap in scholarly literature that has yet to be filled by scholars regarding the practice of public administration, challenges, and viable policy roadmaps for urgent governance situations in Nigeria. Anchored on functionalism, this study specifically examined the historical, phenomenological, and philosophical investigation of Nigeria's practice of public administration, the challenges of Nigeria's public administration, and how the politics-administration dichotomy influences Nigeria's practice of public administration. The type of data sought established the study through the qualitative method. Data were collected through primary and secondary means, and content analysis was performed. Drawing from interviews with professional administrators, this study revealed how corruption, godfatherism, irresponsible and irresponsive leadership, poverty, and procedural violations troubled public administration. Also, Nigeria’s public administration is characterized by a politics-administration dichotomy with its negative inputs and resultant effects. Due to the pervasive effect of these challenges, the country is not a developmental state and lacks appropriate governance structures that can usher in sustainable development (SD). Nigeria should be made a developmental state through robust development policies and effective implementation by responsive political leadership and administrative practices devoid of corruption, godfather politics, and procedural violations.

Answering the call for change: Developing and teaching social equity courses in public administration

ABSTRACT Despite Minnowbrook’s call in 1968, social equity has been slow to be incorporated into public administration scholarship, teaching, and practice. However, recently, more organizations have promoted a social equity lens in their missions, strategic plans, budgets, hiring decisions, programs, and policies. As a pillar of public administration, this is long overdue. With this increased support, we have also seen a resurgence of dangerous policies and decisions that if successful, could undermine the work that has been done in support of diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice (DEIJ). In the face of such adversity, institutions of higher education have the obligation to give public servants the context, language, and skills to advocate for DEIJ. Some programs have thus begun to incorporate DEIJ topics and classes into their curriculum. This paper outlines the process by which a social equity in public service class was prepared and taught.

Agile development for urban digitalisation: insights from the creation of Dresden’s smart city strategy

Purpose Digitalising cities requires new urban governance processes that account for rapidly changing environments and technological advances. In this context, agile development methods have become valuable, if not necessary. However, agile development contradicts public administration practices of risk aversion and long-term planning. The purpose of this study is to discuss practical avenues for navigating these two contradictions by adapting agile development to the needs of public sector organisations. Design/methodology/approach The authors review the collaborative elaboration of Dresden’s smart city strategy as a critical case study. Dresden’s smart city strategy was developed using agile development and quadruple-helix innovation. The year-long co-creation process involved stakeholders from various groups to conceive an integrated and sustainable vision for digitalisation-based urban development. Findings Despite the apparent contradictions, this study finds that key aspects of agile development are feasible for public sector innovation. Firstly, risks can be strategically managed and distributed among administration and non-administration stakeholders. Secondly, while delivering value through short iterative loops, adherence to formal processes remains possible. Informal feedback cycles can be harmoniously combined with official statements, allowing iterative progress. Research limitations/implications The empirical material is based on a single case study and thus risks overemphasising the general applicability of the proposed methods. Practical implications This paper outlines practical steps to greater agility for public administration engaged in digitalising cities. The paper conceptualises a forward and lateral momentum for the agile development of a smart city strategy that aims to reconcile formal policymaking processes with short-term loops and risk aversion with experimental value creation. This approach balanced risks, created value and enhanced the strategy‘s alignment with strategic frameworks, ultimately promoting innovation in the public sector. Originality/value This paper proposes a novel, empirically grounded conceptualisation of implementing agile methods that explicitly recognises the peculiarities of public administrations. It conceptualises the orchestrated and pragmatic use of specific agile development methods to advance the digitalisation of cities.

Инвестиции в человеческий потенциал и капитал как ведущий фактор развития экономики

The relevance of the article is determined by the fact that human potential and human capital are the leading factors of socio-economic development of the state. On the one hand, the level of human capital and potential determine the productive force of the country’s economic growth, on the other hand, the human being is the main consumer of the results of this growth, the highest aim, and the main criterion of the quality of economic growth. The article presents the results of theoretical analysis of the categories of “human capital” and “human potential”. As a result of the analysis, it is determined that to date there is no unified methodology of categorical and conceptual apparatus of “human capital” and “human potential” in the aspect of increasing the efficiency of human resources utilization both for individual economic entities and for the state as a whole. It is established that human capital, based on economic theory, is a phenomenon that is already directly used in the production process, while human potential is a category that involves the potential acquisition of higher professional quali-fications (competencies, knowledge, skills and abilities of labor activity) by an employee. It has been proved that in order to develop the level of human potential and capital, individual business entities and the state as a whole, implement various investment programs that ensure the improvement of professional qualification of the country’s personnel. However, this investment is accompanied by a number of risks, and one of the main risks is the lack of scientifically-based criteria for assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of investment pro-grams. The article presents possible reasons for this problem and formulates proposals for its solution. The practical significance of the article lies in the fact that the obtained results of theoretical analysis and the identi-fied problems of investment can be used in the practice of public management and administration in the im-plementation of measures aimed at the development of human potential and human capital.

ГОСУДАРСТВЕННОЕ УПРАВЛЕНИЕ В НОВЫХ ГЕОПОЛИТИЧЕСКИХ И ГЕОЭКОНОМИЧЕСКИХ УСЛОВИЯХ (ИТОГИ РАБОТЫ XX МЕЖДУНАРОДНОЙ КОНФЕРЕНЦИИ)

The publication provides an overview of the 20th International Scientifi c Conference “Public Administration in New Geopolitical and Geo-Economic Conditions”, held annually at the Faculty of Public Administration of M.V. Lomonosov Moscow State University. During the conference, new trends in the science and practice of public administration, challenges of the modern world economy, problems and prospects of digital transformation of public administration, problems of regional and municipal management, features of staffing the public administration system, prospects for strategic planning, challenges and prospects of Eurasian integration, the role of BRICS countries on the path to establishing a new world order, issues of anti-crisis management of the public and commercial sectors, modern capabilities for managing social systems and personnel management in the face of the challenges of new times. The economic, political, legal aspects of the functioning of public authority, national issues, historical processes, social transformations, issues of sustainable development of the state, crisis phenomena at the macro-, meso- and micro levels, problems of sustainable business development in the context of modern global processes, new personnel technologies of domestic companies are considered.

How and when servant leadership fosters employee voice behavior: evidence from Chinese local governments

Servant leaders serve others and the public altruistically. Knowledge of the relationship between servant leadership and followers’ attitudes and behaviors in the public sector remains limited, despite its benefits. Drawing on social learning theory and the theory of leader–member exchange (LMX), this study analyzes the mechanism through which servant leadership influences employee voice behavior in the public sector and explores the moderating effect of LMX. To test our research hypotheses, we employ two-wave data from 134 leader–employee dyads working in the Administrative Approval Service Center in a northeastern Chinese city. The results indicate that servant leadership predicts employee prosocial values motives and further influences voice behavior. Moreover, LMX strengthens the relationship between servant leadership and prosocial values motives, and its indirect effect. Our study sheds light on how and when servant leadership affects employee voice behavior, with implications for public administration practices and promoting civil servants’ voice behavior.

ІНТЕГРАЦІЙНІ ПРОЦЕСИ В СФЕРІ ДЕРЖАВНОГО УПРАВЛІННЯ В УМОВАХ РОСІЙСЬКО-УКРАЇНСЬКОЇ ВІЙНИ

The goal of the work. The article examines integration processes in the sphere of public administration in the conditions of the Russian-Ukrainian war. On the basis of the analysis, generalization and systematization of scientific sources, the trends of the development of integration processes in the sphere of public administration in modern conditions are highlighted, the need for further efforts in the direction of European integration is proved. Methodology. To achieve the goal, the article used methods of structuring problems, summarizing statistical data and facts, and developing strategic solutions. Scientific novelty. The scientific novelty of the article is that the author justified the steps aimed at reconstruction and effective mobilization of public administration resources to restore the ability of all levels of government, regions and municipalities of Ukraine to solve problems that bring the state closer to EU membership. In the article, the author highlights those problems that were not solved in the pre-war period of the state's development. In particular, we are talking about the need to optimize the system of state regulation, which should be aimed at promoting economic growth and increasing the level of well-being of citizens, as well as at achieving a new quality of state control, creating a "welfare state." The author proposes his own approach to solving the mentioned problems, which is based on the gradual reform of the public administration system, which should lead to a new quality of administration, bringing it closer to the European system of public management. Conclusions. It was concluded that the innovative transformation of the Ukrainian state, its transformation into a European-type state is impossible without changes in the sphere of public administration. The innovations proposed in the article will give a new impetus to the socio-economic development of Ukraine in the post-war period, creating the necessary conditions for the country's full integration into the EU by improving the public administration system. During the war, all authorities gain important experience in development planning and financing, which can be used in the post-war period to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of strategic decisions related to the rapprochement with the European Union. Nowadays, the executive authorities should build their capacity, analyze and implement the best European experience, try to adopt the style of management and communication, which is inherent in the European public administration practice.

Процеси реформування в системі державного управління в умовах російсько-української війни: адаптивний сценарій

The relevance of the chosen problem is due to the consideration that the transition to a modern system of public administration with strong institutions supported by the rule of law will require the Ukrainian government to make steps that should be undertaken during hostilities, to elaborate those strategic priorities that will direct the State towards democratization and the European integration. The article discusses integration processes in the field of public administration in the context of the russian-Ukrainian war. On the basis of the analysis, generalization and systematization of scientific sources, the tendencies of development of integration processes in the sphere of public administration in modern conditions are highlighted, the need for further efforts in the direction of the European integration is proved. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the substantiation by the author of the steps aimed at reconstruction and effective mobilization of public administration resources for restoring the ability of all levels of government, regions and municipalities of Ukraine to solve problems that bring the country closer to membership in the European Union. The article brings forward the argument that today the model of «proper governance» is one of the most attractive alternatives to the model of public administration, the implementation of which is possible in the presence of a number of conditions, the observance of which appears problematic, taking into account the problems resulting from military aggression, but, at the same time, even today the State can take certain steps to implement the model of «proper governance». At this, the basic postulates of the model allow us to say that «proper governance» is not just one of the options for public administration, but rather the philosophy of organizing life in the State, which provides for cooperation as the main form of interaction between various participants in those processes (social, economic, political, informational) that characterize the genuine diversity of the activities of the modern State. The author came to the conclusion that during the wartime, all authorities acquire important experience in development of the planning and financing, which can be used in the post-war period to increase the operativeness and efficiency of strategic decisions related to the approximation to the European Union. Nowadays, the executive authorities should build capacity, analyze and implement the best European experience, try to adopt the style of management and communication that is inherent in the European public administration practice.

Decision-making: The Process Contributing to Professional Public Administration

This article analysis one of the main issues of public administration theory and practice, which is helpful in government functioning and policy-making. Research study includes the discourse on how to plan and make decisions on behalf of democratic attitude. Public administration is utmost outcome, and the success or failure of the government depends on it. Theoretical debate on decision-making process, accordingly, surveys the fundamental perception on rational and incremental decision-making processes. It refers basically to the administrative institutions. Decision making is important for organizational effectiveness because of its central role in the overall process of directing and controlling. Decisions do not automatically guarantee all programmed outcomes, but denoting actions with professionalism and public support. As a valuable process it is likely to be a central element of management and leadership. Comparative study of examples of developed democratic systems shows the high responsibility of public institutes and government as key actors. Particular attention is paid there to the professionalism of government, which is a vital characteristic of any democratic public administration and virtually a policy quality. Findings of current research shows that decisions are not based solely on laws and regulations. Moreover, as the study shows, many other appropriate skills of decision-makers are important that will be seen with the close linkages with strategic governance.

SEGMENTS OF PUBLIC POLICY IN THE FIELD OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE DURING THE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL REVOLUTION (1917-1920)

The article analyzes the segments of public policy in the field of education and science during the Ukrainian National Revolution. It was found out that the main principles that professed the public-state nature of education were laid down by the Ukrainian governments of 1917–1920 at the basis of national education concept. The above principles served as the methodological guidelines for the organization of the national school and have not lost their value even today. It was in the concept of building education that political, cultural and public figures gave an important role to the formation of national higher humanitarian and natural education. The first place was the creation of Ukrainian humanitarian higher educational institutions and, first of all, universities, because higher education, like no other, was the most russified and, besides, there was a low percentage of Ukrainians among the student body.
 The peculiarities of the public policy’s impact on the educational and scientific process at various stages of Ukrainian state formation (Ukrainian Central Rada, Hetmanate of Pavlo Skoropadskyi, Directory of the Ukrainian People's Republic and the West Ukrainian People's Republic) were considered. The transformations experience of the educational sphere at that time was summarized, and specific proposals were offered on this basis regarding the possibilities of their implementation in the practice of public administration in the field of modern Ukraine’s education and science. It is outlined that precisely in these years, compared to the pre-revolutionary period, the number of higher educational institutions increased significantly, the quality of their specialist training improved, curricula were streamlined and improved, new specializations were introduced, and Ukrainian-language teaching was introduced. Individual institutes and all universities got the right to establish graduate schools, doctorate schools and to grant research degrees to researchers. The changes in the content and social purpose of higher education and the attitude towards it are highlighted. It is emphasized that education itself began to be considered not as a separate, distant, and sometimes hostile to the interests of the people, cultural environment, but as an integral part of the nation’s cultural heritage and its gradual development.

Work Behavior Analysis of Indonesian Civil Servants Using Social Media Interactions

This research examined Indonesian civil servants' work behavior using social media interactions. A hermeneutic approach was used to ascertain the meaning of an individual’s actions using text in social media interactions. The results showed that the work behavior of Indonesian civil servants tends to be negative and is primarily due to the unequal distribution of workload. First, this study uses a collection of data obtained from Twitter. Second, the data taken is selected based on the topic of work behavior. This research implies that work behavior needs to be monitored and managed appropriately to enhance public sector organizations' achievement and keep employees in proper conditions. Furthermore, work behavior management can be improved by evenly distributing the workload among employees. Negative work behavior leads to decreased employee performance, which causes dissatisfaction in public services. Work behavior analysis using social media interactions in the public sector is a new theme that needs to be explored in public administration practice. This is a critical topic of research as it can affect the achievements of an organization due to the support of rapid technological developments.

Cui prodest? Nudging prosocial behavior among healthcare professionals

Combining insights from nudge theory and research into prosocial behavior, we study how messages emphasizing the positive impact of flu vaccination may increase vaccination intentions among professionals in a public healthcare setting. Using an online randomized controlled trial with 13,785 healthcare professionals in Italy, we demonstrate that the intention to vaccinate and to promote vaccination in the workplace are higher when subjects are nudged (with a brief message) to reflect on the positive impact on others, namely their family and friends and especially their patients. In contrast, a nudge emphasizing personal benefits does not have a significant impact on the intention to vaccinate and only marginally increases intentions to promote vaccination in the workplace. But these patterns of results also varied across job types. We discuss how our study contributes to behavioral public administration theory and practice by demonstrating the potential of nudges to influence prosocial workplace behaviors.