Bureaucratic Processes Research Articles

Government-Led digital transformation in FinTech ecosystems

In this paper, we report on a qualitative exploratory case study of a national-level government-led digital transformation. We depart from most studies on government digital transformation that largely focus on improving existing services, bureaucratic processes, or adopting emerging digital technologies. Instead, we analyze the process of a government-led digital transformation aimed at addressing significant institutional voids within a resource-constrained context. Drawing from 60 interviews with stakeholders in the Ghanaian FinTech ecosystem, we theorize the concept of digital branching strategy as an alternative lens to envisage government-led digital transformation that considers the resource-constrained context and characteristics of governments. Our findings show that governments, especially those in resource-constrained contexts pursue digital transformation through exploring frugal innovations and leveraging established resources, structures, and relationships within an ecosystem. We subsequently develop a process model to explain the mechanisms of a national-level government-led digital transformation. Based on the findings and the model, our study offers critical insights to re-imagine government-led digital transformation in resource-constrained contexts by demonstrating how pursuing a digital branching strategy leads to planned and emergent outcomes because of the generative nature of the transformation.

Leading program curriculum reform: reflections on challenges and successes

ABSTRACT Major curriculum review and redesign at the higher education level demand transformative academic leadership and significant time commitment. However, the traditional university culture characterised by change aversion, complex bureaucratic processes, and a research dominated academic workload allocation and promotion system poses significant obstacles to teaching quality enhancement. This article presents the critical reflections of a Program Director (academic middle leader) at an Australian university on the challenges and successes experienced while leading a major accounting curriculum reform project. Conducted between October 2019 and May 2021, this project encountered constant disruptions due to the Global Covid-19 pandemic, organisational restructuring, the new external professional accreditaiton requirements. Academic middle leader’s insights on the positive impacts and obstacles of major curriculum reform at the whole of a program level within a constantly evolving institutional environment provide valuable perspectives for both business education practice and policy reforms. The reflection has policy implications for university management to reassess strategic priorities with more balanced support for teaching and research in practice.

Exploring the complications of climate change funding in Sub-Saharan African countries

Globally, climate change funding has become a focal point and debate among international organisations, private agencies, governments, and civil societies mainly because of its significant threats to social, economic, and the environment and the significant funds needed to adapt and mitigate its impacts. While substantial amounts of funds have been secured and distributed to governments, private organisations and institutions in the continent to mitigate and cope with the threats of climate variabilities, the outcomes have failed to meet the desired outcomes due to limited access to funding, lack of transparency in allocations and the failure of the funds to reach local communities where the impacts are significantly felt. Using a conventional approach of data collection tools predominantly of quantitative and qualitative methods and extensive literature materials, this paper explored the complexities and constraints of sourcing climate change funding and the mechanisms of distribution funds across the continent. The findings unearthed that climate funding lacks transparency and equitable distribution; furthermore, there are substantial bureaucratic processes, capacity constraints and immense conflicting priorities among countries on the continent. Our findings uncovered that addressing these anomalies will require innovative funding structures that catalyse technical assistance programmes to support the creation of new avenues for climate finance as well as reforming global financial institutions, emphasising debt reductions, freeing up additional funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation, and channelling private finance to both climate and sustainable development, particularly in the more vulnerable countries.

Breaking down barriers: Overcoming silo mentality in bureaucratic reform

Background: Silo mentality has emerged as a significant obstacle in the bureaucratic reform process in Indonesia. This paper aims to investigate the underlying causes, adverse effects, and potential solutions to address silo mentality within the context of bureaucratic reform in government organizations.The study employs a qualitative approach, conducting a comprehensive review of relevant literature and analyzing the phenomenon of silo mentality in government organizations. Methods: The research draws upon various scholarly articles, government reports, and case studies to gain insights into the dynamics of silo mentality and its impact on bureaucratic reform efforts. Findings: The findings reveal that silo mentality stems from a range of factors, including leadership issues, lack of effective communication channels, and a focus on individual goals rather than organizational objectives. The presence of hierarchical structures and a lack of transparency in information sharing across different divisions contribute to the formation of silos. The impacts of silo mentality are far-reaching, resulting in reduced productivity, decreased employee morale, and diminished customer satisfaction. Conclusion: To overcome these challenges, the paper proposes several strategies. These include ensuring employee vision convergence, achieving common goals collectively, providing motivation and incentives, precise execution, and fostering collaboration among departments. The bureaucratic reform in Indonesia aims to establish a competent, professional, and integrity-driven bureaucracy that is free from corruption and serves the public effectively. However, the presence of silo mentality hinders the realization of these goals by creating barriers to communication, collaboration, and innovation. Future research should focus on developing practical frameworks and tools to facilitate the implementation of the proposed strategies for breaking down silos and promoting a collaborative work environment within government organizations undergoing bureaucratic reform. Empirical studies examining the effectiveness of these strategies in real-world settings would provide valuable insights into their applicability and potential for success. Additionally, exploring the role of technology in enabling seamless communication and collaboration across departments could offer new avenues for addressing silo mentality in the digital age. Novelty/Originality of this Study: The novelty of the 'silo mentality' phenomenon within the context of bureaucratic reform in Indonesia, identifying its causes, impacts, and proposing strategies to overcome it in order to achieve effective governance

Sentiment Analysis of Public Responses on Social Media to Satire Joke Using Naive Bayes and KNN

This study examines the use of Satire Joke as a humorous communication style in conveying criticism of the government through social media. Satire Joke is often used to depict the government's inability to address important social issues, such as slow bureaucratic processes and unfulfilled political promises. The aim of this research is to analyze public sentiment towards Satire Joke expressed on the YouTube social media platform. The methods used in this study are Naïve Bayes and K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) due to their effectiveness in data classification. The results of this study are expected to help gain an understanding of social issues for the community and public knowledge. This research is also expected to contribute to the development of sentiment analysis methods in the future. The analysis results show that 400 data have neutral sentiment, 850 data have negative sentiment, and 947 data have positive sentiment. Based on testing, both Naive Bayes and KNN methods show good performance. The Naive Bayes method achieved the best accuracy of 90.29%, while the KNN method achieved an accuracy of 60.75%.

Plantation forestry in Paraguay emerges

Over the last two decades, investors in the forestry sector have been increasingly active in Paraguay, establishing tree plantations with the aim of profiting from the burgeoning global demand for wood and fiber. Growth rates for commercial tree species are good to excellent, and the country has over 7.6 million hectares (Mha) of land with high to very high potential for cultivating them. Since 2010, Paraguay’s plantation area has quadrupled to more than 204,631 ha and planting rates accelerated sharply in 2023. This wave of planting and related forest industries is bringing jobs to rural communities and helping to diversify the country’s economy. Despite these positives, plantation forestry in Paraguay faces some hurdles: high transportation costs from this landlocked country to overseas markets, time-consuming bureaucratic processes, and governance issues. Another challenge is mainstreaming plantation-grown wood into the domestic supply chain, especially for fuelwood, one of the most important sources of energy for Paraguayan households and industry. With native wood now in short supply due to decades of heavy deforestation and overcutting, sustainable fuelwood plantations are needed to fill the gap. Major investments are nevertheless moving ahead. A new multibillion-dollar pulp mill under construction, an uptick in tree planting, the resolve to address domestic needs, especially for fuelwood, and decades of experience managing modest-sized plantations suggest that Paraguay’s plantation forestry sector is poised to expand. Bolstering this expansion with environmental and social best practices will help underpin its sustainability over the long term.

Efektivitas Pelimpahan sebagian Kewenangan Bupati Kepada Kepala Distrik di Kabupaten Jayapura

Since the implementation of Law Number 23 of 2014 concerning Regional Government, Jayapura Regency has adopted a policy of delegating authority as an effort to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government administration at the district level. This study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the delegation of authority from the Regent of Jayapura to the District Heads based on the Jayapura Regent Regulation Number 13 of 2019 on the Delegation of Partial Authority from the Regent to the District Heads to Perform Certain Local Government Affairs. This study uses a qualitative approach with data triangulation methods, including indepth interviews, observations, and document analysis. The results show that although there are some successes in the implementation of delegated authority, various obstacles remain, such as mismatches between the delegated authority and district capacities, lack of trained and competent human resources, and budget limitations. Additionally, the delegation process often lacks adequate accountability and transparency systems. The study also found that unclear policies and regulations, as well as complex bureaucratic processes, hinder the effectiveness of the delegated authority implementation. Some district heads feel that the delegated authority is insufficient to enable them to make quick and accurate decisions to serve local community interests. Recommendations from this study include improving human resource capacity at the district level, enhancing accountability and transparency systems, and simplifying bureaucratic processes to support the effectiveness of delegated authority. Thus, it is expected that the delegation of authority from the Regent of Jayapura to the District Heads can run more optimally and contribute positively to regional development and the improvement of public service quality

Voluntary Contributions to Pension Schemes: A Study Among Actors in the Informal Economy in Tanzania

The research delves into the participation of informal economic actors in voluntary contributions to pension schemes. It sheds light on the difficulties faced by the Social Security Fund in reaching out to informal actors regarding membership and voluntary contributions. The study investigates the operations and strategies employed by informal social organizations, such as the bodaboda association, food vending network, and fishing group, to encourage members to contribute voluntarily. Through qualitative methods, interviews with pension scheme participants were conducted to comprehend the initiatives aimed at including excluded individuals, particularly those engaged in the informal economy. Following the NSSF Act 2018 revision, there is no alternative arrangement to provide coverage for informal workers besides the formal social security. This study contends that excluding a significant portion of the population from pension schemes limits social services in Tanzania. Informal economy actors willingly contribute to informal social organizations. The contribution assists in addressing the challenges associated with irregular incomes. It was observed that the administrative and regulatory structure designed for the formal sector is not conducive to informal actors, mainly due to bureaucratic processes related to contributions and provisional pensions.

Rights-based social work as a practice. The role of child welfare social work in the repatriations of Finnish children from the camps in north-eastern Syria

ABSTRACT In this article, we present an interdisciplinary analysis that combines perspectives of law and social work on the role of child welfare social work in Finnish repatriations of children from camps in north-eastern Syria after the territorial losses of the terrorist organisation ISIS in 2019. We used qualitative data that consists of interviews of professionals, which we analysed using thematic analysis. The findings show how a rights-based approach to the issue of repatriation helped to decrease tension in a highly politicised situation, making children’s rights the starting point of the decision making process followed by a professionally led bureaucratic process in which several children were repatriated from the camps in Syria. Social workers’ decisions in individual cases both affected the legal obligations of the state to repatriate and the repatriation processes. The actions taken by the social workers emerge as practices of rights-based social work. Importantly, the role of social workers has been essential in how rights of the children were negotiated and understood in an evolving process between authorities.

The Development Strategy of The Civil Apparatus of Pemalang Regency Through the Bureaucratic Evaluation Information System (Serabi)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the implementation and effectiveness of the SERABI (Bureaucratic Reform Evaluation System Application) in monitoring and evaluating the state civil apparatus in Pemalang Regency, and to identify any obstacles encountered in its use. Theoretical reference: The study is grounded in the theory of e-government and its role in enhancing public administration through technological innovations, specifically in the context of bureaucratic reform and public service delivery. Method: The research employed a qualitative method with a descriptive approach to assess the implementation of the SERABI application. Data were collected through direct observation, interviews, and document analysis related to the usage of the SERABI system by various Organizational Units (OPDs) within the Pemalang Regency Government. Results and Conclusion: The study found that the implementation of the SERABI application in Pemalang Regency has generally been successful, with most OPDs completing self-assessments and inputting the required data into the system. However, there were discrepancies in the evaluation scores for three OPDs, which received a grade of D, indicating room for improvement. The results suggest that while the SERABI application has been effective in promoting compliance and facilitating bureaucratic reform, certain challenges remain, particularly in ensuring the accuracy and consistency of the evaluations. Implications of research: The findings imply that while e-government applications like SERABI can significantly improve the efficiency and transparency of bureaucratic processes, continuous monitoring, training, and support are necessary to address implementation challenges and improve system accuracy. Policymakers and administrators can use these insights to refine their strategies for deploying similar e-government solutions. Originality/value: This study provides valuable insights into the practical application of an e-government innovation in a regional setting. By focusing on the SERABI application, it highlights the specific challenges and successes associated with using technology to drive bureaucratic reform, offering a model for other regions looking to implement similar initiatives.

Advancing collaborative social outcomes through place-based solutions—aligning policy and funding systems

Abstract More collaborative and human-centered approaches to tackle social problems of entrenched disadvantage have been introduced in many countries, including Australia, but with mixed results. Traditional programs that reinforce existing political and bureaucratic processes have been seen as blockers to collaborative modes of policymaking, governance, and delivery. Drawing on collaborative governance perspectives, this paper reports new research undertaken in conjunction with a not-for-profit organization (Collaboration for Impact) involved in supporting place-based collaborative community change efforts. Research findings, based on stakeholder perspectives, highlight not only the potential benefits of a more collaborative model (i.e., placed-based and community driven) but also the significant unresolved challenges for “backbone” coordination bodies, which have recently been established to achieve more “joined-up” policy, funding, and service delivery arrangements. The paper concludes by proposing a practice-driven focus on policy and funding systems, together with implications for policy learning and program design.

‘Is it worth doing this or is it better to commit suicide?’: On ethical clearance at a university

The article examines the formal process of ‘ethical clearance’ for social science research at a large university and illuminates how it functions to undermine its stated purpose. We find that rather than promoting ethical standards, the bureaucratic process creates negative and cynical attitudes and game playing. For almost all participants, the entire procedure is counterproductive and experienced as absurd, creating a boomerang effect. The findings reveal how a specific rationalization effort leads to widespread experiences of irrationality, where detailed and strict organization merges with experiences of the bizarre. The article develops concepts capturing the experience and resulting organizational type: ‘orbizzarization’ and ‘absurdocracy’. These concepts enrich our understanding of toxic/irrational organizations, including Kafkaesque organizations.

Is the Productivity of Faculty Members Sustainable? The Perspective of Faculty Members

In the global economic landscape, a nation’s ability to secure a prominent position is intricately linked to its capacity for knowledge augmentation and technological innovation. This correlation underscores the pivotal role of universities and academicians, whose importance directly reflects a country’s level of development. The effectual execution of educational, research, and innovative pursuits within university settings necessitates the presence of qualified, productive, and dedicated academicians. As key contributors to academic, social, and humanitarian spheres, academicians bear responsibilities spanning research, teaching, societal enlightenment, and problem solving within higher education. The scholarly productivity of researchers is commonly gauged through metrics involving scientific publications and academic engagements. Notably, in many countries, advancements and appointments within academic institutions are contingent on the demonstrated productivity of academicians. Aligning with this global trend, Turkey accordingly structures its promotion and appointment procedures within academia. This study aims to ascertain faculty members’ perspectives regarding academic productivity after their associate professors’ and professors’ appointments in Turkey. Furthermore, we endeavor to identify the underlying factors contributing to this decline and increase academic productivity. Our findings emphasize the intricate interplay of various factors influencing academic productivity and sustainability. These include the significance of institutional support, economic stability, intrinsic motivation, and challenges such as bureaucratic processes and gender-related issues, which collectively shape the academic landscape and faculty members’ ability to produce impactful research over time. The research study group comprised 20 faculty members working at a public University in Turkey in the 2022–2023 academic year. This study was prepared using a qualitative research model. This study used the interview technique, one of the data collection techniques used in process-based evaluation applications. Furthermore, the obtained data were analyzed using the content analysis technique used in qualitative research methods.

The Bureaucratic Route of the Real Estate Sale Contracts

This article comes to answer one of the most common questions we have from clients in the notarial practice: "What documents are required?". Although there are no two contracts alike, just as there are no two people alike, we can say that there is a general framework that is adapted to each situation. We will present what are the stages and the bureaucratic process that the seller and buyer go through in a real estate contract, but also what documents are required and what each of them is used for. The article is structured according to three moments in the authentication process: the procedures prior to authentication, those concurrent with authentication, and those after authentication. Of course, it is up to the notary the instruments the procedure if he considers that, in addition to those presented, other documents are needed to clarify the situation of a building. We will see that, although this bureaucratic route may seem cumbersome and sometimes even boring, it is important for the safety of the non-contentious civil circuit.

Fortifying Uzbekistan's integrity landscape: Harnessing India's tech-driven anti-corruption strategies

Corruption poses significant challenges to sustainable development and social justice in Uzbekistan. This paper explores how Uzbekistan can strengthen its anti-corruption framework by leveraging emerging technologies and drawing lessons from India's experience in using information and communication technology (ICT) to combat corruption. The study employs a qualitative research methodology, analysing data from government reports, case studies, and expert interviews to identify specific areas where Uzbekistan can learn from India's successes and challenges in applying ICT solutions. The findings highlight several key ways ICT can bolster anti-corruption efforts in Uzbekistan, such as increasing transparency through e-governance platforms, improving accountability via digital monitoring systems, and enabling citizen participation with online reporting tools. The paper provides concrete examples and data from India demonstrating how technologies like biometrics, blockchain, and data analytics have helped detect fraud, streamline bureaucratic processes, and empower citizens to report corruption. However, the research also reveals critical legal, institutional and cultural barriers Uzbekistan must address to effectively implement these tech-based approaches, such as outdated regulations, lack of technical expertise, and public distrust. Comparing India and Uzbekistan's contexts, the paper offers tailored recommendations for how Uzbekistan can adapt India's ICT models to overcome its unique constraints. The study concludes that while technology is not a panacea, strategically integrating ICT into Uzbekistan's anti-corruption arsenal – with insights from India's experience – can be a powerful tool to promote good governance, curb corruption, and ultimately advance social justice for citizens. More research is needed to assess the long-term impacts and scalability of specific ICT interventions.

Assessing The Challenges In Ownership And Funding Practices Of University Education In Cross River State, Nigeria

This study explored the challenges in ownership and funding practices of university education in Cross River State, Nigeria. Descriptive survey design was adopted in conducting the study. Three research questions were answered through the data collected from all the Heads of Department in the sampled Universities in Cross River State including University of Calabar (UNICAL) and Cross River State University (CRSU), Havilla University, Nde-Ikom and Arthur Javis University Akpabuyo. The population comprised 228 Heads of Department in the study area. The census approach was adopted in drawing the population because they are manageable. A 20-item validated questionnaire titled: Challenges in Ownership and Funding Practices of University Education Questionnaire (COFPUEQ) was employed for data collection. The instrument was tested for reliability using Cronbach Alpha at a statistical index .86 which was adjudged good enough for data collection. Data collected were analyzed through mean and standard deviation. Findings revealed that the key challenges in ownership and funding practices of universities in the study area include but not limited to insufficient funding, complex bureaucratic processes, inadequate infrastructure, difficulty in attracting and retaining faculty. It was concluded that by examining these challenges and proposing potential strategies for sustainable funding, the study recommends the importance of diversifying funding sources and engaging in public-private partnerships to enhance the financial sustainability of universities in the State.

Evolution of informed consent in research: From the Hippocratic Oath to the tailored consent.

Informed consent (IC) is essential in defending the autonomy of potential participants in clinical research. Despite the advances in research ethics, particularly in IC, the different guidelines and codes have not been fully implemented. Several studies have presented consent deficiencies that have resulted in unethical practices or poor understanding of the IC. This article reviews the evolution of IC, from its philosophical origins and initial use in the Ottoman Empire (16th century) to its use in clinical research today. It also presents the vision of the European project i-CONSENT (Grant Agreement number: 741856), whose main purpose is to improve the understanding of ICs in research and identifies the key components of a new paradigm to develop patient-centred ICs. In many cases, the IC has served to protect the investigator or sponsor from complaints. Different ethical guidelines have sought to make the IC a more useful tool, with little success. Today's IC is mainly a bureaucratic and legal process that fails to consider the patient's point of view. In this context, the Guidelines for Tailoring the Informed Consent Process in Clinical Studies provide alternatives to the current IC process, focusing on the patient's opinions and making them part of the process, thereby improving clinical research quality.

Professional Experiences and Career Trajectories of Mid- to Senior-Career Women Clinician-Scientists

Despite increasing evidence and recognition of persistent gender disparities in academic medicine, qualitative data detailing the association of gender-based experiences with career progression remain sparse, particularly at the mid- to senior-career stage. To investigate the role gender has played in everyday professional experiences of mid- to senior-career women clinician-scientists and their perceptions of gender-related barriers experienced across their careers. In this qualitative study, a total of 60 of 159 invited clinician-scientists who received National Institutes of Health K08 or K23 awards between 2006 and 2009 and responded to a survey in 2021 agreed to participate. Invitees were selected using random, purposive sampling to support sample heterogeneity. Semistructured in-depth interviews were conducted January to May 2022. For this study, interviews from 31 women were analyzed using the framework approach to thematic analysis. Data analyses were performed between August and October 2023. Descriptive themes of participant experiences of gender and gender-based barriers in academic medicine. A total of 31 women clinician-scientists (8 identifying as Asian [25.8%], 14 identifying as White [45.2%], and 9 identifying as members of a minority group underrepresented in medicine [29.0%]; 14 aged 40-49 years [45.2%] and 14 aged 50-59 years [45.2%]) were included. Among them, 17 participants (54.8%) had children who required adult supervision or care, 7 participants (22.6%) had children who did not require supervision or care, and 6 participants (19.4%) did not have children. There were 4 dominant themes identified within participant experiences in academic medicine: the mental burden of gendered expectations at work and home, inequitable treatment of women in bureaucratic processes, subtle and less subtle professional exclusion of women, and value of communities built on shared identities, experiences, and solidarity. This study found that women perceived the institution of academic medicine as a male-centric system misaligned with the needs of women, with associated feelings of exclusion, disillusionment, and loss of trust in their institutions. Findings suggest that the confluence of domestic obligations and unaccommodating institutional environments may make it difficult for women clinician-scientists to achieve established timelines of career progression and productivity; these findings may have long-term implications for the well-being and retention of women in academic medicine.

Online-Based Performance Report Service: An Effort to Reduce Teachers' Administrative Workload

During the pandemic, the demand for professionalism has become a new administrative workload for teachers in their academic careers. The biggest source of stress for teachers comes from the lack of administrative support; it amounts to 34% and is the number one cause of stress. For example, many teachers in Indonesia work in remote and geographically challenging areas far from the government offices that oversee them. This study examines the model and strategies for effective administrative services to support teachers in the new normal. A descriptive analysis was employed for the study. Data were collected from participatory observations and semi-structured interviews with 8 key informants at 4 education offices at a regency level. It was supported by an inductive analysis to answer the question related to the extent to which the online-based performance report service could reduce teachers’ workload and help for better recording of performance data. The findings implied that the online-based performance report service could reduce the problem in the direct or offline system of teacher administration services. The program will be successful under 3 main aspects of suitability: (1) between the program and its benefits, (2) between the program and the implementation, and (3) between the program and the implementing organizations. In conclusion, the online-based administration system will be effective if inhibiting factors are eliminated, including the long bureaucratic process and dual loyalty in our education sector.
 Keywords: administrative service, education policy, SISDUPAK

Having children in cross-border contexts: late-family formation among homoparental families in Spain.

Considered until recently unfit to rear children, non-heterosexual people have been excluded from forming families in most countries. Many, worldwide, demand access to family formation, claiming the same aptitudes as heterosexual people for raising children. However, when non-heterosexual singles and couples want to become parents in Spain, they must consider transnational contexts, resorting to inter-country adoption or surrogacy abroad, processes that contribute to delay their family formation. They must consider not only Spanish sociocultural conditions, but other countries' legal restrictions regarding parents' gender, social status, and sexual identity. These families experience great difficulty in gaining access to reproductive health services. Based on multi-site ethnographic fieldwork, this text addresses how, despite legislative changes allowing homoparental family formation in Spain, these parents must overcome complex bureaucratic processes when they decide to have children, while facing homophobic attitudes and policies in their quests to become parents.