Public Administration Research Articles

A különleges jogrend állami keretrendszere a veszélyhelyzet intézményének kontextusaiban

Aim: The aim of this study is to reflect and share ideas on the challenges and impacts of the health crisis on legislation and the functioning of local governments. A further aim of the study is to map the legislative action in emergency situations, and to examine the legislative difficulties and constitutional concerns caused by the declaration, extension and maintenance of the special legal emergency, and whether the emergency legislation was appropriate from the point of view of legal certainty. Methodology: In my research, I analysed and evaluated the experience of this new topic. Findings: I believe it is essential that the experience gained during the health crisis in the fields of public administration, health, law enforcement, food, care and services is analysed in scientific depth as soon as possible and incorporated into legislation as necessary. Value: The study draws attention to the need for the Government of Hungary and the system of public administration to be prepared to deal with new emergencies, in which case protocols developed on the basis of recent experience may be immediately available.

Collaborative Governance in Increasing Original Regional Income

This research, titled Collaborative Governance in Increasing Original Regional Income (A Bibliometric Approach to Research Development), aims to uncover research trends on collaborative governance through a bibliometric study approach. The primary objective is to identify scientific publications that contribute to studies on collaborative governance, particularly in the context of enhancing Regional Original Income (ROI). The researcher retrieved documents from the Scopus database, focusing on the subject of social sciences and using the VOSviewer application for data processing. The initial search resulted in 2,856 documents, which were filtered down to 48 articles related to collaborative governance in the field of Government Science. The bibliometric analysis highlights that the majority of collaborative governance research is conducted within the social sciences, emphasizing its importance in government functions and policy implementation, especially in efforts to increase regional income. A noticeable peak in research output occurred in 2022, with 231 articles published, indicating a growing interest in this field. This study also maps the geographical distribution of research, revealing that the United States, the UK, and China are the leading contributors, while Indonesia has not yet entered the top ten, presenting opportunities for further development in this area. Collaborative governance research often intersects with policy networks, which are crucial for addressing governance challenges in public administration. The study suggests that increasing collaborative governance research in Indonesia could significantly contribute to both the academic field of Government Science and practical policy-making.

Human Resource Practices and Job Performance: Insights from Public Administration

Human Resource Practices and Job Performance: Insights from Public Administration

Russian Language in the Field of Civil Service: Problems of Development and Using Borrowed Vocabulary

The article is devoted to the difficulties of mastering and errors in the use of foreign words in oral and written business (office) communication in Russian. The relevance of this topic is explained by the special speech responsibility of representatives of socially significant professions who use Russian as the state language, as well problems arising in the implementation as of the provisions of the Federal Law “On the State Language of the Russian Federation” as amended on February 28, 2023. The article substantiates the thesis about the need to take into account not only the lack of Russian analogues, but also other factors when using borrowed words. Of great importance for collecting language material was the author’s many years of work experience at the Faculty of Additional Education at the North-Western Academy of Public Administration (now the North-Western Institute of Management of the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation), in the executive authorities of Saint Petersburg and North-West Russia, in the Interregional Resource Center under the Administration of the Governor of Saint Petersburg. Theoretical methods (analysis, synthesis, historicism) made it possible to identify subjective and objective difficulties in mastering, typical errors in the use of borrowed words, as well as update ways to overcome them, which can be of practical importance for the conscious implementation of this law and improving the culture of Russian business (official) speech.

Some thoughts for the new federal administration

I assume nothing. Having grown up surrounded by pessimists, I promised myself that I would be an optimist. I am also very mindful that those who are predicting what will happen over the next four years will likely be wrong. It is with this in mind that I offer some drug policy ideas for consideration.

Historical and Future Changes in Water Temperature in the Pilica River (Central Europe) in Response to Global Warming

This study analyzes changes in the water temperature in the Pilica River (Poland), encompassing both historical data (1958–2023) and projections extending to the year 2100. We use multi-model ensembles (MMEs) with Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) to integrate various Global Climate Model (GCM) datasets for current and projected climate data. Additionally, a Random Forest (RF) machine learning method is applied to project future water temperatures in the Pilica River. It has been demonstrated that over a period of more than sixty years, the average annual water temperature has increased by nearly 2 °C. Further changes are expected to continue in a similar direction with a gradual rise in this parameter, reaching a temperature increase of 3 °C by the end of the 21st century (SSP585). In the distant future, with average monthly water temperature changes at the Przedbórz station ranging from 0.27 °C to 0.87 °C·decade−1 and at the Białobrzegi station from 0.22 °C to 1.06 °C·decade−1. The results of these changes are concerning, especially considering the crucial role of water temperature in shaping seasonality and the dynamics of processes occurring within the river. In the context of the sustainability of the river itself, but also of the entire catchment area, strategies developed by relevant public administration bodies are needed to mitigate the impacts of global warming observed in the thermal regime of the Pilica River.

THE EXHAUSTIVE LIST OF ORDINANCE No. 439/MJSP OF AUGUST 4, 2023 AND THE AUTONOMY OF THE STATES

Brazilian federalism, characterized by the division of power between different levels of government, aims to guarantee the autonomy and decentralization of public administration. In this context, public safety emerges as a crucial issue, requiring coordination and joint financing between the federal government, states, and municipalities. Law 13,756/2018, enacted on December 12, 2018, represented an important milestone in promoting federal cooperation in public safety. By creating the National Public Safety Fund (FNSP), the law established financing and management mechanisms that aimed to strengthen the actions of federal entities in preventing and combating crime. This decentralization sought to ensure greater effectiveness in the application of resources, allowing each federal entity to adapt actions to its specific needs and realities. However, Ordinance MJSP 439/2023, published on August 4, 2023, raised questions about its compatibility with the principles of federalism. By establishing a limitative list of axes and assets that can be financed with FNSP resources, Ordinance 439/2023 limited the autonomy of states in choosing priorities for their public security actions. The central question then arises: does Ordinance 439/2023, by establishing strict guidelines for the application of FNSP resources, violate the principles of Brazilian federalism? This is the question that this study, of a bibliographic and documentary nature, seeks to answer. Through an in-depth analysis of Law 13,756/2018 and MJSP Ordinance 439/2023, we conclude that the limitative list violates the autonomy of states in deciding what to invest in public security in the State or Federal District.

Inclusion of Municipal DIF Systems in Taxpayers Exempt From Payroll Tax, a Study from the Public Administration

Inclusion of Municipal DIF Systems in Taxpayers Exempt From Payroll Tax, a Study from the Public Administration

Impact of a program on ethics of public servants in the municipality of Rionegro in Colombia

The research addresses the importance of ethics in public administration, focusing on public servants in the municipality of Rionegro, Colombia. Ethics is presented as an essential element to promote transparency and combat corruption in public management. Despite the fact that the 1991 Constitution establishes ethical principles, their application in practice remains a challenge, with a high level of immorality in public service. The study highlights the diversity of professional profiles in public servants, which hinders consistent ethical management. In addition, it mentions that many civil servants lack political training and understanding of the importance of their role, which contributes to corruption. Ethics, according to the authors, is a key tool for strengthening institutions and regaining public trust. The research evaluated the impact of a professional ethics training program on public servants, finding significant improvements in their ethical knowledge and behavior. It concludes that, although ethics will not solve all corruption problems, it is an indispensable component for strengthening accountability and justice in public administration. It underscores the need to implement continuous training programs that promote ethical values as part of a strategy to improve efficiency and transparency in public institutions.

The evolving practice of UK Government ministers

AbstractHow can understanding the practice of government ministers help us to understand changes in public administration over time? Interviews with former UK ministers suggest that their practice has changed over the last 25 years. Their executive role has been accentuated as they have come to emphasize the importance of delivery and implementation to policy making. Reasons for that are examined, and consideration is given to how that shift in emphasis affects the ministers–civil servant relationship.

TECNOLOGIA E GESTÃO PÚBLICA: IMPACTOS DA INSERÇÃO DO SISTEMA ELETRÔNICO DE INFORMAÇÕES (SEI) COMO FERRAMENTA ADMINISTRATIVA EM UMA ESCOLA PÚBLICA

This article analyzes the impacts of implementing the Electronic Information System (SEI), an electronic document management system, as an administrative tool in a state school located in the city of Cujubim/RO. Based on the knowledge acquired during the Higher Education Course in Public Management Technology, we will address the changes that have occurred in the processing of administrative documents, as well as the organizational changes caused by its implementation in the unit under study. We will present here the importance of technology for Public Administration by comparing the advances achieved in recent years and the improvements that technological innovations can provide to organizations, including efficiency and speed in the processing of administrative processes, avoiding frequent loss of documents and, consequently, delays in returns. On the other hand, we have observed resistance and exclusion from some groups that are unable to keep up with the accelerated pace of technological innovations experienced in recent decades. Thus, the main objective of this article is to present, in a succinct manner, the relationship between public administration, technology and innovation as a challenging and productive factor in the execution of administrative activities in the public sector, based on the literature available in academic communication vehicles, observations and opinions/testimonies of the agents involved, providing a brief analysis and reflection on the importance of this theme for today’s public administrator.

Protocol for Identifying and Retaining Critical Knowledge in a Public Health Administration

The Secretary of Public Health (SSP) faces a looming skills gap due to retirements and rotations of civil service staff. Critical knowledge retention is crucial across all generational cohorts due to the retirement and turnover of workers. This study develops a protocol that addresses the knowledge retention needs of the four generations (Baby Boomers, X, Y, Z) that coexist in the workforce to ensure the continuity of the Public Health Secretariat. The objective of the study is to develop a protocol for the management, transfer, and retention of critical knowledge. A scoping review is conducted in Scopus and Web of Science to develop the protocol, to identify critical knowledge workers through tool scores. The instrument developed in this research includes two pilots on Baby Boomer and Millennial workers. Both workers had critical and essential knowledge for the continuity of the organisation. The Baby Boomer worker presented a higher amount of tacit, operational, and individually owned knowledge, while the Millennial worker showed a predominance of tacit technological knowledge. This protocol provides a practical and adaptable approach to identifying and prioritising critical knowledge holders, allowing organisations to map and determine the amount of essential knowledge within the workforce. An important limitation of the study is the small sample of workers who participated in the pilot test of the protocol. Further research is therefore recommended in other public administrations and across all generations in employment.

Exploring Barriers to Innovation in Public Administration

This study deepens our knowledge on innovation barriers within Public Sector Innovation (PSI) processes in local governments. It analyzes the barriers to PSI from a mixed method approach using an original survey directed to innovation managers in the largest Spanish city councils and semi-structured interviews within a case study. This study shows the most relevant barriers to innovation in different stages of development, the strategies used to overcome these barriers and the relationships among them. This research contributes to PSI literature by shedding light on the barriers' dynamics and how they operate in local governments within contexts of high levels of digitalization. Results suggest a significant prevalence of institutional barriers, more common in countries with a Napoleonic administrative tradition, and uncover the relevance of politics and human resource management foster innovation at the local level.

Interlocal learning mechanisms and policy diffusion: The case of new energy vehicles finance in Chinese cities

AbstractPolicy diffusion based on learning mechanisms has fascinated political science and public administration scholars for a long time. A robust and growing body of studies have identified the existence and importance of learning mechanisms in policy diffusion. However, there are still some gaps that need to be further improved. First, scholars identify the learning mechanism mainly based on indirect evidence, such as geographical proximity and successful innovation policies adopted by other jurisdictions, which lacking direct and systematic evidence. Second, little is known about how the hierarchical power structure affects the leap from learning behavior to policy adoption. This study provides direct evidence for the promoting effect of intergovernmental learning on policy diffusion by analyzing case of Chinese local financial subsidy policies for new energy vehicles. The empirical results reveal that policy learning in the form of site visits among local governments significantly promotes the policy diffusion, but superior government policy strategy attenuates the influence of interlocal learning on policy diffusion. Also, the initiators and themes of policy learning affect the learning–diffusion linkage, portraying the conditional effects and nuanced dynamics of interlocal policy learning in eliciting policy diffusion.

The Nature of Gender Mainstreaming Policies in Nakuru and Narok Counties, Kenya

This study examines the implementation of gender mainstreaming policies at various levels of public administration in Nakuru and Narok Counties, Kenya. It explores the integration of global conceptions, national policymaking, local self-governance, and feminist ideology in achieving gender equality. The research addresses the debate on the capacity of local versus national governments to implement gender equality initiatives. Feminist Theory guided this research. Using a comparative evaluative study design, the study investigates why these policies have not effectively increased women’s political participation. The target population comprised of elected leaders, civil society and the general public of Nakuru and Narok Counties. Stratified random sampling was employed to derive a sample of 335 respondents comprising of 92 elected leaders, 22 civil society members and 221 members of the general public. Data were collected through questionnaires, interviews, and focus group discussions, involving key informants and community members. Quantitative data was analyzed through descriptive statistics while qualitative data from interviews and focus group discussions was analyzed through content analysis. Findings revealed that there was no good familiarity with gender mainstreaming by 135(40.3%). Most of those unfamiliar with gender mainstreaming were from Narok, 68 (50.7%) followed by Nakuru 67(33.3%). Similarly, research showed that a significant portion of respondents in both counties agreed to their awareness of equality and equity, with 32.8% (66) in Nakuru and 28.4% (38) in Narok. This suggests that many people in both Counties recognize the importance of these concepts. The study concludes that the government has significantly shaped these policies, which have advanced gender equality in various ways. However, challenges remain, requiring a comprehensive approach that includes legal reforms, cultural shifts, and targeted support programs. The research recommended that promoting gender-friendly political cultures, challenging patriarchal norms, and providing support and training are essential for empowering women to take on leadership roles and contribute to the political process. This holistic approach is crucial for achieving gender parity in politics and ensuring women’s voices are heard in decision-making.

The Challenge of Balancing Innovation and Tradition in the Public Sector: The Role of Street-Level Bureaucrats in Digital Transformation

This conceptual article investigates the critical role of street-level bureaucrats (SLB) as potential “eliminators” of dysfunctional policies and drivers of digital change in the public sector. Working on the front lines of government, they have a distinctive viewpoint that allows them to challenge persistent ineffective policies. The present work introduces a framework that illustrates the roles SLBs could assume within the context of the ongoing digitalization reform of the German public administration. It explores the conditions under which public servants are likely to be reflexive about existing practices—including reform practices—and can promote real innovation.

Substantive Legitimate Expectations: Re-shaping the Boundaries of Judicial Reach in Public Law Remedies in Commonwealth Jurisdictions

Abstract A legitimate expectation is a state of affairs established in a court of law, usually in proceedings for judicial review, in which a public authority that has made a promise, or has acted in terms of a regular practice, as to the conduct of public affairs, is held to the promise or practice, and can only be allowed to resile from the promise, or deviate from the practice, if it has accorded a beneficiary of the promise or practice, a prior hearing. Thus, the presence of a legitimate expectation imports an obligation on the part of an authority to accord a hearing to affected parties, the obligation to observe the audi alteram partem rule (simply the audi rule). For a long time, the only favorable result for a claimant of a legitimate expectation was the setting aside of the decision of the public authority on procedural grounds. This is what is described in this Article as the orthodox approach. With time courts in some countries, notably England, began enforcing the promises and practices, in the sense of granting relief in line with the legitimate expectations, thus granting substantive outcomes. This came amid some spirited reluctance, as it was thought that this was against principle. The main objection was that granting such relief amounted to usurpation of executive power and was judicial overreach into an area reserved for the executive, and therefore breaking the boundaries of separation of powers. Notwithstanding these objections, courts have continued to grant substantive relief. This Article argues that granting substantive outcomes is the proper province of the judiciary and does not amount to judicial overreach, and that substantive outcomes in many cases provide appropriate protection to individuals in cases of broken promises and disappointed expectations. It will be argued that the courts in many countries have in the past, without saying so, in fact granted substantive relief. It is time that an express exposition be made to the effect that substantive relief in cases of proved legitimate expectations is available as a remedy, for the guidance of public administrators and the public alike.

Rating as a tool for increasing the level of compliance with mandatory requirements by objects of sanitary and epidemiological control (supervision)

Introduction. The relevance of the study is determined by postulates fixed in the Concept for Improvement of Control (Supervision) Activities for the period up to 2026. It stipulates the requirement to assign a rating to each object under supervision as a tool to encourage conscientious behaviour and a mechanism that ensures easy public access to any data regarding safety of each object under control. The aim of this study was to develop a methodology and criteria for assessing objects that are subject to sanitary-epidemiological control (supervision) to assign a proper rating to them. Materials and methods. The approaches were based on statistical analysis of the results obtained by control, supervision, and prevention activities and on identifying levels of risks of harm to protected values, primarily, people’s lives and health. Results. The study presents methodical instruments used for calculating relative coefficients and corresponding scores serving as criteria for identifying a rating and calculated considering actual and potential risks of health harm. Objects are rated depending on the value of this relative coefficient (from low to high ones) and estimated per a suggested scale that allows identifying the level of their relative conformity with the law. Objects in the first scale range (the lowest coefficients and highest ratings) are considered to be the most law-abiding. Objects in the fourth range (the highest coefficients and lowest ratings) are considered to have the highest risks of health harm. The latter are the first-order priority and should attract the greatest attention of regulatory authorities. Limitations. The study has limitations as regards considering specificity of detected violations and severity of their outcomes. Conclusion. The suggested approaches to assigning ratings to both juridical persons and production facilities of the same juridical person provide information and methodical support for the requirements fixed in the valid federal legislation and prospects for the development of the public administration. The presented tools allow more flexible planning and help to the regional offices of the Federal Service for Surveillance on Consumer Rights Protection and Human Wellbeing to create inspection schedules in accordance with available resources so that they can soundly concentrate their efforts on the most ‘difficult’ objects even within the same risk category. Assigning a rating to an object is a way to encourage businesses to conform to mandatory requirements (for objects with low rating) and to give them an opportunity to show their socially responsible image (for objects with high rating). Assigning a rating is an instrument keeping the civil society informed and helps to make a well-grounded choice when it comes down to objects that render various services to the population.

Sex Workers’ Psychodynamics of Work

Objective: The research aims to analyze the contextual dimensions that permeate the experiences of sex workers in nightclubs through the lens of Psychodynamics of Work. Theoretical Framework: The choice of the Psychodynamics of Work aims to expand its application field by providing new insights into the relationship between the work context of sex workers and their health and/or illness perspectives. This approach views work as a central element in human life, recognizing its constitutive role in the identity of individuals, with a significant influence on their subjectivity. Method: This is a descriptive and qualitative research, the semi-structured interview was the chosen tool for data collection. The research field was the work context of female workers in nightclubs. The data were analyzed using Bardin’s Content Analysis, with a specific focus on the enunciation analysis technique. Results and Discussion: The results indicate variations in the quality of working conditions, work organization, and social relations within the work context of sex workers in nightclubs. Research Implications: It is crucial to address these issues and give visibility to this work context, promoting a better understanding of the experiences surrounding this labor activity. Originality/Value: This study also reinforces the connection between Business Administration and studies on human-work relationship in non-traditional sectors, demonstrating the potential of administrative science to broadly address issues of objectivity and subjectivity in work.

Design science in public administration: producing both situational interventions and generic knowledge

Abstract Design science is making a comeback in the discipline of public administration: inspired by the growing popularity of design thinking, various scholars have highlighted the value of design science for the public sector. This theoretical and methodological article aims to contribute to the academic value of design science and focuses on the “double burden” of design science: how can it be applied in such a way that it generates both (relevant) situational interventions and contributes to (robust) generic academic knowledge? We identify which types of generic academic knowledge can be generated through design science in public administration: theoretical knowledge, design exemplars, methodological knowledge, and normative knowledge. We use these four types of generic knowledge to develop a new perspective on design science. We also present guidelines for design research that aim to generate both situational interventions and generic knowledge. These guidelines emphasize the need to be more rigorous and systematic in the process of design research as to ensure the validity and reliability of the contributions to generic knowledge for the discipline of public administration.