Practice In Public Sector Research Articles

The Factors Accounting for the Weak Commitment to Implement Good Corporate Governance Practices in Public Institutions in Upper East Region Ghana

Good corporate governance in private and public institutions is essential for transparency and accountability. This study examined why the Ghanaian public sector lacks commitment to implement good corporate governance practices. Data was collected through questionnaires, interviews, and secondary sources. Purposive sampling was used with an exploratory research design. From a 5000 population 300 sample size was drawn for this study. Data was gathered through the use of Quantitative and Qualitative methods. Factor and Regression models in SPSS were used. The underpinning theory was the Agency theory. The research found that two main factors contributed to insufficient adherence to good corporate governance practices in the Ghanaian public sector. Thus, the role the institution plays and its legal and incorporation status affect corporate governance practises. These two issues contributed to Ghana's public sector's low commitment to good corporate governance with an overall model R2 of 24.3%. This means that whereas the two factors significantly influence corporate governance practices, some other elements might also contribute to the overall governance in public institutions. Hence, this study concludes that institutional roles and legal status are essential factors affecting corporate governance compliance within Ghana’s public sector. This research recommends that public institutions and organisations make the nature of corporate governance clear and unambiguous in line with their role and objectives so that corporate governance principles and practices do not vary. Corporate governance practices must follow the 2015 Public Services Commission corporate governance principles and recommendations. The first study of its kind to be conducted in Ghana would help improve strong corporate governance standards in public institutions.

Perceptions of healthcare providers on factors affecting lean sustainability in the hospitals under the Ministry of Health Malaysia

ABSTRACT Introduction Despite the recognized benefits of continuous improvement programs such as lean methodologies, understanding of how to sustain these practices in Malaysia's public health sector remains limited. This qualitative study aims to explore perceptions of both policymakers and hospital-based healthcare providers (HCPs) on the factors affecting the sustainability of lean within the Ministry of Health (MOH) hospitals in Malaysia. Methods Data were collected through in-depth interviews with 14 participants, including policymakers and hospital-based HCPs, using purposive sampling. A deductive thematic analysis was employed to analyze the data. Results This study delineated ten primary themes: (1) Fostering lean expertise through capacity building, (2) Lean implementation approaches and processes, (3) Monitoring and evaluation of lean with performance indicators, (4) Encouraging positive behavioral change among HCPs in lean, (5) Disseminating lean findings, (6) Establishing policy for lean, (7) Incentivizing lean practices, (8) Leadership in lean practices, (9) Building and strengthening organizational capacity and (10) Values of lean. Conclusion Insights from this study reflected that sustaining lean in the MOH is a complex process and involves a multifaceted approach. Health organizations seeking to improve lean sustainability are encouraged to incorporate the themes highlighted in this study.

Human PapillomaVirus Vaccine Uptake: Attitudes and Practices Among Moroccan Physicians.

In Morocco, cervical cancer is a serious public health problem with an estimated number of 2165 new cases and 1199 deaths in 2020. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has been available in Morocco since 2008. Few data are available on physicians' practices and attitudes toward HPV vaccine. Hence, this study aims to evaluate physicians' awareness and practice towards HPV vaccine and to highlight the main factors affecting physicians' recommendation of this vaccine in Morocco. We have carried out a structured interviewer-administered questionnaire with 500 physicians in different Moroccan regions between March 2019 and March 2020. This study showed an insufficient level of awareness of the two most common types of HPV associated with cervical cancer (36.6%). The rate of HPV vaccine recommendation did not exceed 16.6%. However, more than 63% of participants who were aware of HPV vaccine were willing to recommend it for their future eligible patients. Age (p value < 0.01), sector of activity (p value < 0.01), awareness of the two most common types of HPV associated with genital warts (p value = 0.02), of the vaccine schedules (p value = 0.03), and of the commercial name of this vaccine (p value < 0.01), were significant factors influencing physicians' recommendation of HPV vaccine. Our results showed that, older age (above 51years old) was associated with negative attitude towards the recommendation of this vaccine (OR: 0.17, 0.06-0.46 CI 95%). Practice in public sector was positively associated with recommendation of HPV vaccine (OR: 7.54, 3.38-16.80 CI 95%). Who were aware of the two most common types of HPV associated with genital warts were more likely to recommend HPV vaccine (OR: 3.36, 1.31-8.65 CI 95%). In the same line, participants, who were also more likely to recommend the vaccine, were those who were aware of HPV vaccine schedules (OR: 6.07, 3.51-10.50 IC 95%); participants who were aware of the commercial name of the HPV vaccine were more likely to recommend the vaccine (OR: 10.04, 5.02-20.09 IC 95%). Indeed, raising physicians' awareness is urgently needed to improve HPV vaccine coverage within Moroccan population.

Effect of Information Communication Technology (ICT) on Workers’ Service Delivery in Nigerian Television Authority Awka Nigeria

This paper study examines the Effect of ICT on workers’ service delivery in public organizations in Nigeria. The following issues were discussed to x-ray the impact of ICT on workers efficiency and effectiveness in the organization – the concept of workers performance, effects of ICT on new work practice in public sector, information communication technology and organizational productivity, challenges of adoption of ICT in organizational productivity, addressing the challenges of ICT in public sector and prospects of ICT in public services delivery. It is the position of the paper that ICTs present enormous opportunities to enhance the delivery of public service in the public sector as argued by the ICTs optimists. Today, ICTs usage in the public sector remains a key factor in enhancing public service delivery in the country. Development of ICTs have dramatically changed the way information is collected, stored, processed, disseminated and used, thus making it the most powerful tool for modernization and development. It was concluded that adoption and application of ICT on public service delivery in public service in Nigeria has tremendously influenced the modernization and modern work practice. The study recommended that public sector organizations should embrace the application of ICT in service delivery to be at par with the current global practice.

New development: Is Nolan enough? Why senior officers need to understand public values at the street-level perspective

IMPACT Public values are stated as being central to the practice of senior public officials and policy-makers across the globe, but applying values in practice requires continual consideration and review. The application of values in state settings is not only about their application at senior levels, but how they infuse different levels of public organizations. Although much has been written about higher level values and standards, such as the UK Nolan principles, there is less consideration about how senior officers understand values at the levels of public sector practice. This article makes the case that, to produce a modern public service fit for purpose, senior public officials will benefit from understanding the application of public values at a variety of delivery levels.

Examining the Impact of Transformational Leadership, Organizational Citizenship Behaviors, and Organizational Performance: A Dual Perspective in the Public Sector

The study utilizes a direct-indirect effects model to examine the connections among Transformational Leadership Behaviors (TLB), Organizational Citizenship Behaviors (OCB), and Organizational Performance (OP) within the public sector. TLB data were collected from leaders and followers, allowing for comparison between leader-perception and follower-perception models. A survey methodology involved 1,364 participants from U.S. county government executives and followers, analyzed using structural equation modeling. It aims to bridge gaps in the literature by integrating TLB, OCB, and organizational-level performance into one model, providing nuanced insights into their interactions. Findings support TLB’s positive impact on OCB and OP and OCB’s positive influence on OP. Differences in leader and follower perceptions highlight the need for comprehensive evaluation. The study addresses the limitations of prior research by considering both leader and follower perspectives, contributing to understanding leadership’s role in organizational performance. Practically, it suggests strategies for enhancing performance through TLB fostering, OCB encouragement, and creating supportive work environments. Its originality lies in its holistic examination of TLB, OCB, and OP, offering valuable insights into the public sector and organizational practices.

New development: Keeping up with accounting in society—public sector challenges

IMPACT This article offers a critical reflection on taken-for-granted underpinnings of public sector accounting vis-à-vis the diversity of accounting in society. The authors encourage academics and practitioners to consider values other than those usually embraced in public sector accounting, such as enabling and anticipatory over coercive controls, co-operation over competitiveness, resilience and social equity over efficiency, and we make a case for turning public sector accounting into a catalyst for change. The authors challenge the public sector accounting community to respond to changing accountabilities in a society that is often divided on matters of public concern, exemplified by current debates around climate change.

Talent Management in the Public Sector – Empirical Evidence from the Emerging Economy of Romania

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate how talent management is conceptualized and practised within Romanian public sector organizations. Just like their private sector counterparts, public sector organizations need talented employees or high performers to support their operations and enhance public service delivery. However, research on talent management in the public sector, particularly in Eastern European countries, remains limited.Design/Methodology/Approach: The study was conducted through a series of semi-structured interviews with employees in public sector organizations. The results were analysed using thematic analysis.Findings: The study reveals that talent management practices in the public sector are still in a nascent state of development. Furthermore, there appears to be a lack of understanding of talent management among HR practitioners, and implementation efforts have yielded less-than-desirable results.Practical Implications: The results of our study suggest that while talent management practices are widely embraced by a growing number of private sector companies, their conceptualization and implementation in the public sector differ. In the case of Romania, implementation is hindered by the bureaucratic structure of the public sector and the legacy of previous communist regime.Originality/Value: The study represents one of the initial attempts to investigate the impact of talent management practices in the Romanian public sector, leveraging empirical evidence to support its findings.

Talent Management for Enhancing the Efficiency of Human Resources in the Public Sector of Sri Lanka: A Comparative Study

The Sri Lankan Public Sector has often been criticized for being overstaffed, inefficient and a burden to the economy. This has partly been attributed to the deficiencies in employee talents management. This study attempts to find the direction for augmenting human resource in public sector in Sri Lanka through Talent Management (TM), by benchmarking against standards from Japan, Singapore, and Norway. This study adopts a qualitative research approach. One-on-one interviews were conducted with the Executive Officers of Public Service of Sri Lanka. Also, data on TM practices in Public Sector in Japan were gathered through a questionnaire. There was also an extensive review of relevant literature on the study concept from the Public Service of Japan, Singapore and Norway, which rank top in Government Efficiency Indicator. Using the Case study approach, the data obtained was analysed by comparative analysis to compare TM policies and activities of these countries. The study revealed several drawbacks concerning TM in Public Service of Sri Lanka. Analysing various TM models of countries having high standards, the benchmark study proposes an effective Talent Management Model for the Public Sector in Sri Lanka, including Talent Gap analysis, Talent Acquisition and Augmenting, development, assessment, measurement, retention, and transition.

Beyond a garden: Alignment of Sustainable Development Goals with botanic gardens

The United Nations’ (UNs) 2030 “Sustainable Development Goals are a universal call to action to protect the planet and improve the lives and prospects of everyone, everywhere.” This requires much effort of in governmental policies along with public and private sector practices. With regard to this, BGs have a crucial role in bringing this vision of the future. Of the 17 SDGs, Target 15—Life on land is directly associated with the traditional work of botanic gardens (BGs). But other four goals (2—Zero hunger, 4—Quality education, 11—Sustainable cities and communities, 13—Climate action) are also worthy of review and analyze when considering BGs. They could meet the needs of both the local and global communities and are effective in shaping the future and promoting the 2030 goals. In this context, paying attention to the UN's global and inclusive call, this paper focuses on Eden Project, United Kingdom, Ecorium of National Institute of Ecology, South Korea and Konya Tropical Botanical Garden, Turkey. Missions of the projects rely on conservation, restoration, education and community engagement. They address several global concerns, including climate and biodiversity emergency. Aim of this paper is to investigate to what extent the selected BGs can contribute to the SDGs. Results underline BGs as a valuable input in decision-making and policy action concerning environmental justice, equity, and inclusion that encourage transformative steps in achieving the SDGs.

Internal Audit Quality In North Sumatra Government

This study explores the concept of internal audit quality within the context of the North Sumatra Government. The focus is on understanding the factors influencing and contributing to the effectiveness and reliability of internal audit practices in the region. Through a quantitative research approach, data is collected to analyze the key components of internal audit quality and their impact on organizational governance. The study employs a survey methodology, distributing questionnaires to internal auditors, management, and other stakeholders involved in the internal audit processes of North Sumatra Government agencies. The research investigates factors such as adherence to professional standards, competency of internal auditors, independence, and the effectiveness of communication within the internal audit function. Preliminary findings indicate a correlation between internal audit quality and the overall governance and risk management framework within the North Sumatra Government. The study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing insights into the specific dynamics and challenges faced by internal audit functions in the public sector. The implications of this research extend to government officials, policymakers, and internal audit practitioners, offering recommendations for enhancing internal audit quality to strengthen accountability, transparency, and organizational performance within the North Sumatra Government. The results aim to inform decision-makers and contribute to the continuous improvement of internal audit practices in the regional public sector.

THE MATURITY OF KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES IN THE MALAYSIAN PUBLIC SECTOR

The main purpose of Knowledge Management (KM) is to improve organizational efficiency by optimizing all available resources or assets. Therefore, organization should provide an environment that is conducive for the KM to be practiced at its best. Although KM has been introduced earlier but its practice in the Malaysian public sector is still in its infancy. This may be due to the lack of support and understanding in practicing KM activities, as a result implementing these activities often fails. Therefore, identifying the level of KM practice of employees is important, and proposing the evaluation factors becomes the main focus of this study. These identified factors can be used to assess the maturity level of KM practices in the organization. The maturity of KM practice refers to the level of acceptance and achievement of KM in the organization. If KM achievement level is not satisfied then improvements need to be made by each entity in the organization until it reaches the highest performance. This entity is referring to a wide spectrum of operations such as people, organizational processes, business initiatives or technology. In identifying the factors, the review from existing literature has been made. Based on people-process-technology framework, this study proposes four factors and sixteen sub-factors in determining the maturity of KM practices in the organization. All these factors have been confirmed by three KM experts and practitioners in the public sector organizations.

Governing health service purchasing agencies: Comparative study of national purchasing agencies in 10 countries in eastern Europe and central Asia

This study discusses findings from comparative case studies of the governance of health services purchasing agencies in 10 eastern European and central Asian countries established over the past 30 years, and the relationship between governance attributes, institutional development, and the progress made in strategic purchasing. The feasibility and effectiveness of implementing international recommendations from the health sector and wider public sector governance literature and practice are also discussed. The study finds that only those countries that have transitioned from middle to high-income status during the study period have been successful in comprehensively and consistently implementing internationally recommended practices. Moreover, these countries have made varying progress in developing capable purchasers with technical and operational independence, as well as advancing strategic purchasing. However, the current middle-income countries (MICs) in the study have implemented only certain elements of recommended governance practices, often superficially. Notably, the study reveals that some international recommendations, particularly those related to higher degrees of purchaser autonomy and the associated governance structures observed in western European social health insurance funds, have proven challenging to implement effectively or sustain in the MICs. None of the MICs succeeded in strategic purchasing beyond a limited agenda or scale, and even then, only implementing and sustaining them during favorable conditions. Difficulties in maintaining these achievements can be attributed, in part, to governance deficiencies. However, setbacks are commonly linked to periods of political and economic instability, which in turn lead to fluctuations in policy priorities, institutional instability, and inadequacies in health budgets. The study findings point to some actions related to civil society and stakeholder engagement, accountability frameworks, and digitalization in MICs that can facilitate continuity in health reforms and the functioning of purchasing institutions despite these challenges. The findings of the study provide important lessons for countries designing or newly implementing health purchasing agencies and for countries reviewing the performance and governance of their health purchasing agencies with a view to developing or strengthening strategic purchasing.

Governance, Ethics and Public Service Delivery: The Ramifications of Corruption

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the repercussions of corrupt practices in the South African public sector and to recognise the critical need for ethical control to promote good governance. Since the advent of democracy in 1994, there has been a myriad of incidents of corruption involving public servants in South Africa. Corruption is now recognised as one of the South African government's greatest challenges, with numerous consequences for public service delivery in that the resources that are meant to assist the poor are diverted to benefit a few corrupt officials. Corruption undermines democracy and social justice, thus deepening poverty, increasing organised crime and stunting efforts to stimulate human security. The incidents of corruption characterised by colossal theft, embezzlements and rampant bribery are the basis of knowledge around the ability of the government to deal effectively with dishonesty. The paper will use a literature review to argue and demonstrate that despite the devotion of the government to combat unethical conduct of public servants by formulating various pieces of legislation and policies as an attempt to address the problem of unethical behaviour, the tribulations of corruption and problems of immoral conduct by public servants continue to escalate, thus, perpetuating poor provision of public service. The paper concludes that continued unethical practices by public servants cannot go unpunished; ethics must be enforced to enhance public service delivery.

International Public Sector Accounting Standards and Deterrent of Corrupt Practices in the Public Sector of Ogun State Nigeria

International Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) are expected to enhance transparency and accountability and deter corrupt practices in public sector. This study investigated the extent to which the implementation of the standards deters corrupt practices in Ogun State, Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design using questionnaire for its primary data obtained from staff in selected Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Ogun state, Nigeria. The selected MDAs are: The Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; Federal College of Education, Osiele, Abeokuta; Ogun-Oshun River Basin Development Authority, Abeokuta, and Federal Medical Centre, Abeokuta. Ogun State was chosen because of ease of access and because the state combines the features of an industrial state with those of civil service state. The sample size is 600 accounting staffers and lecturers that cut across the MDAs. Results of regression equation revealed that the standards exert positive and significant effect on deterring corrupt practices with probability values of 0.000. This study observed that the adoption of the standards alone cannot totally curb corruption in Nigeria. Constant staff trainings, political will to bring corrupt officials to book and proper use of discretionary measures in the standards are therefore strongly recommended by this study.

Voter rationality, the use of accounting information and voting behavior: evidence from a referendum

Purpose This study aims to investigate whether objective and subjective rationality affects individual voters’ use of accounting information and if such use affects voting behavior. While prior accounting studies assume voter rationality concerning financial performance and political outcomes, this study distinguishes between two types of voters: objective rational voters (who make voting decisions about multiple alternatives based on objective information) and subjective rational voters (who make decisions based on their subjective values, and thus do not explore information or explore only information biased toward one alternative). This study expects that accounting information can influence the voting behavior of objective and subjective rational voters. Design/methodology/approach Focusing on the 2020 Osaka Metropolitan Plan Referendum, this study used an online survey conducted on 768 respondents after the referendum. Findings This study finds that objective rational voters use accounting information more than subjective rational voters, voters who used accounting information were more likely to vote against the referendum, and voting behavior is not directly affected by the type of rationality of voters; rather, objective rational voters are more likely to use accounting information that has a mediating effect on voting behavior. Originality/value The results advance the understanding of public sector accounting research and practices by providing evidence of the individual voter’s use of accounting information and their voting behavior in political contexts.

Institutional challenges in agile adoption: Evidence from a public sector IT project

Agile is emerging as a promising approach in governments, with the potential to significantly enhance project management when implemented effectively. Despite its potential merits, it has not yet become a mainstream approach in government IT projects, primarily due to the incongruence between Agile practices and conventional methods of project funding, governance, and management. In order to contribute to our understanding of Agile in public sector practice, this study examines an extensive IT program in the UK defense sector which adopted Agile. We applied institutional logics as a theoretical lens to understand the complex dynamics within this environment, investigating the change mechanisms and the enduring tensions and conflicts. Our analysis of interview data revealed the key change mechanisms “mission collaborator” and “one team culture”. Unresolved tensions in our case setting encompass public value versus cost, project approval, policy, governance, and culture.

Forensic Accounting Techniques and Procurement Practices in Federal Government Parastatals of Nigeria

Purpose: The application of forensic accounting techniques in public procurement practices helps to maintain value for money. Loss attributable to fraud in the public sector environment due to leakages in procurement practices, which in turn affected the economic growth and development of the nation. Evidence from literature showed that many public sector of Nigeria have not deployed forensic accounting techniques in deriving maximum value from government spending. Hence, the study investigated the effect of forensic accounting techniques on procurement practices in public sector of Nigeria. This study therefore examines the effect of forensic accounting techniques on procurement practices in Federal Government parastatals in Nigeria. The study adopted survey research design.&#x0D; Methodology: The population of the study was 5 federal government agencies. Purposive sampling technique was used to select 2 agencies. The target population of the study was 131 accountants in the two agencies chosen- Nigeria Port Authority and Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority. Total enumeration was adopted. A validated and structured questionnaire was used to administer 131 copies of the questionnaire to the respondents. 126 copies were retrieved which represented 96% retrieval rate. The Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients ranged from 0.740 – 0.892. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential (multiple regression) statistics at 5% level of significant.&#x0D; Findings: The result found that forensic accounting techniques had significant effect on value for money practice in public sector of Nigeria (Adj. R2 = 0.299; F (6, 125) = 14.352, p &lt; 0.05).&#x0D; The result also found that forensic accounting techniques had positive significant effect on procurement practices (Adj. R2 = 0.270, F (6, 125) = 12.562, p &lt;0.05). The study concluded that forensic accounting techniques influenced value for money practices (measured by procurement practices) in federal public sector of Nigeria.&#x0D; Recommendations: The study therefore recommended that government should formulate policy that will mandate the use of forensic accounting techniques in order to avoid leakages and achieve value for money in government businesses.&#x0D;

Leadership Practices and the Performance of Public Organizations in Kenya: A Case of Nyeri County Headquarters

Despite the central role leadership plays in achieving set objectives for organizations, leadership practices can sometimes be an impediment to achieving those goals and objectives. The study examined influence of leadership practices on performance of public organisations in Kenya, Nyeri County Headquarters. Predictor variables included communication, leadership support, accountability, and delegation. Out of the 159 randomly selected participants, 113 successfully participated, translating into 71% response rate. From the findings, 53%, 76%, 73%, and 64% of the respondents respectively agreed that communication, leadership support, accountability, and delegation influenced performance of public organizations. Inferential statistics showed that communication (p=0.002&lt;0.05), leadership support (p=0.001&lt;0.05), accountability (p=0.004&lt;0.05), and delegation (p=0.003&lt;0.05), all significantly influenced organizational performance in the public sector in Kenya. In conclusion, leadership practices generally significantly influenced organizational performance in the public sector. The study recommended good leadership practices in Kenyan public sector through effective HR policies and management structures for better performance.

Portfolio management: A new direction in public sector strategic management research and practice

AbstractPortfolio management is widely used by large government agencies and nonprofits, but it is rarely discussed in public administration scholarship. Portfolio management tools can illuminate groups of projects that should be considered as priority investments by highlighting the relationship of risk to outcomes. This article explores historical and theoretical reasons for the neglect of portfolio management, and then proposes using portfolio management to update a classic strategic management framework to guide organizational choices in public administration. Though portfolio management ideas originated in the private sector, public sector portfolio management differs from its private sector counterpart by trading off risk with public value or mission outcomes rather than financial outcomes. Portfolio management is a tool to incorporate risk to mission in investment decisions. It holds promise for adding an intermediate‐level implementation tool to develop theories of public value. The paper concludes with hypotheses for future investigation.