Public Service Delivery Research Articles

Not Hidden but Not Visible: Government Funding of Independent Schools in Canada

AbstractA growing body of comparative public policy research examines the effects of delegated delivery of public services and the related emergence of what is labelled a submerged state that obscures the role of government in the provision of public services. Data limitations have constrained investigations of these dynamics in Canada, including for K–12 education. In this research note, we draw on charitable tax records and provincial and federal spending data to present the evolution of provincial and federal financial support for independent schools over time, drawing on the case of British Columbia (BC). By factoring in indirect support through various tax mechanisms, we establish that BC independent schools have seen increasing financial support from both the federal and provincial governments in recent decades, primarily via tax expenditures tied to their charitable status—a “not hidden but not visible” shift in public expenditure that has substantial political, distributive and accountability implications.

Adoption of Online Reverse Auction Systems For Efficient Public Service Delivery in South Africa

Adoption of Online Reverse Auction Systems For Efficient Public Service Delivery in South Africa

Leading through Tumultuous Events in Public Sector Organizations

Public sector organizations (PSOs) are subject to turbulence and constant change. A PSO’s ability to lead a coherent response to this rapidly changing environment is crucial to ensuring the continuity of public service delivery. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for dynamic leadership strategies to address turbulent events and promote resilience in PSOs. This study utilized focus groups and interview data from one large Australian PSO to examine leadership practices that were implemented to respond to a series of turbulent events. Specifically, the study adapted six robust governance strategies (i.e., scalability, prototyping, modularization, bounded autonomy, bricolage, and strategic polyvalence) to explore their pragmatic application in the context of the case PSO in responding to two turbulent events (i.e., relocation and COVID-19 pandemic). Findings show that while deploying all the strategies is beneficial, the power of polyvalent knowledge together with dynamic leadership and governance structures within PSOs is one way that PSOs can continue to respond to ever increasing environmental uncertainty and resource constraints. Practical implications are discussed.

Ethical Leadership and Effective Management of Public Resources in Africa: The Tanzanian Experience of a Missing Link?

This work explores the nexus between ethical leadership and the effective management of public resources. The major force is that any nation's performance, seeking to achieve its goals, depends on its leadership. This is especially true when ethical leadership translates into wise public policy design and implementation and good public service delivery to meet citizens' needs and ambitions. Unfortunately, the post-independence period in Africa has been characterized by a never-ending quest for the depressing trajectory of African economies. This paper employs a literature review of various sources. The objective is to better understand ethical leadership and effective management of public resources for African development by bringing out the Tanzanian experience. This study is based on findings from the literature review. Further studies are needed to include findings from Africa and elsewhere to give an informative work from a global perspective. This work is expected to inform researchers and all stakeholders concerned with leadership and development to get crucial information on the theoretical and policy gaps that must be addressed when dealing with ethical leadership. Topical gaps in the literature are suggested as prospective research areas.

Frontline workers' performance in prosocial tasks: evidence from a Lab-in-the-Field in Western India

PurposeFrontline workers (FLWs) constitute a critical part of the implementation cadre within public policies, serving a significant role in the last-mile delivery of public goods and services. FLWs under public programs in low and middle-income countries like India are offered different compensation structures that range from full-time salaries, piece rate honorariums, contractual engagements, to no remuneration. Whilst the rationale for offering different compensations vary, are certain structures more successful in encouraging FLWs to perform a prosocial task? Further, can certain structures encourage FLWs to perform beyond the incentivized policy mandate?Design/methodology/approachInvestigating workers' prosocial effort within policy implementation, the authors conducted a randomized lab-in-the-field inquiry with 344 Anganwadi-based workers (workers under the nutrition policy) in western India. These FLWs were engaged to perform a novel real-effort task that was tied to different incentive structures and their performance was adjudged based on measurable quantity, effort and quality parameters.FindingsResults demonstrate that uncompensated workers invest the greatest amount of effort whilst compromising on task quality, and vice-versa for subjects receiving pay-for-performance compensation. Programs must account for policy focus when offering compensations: volunteer engagement may be counterproductive for quality focus and to the adherence to ancillary task mandates like nature/quality of beneficiary interaction. On the other hand, the distribution of products (like health goods) can rely on volunteer effort.Originality/valueThe study brings together various compensation schemes operating at the field level, under one study using an LFE methodology within the context of policy implementation in India.

Navigating Career Progression in Public Service: An Integration of Kerry B. Bernes' Synergistic Model

The career development of State Civil Apparatus (ASN) has an integral role in improving the quality of public services. This article wants to explore ASN career development by integrating career development models in public services. The career development model used is the Synergy Model issued by Kerry B. Bernes, which looks at existing phenomena and their suitability for answering problems that refer to the individual dimension, organizational dimension, and alignment dimension for ASN career development. To strengthen the argument for using the synergy career development model, the author uses a case study supported by a document study. The results showed that the synergy between individuals, organizations and the way they are aligned is the main key to ASN career development in public service delivery.

Public innovation from regional government after covid-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about unprecedented challenges to governments worldwide, necessitating innovative approaches to public administration and service delivery. This paper presents a case study conducted at Semarang Government, Indonesia, to explore the emergence of public innovation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The research methodology employed Content Analysis by Krippendorff to examine a wide range of textual data, including policy documents, official statements, and public communications. The study investigates how Semarang Government responded to the COVID-19 crisis by implementing innovative solutions, policies, and practices across various public sectors. The analysis aims to uncover the underlying themes, patterns, and trends in these innovative initiatives, shedding light on the strategies employed by regional governments to address the multifaceted challenges posed by the pandemic. The findings of this research not only contribute to our understanding of public innovation dynamics within regional governments but also provide valuable insights into the adaptability and resilience of public administrations in the face of global crises. Moreover, the application of Content Analysis by Krippendorff offers a robust and systematic approach for analyzing textual data, which can be replicated in similar studies to assess public innovation in different contexts.

Exploring the links between democracy and digital transformation in developing Latin America countries: Building a democracy consolidation theory

The current investigation endeavors to examine Latin America, a region that exhibits poverty, uneven development, and inequality, all of which present significant challenges to the attainment of sustainable progress. The primary objective of the research is to recognize, scrutinize, and explain the factors that are necessary or sufficient for the establishment of a comprehensive democratic system in the region. To achieve this goal, the study will integrate the perspectives of e-state components and multiple stakeholders into a multi-dimensional, multi-level framework. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) is acknowledged as a tool that can promote governance and citizen involvement in the public decision-making process by advancing information sharing among citizens, businesses, and governments and upgrading the delivery of public services. Although ICT cannot substitute political institutions, it can act as a catalyst for enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of political systems. Prior research suggests that ICT has not transformed political systems fundamentally; nevertheless, it has improved processes and transactions in public administration, especially in democratic states. This article utilizes Fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA) to evaluate the combined effect of the necessary conditions for Democratic consolidation in LATAM, by investigating the components of technology and its use by individuals, businesses, and governments. By examining a sample of 18 case studies, the aim of the analysis is to develop a comprehensive understanding of the essential conditions and factors that underpin effective state management, which is considered the cornerstone of a democratic system.The conclusion presented is that in order to consolidate a democratic system, it is necessary to overhaul the fundamental structure of the system itself, starting from the inside and working towards external changes. One proposed approach involves utilizing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) as a catalyst for initiating this internal transformation. By leveraging the power of ICT, it becomes possible to effect change from within the system, which can in turn help to consolidate and enhance democratic principles, while simultaneously eradicating any existing weaknesses or failures. The results create a comprehensive, integrated approach about how to change a system from within; this involves considering not only external factors that the Theory of Democratic Consolidation requires for a strong civic society or fair elections, but also and most importantly the internal factors: How the elements of the system communicate.

Empowering Karnataka: e-Governance and Transformative Public Administration

The e-governance services in Karnataka are emphasized in this study. Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are used in e-governance to improve governmental operations and services, efficiency, transparency, and accountability. Offering citizens internet services involves digitizing government activities. Karnataka scored 5.11 on the Good Governance Index in 2020–21 compared to 5.10 in 2019–20. The Department of Personnel & Administrative Reforms, a unique e-governance Division in Karnataka, was established in 2003 to hasten the adoption of IT-enabled governance procedures for increased administrative efficiency and transparency. Several national e-governance and e-governance projects are being started and carried out by the Karnataka government to enhance the delivery of public services. Digi locker, e-janma, e-Office, Direct Benefit Transfer, Kutumba, etc., are a few examples of efforts. These programs and services greatly impact how accessible and good services citizens can access. These all indicate good governance administration in the state.

The Importance of Community Involvement in Public Management Planning and Decision-Making Processes

Public management is an effort to deliver public services, programmes, and projects that are efficient, effective, and equitable for the community. The planning and decision-making processes of public management are two key aspects in achieving this goal. Traditionally, the planning and decision-making processes of public management are mostly carried out by government officials and internal stakeholders without involving active participation from the community. However, in this increasingly complex and diverse era, community involvement is important and cannot be ignored. This research aims to explore the role of the community in public decision-making and its impact on efficiency, effectiveness and fairness in public service delivery. This research is a literature review that adopts a qualitative method approach, which means it will analyse and interpret data by relying on information and text from various sources. The study results show that community involvement in the planning and decision-making process of public management is a key principle in democratic and participation-based governance. Community participation helps to create a government that is more transparent, accountable, inclusive, and responsive to the needs and aspirations of the people.

Public Sector Unionization and Government Contracting: A Meta-analysis of Four Decades of Empirical Evidence

Within the large body of literature on government contracting, the effect of public sector unionization on contracting out is still unsettled even after decades of research. Previous literature proposes that unionization may both inhibit and motivate contracting out, making the net effect difficult to predict. Through a meta-analysis of 232 effects drawn from 49 existing studies spanning over four decades, we find that jurisdictions with higher levels of public sector unionization generally contract out more in public service delivery. Further metaregression analysis suggests that unionization has a weaker effect when governments engage in intergovernmental contracting but a stronger effect when governments contract out for technical services. Unionization also has a stronger effect on how much a government contracts out than on whether a government contracts out. Overall, unionization is a relevant, but not necessarily robust, factor in driving contracting out, and its exact effect may vary slightly by context.

Exploring the factors, affordances and constraints outlining the implementation of Artificial Intelligence in public sector organizations

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is viewed as having great potential for the public sector to improve the management of internal activities and the delivery of public services. However, realizing its potential depends on the proper implementation of the technology, which is characterized by unique factors, that afford or constrain its use. What these factors are and how they affect AI implementation is still poorly understood, and scholars call for studies to add empirical evidence to the existing knowledge. This study relies on a case study methodology and, by adopting an abductive approach, applies a double theoretical perspective: the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework and the Technology Affordances and Constraints Theory (TACT). Drawing on these combined lenses, we develop a conceptual framework that extends previous studies by showing how AI implementation is the result of a combination of contextual factors that are deeply interrelated and, specifically, how AI-related factors bring new affordances and constraints to the application domain.

The Capacity Building and Public Service Delivery in Mogadishu Municipality, Banadir Region, Somalia

This study focused on capacity building and public service delivery in Mogadishu Municipality,Banadir region, Somalia. The study objectives were to assess the current practices of capacity building conducted in Mogadishu Municipality (Banadir region), to identify the identify stakeholders involved in capacity building in Mogadishu Municipality (Banadir region), to identify successful factors in public sector capacity building program in Mogadishu Municipality(Banadir region) and to examine the constraints to effective public sector capacity building in Mogadishu municipality. The researcher used a combination of both qualitative and quantitative approaches of research to collect and analyze text and numeric data respectively. The researcher used descriptive research design, which has helped to investigating the current practices of capacity building and public service delivery in Mogadishu City.For the purpose of this study, the sample size was 52. It was stratified through the various groups. The data collected was coded first. After coding there was data entry and analysis using content analysis. The study concluded that citizen participation in the design and implementation of capacity activities for better public service delivery in Banadir region building are being practiced and implemented and Banadir regional administration has made good progress towards promotion of capacity building for better public service delivery in Mogadishu Municipality, Banadir region, Somalia, but there are problems and shortcomings in applying and practicing as well as promoting the theory and principles of capacity building.Based on the findings, the study recommended that as part of the capacity building effort,providing training without assessing the needs of the offices and or sectors results in wastage of resource. Therefore, training needs analysis should be undertaken before conducting training activities and the training has to be linked with performance, capacity created and developed would imply a huge waste of resources if it is not effectively utilized. Brain drain is often the byproduct of non-capacity utilization, involving non state actors during capacity need assessment and development and formulating local government capacity building framework.

The Role of Digitalization in Enhancing Public Service Effectiveness in Indonesia

This qualitative research explores the role of digitalization in enhancing the effectiveness of public services in Indonesia. Against the backdrop of an increasingly digitalized world, the study aims to investigate the impact of digital initiatives on the efficiency and accessibility of public services in the Indonesian context. Employing a qualitative approach, data were collected through in-depth interviews with government officials, experts, and users of public services, allowing for a comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. The findings demonstrate that digitalization has played a significant role in improving the overall quality and responsiveness of public services in Indonesia. Furthermore, the study reveals key insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing digital solutions in the public sector. The research contributes valuable knowledge to the ongoing discourse on leveraging digital technology to enhance public service delivery, thereby benefiting policymakers, practitioners, and citizens alike.

ENGAGING RETENTION STRATEGIES FOR NURSING PROFESSIONALS AT ZIMBABWE’S CHITUNGWIZA CENTRAL HOSPITAL (CCH): A PERSPECTIVE BY OUTSIDERS

ENGAGING RETENTION STRATEGIES FOR NURSING PROFESSIONALS AT ZIMBABWE’S CHITUNGWIZA CENTRAL HOSPITAL (CCH): A PERSPECTIVE BY OUTSIDERS

Exploring the Capabilities of the Fourth Industrial Revolution for Improved Public Dervice Delivery in Nigeria

The modern evolution of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) comes with new trends in technology that are altering the customary way of undertaking government tasks. The alterations appear in the form of both opportunities and threats, based on the strengths and weaknesses of extant practices and systems operating in the Nigerian public sector. Therefore, the government is faced with the challenge of coping with new demands and some unanticipated risks in incorporating and adapting to the 4IR. Although the 4IR is considered valuable, the extent of its influence on Nigerian service delivery and how to harness its worth has not been established. This article seeks to determine the existing level of the public sector’s service delivery in relation to innovation and technological advancements. It further investigates how the 4IR can influence and harness improvement in the delivery of public services in Nigeria. A review of secondary sources from reports, government documents and extant scholarly literature was undertaken and data were analysed thematically. While the Nigerian government has made some effort to provide the public sector with innovative technology, it is essential to improve on this provision to maximise the opportunities and strengths of the 4IR. Therefore, this article recommends the intensification of technological and digitalisation capabilities by providing suitable human and financial capital, necessary to improve service delivery, particularly in Nigeria.

Association between the COVID-19 pandemic, caregiving burden, and quality of life of caregivers of people with dementia: A cross-sectional study.

This study aimed to examine the association of COVID-19-related stress, anxiety, access to public healthcare services, and the presence of secondary caregivers (CGs) on the burden of caregiving and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for CGs of people with dementia (PwD). A cross-sectional survey with 218 family CGs for PwD was completed in various settings between August and September 2021. The CGs had moderate and severe stress (42.7%) and reported having difficulty accessing public healthcare services (51.8%) and receiving help from secondary CGs (42.7%). In the multivariable linear regression, the stress and anxiety levels related to COVID-19 had a positive association with caregiver burden (β = 4.25, p < 0.001, and β = 5.73, p = 0.032, respectively), with no statistically significant association to HRQoL. Unexpectedly, accessing public healthcare services and supporting the secondary CGs were unrelated to the caregiving burden and HRQoL. Therefore, interventions aiming to alleviate family CGs' stress and anxiety levels should be provided to ensure PwD live in their homes in terms of continuity of public health service delivery.

A slow-burning crisis: Executive relations and the normalisation of distrust in Northern Ireland's ‘cash for ash’ fiasco

This paper explores relationships between ministers, special advisers and civil servants through the lens of a high-profile government crisis in Northern Ireland (NI). Although political–administrative relationships are a mainstay of public administration research, we still have limited understanding of how these relationships feature and function within the ‘Westminster family’ of governance when operating within devolved institutions or post-conflict societies, nor of their role in crisis. We use Scott’s institutional pillars as an analytical framework and conduct a documentary analysis of public inquiry witness statements to explore the Renewable Heat Incentive crisis which led to the collapse of the NI legislature. Utilising a novel application of existing theory, we demonstrate that the implementation of the devolved, consociational power-sharing model incubated new governance norms, that prioritised and legitimised the agendas and actions of political actors (ministers and special advisers), over civil servants. Specifically, in understanding how relational norms – particularly distrust – feed public policy failure and institutional crisis, our findings contribute to this research area and to the broader public administration field. Government institutional crisis negatively impacts upon public service delivery and the wider health of democracy. Understanding such crises is an important first step in their amelioration. Points for practitioners Structural, systemic and day-to-day behavioural layering of distrust adversely impacts government professionals’ ability to recognise, communicate and respond to risk; this can create policy problems, which can escalate, unchecked, until they have become full-blown crises. In order to proactively mitigate crises in other public policy contexts, managers and teams should build in awareness raising, reflection and management processes to individual and operational performance reviews to improve relational norms, and prevent the normalisation of distrust.

E-public Services Evaluation, based on Citizens’ Perception, (The Albanian Case)

The development of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in recent years has significantly affected business activities in the private sector, as well as in the public sector. Over the years, there has been a growing trend in utilizing technology to provide public services at national and global levels. In Albania, the government and public agencies have faced challenges in implementing electronic services, aiming to enhance the efficiency of public service delivery and meet the needs of citizens and society. The objective of e-government is to cater to the general public’s expectations and satisfaction by offering valuable public services. In this regard, an e-government platform plays a crucial role in facilitating the efficient provision of electronic services, enabling citizens, businesses, and the public to interact successfully with the government and its institutions. The increasing demand for electronic services in Albania is driven by citizens’ desire to improve the quality of public service delivery. To assess the significance of electronic services, this study examines relevant indicators on the e-Albania platform. A survey was conducted in the Tirana region of Albania, involving the distribution and completion of 190 questionnaires. The variables were evaluated using a Likert scale (1-5 rating). The main objective of this research is to assess citizen perception and evaluate the importance of electronic services offered by the e-Albania platform, through measuring citizen’s perception.

Effects of Administrative Corruption on Democratic Governance In Nigeria

Administrative corruption has become a major issue sabotaging governance and democratic development in Third World Countries. It is a menace that respects no national boundaries. It distorts socio-political life of the people. In Nigeria, administrative corruption has eroded people’s trust in government because of the persistent increase in inefficiency and ineffective public service delivery. As revealed in the literature, administrative corruption in Nigerian public institutions has made a lot of the nation’s resources mismanaged by the public office holders despite many policy measures put in place to curtail the menace. Sequel to this phenomenon, this paper examined the effect of administrative corruption on democratic governance in Nigeria. Relying on the ex-post approach where literature was surveyed to explain the extent to which administrative corruption impedes the growth of democratic governance in the country. The paper recommends strengthening of the internal control mechanisms to detect cases of administrative corruption in public institutions. It also suggests the creation of pathways to give citizens the relevant tools to engage and participate in governance towards promoting transparency and accountability in the administration of the state.