Public Trust In Government Research Articles

Public Trust in the Time of Pandemic: An Analysis of Social Networks in the Discourse of Large-Scale Social Restrictions in Indonesia

This article discusses public trust in the Indonesian government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, explicitly focusing on the discourse surrounding large-scale social restrictions (LSSR). In a time of uncertainty, the public requires timely and actual information, most of which is gathered through online media, with Twitter being one such medium. This article applies social network analysis to examine how information about the restrictions is shared and discussed on social media platforms and how this discourse may impact public trust in government institutions in the first phase of pandemic handling. Although LSSR is the government’s policy, this study shows that the interpersonal network plays a more significant part in distributing information, indicating a legitimacy crisis of formal and authoritative sources of information. The negative sentiment voiced by critics did not show public rejection of the implementation of LSSR. On the contrary, what was implied by those critics was public doubt against the consistency and firmness of LSSR implementation—because of this, restoring public trust requires planned information management to communicate risks to those who are affected by LSSR implementation, as well as managing negative sentiments that arise as a response.

Blockchain-Based E-Voting System with Face Recognition

Given the increasing importance of technology in meeting human needs, its utilization has become crucial. In contemporary democracies, where public trust in governments is declining and elections play a pivotal role, the widespread adoption of technology has led to new challenges. Elections hold significant importance as they determine the future leaders of countries or organizations. However, certain computerized voting systems have faced criticism for their lack of transparency. Establishing public trust in the government is a formidable task due to the lack of transparency and susceptibility to exploitation in existing voting procedures. Both traditional and current digital voting systems are ineffective due to their vulnerabilities. The main objective is to address issues in conventional and electronic voting systems, including errors and unfairness that may arise during the voting process. Integrating blockchain technology into the electoral process can ensure fair elections and reduce unfair practices. The computerized voting methods do not meet the necessary standards for widespread usage, and the physical voting systems also face numerous issues. This underscores the importance of finding a solution to protect the democratic principles of citizens. By offering a fast and secure voting method, this system has the potential to bring about a revolutionary change in the electoral process. It could lead to higher voter participation and more accurate election results. The proposed approach presents a framework for digital voting using blockchain technology, eliminating the need for physical polling locations. Our suggested design incorporates adaptable consensus algorithms to support a scalable blockchain. Smart contracts ensure secure interactions between users and the network during transaction execution. The security aspects of the blockchain-based voting mechanism have also been addressed, including the use of cryptographic hashes for transaction encryption and prevention of 51% attacks. Furthermore, blockchain technology has been utilized to establish transaction systems throughout the voting process. Performance studies of the proposed system demonstrate its feasibility for deployment in large populations.

ИНСТИТУЦИОНАЛИЗАЦИЯ МОНИТОРИНГА В СИСТЕМЕ СТРАТЕГИЧЕСКОГО ПЛАНИРОВАНИЯ В РОССИИ

The article analyzes and evaluates the current legal regulation of monitoring in the strategic planning system. The methodological strategy of the article is a synthesis of general scientific methods and special private law methods. The author identifies institutionalization signs of the monitoring in the strategic planning system and lists the factors that impede such institutionalization. It is concluded that a shift in the legislative approach to monitoring is necessary. Monitoring should be an effective tool for strategic planning and increasing public trust in government. The author proposes ways to improve the legal regulation of monitoring in the strategic planning system.

Community Resilience and COVID-19: A Fuzzy-Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis of Resilience Attributes in 16 Countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused massive disruptions to governments and societies across the world. While public healthcare systems have come under immense pressure, public trust in governments and institutions are also in decline. In this paper, we seek to assess the resilience of policy systems and processes in 16 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic through the use of fuzzy-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fsQCA). We focus specifically on robustness, preparedness, social capital, and institutional strength as key attributes of community resilience at city-level. Our analysis of the data reveals that COVID-19 resilience is dependent on a combination of factors, with a multi-factorial approach to policy design and governance necessary for effective pandemic and disaster recovery.

The Governments’ Use of Social Networking Sites (SNS) to Promote Citizens’ Trust During the COVID-19: Perceived Religious Values as a Moderator

Grounded on the social capital theory, the current study examines the direct and indirect association of perceived government response to COVID-19 and the interaction of government representatives on social networking sites with the Public Trust in Government (PTIG) via perceived e-governance effectiveness as a mediator. Moreover, the interactive effect of Perceived Religious Value with Perceived Government Response to COVID-19 and Interaction of Government Representatives on Social Networking Sites was assessed to enhance public trust in government. Two independent studies were performed, and data were evaluated using SmartPLS 3.0 software. Results revealed the significant direct and indirect impact of Perceived Government Response to COVID-19 and Interaction of Government Representatives on Social Networking Sites on Public Trust in Government via Perceived E-governance Effectiveness as a mediator. The results also supported the moderating role of Perceived Religious Value between the Interaction of Government Representatives on Social Networking Sites and Public Trust in Government. Likewise, the findings supported the interactive effect of Perceived Government Response to COVID-19 with Perceived Religious Value to enhance Public Trust in Government. Key policy insights about the government’s timely and effective response to COVID-19 and Social Networking Sites used to enhance public trust are highlighted.

Implementation of Management Decisions for the Implementation of Blockchain Technologies in Public Authorities

In recent years, there has been growing interest in blockchain-based operating systems from computer science, economics, and law, but the literature is still in its infancy. The public sector is becoming an area of application for blockchain technology, with governments and others having published more than 200 examples of its use worldwide. However, despite the growing interest, actual implementation of blockchain-based technologies and systems in public administration remains limited. Previous studies have highlighted a number of challenges associated with its implementation, including inadequate regulation, security and privacy issues, lack of interoperable infrastructure, inefficient and energy-intensive transactions, the need for changes in administrative processes, and ultimately, the lack of effective governance models. The purpose of this paper is to identify what management decisions need to be made for the development of blockchain technologies and systems in public authorities and how different contextual factors in public sector affect the available options for blockchain governance. The literature review showed that managerial decisions regarding the use of blockchain in public institutions need to be defined at different levels. At the same time, all these levels are not independent levels of blockchain management, but interrelated ones. It was defined, that blockchain governance in public authorities includes different solutions related to decision mechanisms, incentive mechanisms, consensus building mechanisms, organization, accountability, and management control. Several important conclusions were drawn for system developers and decision makers interested in applying blockchain solutions in public administration. First, politicians and system developers need to consider the interrelationships between levels of public administration and assess the impact of decisions at one level on other levels of public administration. Second, the state current frameworks in a particular sector (e.g., health, security, education, etc.) may influence the choice of a particular blockchain-based governance option. Third, the implementation of blockchain-based systems and technologies in public administration depends on the level of public trust in government. Therefore, further research is needed to clarify the relationship between trust in public institutions and the political choice to build a blockchain-based governance structure.

Dimensions of Trust: A Review of Trust in Government

This article explains different dimensions of trust relevant to trust in government and, therefore, suggests a brief model for practical application. The study pursues content analysis method for theoretical treatment of knowledge produced from studying secondary sources of literature. Imitating the context, the concept of trust is clarified first, and then dimensions of trust are arranged under two broad heads: institutional trust and social trust. And then follow the analyses and the subdivisions thoroughly. A compendious model is suggested with possible solutions for public trust in government. Explanations claim that aggregation of institutional trust, that is, political, administrative and social trust, might build an array of trustworthy governance, though adequate pertinent literature are not easily available. This paper recommends that trust in government model may be tested for further empirical study.

Role of trust in government and collaboration in building disaster resilience

AbstractObjectiveThis research investigates the impact of collaboration and trust on disaster resilience, conducting a comparative analysis among groups of the public, experts, and public officials.MethodsThis research employs the 2017 National Survey on Emergency Management, conducted by the Korean Institute of Public Administration. Using a random quota‐sampling method, data were collected from a total of 1800 citizens, 200 public officials, and 56 experts through an online system. The study compares the impact of public trust in government on organizational resilience perceived by experts, citizens, and public officials, employing hierarchical regression analysis.ResultsThe analysis results are as follows: First, in the case of citizens, it was suggested that government trust and collaboration have a positive effect on disaster resilience. Second, in the case of experts, it was suggested that government trust and collaboration have a positive effect on disaster resilience. Third, in the case of public officials, it was suggested that government trust and collaboration have a positive effect on disaster resilience.

The Downfall of a President: The Media Coverage of Richard Nixon’s Resignation

The Watergate Scandal stands out as being the first, and so-far only, event that was catastrophic and damming enough to force a sitting President of the United States to resign from office. The exceptional circumstances of Richard Nixon’s departure from presidency invites many questions regarding how Nixon deciding to resign was initially covered by the new media. An analysis of excerpts from newspaper editorials from a variety of places around the United States demonstrates that there was a strong consensus that resigning was the best and only thing Nixon could have done. Yet, wide support for Nixon’s resignation co-existed with a wide range of views on what, if it was even necessary at all, should be done to rebuild the atrophied public trust in government and how Nixon deserved to be judged by history.

The connection between COVID-19 vaccine abundance, vaccination coverage, and public trust in government across the globe

This study investigates that how the number of COVID-19 vaccines secured correlates with the vaccination coverage (full and booster) depending on whether or not there is trust in national government across 47 countries. The data are based on global figures as of Nov. 2021 and Feb. 2022 while measures for confidence in government is according to Gallup World Poll, Oct. 2021. The model includes an interaction term of these two predictors, also controls for a range of socio-economic factors and country specific variables. The results indicate a non-linear and mixed relationship between the numbers secured, the public trust, and the vaccination rate. In Feb. 2022, with confidence in government, securing number of vaccines to cover 200% of the population (or more) increased the full vaccination rate by 12.26% (95% CI: 11.70–12.81); where number secured was 300% (or more), the coverage increased by 7.46% (95% CI: 6.95–7.97). Under similar scenarios, rate of booster shots increased by 13.16% (95% CI: 12.62–13.70; p < 0.01) and 14.36% (95% CI: 13.86–14.85; p < 0.01), respectively. Where the number secured fell below 200%, confidence in government had a revers relationship with the rate of full vaccination (−2.65; 95% CI: −3.32 to −1.99), yet positive with the rate of booster shots (1.65; 95% CI: 1.18–2.12). These results indicate that better success can be achieved by a combination of factors including securing sufficient number of vaccines as well as improving the public trust. Vaccine abundance, however, cannot be translated into greater success in vaccination coverage. This study highlights the importance of efficiency in acquiring vaccine resources and need for improvement in public belief in immunization programmes rather than stock piling.

The Role of Social Media Influencing Public Trust in Government During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Government and media authorities play essential roles in distributing lifesaving resources and information to the public during an epidemic. Throughout US history and in past epidemics, the relationship between the public, government, and media has developed from a minimal communication to a vast, interconnected system in which information may flow in different ways. Since the 1960s, economic, sociocultural, and political factors have shown a decline in public trust over the years. Then, ever since the advent of social media, traditional media sources have been struggling to maintain trust with news consumers. Today, as the COVID-19 pandemic raged across the world, the role of social media has grown among the public. Providing the latest updates on world news and connecting people from all over the world, social media has been a popular alternative source for news media. However, social media also presents a danger due to the lack of editorial oversight for posts; anyone can share disinformation and may further contribute to the distrust in government and traditional media. My paper contends that social media has had a key role in discounting the credibility of traditional news while fueling public distrust of the government during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis of foreign governments that were successful in gaining public trust shows that government authorities used both traditional media and social media effectively to successfully contain disinformation on the virus. US government and media authorities must establish long term plans to create a stronger line of communication

Government policy performance and central–local political trust in China

AbstractIt is widely acknowledged that poor government policy performance undermines public trust in government. However, there has been insufficient study of how citizens attribute responsibility to different levels of government within an authoritarian unitary context. Inquiry is needed to assess the ways government performance in various policy domains affects central–local political trust. This study uses the case of China to addresses these questions. Results show that, in particular, local governments risk losing public trust for corruption. Nevertheless, the central government loses public trust due to unsatisfying economies. Both local and central governments lose public trust for poor performance regarding environmental protection, food safety problems, public health, and primary/middle school education. The central government cannot always avoid blame, depending on different policy issues. The results indicate that the perceived administrative responsibility of different levels of government affects citizens’ evaluations of the performance of the central and local governments as well as their political trust.

Trust in government buffers the negative effect of rumor exposure on people's emotions.

Although we are surrounded by various kinds of rumors during the coronavirus disease pandemic, little is known about their primary content, what effect they might have on our emotions, and the potential factors that may buffer their effect. Combining qualitative (study 1 extracted 1907 rumors from top rumor-refuting websites using the Python Web Crawler and conducted content analysis) and quantitative (study 2 conducted an online survey adopting a three-wave design, N = 444) research methods, the current study revealed that government-related rumors accounted for the largest proportion of rumors during the outbreak stage of the pandemic and were positively associated with the public’s negative emotions. We also found that trust in government negatively moderated the relationship between government-related rumors and negative emotions. Specifically, when people had low trust in government, exposure to government-related rumors was positively associated with negative emotions. However, when people had high trust in government, the association was non-significant. For positive emotions, we found no significant effects of government-related rumors. The findings highlight the importance of rumor control during public emergencies and cultivating public trust in government in the long run.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12144-022-03508-x.

Technology Infrastructure in Public Health System: Mediating Role of Public Trust in Government Disaster Preparedness

It is a natural tendency for the developing world to be unprepared for public health emergencies. Prioritizing public health systems and technological infrastructure is both costly and crucial. The goal of this study is to serve as a wake-up call to policymakers in low-income nations to make a significant change toward pandemic preparedness through innovative health investment. For the developing-country sample population, the study used a mixed-method approach. A total of 340 healthcare workers were recruited for the experiment via convenient sampling, and they were fully aware that no data would be compromised. The results reveal no major differences in pandemic threat readiness between technology infrastructure and health systems. However, although vaccination take-up attenuation dampens the study link between public trust and Covid-19 mitigation. To maintain public trust in government, it is vital to use innovative investment schemes to research global public health and upgrade health professionals and scientists. The WHO's global strategy and preparedness approach is quickly shifting toward R&amp;D on digital infrastructure for any impending epidemics. It was also intended to increase public trust in government control of effective safety measures, immunization, and a technological deficiency that could be exploited to rescue lives if a crisis arose. Keywords: Disaster Preparedness; Health Systems; Technology Infrastructure; Government Trust; Vaccine Uptake. DOI: 10.7176/PPAR/12-5-03 Publication date: July 31 st 2022

Perspectives on biotechnology: Public and corporate narratives in the GM archives

Societal Impact StatementThe contentious debate over genetically modified (GM) crops in Britain has entered a new era following Brexit and the development of gene editing. At the same time, the events of the 1980s and 1990s are now entering historical archives, including the GM Archive at the Science Museum in London. This article explores how fears of unnaturalness and arguments from historical continuity informed the British GM controversy. It also analyses the limitations of these modern archives. The concerns surrounding the naturalness and continuity of biotechnology have recently been resurrected following suggestions that gene editing will be employed in plant breeding.Summary This research examines the introduction of genetically modified (GM) crops to Britain, including the backlash from environmentalist groups and the public that led to a de facto government moratorium on their commercialisation in 1998. Harnessing archival materials from the Science Museum's GM Archive, this paper shows that GM was viewed as an alien or unnatural technology in Britain, while campaigns from Monsanto and scientific supporters of GM attempted to show how recombinant DNA technology was simply the latest step in a long history of plant breeding. By moving outside the archive, it becomes clear that the creation of this narrative from continuity was a standard industry strategy. Appeals to the history of plant breeding was a strategy adopted by Monsanto well before the British GM controversy, while twentieth‐century food scares had already undermined public trust in government and industry. Public concern over the naturalness of biotechnology remains. Meanwhile, contemporary advocates of gene editing have begun to make similar arguments to those deployed in the 1990s, highlighting the similarity of gene editing to natural variation and selection.

Predictors of COVID-19 actual vaccine uptake in Hong Kong: A longitudinal population-based survey

Purpose of the researchIdentifying predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake decisions is central to the development of evidence-based strategies for promoting vaccination. This longitudinal study investigated the link between previous willingness to vaccinate and vaccine uptake decision, and examined potential predictors of vaccine uptake in Hong Kong. MethodsA longitudinal telephone survey study was conducted using a population-based sample of Chinese adult residents (≥18 years) in Hong Kong. Data were collected at two time points: T1 (December 2020–January 2021) and T2 (June–July 2021). Primary outcome was vaccine uptake status; whilst independent variables and covariates included socio-demographic factors, COVID-19 related experiences, health beliefs, and perception, as well as vaccine related perceptions. ResultsAmong the 1,003 participants, 23.7% had received a COVID-19 vaccine. Previous willingness to vaccinate did not predict vaccine uptake at later stage. Vaccine uptake by known others (aOR = 8.00), trust in authorities (aOR = 1.53), acceptability of non-pharmaceutical preventive measures (aOR = 2.96), and first-hand experience of COVID-19 (aOR = 1.32) were significant predictors of vaccine uptake after adjusting for confounding factors. ConclusionsFuture strategies to promote vaccination may focus on building public trust in government and healthcare professional, and encouraging vaccinated individuals to share their vaccine uptake status via social networking.

The determinants of COVID-19 morbidity and mortality across countries

We identify 21 predetermined country-level factors that explain marked variations in weekly COVID-19 morbidity and mortality across 91 countries between January and the end of 2020. Besides factors commonly associated with infectious diseases (e.g., population and tourism activities), we discover a list of country characteristics that shape COVID-19 outcomes. Among demographic–geographic factors, the male-to-female ratio, population density, and urbanization aggravate the severity of COVID-19, while education, temperature, and religious diversity mitigate the impact of the pandemic on morbidity and mortality. For the political-legal dimension, democracy and political corruption are aggravating factors. In contrast, female leadership, the strength of legal systems, and public trust in government significantly reduce infections and deaths. In terms of socio-economic aspects, GDP per capita, income inequality, and happiness (i.e., life satisfaction) lead to worse COVID-19 outcomes. Interestingly, technology advancement increases morbidity but reduces mortality. For healthcare factors, SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) experience and healthcare infrastructure help countries perform better in combating the pandemic.

Do government activities increase public compliance in the Covid-19 pandemic? Evidence from Vietnam

PurposeDuring the COVID-19 pandemic, it has raised an important question of whether government efforts (GEFs), especially communication work, could prevent the outbreak of this pandemic by enhancing public trust and public compliance with the government. This research answers this question by focusing on the case of Vietnam, a low-resource country that gained some achievements during the first pandemic year 2020. In particular, this study aims to investigate the relationship between GEF, public trust and public compliance during the country’s first nationwide social distancing.Design/methodology/approachThe structural equation modelling is used to analyse data collected from 467 respondents in Vietnam during the nationwide social distancing in 2020.FindingsPerceived GEF is positively associated with public compliance with the government directly and indirectly through the mediating role of public trust in government (PTG). The empirical results also reveal the effectiveness of government communication work, one among the government’s great efforts, during the COVID-19 pandemic, in terms of intensity and diversity in communication and information channels.Practical implicationsDuring a pandemic, the governments must enhance public compliance with public health measures to implement the anti-epidemic missions effectively. Therefore, it is important to raise public perception of GEF and PTG. The study’s findings highlight that governments in developing countries should implement relevant responses and policies for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and future public health crises, especially in the context that effective vaccines are unavailable or insufficient.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is among the first attempts that examine the role of GEF, especially public health communication work, in raising public compliance directly and indirectly through the mediating role of public trust. The study carries some important messages for containing a public health crisis like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Appetite for risk in the C-19 policy environment.

Leadership deficits and poor communication about COVID-19 (C-19) science connect risk-shifting and vaccination hesitancy to safety issues for nurses and the general public. Nurses can be trusted, especially in these chaotic times, to provide trustworthy information on C-19. Publicly expressed gratitude to nurses does little to improve work environments made more precarious by C-19. Practical support may help retain nurses in the health system. Public trust in governments has dissipated during the pandemic. People are confused by inconsistent and contentious information and services. Publishing practices that produce low-quality publications undermine scientific information and impede the flow of high-quality research information. Science can advise on a pathway through the risks of C-19 but it is politicians and government officials who decide policy on whether to accept the science and set the level of acceptable risk to the general public. Problematic publishing and communication pathways for essential information contribute to public uncertainty and undermine trust in vaccines, public health strategies, and immigration and quarantine policies. Nurse safety needs to be central to policy deliberations that affect transmission or spending on infection risk reduction. Policies that put nurses at increased risk encourage those with a choice, to abandon unsafe health system employment. Research quality systems that improve research communication pathways to support practice are urgently needed. Nurses rely on research information sources for credible evidence to support their clinical practice. Risk-shifting is the unintended consequence of government policy on vaccination, immigration, international travel, quarantine and screening for C-19. Governments must accept their role in generating public mistrust of vaccines and not judge people's decisions made on the basis of information available. Political manipulation of C-19 data needs to be exposed to enable recovery planning.

Suspecting the Figures: What Church Leaders Think About Government's Commitment to Combating COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Public trust in government can significantly determine the outcome of health policies in any society. Hence, studies have been gauging peoples' level of trust in their governments' commitment and capacity to win the fight against COVID-19. However, these studies have omitted religious leaders. This is despite the fact that religious leaders play key roles in the area of health in many societies. The present study, therefore, explored the opinions church leaders have about the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government responses in Nigeria. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 18 church leaders drawn from Anglican, Catholic, and Pentecostal churches in Nigeria. A descriptive narrative approach was employed in the thematic organization and analysis of data. Findings show that only one participant expressed confidence in the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government's responses. The rest, with the exception of one participant who was uncertain, was distributed between those who believe the statistics and other government efforts are exaggerated and those who believe they are false. The study also found that denominational affiliation mattered with respect to the perceptions about the credibility of the COVID-19 statistics and other government responses. Implications of findings for policy and research are discussed.