Organizational Reform Research Articles

Welfare service reforms: Arab minority welfare bureau managers assess the outcomes

AbstractWelfare bureaus constitute a safety net for the dispossessed Arab minority in Israel who are partially excluded from the state social services. The welfare bureau reforms discussed in this article are consequently crucial to improve welfare services for the underprivileged minority service users. This article partially fills a lacuna in the relevant literature by adopting a critical approach to assess the reforms' actual contributions to improving the organizations' performances for minority population social services. It did this by investigating Arab social workers' views on the outcomes of different welfare services reforms for them. An exploratory study drew data from two tools: content analysis of official documents and in‐depth semi‐structured interviews with 19 Arab welfare bureau managers. The documents indicated that the ‘Change Program’ (1977) produced minimal to no positive outcomes for Arab welfare bureaus. Also, the respondents indicated that the ‘Reform in Local Welfare Services’ (2017) produced insufficient achievements, detailed in five themes. Two Arab representatives were consulted for the proposed ‘Right to Quality Welfare’ program (June 2023), which aims to offer a ‘uniform welfare basket’ to all citizens. The findings indicate that the concept of up‐down comprehensive organizational reforms should be re‐examined, considering instead small but incremental down‐up modifications.

Professional responses to exogenous change: the social work profession and the jurisdictional domain opened up by the Norwegian welfare-to-work reform

ABSTRACT This paper examines the social work profession’s responses to the organizational reform of the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration, which opened a new jurisdictional domain of employment services to groups marginalized in the labour market. This domain was not colonized by any established professions, and social workers were the only occupation in the reformed organization with the character and identity of a profession. With existing research as the main source, the paper shows that despite having influenced the reform policy, during reform implementation, agents of the profession refrained from expanding the jurisdiction of social workers and instead protected and maintained its established jurisdiction based on municipal social services. Potential explanations behind the response are discussed: the pressure from the organizational context, combined with the profession’s ingrained distrust of ‘the system’; the ‘dirtiness’ of welfare-to-work tasks, around which some scepticism existed; and the profession’s strong value base and lack of capacity to articulate its knowledge base and, subsequently, theorize its knowledge and skills as resources that were key to meeting the reform’s welfare-to-work goals. All three explanations have some explanatory power but must still be considered tentative and in need of more research.

Characteristics of the health districts in Italy and their implication in primary health care policies: an analysis of socio-demographic trends.

The Health District (HD) is a critical component of Italy's National Health Service, responsible for ensuring Primary Health Care (PHC) services in response to community health needs. The Italian government established a national strategic reform program, the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), starting in 2022, with a series of health interventions to reorganize the PHC setting, the main reform being the Ministerial Decree 77/2022 (DM77). Our study aimed to provide a description of socio-demographic data and to assess the correlation between HDs, in order to suggest health intervention priorities in PHC reforms. We conducted our analysis using a cross-sectional record linkage of data from multiple sources to compare organizational and socio-demographic variables. A dataset was created with each of the 21 Italian Regions' HDs data of population, land area, mean age, ageing index, old-age dependency ratio, birth rate and death rate. The Inland Areas Project data was integrated for a socio-economic perspective. Our study identified comparable groups of HDs, considering demographical, socio-economic and geographical aspects. The study provides a baseline understanding of the Italian situation prior to the implementation of DM77. It also highlights that inhabitants number cannot be the only variable to take into account for the definition of Italian HDs organisation and PHC reform, providing intercorrelated variables that take into account geographic location, demographic data, and socio-economic aspects. By acknowledging the interplay of demographic, socio-economic, and geographic factors, policymakers can tailor interventions to address diverse community needs, ensuring a more effective and equitable PHC system.

LITERATUR REVIEW : KEPEMIMPINAN DI MASA KRISIS DAN KETAHANAN UMKM

In this crisis, the entire world economy can be seen growing slower and inflation is faster. MSMEs play an important role in overcoming obstacles to poverty, inequality and job creation. However, the development of SMEs still encounters many obstacles such as inadequate human resources, few raw material resources, activities that are low on environmental resilience, and inadequate coordination in governance resilience. Using the systematic literature review research method, which collects several related journals from Google Sholar, Emerald, Science Direct and Elsevier. As a result, the Crisis had an overall strong effect on the resilience of telecommunications companies. Given this, this study suggests that; Businesses should have a center for training corporate leaders and managers and equip them with the necessary capacities to overcome crises. When emergencies and public crises occur, crisis decision making is critical. Crisis decision-making must follow the principles of social (organizational) reform, the principle of selective radicalism and the principle of taking risks and avoiding possibilities by considering accurate information

Digitalization and the management system of institutions in the sphere of public administration

Subject. The article addresses the management system of institutions in the public administration sector that were transformed into budgetary and autonomous under the organizational and legal reform. Objectives. The purpose is to investigate the influence of digital technologies on the management system of budgetary and autonomous institutions functioning in conditions of granting certain powers for self-regulation and self-sufficiency to the management of these institutions at the third stage of budgetary reform. Methods. The study employs universal methods of scientific knowledge, such as analysis, synthesis, generalization, abstraction, and methods of modeling, induction, and deduction. Results. As a result of granting certain powers, the management of the said institutions is actively introducing digital technologies. At the same time, the chief budget funds managers, to which these institutions are subordinate, restrict their participation only by assessment of performance indicators of the heads of institutions that include indicators for achieving quantitative digitalization results. The heads of budgetary and autonomous institutions, on the one hand, strive to achieve maximum targets, and this requires serious financial costs. On the other hand, they are placed in rather limited financial conditions of self-sufficiency, and, in the absence of freedom to choose sources of funds, they are forced to take austerity measures, as staff redundancy. In these circumstances, the most affected party is the institution's management system, which is actually collapsing. Conclusions. The main managers should develop a unified policy of functioning and development, including digital, for subordinate institutions, based on their provision with material, technical and financial resources. This obligation must be enshrined in law.

Ennahda’s Muslim democracy in post-Arab spring Tunisia: Synthesizing political thought and practice

This article explores the interplay between political thought and practice within Tunisia?s Ennahda party, first during its period in opposition, then after it took power in 2011, and finally in the aftermath of the 2021 coup. We trace the genealogy of political thought within the party from the point of its foundation. In doing so, we explore the gradual evolution of party ideology, from a da?wa-based belief system between 1969 and 1981, to Islamic democracy between 1981 and 2011, to ?Muslim democracy? after the 2011 uprising. We examine this ideological evolution through the framework of three key elements: (i) Islam, (ii) Tunisia?s changing socio-political context, and (iii) the broader universal episteme. As we show, a significant turning point came in 2016, with the separation of the da?wa from party politics, which revealed a burgeoning state/party conceptualization of politics. However, the 2021 coup challenged Ennahda?s concept of Muslim democracy, as well as all aspects of the party?s own sense of continuity as a significant socio-political actor, such as its institutional structure, leadership, membership, social base, political strategy, and ideology. Ennahda is now confronted by an authoritarian resurgence, which aims at containing the party, and at delegitimizing its participation within nation-state structures. Empirical evidence, based on content-analytical evaluations of personal interviews as well as the media?s coverage of Ennahda, shows that the party?s representatives are increasingly focusing on organizational reform in order to deal with the ramifications of the 2021 coup. Their aim seems to be to democratize both Ennahda and the Tunisian state itself.

Subjective Well-Being and Burnout Among the Maternal and Child Health Workforce.

This study investigates burnout and subjective well-being among the Maternal and Child Health (MCH) workforce, considering recent events such as the Dobbs decision, the maternal mortality crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. An anonymous web-based, cross-sectional survey was conducted among 313 MCH professionals in the United States. Data were collected using validated measures, including the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) and the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire (OHQ) short scale. Sociodemographic characteristics and factors associated with burnout and subjective well-being were examined using univariate statistics and multivariable models. Analysis revealed moderate levels of burnout among MCH professionals, particularly in emotional exhaustion. However, subjective well-being levels were relatively high. After controlling for covariates, significant associations were found between subjective well-being and burnout dimensions, as well as sociodemographic factors such as sex and race. The study's findings indicate that higher subjective well-being is significantly associated with lower burnout, emotional exhaustion, and higher personal accomplishment. Variations in burnout and well-being are also influenced by sociodemographic factors such as age, sex, race, and occupation. Tailored interventions addressing the specific needs of MCH professionals are essential for building a resilient workforce. Organizational reforms and legislative measures are crucial for fostering supportive workplace environments and ensuring access to care and services amidst workforce challenges.

Сравнительный анализ систем регионального и местного управления (самоуправления) Казахстана и Украины

This article compares the systems of local state government and local self-government in Ukraine and the Republic of Kazakhstan. A review of the formation and development of the reform of local self-government and territorial organization of power in Ukraine since 2014 has been carried out. A content analysis of the legal acts of both states is carried out in order to determine the legal status of local state government and local self-government of the two countries. A comparison is made of the main elements of local state government and self-government according to four parameters: administrative-territorial structure, status of local authorities, scope of powers of local authorities, budget system at the local level. The similarities and differences between the systems of the two countries were identified, and the revenue side of the budget of two administrative-territorial units of the 3rd (basic) level with a similar population was compared. The main advantages of one system of local state government and self-government over another are identified. Recommendations for the further development of the system of local government and self-government in Kazakhstan are formulated.

The Impact of Managers’ Deviant Workplace Behavior on Employees in Selected Manufacturing Companies in Maseru Urban, Lesotho

As the global business landscape grows, issues related to managers’ deviant workplace behaviour remain a major concern that needs intervening and alleviation. Consequently, deviant workplace behaviour by managers has been identified as a major concern in most manufacturing companies in Maseru, Lesotho. This paper established that deviant workplace behaviour of managers affects employees in the orgarnisations that they lead. The findings in this study reveal significant correlations between supervisory unethical behaviour and negative employee outcomes, such as decreased job satisfaction and increased turnover intention. The research highlights the importance of ethical leadership and provides recommendations for organizational policy reforms to mitigate unethical practices. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by offering a comprehensive analysis of the dynamics between supervisory conduct and employee well-being.

Causes & Consequences of Health Care CEO Turnover in Australia and Retention Strategies: A Qualitative Study.

It has been highlighted the increasing CEO turnover is a major issue for Australian and international health care organizations. Some of the negative consequences of CEO turnover includes organizational instability, high financial costs, and affecting patient care. On average, CEOs leave their role within 1 to 2 years after commencement, which can be detrimental to the hospital's overall functioning. Therefore, this study aims to identify the causes and consequences of increasing CEO turnover in health care, so retention strategies could be devised. Fourteen hospital CEOs across Australia were interviewed online to answer 5 open ended questions related to qualities of a CEO, challenges of the CEO role, Causes and consequences of increasing CEO turnover and recommendation for CEOs retention. Interviews followed a semi-structured schedule to prompt discussion in relation to the above. The study has identified that CEOs possess certain qualities such as self-awareness, leadership style, resilience that enable them to perform their role well. Challenges of this role such as COVID-19, managing organizational change staff management has been found and discussed. Broadly, causes have been divided into 5 major categories such as Organization, Performance, Pressure, Personal and Health reform. It was found that increasing CEO turnover can be damaging to the hospital, not just the staff and patients suffer but the surrounding community gets adversely affected. To minimize CEO turnover, it was suggested that the board needs to support their CEO by advocating and investing in organizational culture and leadership programs. The findings of this study aid, the board with certain strategies through which CEO can be supported. CEOs made certain recommendations in this study to minimize the turnover which can make such a big impact on health care as this may lead to better functioning hospitals in Australia. Moreover, these strategies could be used internationally to help them CEOs retain in their position.

Accounting Education in India: Opportunities and Challenges

Now-a-days accounting education is facing many challenges in view of revolutionary changes in accounting education. These are technological changes, professional changes, changes in business environment and updating accounting as science. The aim of accounting education is to enlighten the youngsters about advanced accounting knowledge and promoting the continuous organisational reforms in the area of accounting. Accounting as a reporting information system, the profession can cover micro and macro-economic activities in organisations. Against this backdrop, the paper makes an attempt to i) study and analyse the level of the accounting knowledge and technical knowledge possessed by the sample respondents, ii) examine the latest accounting knowledge among the sample respondents and iii) analysis opportunities and challenges in accounting education in India. The present study is empirical and descriptive in nature and based on primary and secondary data. The primary data is collected from students, research scholars, academicians, accounting practitioners and industry professionals through a structured questionnaire with the help of the Google Form. The secondary data is collected from articles, periodicals, magazines, newspaper, research journals and websites.

The Smart City Implementation and Development Model in Realizing Bureaucratic Reform in the Local Government of Cimahi City

This study delves into the implementation and development of a Smart City model as a strategic approach by the Regional Government to achieve bureaucratic reform. The aim is to address challenges associated with inefficient service systems, lengthy processes, organizational structures, and bureaucratic placements that hinder effective government management. Focused on Cimahi City's urban development strategy, the Smart City concept integrates the Internet of Things (IoT) and information and communication technology (ICT) to optimize city assets, enhance law enforcement, streamline government agency information systems, and improve community services. However, despite its potential, the government's Smart City strategy faces obstacles, including server errors, login difficulties, frequent application loading, cumbersome display interfaces, and unresponsive buttons. In response, this research proposes the TRSCM model as a framework for the effective implementation and development of Smart City initiatives, aiming to overcome barriers and contribute to the realization of meaningful bureaucratic reform in government organizations.

Facilitators for increasing dental attendance of people from vulnerable groups: a rapid review of evidence relevant to the UK

AbstractObjective To rapidly review facilitators of access for vulnerable groups and to evaluate their effectiveness.Methods Data sources: MEDLINE via Ovid. Publications in English from 2000. Data selection: Research involving ‘vulnerable groups' relevant to UK health systems, with a primary outcome of increasing attendance. Data extraction: One author extracted and tabulated data. These were audited by a second author. Data synthesis: A narrative synthesis was produced.Results Data from 31 studies were available for ten vulnerable groups: people with learning, physical or sensory disabilities (n = 8); people experiencing homelessness (n = 6); prisoners (n = 4); asylum-seekers and refugees (n = 3); people living in socioeconomically deprived areas (n = 3); people with severe mental health conditions (n = 2); vulnerable children (n = 2); dependent older people (n = 1); Gypsy, Roma or Traveller groups (n = 1); and people with drug dependency (n = 1). Many facilitators involved organisational reform and more integration of health, social and other services. Other facilitators included: modification of premises; team development and skill-mix use; and awareness of needs and flexible services to meet them. Few studies evaluated effectiveness.Conclusion Although facilitators for access for vulnerable groups have been proposed, there is little evidence to support or refute their effectiveness. Efforts are needed to promote access for vulnerable groups in the UK with evaluation plans embedded.

The Development and Re-Forming of Quality Assurance in German Higher Education – An Organizational Reform Perspective

The Development and Re-Forming of Quality Assurance in German Higher Education – An Organizational Reform Perspective

Implementing NRRP policies and the interest groups perspective in the justice sector: the “Ufficio per il processo” reform

ABSTRACT In the justice sector, the main objective of NRRP policies is to enhance the performance of the judiciary through comprehensive actions that impact various areas, including the courts, organizational matters, civil and criminal proceedings, alternative dispute resolution, digitization, judicial and staff training, and judicial governance. This context presents an excellent opportunity for a new cycle of policy design and implementation. The article focuses specifically on the Ufficio per il processo (literally, ‘Office for the trial’), an organizational reform that introduces new staff to support court proceedings. This reform is expected to have a broad and cross-cutting impact for at least two reasons. Firstly, it is instrumental in implementing the entire package of NRRP policies, where the efficiency of court proceedings depends significantly on the resources available to judges and clerks. Secondly, it highlights the interconnections between the judicial function and court management. The article analyses the influence exerted by key interest groups (such as the National Association of Magistrates and the National Bar Council) during the implementation phase of the reform, considering the transition from the Draghi to the Meloni Government. In the conclusions, the article identifies the dynamics that concretely shaped the Ufficio per il processo reform through the interaction between political powers and interest groups.

What does it take to make a wrong decision? A qualitative study from Pakistan's health sector.

Pakistan's health system over the past three decades has experienced social, economic, geopolitical instability, and notwithstanding man-made and natural catastrophes. Since 2001, the health system in Pakistan has undergone three phases of organizational and management reforms and does not have a unified national health policy since then. The aim of this research was to assess the factors behind the decision-making by policy planners in the health system of Pakistan. An exploratory qualitative study based on grounded theory was designed where in-depth interviews conducted with 20 representatives of the political constituencies, civil bureaucracy, health planners and managers, research and educational institutions, NGOs providing technical support in the health sector, development partners and media. There leading reason cited was the dearth of leadership in health sector, which is compounded by a range of factors such as "institutional monopoly", "contextual deterrents", "power for turf"; "inadequate knowledge", and "design faults". Such factors were perceived to have a serious effect on the competencies, roles and responsibilities, use of knowledge for decision making. The behavioral aspects of decision makers include the "mindset," and "conflicting interests". The multitude of factors and complexities within the health sector of Pakistan continue to widen the vacuum in the leadership echelons. Hence, there is a high probability of taking wrong decisions not based on evidence, and resulting in a grossly under-performing health system.

Assessing the Vulnerability to Human Trafficking Amidst Migration Patterns: A Case Study of Kazakhstan

Abstract Kazakhstan, with its open borders with CIS nations and significant migration flows, emerges as a key origin, transit, and destination point in human trafficking. While acknowledging Kazakhstan’s modest progress in combating human trafficking, this study aims to develop comprehensive proposals for enhancing the protection of trafficking victims’ rights in Kazakhstan. It seeks to identify legal and enforcement gaps, analyze available social and legal protections, and address key issues in victim rights protection. The study aligns with the burgeoning academic discourse on human trafficking, which has significantly influenced policy and methodological approaches in estimating trafficking prevalence. It encompasses research focusing on defining human trafficking, factors contributing to its incidence, and evaluating the effectiveness of countermeasures. Addressing a relatively nascent area of research in Kazakhstan’s context, this study will enhance existing knowledge and contribute to developing effective anti-trafficking strategies within the country. The overall assessment underscores a lack of consistency in Kazakhstan’s approach to its mandate to curtail human trafficking. Despite this, the study presents a promising path forward, concluding that with the introduction of a dedicated anti-human trafficking law and strategic organizational reforms, substantial advancements could be realized to reinforce legal accountability and prevent such exploitation.

From liberalisation to regulation: managerial political work in the European digital copyright policy (2014–2019)

ABSTRACT The 2019 Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market represents an intriguing departure from the anticipated path of liberalisation in public policy. While it includes provisions seemingly aligned with the liberalisation of the Digital Single Market by relaxing digital copyright enforcement, it also introduces mechanisms that bolster digital copyright protection, signalling a shift towards market regulation. This paper explores why and how Jean-Claude Juncker’s European Commission proposed a directive featuring robust regulatory elements despite initial promises of copyright deregulation within the Digital Single Market. Combining insights from political economy and political sociology, I examine the concept of ‘political work’ as the practice of promoting, defending, and implementing a choice of public action. Within this framework, I identify a managerial dimension of political work involving political practices that influence the institutional structure and management of public action. Utilising a qualitative methodology involving twelve in-depth interviews with Commission officials conducted between 2018 and 2021, alongside document analysis, I demonstrate how Jean-Claude Juncker and his cabinet’s managerial political work, encompassing organisational reforms within the Commission, played a pivotal role in steering the proposed policy towards regulation.

Nature or nurture? Agency life‐cycles as a function of institutional legacy, political environment, and organizational hardwiring

AbstractA growing body of literature attempts to explain the life‐cycles of public sector organizations. Of particular interest have been the form and incidence of their birth and termination, and connecting these events to such variables as legal status and political ideology. Less attention has been given to the effect of intermediary life‐cycle events, the tasks performed by agencies, and their policy domains. This study builds on existing fixed characteristics (nature) and dynamic environmental (nurture) approaches and uniquely supplements them with a new institutional legacy paradigm that examines how previous organizational reforms influence future reform. Moreover, we advance existing studies by providing more comprehensive tests of the role that task type and policy domain play. Finally, we retest “classic” nature and nurture variables, namely, political turnover and legal form. Results suggest that nature and nurture provide important pieces of the organizational life‐cycle puzzle and that nurture comprises both external and intra‐organizational dynamics.

The patients' lived experiences with equitable nursing care.

Equitable care is a fundamental value in the nursing profession. Healthcare workers have both a moral and professional duty to ensure that they do not discriminate. This study aimed to explore how patients perceive equitable nursing care. This descriptive phenomenological qualitative research study used purposeful sampling to select 17 patients from various departments of a general hospital in southern Iran. The participants were then interviewed using a semi-structured in-depth interview format, which aimed to delve into their experiences with equitable nursing care. The collected data were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step method and MAXQDA20 software. Oral and written information about the study was provided before the participants gave their written consent. The transcribed interviews were de-identified. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Jiroft University of Medical Sciences. The data analysis of the study identified three main themes and six subthemes that were related to the experiences of patients with equitable nursing care. The first theme, equitable care, encompassed subthemes such as nurses' dedicated efforts to facilitate patient recovery and adherence to ethical behavior. The second theme, unconscious causes of inequitable nursing care, included subthemes such as unintentional discrimination stemming from organizational constraints and unconscious biases resulting from a lack of knowledge and skills. The third theme, discriminatory care, comprised subthemes such as deliberate discrimination based on personal traits and selective discrimination. The study findings indicate that achieving equitable nursing care requires a multifaceted approach. This includes effective hospital management, organizational reforms, and regulatory enhancements. Additionally, it is crucial to pay close attention to the needs of patients, enhance nurses' theoretical and practical skills in providing equitable care, fostering a culture of equality within healthcare settings, and consider the personality dimensions and moral characteristics of nurses.