Administration Research Research Articles

Promoting Public Managerial Sustainability: The Relevance of Social Support For Managers Coping With Work-Related Stress

Statistics reveal the concerning prevalence of mental health issues among Swedish public sector managers, highlighting the critical need for deeper insights into the relevance of social support in coping with work-related stress. This study aims to examine the relevance of various sources of social support for managers coping with work-related stress, an area relatively underexplored in public administration research. Data was collected using a survey completed by 172 managers working in Sweden. The results show that supervisory support, the support of a network of managers within the organisation, and a supportive communication climate were all significant predictors of how stress levels are coped with. Notably, the support of a network of managers within the organisation emerged as the most influential predictor. This study contributes, both theoretically and practically, by offering indicative insights into how organisations can support managers in managing their work-related stress.

Talent Management in the Slovenian Public Administration for Young Talented Individuals from Generation Z

Purpose – Talent management is becoming an increasingly important area of research and implementation in organisations as is the importance of the organisation's internal resources, i.e. people. The purpose of the paper is to present the results and key findings of the research on how employees in Slovenian public administration rate the implementation and its effects of talent management activities to attract, develop and retain young talented individuals from generation Z. Aims(s) – The aims of this paper were to evaluate the talent management activities for young talented individuals in Slovenian public administration and develop a model of Gen Z talent management. Design/methodology/approach – Survey data was collected with the help of an online questionnaire and the questionnaire, which was designed for the empirical research, consisted of several sets of questions. The collected data was processed in the SPSS statistical program and Microsoft Excel. Findings – The results of the survey show that the respondents do not rate attracting, development and retention of young talented individuals in public administration the best as the average rating of all sets is 3.0. Results show that some attraction and development activities have a positive impact (p < 0.05) on the retention of young talented individuals in Slovenian public administration organisations. Limitations of the study – The limitation was related to the fact that the survey was conducted only in the Slovenian public administration and not in the entire public sector. It would be reasonable to expand the research in the future to the entire public sector and abroad. Practical implications – The paper is useful for practice mainly because it presents the possibility of using the developed model of Gen Z talent management in public administration. Originality/value – The originality of the topic is reflected in the lack of empirical research on the topic of Gen Z talent management in public administrations and the first such research in Slovenian public administration.

Costs and Outcomes of Clostridioides difficile Infections in Germany: A Retrospective Health Claims Data Analysis.

Health claims data are a valuable resource for health services research, enabling analysis of the costs of hospitalizations, outpatient visits, procedures, and medications, and providing an improved understanding of the economic burden and underlying cost drivers for a given health condition. Since no recent data were available from Germany on the medical costs and clinical outcomes of Clostridioides difficile infections (CDI), this study assessed the economic burden of CDI and all-cause mortality in adults in Germany. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using a large, anonymized administrative health claims research database from Germany from which an age- and sex-representative sample of 4 million insured persons covered by approximately 60 statutory health insurances was extracted. Propensity score matching was conducted on age, sex, comorbidities, and antibiotic use to identify four matched controls (i.e., patients without CDI) for every eligible adult patient with CDI (i.e., case) in the study cohort. Costs, healthcare resource utilization, and CDI-attributable all-cause mortality were assessed. Overall, there were 15,342 CDI cases in the study cohort. One-year mortality in CDI cases (45.7%) was more than fourfold that of matched non-CDI controls (11.0%). In the year following the index date, average mortality-adjusted medical costs per person-time for CDI cases were almost fivefold that of matched non-CDI controls, representing a cost difference of €31,459, mainly driven by inpatient treatment. Overall excess costs for CDI cases were estimated at approximately €1.6 billion within 1year after diagnosis. CDI in Germany is associated with a high clinical and economic burden, including significantly higher mortality, costs, and healthcare resource utilization, in patients with CDI versus their matched patients without CDI. This has important implications for patients, healthcare providers, and the healthcare system.

Public administration in the field of mobilization training and mobilization: the genesis of doctrinal research and legal regulation in Ukraine in 2014-2024

In the article, based on a generalized review of the genesis of doctrinal research and legal regulation of public administration in the field of mobilization training and mobilization in 2014–2024 in Ukraine, it is noted that the time period from the annexation of the ARC, the beginning of the hybrid war in Donbas and until February 23 2022, was characterized by a significant transformation of regulatory and legal acts and modernization of the order of formation of the Armed Forces. In this period, the trend of intensification of doctrinal research in this area and specialization of scientific research is clearly visible. This stage is characterized by the appearance of the first complex studies directly devoted to the administrative and legal principles of mobilization and mobilization training. The researchers also focus on separate issues of law enforcement in the Armed Forces, criminal liability for evasion of the draft for mobilization, features of the administration of military service in the Armed Forces, administrative liability for violations of Ukrainian legislation on military duty and military service, etc. It was established that after February 24 and until today, a number of important legal acts were adopted, including those aimed at the prompt deployment and implementation of the mechanism for the implementation of mobilization measures, as well as the improvement of the specified process and increasing its efficiency in the future. The transformation concerned: improvement of the procedure for military registration of conscripts, conscripts and reservists; conscription age (its reduction from 27 to 25); clarification of the list of persons who are not subject to conscription for military service during mobilization; clarifying the reasons for postponement of conscription for military service during the mobilization of certain categories of citizens; reservation of conscripts for the period of mobilization and wartime, normalization of certain issues of military transport duty; resolution of disputes arising in this area in the order of administrative proceedings; social and legal protection of servicemen and their family members, etc. Regarding the analysis of scientific intelligence in this area, it was noted that active hostilities actually put a pause on fundamental research in this area, since no works of a monographic level, directly devoted to the raised issues, were published during this period.

Using Virtual Reality in Sexual Aggression Alcohol Administration Research: Opportunities and Challenges.

This paper explores methodological opportunities, challenges, and potential solutions for alcohol administration research that uses a virtual reality (VR) analogue for sexual aggression. We briefly review relevant sexual aggression, alcohol administration, and VR literatures. The strengths and limitations of different types of analogues are described. Most existing sexual aggression analogues use sexual assault scenarios which end the same way for all participants, who are then asked how they would respond in that situation. Studies using these analogues have produced valuable findings regarding alcohol's role in sexual aggression; however, one important limitation is that participants can distance themselves from the situation before responding. VR provides highly immersive behavioral analogues that require participants to make quick decisions; thus they are less likely to be impacted by social desirability. In VR, participants make multiple decisions based on the feedback they receive from their virtual dating partner and the ending depends on the choices they make. For example, VR analogues can allow participants to select dates who are intoxicated or to encourage their virtual dating partner to drink alcohol. Thus, researchers can model different patterns of responses and strategies used to attempt to obtain sex, which can then be used to develop interventions targeted for individuals with different types of risk profiles. There are strengths and limitations associated with all experimental proxies. The field would benefit from greater discussion of the essential elements of sexual aggression and if these vary for different types of perpetrators and situations that involve alcohol.

Policy Implementation in Military Organizations: The Impact of the Key Characteristics of Military Administration

Western military organizations face an increasingly complex landscape of threats and challenges from immense changes in the international security situation. At the same time, they are experiencing still more political and societal demands. Designing and implementing policies to meet these numerous and multifaceted demands call for effective, efficient, and legitimate public administration. Public administration research in military organizations is scarce. This article explores how critical characteristics of military organizations impact policy design and implementation within these organizations. Based on a systematic review of contemporary literature on specific military characteristics, the study identifies critical characteristics of military organizations related to structure, culture, profession, leadership, and management. Furthermore, strengths and challenges related to policy design and implementation in a military context are analyzed and discussed. The article argues that military organizations must scrutinize and strengthen their policy design and implementation efforts. Lastly, the article points to future research agendas.

Policing, Technology, and Public Values: A Public Administration Research Agenda

Policing, Technology, and Public Values: A Public Administration Research Agenda

Reviewer Acknowledgements for Public Administration Research, Vol. 13, No. 2

Reviewer acknowledgements for Public Administration Research, Vol. 13, No. 2, 2024.

A Categorical Framework of Ethical Leadership for Public Organizations: Testing a Multi-Dimensional Model of Local Government Managers

Organizational managers serve as ethical role models in their capacity as leaders. Mainstream research on ethics leadership is multidisciplinary, although empirical research is dominated by business administration and psychology scholars with less empirical work in public administration. This article develops and tests a categorical framework for ethical leadership behavior by applying it to data from a national survey of Chief Administrative Officers (CAO) of local governments in the United States. A Structural Equation Model (SEM) is used to test six dimensions of ethical leadership behavior and support is found for the model. This research is novel since it extends the ethical leadership research in business administration and psychology to local government managers and by extension, to public managers in general.

INTERSECCIONALIDADE E ORGANIZAÇÕES: UMA ANÁLISE DAS PUBLICAÇÕES DOS ENCONTROS DA ASSOCIAÇÃO BRASILEIRA DE PÓS‐GRADUAÇÃO E PESQUISA EM ADMINISTRAÇÃO

AbstractThe aim of this research is to understand whether gender issues and their intersections have been incorporated into the production of knowledge coming from the meetings of the National Association of Graduate Studies and Research in Administration in Brazil (ANPAD) over the years. A literature review of papers published in the proceedings of ANPAD Meetings (EnANPAD) between 1997 and 2021 was conducted to identify the presence of the thematic axes: gender, sexuality, class, and race. Titles and abstracts of 21,057 papers were analyzed. Were classified 682 papers, in at least one of the axes. The analysis presents quantitative data that shows the volume of scientific work per thematic axis. In addition, the qualitative analysis of the texts identified as intersectional was carried out. The results showed that intersectionality is still not very present in the research presented at EnANPAD, evidencing a weak connection with the social and economic structural context of the country. However, a growing movement, albeit slow, was noted from 2005. The theoretical contribution of this study consists in highlighting an overview of intersectionality in the field of studies in Administration in Brazil. This study can guide future research agendas and Graduation Policies.

The Need to Reconnect Public Administration Education, Research, and Practice

How relevant is current public administration pedagogy to the discipline and to those working in public service? Public administration education prepared leaders during World War II and the New Deal and once was viewed as a critical subfield of political science. Over the years, and despite various Minnowbrook incarnations, public administration has become a self-standing but narrowly defined body of knowledge characterized as “the business of government,” without any relational emphasis on its historical, legal, and economic context. This diminished intellectual scope poses a serious challenge to its practical relevance.

The Multilevel Administrative State and the Future of Public Administration Research

ABSTRACT The administrative state, originally coined by Dwight Waldo, emphasizes the distinct role of public administration in democratic governance. Yet, public administration research has insufficiently theorized how administrative structures at one level of government may be consequential for public governance at another level. This study theorizes how the administrative state has transcended its mere domestic role in democracy, and suggests how future research should study multilevel administrative systems. Departing from the invitation and lessons of Waldo, the article theorizes how ways of organizing the administrative state at one level of government bias public governance across levels of authority.

Are Extrinsic Goals Detrimental to Public Service Motivation? A Panel Analysis Based in Taiwan

ABSTRACT The relationship between utilitarian incentives and public service motivation (PSM) has long been a core issue in public administration research. Scholars have accumulated ample evidence regarding how the pursuit of monetary rewards can affect PSM, but we know relatively little about the effect of various non-monetary rewards on PSM. The pursuit of utilitarian incentives, in goal content theory (GCT), is referred to as extrinsic goals. The present study identifies multiple extrinsic and intrinsic goals and tests whether pursuing extrinsic goals relative to intrinsic goals compromises PSM. Regression results based on panel data collected from Taiwanese public servants in 2018 and 2019 render support to this proposition.

International collaboration in local government studies: a bibliometric analysis

ABSTRACT International collaboration in public administration research is getting popular, reflecting growing globalisation in PA practices and the strength of collaborative knowledge production. This article examines international collaboration in 1,550 research articles published in Local Government Studies (LGS) between 1974 and 2022. The bibliometric analysis shows international coauthorship in LGS appeared in 1980 and increased to 23.08% among articles published in 2022. While international collaboration in LGS has been lower than that of average PA journals, the gap has been shrinking. Regression analysis indicates that LGS articles with international coauthorship yield greater scientific impacts. This study argues that further internationalisation of LGS and other PA journals with a focus on local issues demands theoretical and methodological breakthroughs in comparative local studies, as well as a wider and more balanced distribution of authors. This article also calls for further studies of the quality effects of international collaboration.

Population-Level Administrative Data: A Resource to Advance Psychological Science

Population-level administrative data—data on individuals’ interactions with administrative systems, such as health-care, social-welfare, criminal-justice, and education systems—are a fruitful resource for research into behavior, development, and well-being. However, administrative data are underutilized in psychological science. Here, we review advantages of population-level administrative data for psychological research and provide examples of advances in psychological theory arising from administrative data studies. We focus on advantages in three areas: the collection and recording of population-level administrative data, the data’s large scale, and unique data linkages. We also describe ethical issues as well as methodological considerations and limitations in population administrative data research and outline future directions to enable psychological scientists to more fully capitalize on administrative data resources.

Community Diversity and Social Media Use in Local Governments

Compared to its ubiquity, social media use remains a divisive topic in the public sector. While local governments have increasingly adopted social media to increase civic engagement, many are still hesitant. Among the many factors that may have influenced the adoption of social media in local governance, we argue that community diversity deserves more attention. This study theorizes the relationship between local governments’ use of social media and community diversity. We examine this relationship within the context of township governments, which is an understudied area of research in public administration. The results indicate that community diversity is related to an increase in social media use. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our findings and suggest fruitful avenues of inquiry in public administration social media research.

Debate: A relational agenda for changing public administration research and practice

Debate: A relational agenda for changing public administration research and practice

Breaking Down the Wall: The Effect of Immigration Enforcement and Nonprofit Services on Undocumented Student Academic Performance

Abstract Much of public administration and nonprofit research centers on issues of race and gender, but citizenship remains underdeveloped for a variety of reasons, especially due to a lack of data on the undocumented community. The first research aim of this study is to identify how immigration enforcement affects undocumented student performance. The second contribution is to understand the effect of how legal service provision by immigrant-serving nonprofits comes into play. Theoretically, these services work toward helping buffer the negative implications of community arrests and deportations on student performance. We test our theoretical arguments using a unique dataset comprised of student-level performance metrics of 2 million Latino students – including nearly 225,000 undocumented students – in Texas public schools. These data are merged with county and district-level data that reflect the level of immigrant deportations and the presence of immigrant-serving nonprofits (ISOs) in their communities. This research finds that immigration enforcement negatively impacts undocumented student performance. Furthermore, ISOs can help limit these effects and improve educational performance.

Reimagining faculty development: A paradigm shift from content to transformative learning processes

Background Faculty development programs in health professional education traditionally emphasise theories, principles, and effective teaching practices. However, the efficacy of these strategies in instigating meaningful changes in instructional practices has come under scrutiny. Methods This qualitative research aims to enhance our understanding and support of educators’ ongoing learning and growth. Employing a transformative learning lens, the study explored the experiences, professional development practices, and responsibilities of clinical educators who participated in a faculty development course. Utilising Mezirow’s transformative learning theory as a framework, this research investigated the transformative journey of educators, analysing reflective pieces from 144 participants. Results The study findings revealed shifts in pedagogical approaches, ranging from the recognition of a haphazard teaching style to the intentional integration of evidence-based methods and pedagogical philosophies. The thematic analysis identified key stages in the transformative process, illuminating educators’ commitment to structured teaching, self-directed learning, and continuous improvement. Conclusion This research has contributed valuable insights into how faculty development programs can stimulate reflective practices and transformative learning in health professional education. The article argues for the centrality of transformative learning processes in faculty development, presenting an intriguing perspective on sustainable and impactful professional growth. Trends across learning experiences are presented, accompanied by practical recommendations. The implications of the research for clinical educators, administrators, and developers of formal faculty professional development programs are also discussed.

Democratising data within a data-driven research centre: Examining the role of public engagement and involvement

Over the last decade there has been an increasing focus on utilising government-held data for large-scale data linkage research projects, with an emphasis on public benefit. Most, if not all, administrative data research initiatives will recognise public involvement and engagement (PI&E) as a cornerstone of research and emphasise that administrative data is essentially public data, and, therefore, that publics must have a say in how it is used. Much of this focuses on engaging with communities and their representative organisations. What is less explicitly discussed is the role that data-driven research plays within a broader public realm that is increasingly driven by data, or datafied. This paper will examine the ways in which PI&E both challenges and contributes to the datafication of society, through the work of the Administrative Data Research Centre Northern Ireland (ADRC NI), part of ADR UK. It will explore if – and how – PI&E in administrative data research can play a role in democratising this datafied society. The paper will use the Northern Ireland Public Data Panel (NIPDP) and the Voices of Young People in Care (VOYPIC) initiative as case studies to explore the ways in which ADRC NI successfully or unsuccessfully create sites of democratisation within the data ecosystem. Finally, the paper will consider how to amplify the democratic benefits of PI&E in data-driven research while minimising any potential harms, in the form of a potential framework for data justice within PI&E in data-driven research.