Role Of Public Services Research Articles

PRINCÍPIO DA EFICIÊNCIA NA ADMINISTRAÇÃO PÚBLICA: ANÁLISE CRÍTICA DO PRINCÍPIO DA EFICIÊNCIA NA GESTÃO PÚBLICA

The main objective of this work is to carry out a critical analysis of the implications and challenges related to the application of the principle of efficiency in Brazilian public management. The tensions between server administration, the search for results, transparency and resource management will be highlighted, using a theoretical approach and emphasizing the applicability of Law. Furthermore, the role of public servants will be highlighted as fundamental to achieving administrative efficiency. The training and engagement of these professionals are essential for public policies to be effective and meet the needs of society. The research will focus on reviewing the literature and analyzing relevant documents to investigate efficiency in public administration in Brazil, contributing to the formulation of more effective and equitable public policies. Adopting an exploratory and applied approach, the research will include bibliographic and documentary analyses, with the aim of clarifying the applicability of the principle of efficiency in public management and its impact on the various sectors of Public Administration, as provided for in the Federal Constitution.

Image Processing in Improving the Scan Results of Identity Cards and Family Cards with Noise with the Median Filtering Method

In the digital era, identity documents such as Identity Cards and Family Cards play a crucial role in administration and public services. The process of scanning these documents often results in images with noise that can interfere with data accuracy and identification. This research aims to improve the quality of scanned images by using the median filtering method to reduce salt and pepper noise. Median Filtering was chosen for its ability to preserve edges and details in images, which is crucial for identity documents such as Identity Cards and Family Cards. In this study, the system developed to enhance scanned images was implemented and tested. Evaluation results show that the Median Filtering method is effective in removing noise without damaging the edges and fine details of the images. The evaluation indicates that this system is effective in producing images that meet the quality standards required for official administration and identification. This research is expected to contribute to the development of digital image enhancement technology for identity documents, thus improving accuracy and reliability in public services.

Get out of life on the edge: The role of urban public health services on migrants’ social integration in China

AbstractPublic health services for migrants are not only related to their health status, but also crucial to their social integration in the host cities. Using data from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey, we examine the impacts of urban public health services on migrants’ social integration. We find a positive correlation between the accessibility of public health services among migrants and their social integration. Research on the mechanisms reveals that obtaining public health services contribute to social integration by improving migrants’ health status, fostering the alignment of hygiene practices with those of local residents and promoting family migration. Heterogeneity analysis shows that the positive impact of public health services on social integration is notably pronounced among migrants engaged in informal employment, lacking social security, holding rural hukou and having a relatively brief duration of residence in the host cities. This paper presents valuable insights into migrants’ social integration which is a critical issue for policymakers. By improving the accessibility of public health services, migrants will better integrate into host cities. The findings may be instructive for promoting urbanization in China and other countries.

Exploring the role of public transport service and walking route related factors to identify maximum walking distances to bus stops in the Netherlands

This paper presents a study regarding the factors affecting the maximum distance travelers are willing to walk to a bus stop. The study focuses on bus services provided at and walking routes towards bus stops. Travelers’ evaluations are collected using a stated preference experiment. Based on 7911 evaluations of 879 respondents, a latent class ordered logit model is estimated showing that both bus service and walking route related attributes significantly contribute to the maximum distance travelers are willing to walk from home to a bus stop. The parameter estimates show that the most influential attributes are the bus frequency at the bus stop and the presence of street lighting along the route between home and bus stop. The model also shows that based on the evaluations three different classes of respondents can be distinguished. Membership of a class depends on traveler related characteristics: gender, residential area, and bus use.

Digital public services: Catalysts for healthcare efficiency

Healthcare systems pose a continuous concern and challenge for countries worldwide. Effective governance plays a pivotal role in managing these systems, ensuring the well-being of current and future generations. In this context, digital transformation emerges as a key catalyst for change. E-government, with its potential to foster integrated policies and public services, holds the promise of driving healthcare transformation and improving healthcare delivery efficiency. This study aims to comprehensively analyze the impact of e-government on healthcare transformation within the context of 27 European Union (EU) countries over the period from 2011 to 2022. Leveraging a Tobit model, the results showed that the development of e-government is a positive determinant for a country's ability to achieve transformative changes in its healthcare system. The findings of this study underscore the pivotal role of digital public services in reshaping healthcare systems and advancing the delivery of healthcare services. As nations strive to meet the evolving needs of their populations and enhance the sustainability of healthcare, e-government emerges as a powerful enabler of change. This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the integration of e-government in healthcare systems, promoting the efficient, effective, and equitable delivery of healthcare services. It provides valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing digital transformation to drive healthcare improvements, ultimately benefiting both present and future generations.

The Role of Classical Music Public Services in Building Urban Cultural Soft Power: A Triple Model in China

Recent studies advocate expanding the concept of soft power from the nation to city context and emphasize the importance of culture in building urban soft power. The existing research neglects the role of classical music on urban cultural soft power and reflects the necessity to explore long-term musical projects that are beneficial to residents. By analyzing the case study of a classical-music-educational-based public services project, the Guangzhou Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO), this research finds that public cultural services can continuously improve urban cultural soft power through the triple model of “contractor-cultural policies-public participation”. This research argues that although the In Harmony and the EI Sistema projects are also public cultural services of classical music, the triple model of GYSO has multi-faceted impacts on urban development, including cultivating creative class, enhancing residents’ cultural tastes, promoting social cohesion, integrating cultural resources and establishing city branding. This triple mechanism is a model with Chinese characteristics that combines the arm’s length principle with the cultural exception policy.

Urban stormwater green infrastructure: Evaluating the public health service role of bioretention using microbial source tracking and bacterial community analyses

Bioretention cells (BRCs) control stormwater flow on-site during precipitation, reducing runoff and improving water quality through chemical, physical, and biological processes. While BRCs are effective in these aspects, they provide habitats for wildlife and may face microbial hazards from fecal shedding, posing a potential threat to human health and the nearby environment. However, limited knowledge exists regarding the ability to control microbial hazards (e.g., beyond using typical indicator bacteria) through stormwater biofiltration. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to characterize changes in the bacterial community of urban stormwater undergoing bioretention treatment, with the goal of assessing the public health implications of these green infrastructure solutions. Samples from BRC inflow and outflow in Columbus, Ohio, were collected post-heavy storms from October 2021 to March 2022. Conventional culture-based E. coli monitoring and microbial source tracking (MST) were conducted to identify major fecal contamination extent and its sources (i.e., human, canine, avian, and ruminant). Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) was utilized to quantify the level of host-associated fecal contamination in addition to three antibiotic resistant genes (ARGs): tetracycline resistance gene (tetQ), sulfonamide resistance gene (sul1), and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase resistance gene (blaKPC). Subsequently, 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted to characterize bacterial community differences between stormwater BRC inflow and outflow. Untreated urban stormwater reflects anthropogenic contamination, suggesting it as a potential source of contamination to waterbodies and urban environments. When comparing inlet and outlet BRC samples, urban stormwater treated via biofiltration did not increase microbial hazards, and changes in bacterial taxa and alpha diversity were negligible. Beta diversity results reveal a significant shift in bacterial community structure, while simultaneously enhancing the water quality (i.e., reduction of metals, total suspended solids, total nitrogen) of urban stormwater. Significant correlations were found between the bacterial community diversity of urban stormwater with fecal contamination (e.g. dog) and ARG (sul1), rainfall intensity, and water quality (hardness, total phosphorous). The study concludes that bioretention technology can sustainably maintain urban microbial water quality without posing additional public health risks, making it a viable green infrastructure solution for heavy rainfall events exacerbated by climate change.

Aktualisasi Budaya Inovasi pada Organisasi Sektor Publik

A culture of innovation is not just an option, but an urgent need to maintain the competitiveness of public sector organizations amidst rapid change. In this context, a culture of innovation is a vital aspect in strengthening the competitiveness of an organization, especially in the public sector which plays a crucial role in public services. In researching the actualization of innovation culture in public sector organizations, a qualitative approach with descriptive methods is the right choice. A qualitative approach allows researchers to gain a deep understanding of a complex and multidimensional phenomenon such as innovation culture. From the discussion that has been described, it can be concluded that the actualization of a culture of innovation in public sector organizations is an urgent need in facing the complexity and dynamics of an ever-changing environment. The main problems faced by public sector organizations, such as resistance to change, complex bureaucracy, and low employee involvement, are the main obstacles in realizing an effective innovation culture. However, by adopting a qualitative approach with descriptive methods in research, as well as involving various stakeholders in the process, organizations can gain a deeper understanding of the dynamics of existing innovation culture and explore strategies that can be implemented to overcome them.

New development: Relational public services—reform and research agenda

IMPACT The authors put forward a relational public service agenda which involves investing in infrastructure, focusing on appropriate scaling of change, balancing specialism and generalism in public service roles and functions, and pursuing improvement through engaged research endeavours. This shift requires new thinking, tools and research in terms of measurement, learning and evaluation practice in public service. The authors argue this constitutes a basis for academic public administration to prospectively engage in scholarship which addresses the complex challenges confronting our societies in coming years.

If it is Possible to be Non-Compliant: Why Should it be Compliant?

This study examines how people’s moral and ethical behavior influences tax compliance. The research involved interviews with four taxpayers in East Nusa Tenggara Province. Taxes play a crucial role in funding public services, and their proper collection is vital for community welfare. The study suggests that more than a robust tax system is needed; incorporating moral and cultural values is essential to encourage compliance. The findings reveal that taxpayers adhere to tax obligations not just because of the system but also due to a sense of responsibility for their business sustainability.

Fixing the Information Gap in Local Elections: A Public Service Role for Colleges and Universities

Many college students are motivated to vote in presidential elections. Like most Americans, however, they are far less likely to vote in elections for local officeholders. Often this is because they have little to no information about the candidates. Starting in 2020, with university support, the author and a colleague began providing nonpartisan information about candidates for local offices in their county. Their website is available to students and voters throughout their county. More colleges and universities should undertake similar ventures, which would fill a vital and underserved public need, strengthen the civic behaviors of college students, and enhance democracy.

Navigating Public Service and Profit-Making Mandates: The Case of the Daily Graphic Newspaper

ABSTRACT This study examines how Ghana’s Daily Graphic, a public newspaper operating as a limited liability company, balances its public service mandate with its economic rationality. The case study combined data from interviews with the newspaper’s reporters, editors, managers, and advertising agency executives with a study of official documents and analysis of newshole versus advertisement space allocation. The findings reveal the complicated nature of media management and journalistic autonomy in this hybrid public-private setting shaped by its sociopolitical and economic history and current context. Despite its stated public service mandate, the Daily Graphic’s organizational and individual-level economic logic (coupled with its advertiser–client relations) informs its operations and news practices. Also, contrary to the Daily Graphic’s stated 60:40 newshole to advertisement ratio, the newspaper consistently allocates more space to advertisements than news. We discuss the theoretical implications and recommend how news media can balance their economic motives and public service roles.

Analysis of the determinants of support and participation in carbon tax riots in France

ABSTRACT This study examines the drivers of support for and participation in the Yellow Vests movement in France, which emerged in response to creating a carbon tax on fuel. Using a representative survey of more than 1,000 respondents in French cities, we find that factors related to social origin and ideology explain support for the movement. However, we also show that satisfaction with public services reduces interest in this movement. This finding underscores the role of public services in shaping the acceptability of policies based on taxes and providing a sense of purpose for ecological taxation. Our study contributes to the literature on the intersection of environmental policies, public services, and social mobilization.

Subjective Well‐Being of NEETs and Employability: A Study of Non‐Urban Youths in Spain, Italy, and Portugal

Subjective well-being is of paramount importance when support is offered to young individuals seeking employment and social inclusion in general. The present study looks at different dimensions of youth well-being and the growing demands for skills to enable labour market integration. Based on survey data, this article examines the relationships between the role of public employment services in providing support and their impact on the subjective well-being of youth. Specifically, 1,275 not in education, employment, or training (NEET) rural youths from Italy, Portugal, and Spain participated in the survey. Drawing upon Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological model, the current study sets up a model which includes different factors at the micro-, meso-, exo-, and macro-system levels. The results show that non-urban NEETs’ subjective well-being is associated positively with public employment services availability, while the relationship with public employment services interaction and public employment services support is non-significant. A positive and significant relationship emerged also with self-efficacy and social support. Some recommendations for policymakers are discussed.

The evolving role of Australian community pharmacists in vaccination: challenges and opportunities

Community pharmacists in Australia are increasingly at the forefront of public healthcare, expanding their scope of practice since first providing immunisation services in 2014. This article examines the evolving role of pharmacists, highlighting their significant contributions to vaccination efforts. Despite their growing impact, pharmacists face complexities due to varying regulatory frameworks and scope of practice across Australian jurisdictions. These challenges affect service consistency and consumer experience. Opportunities for community pharmacies to enhance and strengthen their care of communities remain, including initiatives like the National Immunisation Program Vaccinations in Pharmacy (NIPVIP), which enhances vaccine accessibility and affordability and travel advice and vaccination. Community pharmacists also play a critical role in public health promotion, opportunistic immunisation and support when disease outbreaks occur. To maximise their value, the healthcare system must address regulatory inconsistencies and promote multidisciplinary collaboration. By overcoming these barriers, community pharmacies can continue to provide accessible, high-quality care, reinforcing their essential role in public health and vaccination services.

Ethnic Diversity and Effectiveness Recruitment Exercise in Delta State Public Service

The nature of contemporary democratic governments has evolved significantly. This transformation is attributed to the increasing responsibility placed on the government to ensure the well-being of a larger portion of the population. This characteristic of the constitution reflects the social contract theory, compelling the government to fulfill expectations by appointing qualified and competent individuals to public service roles. This paper explores the challenges arising from the influences of ethnic diversity, which tend to undermine the adherence to merit principles in the recruitment processes of the Delta State Public Service. The study is grounded in the Weberian bureaucratic model, offering recommendations to address the issues affecting the effectiveness of recruitment exercises in the Delta State Public Service due to primordial factors. One key recommendation is the implementation of measures that prioritize merit over traditional recruitment methods. Specifically, the paper suggests that the recruitment process should be based on the expertise of recognized professionals in the respective fields, aiming to hire the necessary staff while avoiding an excess of personnel in the system.

The role of digital public services in promoting international tourism: empirical evidence from European regions

PurposeThe present study investigates a nexus between digital public services (DPS) and international tourism empirically.Design/methodology/approachThis article analyzes the nexus of DPS and international tourism by using the international sample of 23 European countries in the span of nearly 10 years from 2011 to 2019. Various econometric techniques, including the panel-corrected standard error (PCSE) model and the feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) model, are employed to confirm the author’s findings. Furthermore, the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) method is applied to measure the short- and long-run effects of DPS on international tourism developments.FindingsTourism is positively influenced by digitalization, implying that the enhancement of digital public service usage results in the development of the tourism industry. However, when looking at the effect of DPS in the short term, a negative impact can be found on tourism, as the density reported in the previous analysis stated a negative response to the tourism density. This effect spans the course of several facets, such as international tourism arrivals, international tourism receipt, international tourism, receipts (% of total exports) and global tourism expenditure (% of total imports). Although the result is unfavorable in the short term, digitalization promises great prospects for tourism in the long term. Notably, an improvement in economic growth, financial development as well a reduction in the pervasiveness of corruption and an improvement of environmental quality are transmission channels through which DPS have favorable influences on tourism activities.Practical implicationsThe author’s findings are vital for managers and policymakers to establish a comprehensive grasp of digitalization's role in deciding tourist adoption. This is because digitalization has been proven to play a role in determining tourism adoption.Originality/valueThe present study is the first to examine the relationship between DPS and international tourism empirically. The author is also the first to distinguish the effects of digitalization in the short and long run.

Fiscal Policy and Child Poverty in Ethiopia

This study investigates the effects of public transfers and taxes on the wellbeing of children in Ethiopia. It applies the Commitment to Equity for Children (CEQ4C) methodology to examine the burdens of taxation and the benefits from government transfers and spending, and their differential wellbeing impacts on children. The study integrates data from the Ethiopia Socioeconomic Survey 2018/19, which also collected data on taxes and transfers, with administrative data. Measuring its distribution by child monetary and multidimensional wellbeing, the study finds, on average, a progressive, poverty-reducing and equalizing fiscal system. However, there are important differences in the distribution of some of its elements. Indirect taxes, comprising of VAT and excise taxes, are regressive. Similarly, primary education spending, the largest of in-kind transfers, is only progressive in urban areas. With regards to poverty and inequality, the fiscal system reduced the monetary child poverty headcount by 21% and the poverty gap by 33%. The effect is stronger for girls and children in rural areas than for boys and children in urban areas, therefore reducing inequalities in poverty rates. However, this is only the case when in-kind transfers for education and health are considered. Without the inclusion of in-kind transfers, the study finds that the fiscal system is not well calibrated to reduce poverty. This highlights the essential role of public services, not only in delivering fundamental child rights, but also in reducing poverty amongst children.

The discursive construction of the role of public service broadcasting amid the rise of the Korean Wave

ABSTRACT This study examines how the sociocultural role of South Korean public broadcasting is affected by neoliberal cultural policies that situate the Korean Wave at the forefront. Drawing on Fairclough’s critical discourse analysis (CDA), this study examines 20 New Year’s addresses from two public broadcasters and two associated government institutions, identifying the discursive construction of public broadcasters’ roles during the tenures of five governments. In particular, the study illuminates how the neoliberal discursive construction of the media has increasingly reduced public broadcasters to mere economic entities, envisioning the media solely as a source of profit in a globalized media landscape. Providing empirical support, this research suggests that the social imaginary of the Korean Wave and its accompanying media policies have dwarfed the social roles of public broadcasters by linking culture to the nation’s supremacy and economic prosperity, thereby reinforcing neoliberal logic and beliefs against public values.

Inverted U-shaped relationship between public service motivation and role overload: Psychological empowerment as a moderator

Although role overload in public organizations has become a prominently observed research phenomenon, insufficient attention has been given to the influence of public service motivation (PSM) on role overload. We surveyed 335 Chinese public employees to investigate the relationship between PSM and role overload, and the moderating effect of psychological empowerment on this link. Results showed that PSM and role overload had an inverted U-shaped relationship. Specifically, public employees with midlevel (vs. low-level or highlevel) PSM were more likely to feel role overload. Furthermore, higher psychological empowerment reinforced the relationship between PSM and role overload. This research adds to the advancement of role stress theory, reveals the dark side of PSM, and illustrates the importance of managers providing adequate resources and fully empowering employees.