Public Administration Theory Research Articles

Public Administration "Changing Paradigms of Public Administration in Facing the Global Health Crisis: Lessons from the Pandemic"

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the paradigm of public administration in dealing with the global health crisis by emphasizing the importance of multilateralism and cross-border cooperation. The government now plays the role of a facilitator that integrates health and political policies to respond more effectively. The study identifies countries with swift and transparent leadership, such as Vietnam, that are better able to respond to the pandemic, while also exposing global inequalities in low-income countries that need international support. Public administration has a crucial role in designing effective policies, providing resources, and implementing measures such as social distancing, with transparent communication to build public trust. The digitization of public services and evidence-based collaboration between governments and scientists have become important pillars in responding to people's needs. This study uses a descriptive-qualitative approach with case studies and comparative analysis of policies in various countries. The results show that adaptation and innovation in public administration, including increasing digital literacy and community participation, are critical to building health system resilience to future crises. This research is expected to contribute to public administration theory and relevant policy recommendations to face similar challenges in the future.

The deformation of democracy in the United States: When does bureaucratic “neutral competence” rise to complicity?

AbstractRecent years have seen a step‐change in the severity and nature of threats to United States democracy, including extensive efforts by elected officials to undercut democratic governance. When elected officials undermine democracy, this constitutes “deformation of democracy.” As implementors and agents of policy, public administrators can sometimes play essential roles as bulwarks against democratic deformation. However, among public administrators there is historically a strong ethos emphasizing neutral competence and subordination to political authority, in some cases reinforced by law. How should public administrators respond when confronted by deformation and, at the same time, constrained by tradition and law? We selectively review strands of public administration theory, focusing on theory especially relevant to the United States governmental system, to construct and assess a catalog of responses that public administrators can take under democratic deformation. We conclude by offering a set of recommendations focused on institutionalized collective action by public administrators.

#BlackLivesMatter: Where Do the Paradigms of Public Administration Fit?

This study provides an in-depth analysis of problems and policy proposals related to the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Movement in light of public administration (PA) theories. We examine the extant literature focusing on three PA paradigms: Classical, New Public Management (NPM), and Postmodernism (combined with New Public Administration—NPA). Based on a content analysis of BLM activists’ demands, Congressional bills, and resolutions, this study categorizes the problems and solutions according to the area of concern and PA paradigms. Results indicate that postmodern theories offer crucial lenses to understand BLM activists’ demands. However, Congressional bills and resolutions align more with Classical and NPM paradigms. We conclude that BLM policy proposals are more likely to be implemented if framed within NPM and “soft” postmodern perspectives. Similarly, policymakers and practitioners should know that the BLM movement reflects a postmodern approach. This study provides contributions that are relevant to both practitioners and academics.

“Pioneers” of Managerial Thought: Woodrow Wilson Case

The article focuses on the diversity of the struggle for priority in the history of managerial thought. The subject of the study is the role of the American political scientist and politician Woodrow Wilson in the development of the study of public administration. The article reveals the contradiction between historical facts and prevailing ideas about the priority of W. Wilson in the development of the public administration theory. This dichotomy is proven in particular through the use of generative artificial intelligence and large language models (ChatGPT). The article analyzes the struggle for W. Wilson’s priority in the creation of the public administration science and compares it with the outwardly similar story of the discovery of genetics by Gregor Mendel. The article shows that the external similarity of the “deferred priority” in the creation of two sciences — genetics and public administration — differs significantly in the internal logic and consequences of the “rediscovery” of conceptual innovations. We can say that the “deferred priority” of the American scientist turns into a false priority, but fixed by public opinion as real. A conclusion is drawn about the relevance of W. Wilson’s case for solving modern problems of economic cybernetics. The past forms the present and future and distorting the past we can’t understand the present and predict and manage the better future.

Awarding academic titles as a public service: Optimization of administrative procedures and transition to a digital model

The transition to a digital model of providing the public service of conferring academic titles implies fundamental changes in this public institution, which are associated with both the need to make a technological map for digitizing the service and optimization of the very procedure for awarding academic titles. The paper discusses technological and institutional aspects of providing the public service of conferring academic titles in a digital form. The theories of public administration and public services, digitalization, jurisprudence and project management constitute the methodological framework of the article. The classical research methods, such as analysis and synthesis, are used. The empirical data are obtained through integration of the legal acts regulating the principles and mechanisms for rendering public services and conferring academic titles with the project documents of the Department of Scientific and Scientific-Pedagogical Workers Certification of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation. We indicate the need to legalize the procedures for initiating the nomination of an applicant for academic titles and justify the attribution of academic titles to the academic rights of scientific and scientific-pedagogical workers. Special focus of the study is on the reorganization of the academic titles institution and its role in assessing scientific qualifications and developing academic career. We address the controversial issue of granting the leading universities the right to independently confer academic titles (transition to a hybrid format) and emphasize the importance of balance between local and centralized regulation. In prospect the initiative to update the quantitative requirements and criteria for applicants for academic titles should be a key tool in revising the content of academic titles.

Пороговые значения уровня региональной дифференциации социально-экономического развития как инструмент обеспечения экономической безопасности

The article defines the high level of uneven regional development of the Russian Federation as a significant threat to its territorial integrity and national security. In this regard, an urgent problem in the theory and practice of public administration is the development of methods for assessing the degree of regional differentiation and determining its threshold values. The article reveals the essence of various approaches to determining indicators characterizing the unevenness of territorial development and substantiates the need to develop an indicator of its critical state.

Integrating philosophical perspectives into the study of public administration: The contribution of Critical Realism to understanding public value

Philosophical thought may provide an important contribution to the development of the theory and practice of public administration (PA). Notwithstanding such potential, however, philosophical thought has so far been limitedly employed in PA studies. To the extent philosophy has been brought into PA, three philosophies have been mainly used: Pragmatism, strands of Relativism-Constructivism, and Positivism. This paper argues that another philosophical approach can and ought to be considered much more systematically for application to foundational issues in PA studies, namely Critical Realism. The potential of this philosophical perspective is deployed to shed new light on key issues in the theory and practice of public value governance and management, a major area of academic investigation and practical application in the field of public administration and public management.

Research of Innovation and Digital Transformation in Justice: A Systematic Review

Objective: To develop a mapping of studies on innovation and digital transformation in the justice sector, publishes from 2001 to 2022. Five research questions were defined: 1) How to define innovation and digital transformation introduced in the justice sector? 2) What types of innovations and digital transformations are implemented in the justice sector? 3) What are the objectives of introducing innovation and digital transformation in the justice sector? 4) What are the antecedents that influence the process of innovation and digital transformation in the justice sector? 5) What are the results of the innovation and digital transformation process in the justice sector?Methods: The systematic review of sources (scientific articles, conference proceedings, monographs and institutional documents) presented in this paper was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) protocol. Selected by “research field”, “topic”, “research design”, “year of publication” and the keywords “public administration”, “public sector”, “e-justice”, “digital transformation”, and “innovation”, the sources were analyzed and evaluated according to five main aspects: (1) definition of innovation; (2) types of innovation; (3) objectives of innovation; (4) antecedents of innovation; and (5) results of innovation.Results: The heuristic model for studying innovation in the public sector developed by Vries et al. (2015) was adapted and applied to the research field of justice. The adaptation of the heuristic model allowed forming the following areas of analysis: contextual antecedents in justice; institutional antecedents in justice; characteristics of innovation and digital transformation in justice; individual antecedents in justice; types of innovation and digital transformation in justice; results of the process of innovation and digital transformation in justice.Scientific novelty: a comprehensive review of the literature in the field of innovation and digital transformation in justice is presented by adapting the approach to conducting systematic studies of the literature in the social sciences. It helped to identify gaps and define directions for further research in the given field, including the activation of comparative legal research, expansion of the methodological base, reliance on the theories of public administration, etc.Practical significance: the obtained results allow forming a heuristic map of innovation and digital transformation in justice, create antecedents (contextual, institutional and individual) and the basis for future empirical research in the field of justice, analysis, evaluation and improvement of public policy in the field of innovation and digital transformation in this area.

Unveiling whiteness: an approach to expand equity and deepen Public Administration’s racial analysis

Public Administration’s attempts to understand race and racism insufficiently engage with the historical processes and legacies of White Supremacy. This paper problematizes whiteness and proposes an approach to expand social equity and deepen the field’s racial analysis. Drawing on institutional logics perspective, we identify and describe logics of whiteness, an analytic approach that reveals whiteness through the logics of racial capitalism and whiteness as property and provides entry for historical, systems-connected, multi-level analyses of race, racism, racial categorization, and racialized power. We locate whiteness in the institution of citizenship to engage these logics and interrogate how citizens and citizenship are defined by and served in the bureaucracy. Neoliberalism has allowed the administrative state to assign differential citizenship identities across groups according to the logics of whiteness, with both symbolic and material implications for individual lives and for Public Administration theory and praxis.

Analysis of the Impact of Justice Theory in Public Administration

Justice is a fundamental principle that guides the actions and decisions of government agencies and official. In terms of public administration justice refers to “ the fair and equitable treatment of all individuals and groups within the context of governing institutions and operations”. The development of justice in public administration has evolved over a period of time through various philosophers and public movements. The importance of justice in administrative decision making is very important for good governance. This research paper focuses on the historical development of justice in public administration and its importance in policy making and policy implementation to enhance good governance. This research paper deals with different dimensions of justice in public administration like social justice, environmental justice, access to justice, distributive and redistributive justice etc. The importance of key principles like fairness, equity and impartiality in justice theory of public administration are also mentioned in this research paper. What are the challenges while upholding justice in public administration and the relationship between justice in public administration and good governance is also mentioned in this research paper

A Study on the Application of the Integrated Theory and Practice Teaching Model in Public Administration: A Case Study of the Course “Simulated Training in Public Administration”

Public Administration, as a discipline emphasizing practical application, places significant emphasis on practical teaching within its academic framework. The effectiveness and comprehensiveness of the practical teaching system directly affect students’ capacity for practical application and their overall skill sets. This, in turn, is essential for the discipline’s ability to nurture innovative and practically-oriented professionals that meet the evolving needs of society. However, existing public administration education in China is predominantly confined by traditional educational concepts and teaching methods, leading to an overemphasis on classroom instruction which tends to prioritize theoretical knowledge dissemination. Consequently, the planning and implementation of practical teaching content, methodology, and duration are inadequate and lack coherence. This status quo has had a detrimental impact on the quality of talent development within the domain of Public Administration. Addressing this, there is an evident need to transcend prevailing educational concepts and teaching paradigms, integrating practical teaching as an integral element of the broader public administration education system. In this regard, the innovation of teaching methods is crucial to adapt proactively to the “new normal” of socio-economic development, underlined by the pivotal role of “innovation, creativity, and practical application” as vital benchmarks for evaluating talent development. This study explores the “Integration of Theory and Practice” model in the context of practical teaching for public administration, constructing a practical teaching framework that seamlessly unites theory and practice within the domain, placing students at the forefront and educators at the center. This model encompasses the alignment of teaching content, methodology, evaluation, and resources, achieving the “3+N” teaching effectiveness. By exemplifying the specific application of the Simulated Training in Public Administration course, it sheds light on the profound importance of the “Integration of Theory and Practice” model in enhancing the development of public administration and talent cultivation. The aim is to provide valuable insights for the reform of public administration education in China.

THE NATURE OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PUBLIC PROCUREMENT OF GOODS AND SERVICESIN THE PROVINCE OF SOUTH SULAWESI

Objective: This study aims to delve into the core of government procurement implementation in South Sulawesi Province, Indonesia. The primary objective is to comprehensively understand the dynamics, challenges, and outcomes of the procurement process. The research seeks to identify critical factors influencing the effectiveness of procurement practices and propose recommendations for improvement. Theoretical Framework: Built upon a framework that combines elements from public administration theory and legal perspectives, this research explores the intricate nature of government procurement. The theoretical underpinning incorporates aspects of administrative law, public policy, and governance to provide a holistic view of the implementation process in the context of South Sulawesi Province. Methodology: Utilizing a mixed-methods research design, this study employs both quantitative and qualitative approaches. Quantitative data is collected through surveys and analysis of procurement records, offering statistical insights. Concurrently, qualitative data is gathered through interviews with key stakeholders, including government officials, suppliers, and experts, providing nuanced perspectives on the implementation challenges and successes. Results and Conclusion: The quantitative analysis sheds light on the efficiency and effectiveness of government procurement practices in South Sulawesi Province. Findings from the qualitative phase uncover contextual insights, contributing to a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by stakeholders involved in the procurement process. The research concludes with recommendations to enhance transparency, accountability, and efficiency in government procurement. Originality/Value: This research contributes to the field by providing an in-depth analysis of government procurement implementation in a specific regional context. The integration of legal and administrative perspectives enriches the theoretical understanding of the procurement process. The study's findings offer practical implications for policymakers, procurement practitioners, and academics, emphasizing the need for tailored strategies to address the unique challenges faced in South Sulawesi Province.

A Case Study in Vaccine Sharing Across Nations

Research on social equity has grown substantially in recent years and has elevated the importance of addressing structural and systemic patterns of inequity in public service delivery. Through a social equity lens, this article explores the vaccine-sharing policies of China, India, the European Union, and the United States. Using the case of international vaccine sharing and a text-as-data approach, this article argues that the state actors’ commitments to sharing COVID-19 vaccines were insufficient to uphold fairness, justice, and equity. The article concludes with recommendations for practice and public administration theory development to expand the scope of social equity research to betweennation cases.

Краткий обзор международной научной конференции «Научное наследие М. И. Пискотина» («Пискотинские чтения – 2024»)

On April 9, 2024, the Institute of State and Law of the Russian Academy of Sciences successfully hosted the International Scientific Conference "The Scientific Legacy of M. I. Piskotin", dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the birth of the scientist, whose pen contains many works very significant for legal science on the theory of public administration, financial (budgetary) and tax law. Within the framework of the conference, a discussion was organized on topical issues of modernization of the science of financial and administrative law. Special attention was paid by the conference participants to the discussion of the development of M. I. Piskotin's scientific ideas in the modern doctrine of financial (budgetary) and administrative law, the study of the legal model of financial relations of the future, as well as the discussion of trends in the development of the science of financial law at the turn of global change. At the end of the discussion, the participants unanimously supported the idea of applying the basic theoretical developments of M. I. Piskotin, which even years later have not lost their relevance. The participants noted the expediency of further improving the legal model of financial relations, pointed out the need to find new and bring existing financial and legal instruments and mechanisms in line with the goals of ensuring sustainable economic and social development of the state.

Standards of Education Management in the Quality of Tsanawiyah Madrasah

This research aims to describe the implementation and explain the factors that influence the implementation of Educational Management in Madrasah Quality at Madrasah Tsanawiyah (MTs) Surban Pacet based on the Regulation of the Minister of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia number 47 of 2023ConcerningEducation Management Standards. The methodology used in this research includes a qualitative approach, utilizing data collected from various sources, including school records, interviews with educators and administrators, and direct observation. This research is based on public administration theory, especially those related to policy implementation and education management. The results of this study indicate that although there is general awareness of the regulations among school staff, there are significant challenges in implementing them. These challenges include limited understanding of standards among educators, inadequate resources, and insufficient training and development opportunities. In addition, the dual management system involving the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Religion creates additional complexity in the implementation process. This research concludes that for successful implementation of education management standards, educators need comprehensive training, better resource allocation, and more integrated coordination between the two ministries that oversee madrasa education. These steps are essential to ensure that management standards meet regulatory requirements and contribute to improving the overall quality of education at MTs Surban Pacet. This research contributes to public policy and education management by providing insight into the practical challenges of implementing policies in the education sector, particularly in religious schools in Indonesia. This research emphasizes the importance of tailored strategies and support systems to increase the effectiveness of educational management practices.

Treating Data-Driven Management Seriously:The Evolution of Public Administration Theory in a Digital World

Treating Data-Driven Management Seriously:The Evolution of Public Administration Theory in a Digital World

Philosophical and legal interpretations of modern theory of public administration in Ukraine

The aim of the article is to systematize the research results on the definition of the public administration concept and its characteristics. Providing such an opportunity is combining general theoretical and special legal methodology of conducting scientific research. Research results. The authors studied the issues of its organizational and implementation components to form a common vision regarding the evolution of the public administration paradigm in general, as well as its features at the current stage of Ukraine’s development as an independent democratic state that is in armed confrontation with an aggressor country. Practical implementation. Since the declaration of Ukraine’s independence, an attempt has been made to optimize the institutional aspect of socio-economic and political reforms, but we may assert that the path chosen at that time was wrong, because it would be more appropriate to conduct administrative reform in a different direction. In this regard, there is still a tendency to constantly optimize domestic legislation and adapt it to the basic principles of public administration which have proven their effectiveness abroad. Value/originality. It is argued that the world community reached a consensus on the expediency of re-orienting all state mechanisms, processes, and relations with the private sector to a person-centred approach, where the individual is postulated as the highest social value, the center of the entire social system and structure.

Decision-making: The Process Contributing to Professional Public Administration

This article analysis one of the main issues of public administration theory and practice, which is helpful in government functioning and policy-making. Research study includes the discourse on how to plan and make decisions on behalf of democratic attitude. Public administration is utmost outcome, and the success or failure of the government depends on it. Theoretical debate on decision-making process, accordingly, surveys the fundamental perception on rational and incremental decision-making processes. It refers basically to the administrative institutions. Decision making is important for organizational effectiveness because of its central role in the overall process of directing and controlling. Decisions do not automatically guarantee all programmed outcomes, but denoting actions with professionalism and public support. As a valuable process it is likely to be a central element of management and leadership. Comparative study of examples of developed democratic systems shows the high responsibility of public institutes and government as key actors. Particular attention is paid there to the professionalism of government, which is a vital characteristic of any democratic public administration and virtually a policy quality. Findings of current research shows that decisions are not based solely on laws and regulations. Moreover, as the study shows, many other appropriate skills of decision-makers are important that will be seen with the close linkages with strategic governance.

Interagency Coordination Drivers, Instruments, and Success Factors: A Systematic Literature Review

Interagency coordination remains a classic and ever-expansive topic in public administration theory. Often considered the key to successful policy or program implementation, coordination also presents its complexities. Research on this subject continues to evolve regarding its sheer numbers, the diversity of locations, problems, and sectors of concern, and the type of government agencies being the subject. This article employed a systematic literature review to identify and analyze coordination drivers, instruments, and critical success factors associated with coordination. The study focused on original articles published from 2010 to 2021 in relevant journals indexed by Scopus. The review revealed that coordination can be driven by problems, institutions, or a combination of both simultaneously. Coordination instruments may involve one or a variety of interventions from governance and structure, systems and processes, policies and agreements, or the engagement of intermediaries. Factors of institutional settings, managerial capacity, and the accuracy of coordination strategies also determine the success of this intervention.

Cui prodest? Nudging prosocial behavior among healthcare professionals

Combining insights from nudge theory and research into prosocial behavior, we study how messages emphasizing the positive impact of flu vaccination may increase vaccination intentions among professionals in a public healthcare setting. Using an online randomized controlled trial with 13,785 healthcare professionals in Italy, we demonstrate that the intention to vaccinate and to promote vaccination in the workplace are higher when subjects are nudged (with a brief message) to reflect on the positive impact on others, namely their family and friends and especially their patients. In contrast, a nudge emphasizing personal benefits does not have a significant impact on the intention to vaccinate and only marginally increases intentions to promote vaccination in the workplace. But these patterns of results also varied across job types. We discuss how our study contributes to behavioral public administration theory and practice by demonstrating the potential of nudges to influence prosocial workplace behaviors.