Public Service Workers Research Articles

Challenges and Opportunities

In this article, the authors consider the future possibility of public administration in South Africa being transformed by artificial intelligence (AI). It discusses the difficulties and advantages of AI/ML in this set up. They can use artificial intelligence (AI) to enhance the productivity of the public sector, quality in decision, and contribute to people's participation. The results show that AI can reduce paperwork, anticipate public health trends, make recommendations for people to get the best chance of recovery, and even optimise resource allocation – all with a view towards improving service delivery and governance. Problems with infrastructure, gaps in digital access, as well as scarcity of AI expertise within the public service work against any real integration of artificial intelligence. The study underscores the significance of strategic planning, large-scale infrastructural investments, and robust policy reforms in order to harness the full range of benefits from artificial intelligence (AI) with a fair share accruing to all.

Organizational justice and work engagement of public service workers and general workers in South Korea: moderating role of supportive learning environment

Organizational justice and work engagement of public service workers and general workers in South Korea: moderating role of supportive learning environment

Signs of social protection of public service workers

Signs of social protection of public service workers

Screen-level bureaucrats in the age of algorithms: An ethnographic study of algorithmically supported public service workers in the Netherlands Police

Algorithms are rapidly transforming government bureaucracies. The implications of this transformation for the work of public service employees are not yet well understood. So far, the literature has mostly neglected the use of algorithms by these “screen-level bureaucrats”, and this constitutes a major gap in our knowledge about how algorithms affect bureaucracies. To understand the work of screen-level bureaucrats and to explore how they actively engage with algorithmic software to support their assessment of online fraud, we analyzed 45 hours of observations and 12 in-depth interviews at the Netherlands Police. We employ a socio-material perspective to analyze the dynamics between screen-level bureaucrats and algorithms. We conclude that for administrative tasks, algorithms help screen-level bureaucrats to perform their work by providing structured data and allowing them to focus more on assessments which need a nuanced judgement. At the same time, algorithmic advice in a decision-making task is simply ignored by the screen-level bureaucrats as they predominantly rely on their professional judgement in the assessment of online fraud reports. This highlights the need to further investigate how an algorithm should not only provide accurate advice to the screen-level bureaucrats but also convince them to follow it.

Cataloging the University of Kansas’ Rare Materials Collections with a Public Service Lens

With an endless amount of material waiting to be cataloged, cataloging departments in libraries with Special or Distinctive Collections often focus on clearing away backlogs as a primary goal. These departments aren’t typically considered public-facing, but consider “public access” a defining value. What if we shifted the way we view the work of these departments and more directly used criteria from public services to reevaluate and advocate for the work they do? From a management and leadership perspective, this article will focus on the work that cataloging departments do beyond creating a catalog record and suggests changes to the ways that we characterize that work. For example, moving away from a purely statistical view of work completed in a specific timeframe, to prioritizing DEI collections, supporting reference requests and instruction, and working with communities to provide human-centered approach to analysis and description. With a change in emphasis, we can develop a more holistic, human-centered approach to cataloging work and find frameworks for advocating for cataloging as impactful to public services as those departments we traditionally consider to make up the core of public services work.

Principles of public service: system-activity dimension

A system of principles of public service has been formed, which consists of three principle blocks. International principles of public service: supremacy of law; legality; effectiveness; objectivity; impartiality; justice; virtue; public activity regarding the management of state affairs, in particular those related to entry into public service, its completion and legislative support; balance of public and private interests when making decisions; transparency (passing public service and activities of public servants); responsibility of public servants to the population and the state for their professional activities; publicity, which involves the mandatory publication of open information about the work of public servants, etc. Principles of public administration: a) organizational; b) functional; c) targeted; d) accommodative. Legal principles: a) general principles of law (humanism, democracy, separation of powers into legislative, executive and judicial, legal certainty, presumption of innocence, proportionality, equality, legal responsibility; b) principles of administrative law (openness and transparency, flexibility, compliance human rights and freedoms, efficiency, prohibition of arbitrariness, innovation, competence, accountability and control, priority of laws of Ukraine and international documents regulating administrative and legal relations, social cohesion, stability and long-term orientation); c) special principles of law that regulate the passage of service by certain categories of public servants (equal access to public service, choice, patriotism, people's power, loyalty to constitutional duty and oath in case of taking it, state support, observance of official (executive) discipline and professional ethics, independence, failure to comply with illegal orders and instructions, consolidation of state and local interests, readiness for prompt performance of official tasks).

International cooperation in combating drug trafficking: Contemporary challenges

The relevance of this topic lies in the fact that drug proliferation is a global issue that impacts the social, economic, and security dimensions of society, necessitating comprehensive measures at the international level. The aim of this study was to analyse the development of international legislation in the field of counter-narcotics, as well as methods of combating modern synthetic drugs. In the course of the study, using historical and genetic analysis, the history of the international fight against drug trafficking was analysed, starting from the International Opium Convention of 1912 under the League of Nations aegis, to the Vienna Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances of 1988 under the United Nations aegis. Using a systemic approach to the study of social phenomena, the reasons for the widespread distribution of designer drugs in the 21st century were considered. The successes and problems of the implementation and activities of the “United Nations Toolkit on Synthetic Drugs”, the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats were analysed; the plans for the creation of the European Union Drugs Agency were critically examined. The statistics of fentanyl-related deaths in the United States were studied. The cooperation between the governments of the United States and the People’s Republic of China in 2023, which focused on combating the leakage of fentanyl precursor chemicals into the hands of Mexican cartels, was investigated. A problem analysis of the updated strategy to combat fentanyl and other synthetic drugs by the United States Customs and Border Protection, thanks to which already at the beginning of 2024 more than 8 thousand pounds of fentanyl were seized, helped to identify problematic aspects of documents in this area. The results of the study showed that the international community was aware of the drug problem and adopted appropriate resolutions, however, modern international legislation needs to be improved to combat the international drug trafficking of synthetic drugs, which requires political publicity and the activity of political elites. The results obtained can be useful for public service workers engaged in anti-drug activities, for students and lecturers, as well as for public activists involved in social work with drug addicts

Factors Associated With Job Fatigue In Outpatient Nurses In Hospital X

Work fatigue is a prevalent issue among public service workers, particularly nurses, impacting their performance and patient care. This study focuses on outpatient nurses at Hospital X in South Jakarta, aiming to identify factors associated with job fatigue. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, data was collected from 100 outpatient nurses in 2023. Univariate and bivariate analyses, including the chi-square test, were conducted. Results revealed that 68.9% of nurses reported moderate fatigue, with significant associations found between high fatigue complaints and workload (p-value 0.000) and age (p-value 0.026). These findings underscore the need for Hospital X to address workload issues by considering additional personnel to mitigate fatigue among nurses. Such measures can enhance service quality and potentially improve nurse well-being, thereby benefiting patient care. Furthermore, implications suggest the importance of empathy training and holistic awareness of biopsychosocial components in addressing nurse fatigue and improving patient outcomes.

키워드 네트워크분석을 이용한 경찰 직무스트레스 연구동향 분석

Objectives The purpose of this study is to analyze the research trends of Police Officer’s Job Stress in Korea and to understand the knowledge structure by using keyword network analysis.
 Methods Among domestic academic papers published from 2013 to 2022, 155 domestic academic papers related to, and frequency analysis and network analysis were performed on Police Officer’s Job Stress the subject words of the papers. Frequency analysis was conducted using the Excel 2010 program, and network centrality analysis was conducted using the UCINET 6 program. After that, the network built using Netdraw was visualized.
 Results First, the main themes examined through keywords and frequency of occurrence were organizational factors (job characteristics and interpersonal relationships, role factors, organizational social influence, emergency support work, job overload and public service work), and personal factors (psycho-emotional , traumatic experiences).. Second, the network analysis by period showed that the direction of research changed from period 1 to period 2 to adaptive, work-label, and active approaches to mental health.
 Conclusions These results are meaningful in that they reviewed research trends related to Police Officer’s Job Stress and provided implications for future research related to Police Officer’s Job Stress

The Effect of Public Service Quality, Work Discipline, and Organizational Culture on Community Satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of Quality of Public Services, Work Discipline, and Organizational Culture to Community Satisfaction. The population in this study were the people of Waluya Village who already had KTPs in hamlet II with a total of 833 family cards. Sampling using the Slovin method with a sample of 270 respondents. The data collection technique used a questionnaire distributed to respondents. Questions in the questionnaire were scored on a Likert scale of 1-5. The data analysis used is multiple linear regression analysis. The results of the regression analysis in this study indicate that partially or simultaneously, the quality of public services, work discipline, and organizational culture have a positive and significant effect on community satisfaction. Simultaneously improving the quality of public services, employee discipline, and good organizational culture will have a positive impact on increasing community satisfaction.

Endorsing Annexation? The Whitlam Government's De Jure Recognition of the Soviet Baltic States

In August 1974, the Australian Labor Party Government under Prime Minister Gough Whitlam announced it had recognised the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union de jure. Historical writing around this diplomatic recognition is scarce and sheds little light on why the policy was enacted. Using previously unavailable archival evidence, as well as other sources including testimony from Government and public service workers, this article demonstrates that the recognition was induced primarily by Whitlam, the Department of Foreign Affairs, and Sir James Plimsoll, Australia's ambassador to the Soviet Union. These actors were motivated by varying considerations. These included an adherence to realist foreign policy principles, concerns regarding Australian–Soviet bi‐lateral relations, convictions around the legitimacy of Baltic self‐determination, and ethnic prejudice against Australians of Baltic descent.

Influence of eHealth Literacy and Health Promotion Behavior on Body Mass Index of Workers in the Public Sector.

Adequate eHealth literacy and health promotion behavior (HPB) are important to achieve good health-related quality of life. There is limited information on the influence of eHealth literacy and HPB on body mass index (BMI) in our setting and among public service workers. This study assessed the eHealth literacy, HPB, and BMI of public service workers and determined the influence of eHealth literacy and HPB on BMI. A descriptive cross-sectional design was adopted. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 440 public service workers from civil service of redacted. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data on socio-demographics, eHealth literacy, and HPB. Weight and height were measured and BMI was calculated. Data were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, and logistic regression analysis. The significant level was set at 0.05. More than one quarter (28.2%) of respondents had low eHealth literacy, and more than one third (42.5%) had inadequate (30.0% fair and 12.5% poor) HPB. An average (50.5%) had a level of obesity that ranged from preobesity to type 2 obesity. There was a significant association between eHealth literacy and HPB with the BMI of respondents at p < .05. There was inadequate eHealth literacy and HPB among public service workers. An average of the workers had a level of obesity that ranged from pre-obesity to type 2 obesity. There was a significant association between eHealth literacy and BMI and also between HPB and BMI of respondents. Community health professionals should assist public service workers to develop competencies and skills useful in evaluating health information on the Internet and applying such information to make informed decisions.

COVID-19 vaccine coverage effectiveness among elderly with geographical information system mapping: what about Indonesia?

The elderly are the next priority after health workers and public service workers get the COVID-19 vaccine to control morbidity and even mortality in the elderly who have a risk factor that is up to 60 times more severe than children. This study aimed to spatially analyze the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine coverage among the elderly in Indonesia with geographic information system (GIS) mapping and to analyze the relationship between COVID-19 vaccine coverage in the elderly with the COVID-19 cure rate. This quantitative study used secondary data on COVID-19 vaccination coverage in the elderly group of Central Java Province, Indonesia in 2021. Data were analyzed using a simple linear correlation test to test the relationship between variables with a 1,774,396 elderly sample size, then distributed using mapping of COVID-19 vaccination coverage using a GIS. The relationship between COVID-19 vaccine dose-2 elderly coverage cure rate showed a strong relationship (r = 0.677) and a positive pattern. The coefficient value with a determination of 0.459 means that the regression line equation obtained can explain 45.90% of the variation in the COVID-19 cure rate. There was a significant relationship between COVID-19 vaccine elderly coverage and the COVID-19 cure rate (p-value = 0.005). Clinicians and public health workers should continue to encourage elderly vaccination at all recommended doses for eligible individuals.

Fim de emergências de saúde inacabadas e as redes de cuidados com a síndrome congênita do Zika vírus

Abstract Understanding health problems as always unfinished, this article examines consequences of the declaration of the end of a health emergency on the practice of different and interconnected care networks. As part of the “Action Ethnography on Care…” research project, this is a qualitative case study of three documents produced after the announcement of the end of the Congenital Zika Virus Syndrome epidemic. It shows the contexts of narrative production involving researchers, managers/ public service workers, mothers and families of the ill, and mothers’ associations and their different perspectives about what care is. Analyses of a presentation for researchers and of a working paper for the Applied Economics Research Institute (IPEA) question the technical narrative celebrating the end of the emergency based on knowledge and health service without taking into account the relational, affective and political care (of mothers, families and associations), leaving the latter invisible. It describes the process of elaboration of a motion by the Zika Pandemic Forum, listing and systematizing action proposals produced in an explicit dialogue among participants in different care networks to approach unfinished post-emergency questions. It suggests that similar practices of dialogue between networks can promote greater inclusion and sensitivity to care that contribute to reducing suffering and defending the rights of people who continue to live daily with a syndrome or disease whose consequences persist.

Should I Accept or Refute? Understanding the Socio-Organizational Factors Influencing Corruption in Ghana’s Public Service

Corruption remains endemic despite intensified global anti-corruption efforts, indicating a need to reassess current strategies. This study focused on how context-specific socio-organizational factors influence employees’ engagement in corrupt activities in Ghana’s public service. The sample for the study consists of 48 public service workers. This includes 26 middle-level management staff who participated in the focus group discussions and 22 directors who were interviewed individually. Additionally, 8 expert interviews were conducted to enhance comprehension and discussion of the findings. Key socio-organizational factors, including “opportunistic staffing,” “reciprocal appreciation,” “praise singing,” and “order from above” were identified. Formal rules and sanctions alone were found to be inadequate in addressing corruption due to the complex contextual nature of the socio-organizational factors. These factors could serve as a foundation for designing training programs and nudges that promote ethical behavior. Moreover, they offer valuable insights for developing anti-corruption interventions that align with the practical realities of ethical decision-making in Ghana’s public service.

Digital literacy, the use of collaborative technologies, and perceived social proximity in a hybrid work environment: Technology as a social binder

The post-pandemic era is paving the way for the sustainable implementation of a new way of working that combines remote and in-person work, called hybrid work, which is enabled by Information and Communication Technologies, or ICTs. The use of these technologies in a hybrid work environment increases the importance of digital literacy in maintaining communication and social interactions. This paper aims to examine the role of digital literacy (and particularly the technical, cognitive, and socio-emotional dimensions) in the use of collaborative technologies, as well as the effect of the use of these technologies on perceived social proximity in a hybrid work environment. Data were collected from 5141 public service workers in 2023. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modelling. The technical dimension of digital literacy is associated with the use of collaborative technologies, though the cognitive and socio-emotional dimensions are not. The use of collaborative technologies is associated with perceived social proximity. The study's findings highlight the importance of technical digital literacy, as well as the positive effect of the use of collaborative technologies on perceived social proximity in the hybrid work environment.

Relationship of close contact settings with transmission and infection during the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 epidemic in Shanghai

IntroductionWe analysed case-contact clusters during the Omicron BA.2 epidemic in Shanghai to assess the risk of infection of contacts in different settings and to evaluate the effect of demographic factors...

“You're only a receptionist, what do you want to know for?”: Street-level bureaucracy on the front line of primary care in the United Kingdom

IntroductionIn care settings across the globe non-clinical staff are involved in filtering patients to the most appropriate source of care. This includes primary care where general practice receptionists are key in facilitating access to individual surgeries and the wider National Health Service. Despite the complexity and significance of their role little is known of how the decision-making behaviors of receptionists impact policy implementation and service delivery. By combining the agent-based implementation theory of street-level bureaucracy with a tri-level analytical framework this work acknowledges the impact of the decisions made by receptionists as street-level bureaucrats and demonstrates the benefits of using the novel framework to provide practical insight of the factors influencing those decisions. MethodsA secondary analysis of qualitative data gathered from a series of semi-structured interviews conducted with 19 receptionists in the United Kingdom in 2019 was used to populate a tri-level framework: the micro-level relates to influences on decision making acting at an individual level, the meso-level influences at group and organizational levels, and the macro–level influences at a societal or policy level. ResultsAt the micro-level we determined how receptionists are influenced by the level of rapport developed with patients and would use common sense to interpret urgency. At the meso-level, influences included their position at the forefront of premises, the culture of the workplace, and the processes and protocols used by their practice. At the macro-level, participants described the impact of limited health service capacity, the lack of mandatory training, and the growth in the use of digital technologies. ConclusionsStreet-level bureaucracy, complemented with a tri-level contextual analysis, is a useful theoretical framework to understand how health workers, such as receptionists, attempt to provide universality without sufficient resource, and could potentially be applied to other kinds of public service workers in this way. This theoretical framework also benefits from being an accessible foundation on which to base practice and policy changes.

A54Co-produced scenario-based simulations: Respect for, and understanding of, those from transgender and gender diverse communities

In July 2018 the government launched the national LGBT action plan to advance the rights of LGBT people to improve the way that public services work for them, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or sex characteristics [1]. Transgender and gender diverse (TGD) [2], individuals continue to experience discrimination and disadvantages in accessing healthcare whilst often having complex health needs, furthermore, there is a gap in undergraduate curriculums on TGD patient care [3]. A workshop was co-produced with members of the TGD community; scenario content was translated from their own experiences of prejudice and disrespect. In order to maximize participation, the scenario is delivered through forum theatre. It centres on an individual from the TGD community (played by a trans-actor) and the assumptions of a health professional (played by an actor). Audience members watch the scenario unfold; at closure of the first run through, the audience have a facilitated discussion. During the second run through, audiences are invited to change the behaviour of the health professional, leading to preferable, respectful and safe care. The actors have been trained to amend their actions as instructed by the audience members via the facilitator. After the simulation, the trans-actor de-roles and then describes the journey of transitioning their gender identity and presentation. The simulation and the lived experience are separated and treated as two separate elements of the training. The co-produced scenario-based simulation has been successful in promoting respect and understanding of those from the TGD community. Audiences have been a broad range of professional groups: vocational, undergraduate and registrants. This session has been repeated over fifty times, with changes made to suit the audience background. Health professionals have had the opportunity to learn and practice appropriate communication skills. The lived experience component post-simulation was impactful in providing a personal insight into the challenges faced by TGD individuals. Participants reported an increase in knowledge of the needs of, and confidence in communicating with, members of the TGD community. The co-produced, replicable, scenario-based simulation, featuring forum theatre and lived experience, is an effective method of promoting respect and understanding of those from the TGD community. The simulation provides healthcare professionals with the opportunity to learn and practice appropriate communication skills. Separating the simulation with lived experience is an essential component, due to ethical and safety issues, although linking the two, strengthens the authenticity of the session. Authors confirm that all relevant ethical standards for research conduct and dissemination have been met. The submitting author confirms that relevant ethical approval was granted, if applicable.

Exercise of the Right to Strike in Slovenia: On Some Controversial Issues and Compliance with the European Social Charter

The point of departure of this paper is that, in Slovenia, the implementation of the Strike Act, which was adopted still in former Yugoslavia requires profound changes as it is not in line with the constitutional concept of the right to strike or with the basic approaches of international norms and/or the interpretations of these norms made by the relevant supervisory bodies. The focus is placed exclusively on the European Social Charter and its supervisory body – the European Committee of Social Rights. The author briefly comments on certain (inadequate) solutions in the domestic legal regime and its implementation. She indicates possible changes de lege ferenda following the interpretations of the European Social Charter, derived from the case-law of the European Committee of Social Rights. Special attention is drawn to the inadequate legislation which determines limitations to the right to strike of workers in state bodies and public services.