Abstract: Based on a survey, this article analyses the satisfaction with communication between citizens and public servants in the Municipality of Ljubljana (MOL). It highlights the potential of a citizen relations management tool to emphasise the importance of effective communication between the municipality and citizens, the role of civic engagement in the development of the municipality and the importance of understanding and managing differences in satisfaction between citizens and public servants. A notable satisfaction gap exists, with citizens generally more satisfied than public servants, except for accessibility to initiatives and problem-solving. The study recommends adopting successful tools, such as those used in Ljubljana, to improve communication, citizen participation and the quality of services. It emphasises the importance of understanding communication dynamics to tailor municipal improvements and promote civic engagement and calls for further research in Central and Eastern European municipalities. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The consequences of periods of austerity, generally connected with economic crises, are not only reflected in the financial performance of local governments but also in the range in which they can face shocks. Monitoring the vulnerability and resilience associated with these shocks and the subsequent impacts on the financial situation of Slovak municipalities points to financial resilience, the ability to be proactive or, on the contrary, to be passive as a reaction to evolving environmental conditions. The paper examines the ability of 2,923 Slovak municipalities in the period 2005 - 2022, according to their size categories, to respond to periods of austerity in the economic reality of the Slovak Republic: The Global Financial Crisis from 2009 and the recent ongoing economic crisis arising from the crisis COVID-19, the subsequent military crisis in Ukraine, and the related energy crisis (multi-crisis). The resilience and vulnerability of Slovak municipalities, considering the size categories, are measured by employing a primary dispersion measure as the standard deviation of six financial indicators mirroring the local government’s performance in the form of indexes linked to 2005. The results confirm the vulnerability of Slovak local governments in considered eras of austerity with relevant recovery periods, demonstrating a considerable degree of resilience. Besides, we reveal other structural breaks in the monitored period, which influenced the economic circumstances of Slovak municipalities, too. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The aim of the paper is to analyze the 2020 Czech regional elections held after the most intensive phase of the election campaign occurred during an unprecedented outbreak of new COVID-19 cases. Shortly after the elections, the Czech government of premier Andrej Bahis officially announced a state of emergency, and the Czech Republic became one of the world’s COVID-19 hardest-hit countries within a few weeks. Our analysis focuses especially on trends in the association between the 7-day incidence of COVID-19 and voter turnout between September 19 and November 14 at the level of 206 Czech microregions. While our results show a considerable rise in COVID-19 incidence per 100,000 people in Czech microregions with higher turnout, this effect was partly modified by age as the rise of COVID-19 in microregions with older populations occurred much later. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: Digital transformation changes how private and public organisations conduct their business, stressing the importance of collaboration with various stakeholders. The public sector, especially local government, is forced by citizens’ demands to change how it operates. This research examines the characteristics of existing literature on collaborative governance and digital transformation and explores the unevenness of digital transformation due to the broad autonomy granted to local governments. Qualitative methods were used, conducting in-depth interviews, advanced observations, and detailed data collection from government agencies, NGOs, and citizens of West Java, Indonesia. The enquiries reveal that governments faces silos and fragmented approaches. The results contribute to the literature, serve as a reference for improving the role of local government in collaborative digital transformation, and provide greater legitimacy in the public policy process. In the context of local government, the success of digital transformation initiatives in West Java can be attributed to effective collaboration and facilitative leadership from implementing the Penta-helix strategy and establishing Jabar Digital Service (JDS) as a dedicated unit for managing digital transformation. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: World economies have faced numerous crises throughout history. Fiscal issues have accordingly become a crucial aspect of economic policy discussions, particularly in Eastern Europe, a region shown to be especially vulnerable to the recent economic shocks. The paper therefore aims to provide a bibliometric examination of trends in fiscal research via the lenses of major economic and financial crises. The bibliometric analysis is based on 6,640 documents published between 1970 and 2022 and indexed in the Scopus database. The results reveal that fiscal research associated with crises has grown sharply over time, with significant bursts one year following each major economic and financial crisis. The most cited journal articles in fiscal research highlighted the following issues in all countries, including Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries: economic reform policies (1970-1997), economic development and financial conditions (1998-2008), crises in Europe and post-crisis recovery (2009-2019) and post-crisis recovery and effects (of the COVID-19 pandemic) on the public and business sectors (2020-2022). As well as identifying key countries and journals, although diverging in approach and scope the findings show shared interests in macroeconomic policy, fiscal stability, and the impact of crises on economic performance and public finance. Developed countries have addressed complex global economic issues and advanced development, whereas Central and Eastern European nations have focused on the transition from planned to market economies. This observation reflects their distinct economic paths and fiscal research interests, as revealed in detailed content analysis by subperiods. The findings maybe of benefit for both the scientific community and evidence-based policymaking. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: In his address to the nation on September 1, 2020, Kazakhstani President Kassym- Jomart Tokayev pledged to promote mass sports and arts among youth. To achieve this, the Kazakhstani government launched ArtSport, a nationwide initiative to create new programs from swimming and dancing to sculpture. Nevertheless, the multi-million-dollar initiative was suspended in 2022 due to various problems and scandals. This article aims to understand and explain why ArtSport failed to achieve its policy goals despite the central government’s commitment and enormous investment. This article examines the nationwide initiative from the theoretical lens of the policy cycle to achieve the research aim. Adopting a qualitative approach to a case study, it combines the analysis of official and non-official documentary sources with anonymous elite interviews of senior government officials at the regional Culture and Sports Committees. Tracing the policymaking process from agenda setting to implementation, we argue that although the Government’s intentions were good, the policy design behind ArtSport had critical weaknesses that led to failure in policy implementation. These weaknesses include the initiative’s overly ambitious scope, the technical shortcomings of the ArtSport online platform, and lack of funds. As a result, ArtSport failed to achieve its expected outcomes, andthe initiative was also marked by embezzlement and corruption scandals. Given the Government’s decision to continue with ArtSport through policy changes and additional funding, this article develops practical recommendations to improve the program design and implementation process. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The relative importance of various drivers of economic growth and prosperity has evolved over time, and innovation is the primary driver of economic growth for a growing number of countries. Innovations can be developed in countries where the state innovation policy is effectively implemented, and the state coordinates the subjects of innovation policy. The coordination requires integration, digitalization and sharing of information across departments and sectors. The objective of this paper is to describe how Uzbekistan’s innovation system has evolved during the last decade since Uzbekistan moved from a highly regulated mixed economy to an open market economy. In this process, we start by describing the national innovation system of Uzbekistan, describe some of the key changes in the innovation policy coordination system, the legal acts of reforming the public administration, the bodies responsible for the implementation of laws, monitoring and evaluating the fulfillment of the set strategic tasks. Then we will reveal the state’s role in coordinating and establishing an effective national innovation policy, reveal the theoretical aspects and compare them with the implementation in Uzbekistan. For these purposes, data from open and transparent sources from 2009 to 2021 are analyzed, and the impact of various factors on Uzbekistan’s economic and innovative development using econometric analysis is evaluated. The conclusion of the research consists of the recommendations that are given in order to improve the state innovation policy, establish communication and achieve the goals of the government. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: This research article aims to provide an in-depth examination of the complex aspects of digital transformation, from an organizational management perspective. The study offers an overview of the prominent research interests and trends in this field, shedding light on organizational changes brought by digital transformation, and on the strategic shifts it requires. To achieve these objectives, the research utilizes bibliometric analysis techniques, specifically performance analysis and science mapping. The analysis is conducted using the VoSviewer software application, which efficiently integrates data from multiple databases, including Web of Science and Scopus. The findings reveal that digital transformation, within the context of organizational management, encompasses diverse research directions and themes that play a central role in its success. Key areas of focus include innovation, leadership, dynamic capabilities, digital innovation, and change management. These themes highlight the pressing need for organizations to navigate and thrive in the digital age. The research contributes to the understanding of digital transformation and its implications for organizational management, both in private and public organizations, highlighting the differences between the two. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: Cross-organisational collaboration management has been an important topic in academic literature, representing the nexus of modern governance arrangements. Organisational boundaries are becoming increasingly blurry with continuous digitalisation through new interaction patterns, resulting in the proliferation of cross- organisational collaborations across sectors and within the public sector. This study contributes to the existing literature by analysing cross-organisational collaboration management within the public sector through the case of the Estonian Employment Register. The author conducted semi-structured interviews with engaged stakeholders and coded the data with a concept-driven and data-driven coding scheme for the analysis. The interviews were analysed for occurrences and co-occurrences. The case highlights the role of system context (pre-established connections, decentralisation, digital infrastructure), process challenges (differences in perspectives, organisation-centric approach, power imbalances) and management interventions (contingent leadership, shifting roles, trilateral connections) for cross-organisational collaborations. The findings demonstrate the importance of pre-existing informal connections in shaping the available alternatives for instruments. Digitally capable agencies can capitalise on opportunities for digital innovation through their technological capability and reputation. The key challenges remain with expanding the cognitive framework beyond the established interaction arenas to adapt to perspectives beyond the initial networks. The ability to maximise the potential of digital innovation is also contingent on designing compatible human interaction processes to manage machine interactions. PubDate: Tue, 04 Jun 2024 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: Participatory budgeting (PB) is a modern trend involving citizens in decisions on distributing public resources. Assuming that the identified drawbacks of PB are described as internal and external factors, simple criteria were developed to predict the fate of PB. These criteria reflect stakeholders’ decisions about PB continuation in the future. Using panel data between 2017-2022 from the Czech Republic, it appears that the selected criteria were evaluated as an upgrading process, signalling the continuation of PB. However, this does not mean abandoning the process in the case of downgrading. The results indicate a certain probability for upgrading PB to continue, while the fate of downgrading PB is indeterminate and could depend on other factors. In the case of new governance after an electoral change, using the criteria could help explain the actual situation regarding the interest of stakeholders in PB. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: Data protection is an increasingly important topic in the European administrative field at national and cross-border levels. Such a trend reflects different phenomena in contemporary society, which further leads to a more focused concern for a harmonised elaboration by the Member States despite their autonomy, in principle, regarding EU law implementation. However, as revealed by the Slovenian case in this article, the European Data Protection Board and national supervising authorities, mostly information commissioners, express the need to regulate some issues more decidedly. Interestingly, yet not surprisingly, their focus is on procedural aspects, as according to administrative science and several European Commission documents, procedure strongly influences the results. As a result, the article elaborates on the relevant procedural issues to be addressed to ensure a harmonised enforcement of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in force since 2018. Various research methods are employed, combining qualitative, normative, and comparative analyses and quantitative approaches, emphasising statistical data obtained from annual reports for 2020, 2021, and 2022. The results show a lack of procedural provisions in several aspects, including the definition of the parties to the procedure and their defence rights, particularly access to the file, to be heard, and complain, as well as one-stop-shop access to legal protection, deadlines, and investigation powers. Such gaps are expected to be covered by procedural institutions enshrined in National Administrative Procedure Acts (APA). However, as suggested by the Slovenian experience, such a solution is minimal due to differing national regulations and relatively low awareness of APA relevance in data protection even among supervising authorities. Hence, the authors argue that there is a need to develop and adopt standard EU rules to regulate such issues.Points for PractitionersThe article refers to data protection within theoretical, normative, practical, comparative, and national dimensions. In addition to analysing statistical data regarding procedural issues of cross-collaborative application of GDPR in the Member States - primarily Slovenia - the article provides practical implications of legislative, organisational, and IT adaptations required for harmonising EU-wide enforcement of GDPR. The insights provided herein can support the development of similar solutions in other EU countries. Therefore, the research findings are relevant for practitioners from various European administrations who are in charge of implementing GDPR and, specifically, supervising its implementation, as well as for policymakers and legislators in their respective areas of data protection and administrative procedural law. The findings will also benefit the European Commission when drafting new legislation to enhance cooperation and consistency between Member States in enforcing personal data rights set by GDPR. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The paper compiles a single case study on the national EU integration coordination in Georgia since 1991 to date. The paper aims to ground Georgia’s case in the existing academic literature with a detailed case description and testing of the EU integration coordination mechanisms in Georgia based on theories and models in the PA literature. Georgia’s coordination mechanisms are assessed against external incentives, such as ‘socialisation’ v. ‘conditionality’ (Schimmelfennig, 2009), and classified in terms of Kassim’s (2003) system of national coordination. The paper describes five distinct periods in the evolution of EU integration coordination formats: the first encounter (1991-1999); the silhouettes of coordination (1999-2004); the deliberate coordination (2004-2014); the pragmatic coordination (2014-2022) and the coordination limbo (2022 to date). EU integration coordination structures from 2004 to 2014 are likened to a comprehensive centraliser - with the centre being the driving force of the entire coordination process, with all the issues or thematic areas being depicted in respective planning documents. Since 2014, the country’s approach has been compared to that of a selective centraliser, since Georgia shows signs of selectiveness in its ambitions to deliver on a nationally agreed EU policy outcome. The paper finds that, unlike prevalent patterns in EU integration coordination, the relative stagnation of the EU coordination process happens after the accession; in Georgia, this has occurred during the onset of the conditionality stage, which makes this an outlier case. In assessing the reasons for the weakening of the process of coordination, this case supports findings that the actor-centric approach is vital to explaining the coordination efforts (Dimitrova & Toshkov, 2007; Fink-Hafner, 2013). The paper concludes that a significant improvement of existing EU integration coordination structures is needed to build a comprehensive approach, reinforced with horizontal coordination and networking, to construct an agreed and inclusive EU integration coordination. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: Participatory budgeting (PB) is often described as one of the most successful instruments for participation, engaging people in decision-making, and prioritising where to allocate public money. It has travelled in the form of comprehensive administrative reforms and politically neutral devices to improve governance, especially when arriving to Europe and the Central Eastern European region (CEE). Recently, it was brought to light that PB development in the CEE region was undoubtedly different from the original case; instead of resulting in radical changes to increase activities in favour of marginalised groups, it results only in small changes. This work presents a single case study of the Czech city Brno; information consisting of age, gender, education, economic activity, and preferences of all the PB participants was collated for five years, from its inception in 2017 till 2021. In this case, we observe and analyse the particularities of the participant group, not only in static terms of one year but also drafting a trend on how the participatory base developed throughout the five years. Both desk and field research were employed to gather data. The turnout at PB voting does not copy the general demographic composition of Brno’s residents. Results show that some segments are represented by PB voters with higher proportions, making them more involved in deciding which projects in the city are to be executed using PB. In this way, the description of data-gathering in Brno contributes to the methodology of quantitative data gathering, which might be expanded to other CEE cities in order to elaborate comparisons in the future. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The technical efficiency of water companies plays a crucial role in ensuring the reliable and sustainable delivery of clean and safe drinking water. It also influences the effective management of water and wastewater services. Services of this kind, usually provided by a monopoly supplier, offer operators no market incentives to innovate, or improve their efficiency. So, the mission of the regulatory institutions is to simulate a competitive environment. The main aim of this contribution is to use Network Data Envelopment Analysis (N-DEA) to assess and benchmark the technical efficiency of 14 water and wastewater companies offering their services in Slovakia from 2019 - 2021. The methodology of N-DEA allows us to assess the activity’s cost and delivery efficiency, and its overall technical efficiency. We show that full cost efficiency was achieved by two small and one large water companies operating in different regions. Three of the largest suppliers of water and wastewater services and one small company achieved the efficient delivery of water services. Overall efficiency was achieved by one large company in 2021 and one small company in 2019 and 2020. The outcome of our empirical analysis demonstrates the excellent skills of managers in technically efficient companies, regardless of company size and region. That outcome may be of interest to regulatory institutions and the management of individual water companies. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The paper is based on the use of evidence to scrutinise the effect of the Public-Private Partnership Act on the local public utility providers, where the context of the water and wastewater sector in Slovenia serves as an example. The Act affected the legal status of public enterprises, where solely public ownership was prescribed, and therefore demanded the reorganisation of existing public enterprises. The paper aims to evaluate the reorganisation process and the trend of remunicipalisation, the motives of reorganisation (political, pragmatic or transformative) and the advantages and disadvantages of the reorganisation process. A detailed, structured online questionnaire was designed and pretested for primary data collection to reach these aims. The questionnaire was sent to the Slovenian local public utility providers in water and wastewater management. The data was collated from 2018 to 2020. It was used in the analysis to provide evidence about the outcomes of the reorganisation process. The results show that new legislation contributed to increased public ownership in local public utility provision. The results also reveal that pragmatic motivating factors contributed to increased municipal buying out of private investors from (public) enterprises. The reorganisation process led municipalities into remunicipalisation, meaning that full municipal ownership and control increased. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The main objective of this study is to assess the impact of corruption on the social, economic, environmental and political domains of sustainable development from individuals’ perspective. The study also attempts to relate individuals’ perceptions to their socioeconomic characteristics. The study uses the convenience sampling approach, where 521 responses are collected through an online-administered questionnaire. Each domain of sustainable development is defined by a set of items measured on a five-point Likert scale. Individuals’ perceptions of the impact of corruption on sustainable development domains are assessed by measuring the mean score value of each item. The association between individuals’ perceptions and their socioeconomic characteristics is evaluated using the independent-samples t-test. The study finds that the impact of corruption on the four domains of sustainable development as perceived by individuals is within the high level. Results also show a statistically significant difference between individuals from different socioeconomic groups in their perceptions of the impact of corruption on sustainable development. Results revealed that a high level of corruption would hinder the progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at all levels. Therefore, improving the quality of governance in public institutions and controlling corruption is crucial to attaining economic and sustainable development. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: Despite numerous attempts to transform Swedish older adult care, similar problems regarding its coordination have persisted over the years. This literature review aims to identify which coordination mechanisms can be perceived as the alleged culprit of poor coordination of integrated health and social services for seriously ill older individuals in Sweden between 2000 and 2022. Classical and contemporary coordination theories are utilised to pinpoint these coordination mechanisms, and the analysis is based on the content of collected articles from this thematic area. This literature review reveals that the following coordination mechanisms are perceived as the primary cause of poor coordination in older adult care: (1) plans, programmes, rules, and standardised work processes. Research has confirmed that decentralisation, the autonomy of regional and local authorities, new regulations implemented in the spirit of NPM, and double principalship have hindered care integration for seriously ill older adults; (2) roles, standardisation of skills, and direct supervision. Neither organisational principal adequately addresses excess employee workloads and an insufficient number of employees providing care services, which generates stress, conflicts, and even occupational burnout among staff. They do not prioritise staff competency development; (3) proximity, feedback, and adjustments through mutual communication. Most studies have shown that communication among staff is crucial to achieving integration, but it could be more effective among staff members involved in providing care. Knowledge about “objects and representations” and “routines and standardisation of outcomes” is somewhat limited and deserves further research. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The paper is mixed-method research on reducing administrative burden and, more specifically, the learning costs of filling out a property tax declaration form. It presents the development process of a guidebook, which simplified the instructions and experimentally tested the effectiveness of the guidebook in lowering the error rate. Young Slovak adults (N=43) were divided into two groups; the treatment group worked with the guidebook, and the control group used the official instructions the Ministry of Finance provided. The guidebook aimed to decrease learning costs using behavioural support (simplification, highlighting, examples, and the like). The results suggest that the guidebook helps significantly decrease the number of errors compared to the complex instructions the Ministry of Finance provided. However, while the guidebook is very effective in reducing errors in simple tasks, it may not be sufficient help for more complex tasks such as mathematical calculations. Therefore, simplified instructions must go hand-in-hand with interventions such as pre-populating of forms. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: The information society offers governments the opportunity to work closer with citizens and companies, to respond better to their requirements, and to create the conditions for the functioning of a modern, efficient, and democratic public administration. Due to the development of the information society, e-governance and e-participation appeared and developed, through which the communication of governments with stakeholders became more straightforward and less expensive. This research aims to identify and analyse comparatively how the telecommunications infrastructure and Internet users influenced the expansion and diversification of e- government and e-participation that contributed to the human development index in the EU states in 2010-2022. In the longitudinal data analysis, we apply fixed and random estimators to see the most critical determinants of the human development index. In the second part, we cluster the 27 EU countries in four clusters by Ward’s hierarchical algorithm. The hierarchical clustering emphasised that there is still a digital divide among EU countries. The digital divide occurs because of the lack of Internet access of the population from marginalised communities of European countries, resulting in socio-economic disparities. Therefore, some EU states should have initiatives to bridge the gap to digital technologies. The research results are essential for those governments coordinating the policies and the entire process of integrating information technologies and dedicated e-government and e-participation applications in central and local administration. PubDate: Sat, 16 Dec 2023 00:00:00 GMT
Abstract: Social and other administrative procedures are gaining importance because of the increasing complexity of administrative relationships brought about by the Covid‐19 pandemic, digitalisation, and other societal changes. When exercising social rights, procedural elements should be seen – both at the level of regulation and enforcement of the rules – as factors contributing to the welfare state, the rule of law, and good administration, and not as an excuse for a bureaucratic attitude. In view of the multifunctionality of social procedures, including their casual‐functional role in social relationships and their potential for a critical value‐based evaluation of the current regulation, the rationale for this study is to assess the impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic on special administrative procedures conducted by the 16 social work centres (SWCs) in Slovenia. A special emphasis is placed on the informational calculation of social assistance payments, such as child benefits, kindergarten subsidies or state scholarships ‐by far the most numerous procedures involving social rights in Slovenia, with over one million cases annually. Drawing upon a normative analysis, available statistics, semi‐structured interviews with SWCs managers and surveys among employees, the findings reveal that the response of SWCs to the crisis has improved. However, largely due to the lack of coordination on the part of the line ministry, the simplifications introduced mainly benefit the public administration rather than particularly vulnerable parties to the procedure. Consequently, there is a need to pay greater attention to providing the parties with adequate protection of their constitutional rights and other elements of good public governance.Points for PractitionersIn addition to analysing the direct practical implications of the legislative, organisational, and IT adaptations to the Covid‐19 pandemic, the article provides a broader study of the multifunctionality of social procedures and their role in ensuring citizens’ fundamental rights in times of socially unstable conditions. The findings are thus directly applicable for practitioners deciding on social procedures in the broader European setting, and for policymakers and legislators in the respective fields. As the conclusions are grounded on a strong methodological framework, this should contribute to advocating the much‐needed change in ensuring the protection of the basic constitutional rights in social procedures in times of crisis in Central Europe and beyond. PubDate: Sun, 11 Jun 2023 00:00:00 GMT
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