International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
In recent decades, public organizations have undergone significant changes related to digitalization. These changes are the result of multiple, varying influences, such as external institutional feedback. The issue of digitalization feedback development in public organizations opens the discussion on how to study digitalization over time. In this article, we consider whether the method of quantitative text analysis can be used to observe the same administrative trends in digitalization as found using other methods and data sources in existing research. After conducting a co-occurrence analysis of documents from the Norwegian Customs Agency (NCA) over a period of 20 years, we found that the NCA's digitalization-related language changed in this period and that user feedback was the most frequently emphasized kind of external feedback. These observations are consistent with the literature, which shows that the use of co-occurrence methodology to study public administration has a positive role in future research.Points for practitionersQuantitative text analysis is an effective method to observe administrative trends.Findings of the study corroborate with previous research showing that current administrative trends emphasize collaboration between public organizations and citizen participation as central development features of digitalization of public organizations.The co-occurrence analysis has some limitations and needs to be further improved to develop theory and identify new areas of public administration digitalization.
Category Archives: International Review of Administrative Sciences:
Is citizen satisfaction affected by the equivalent framing effect? A study based on situations involving poor government performance
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
Although numerous studies have confirmed the existence and possible limitations of the equivalent framing effect in performance information evaluation, few studies have examined the conditions under which this framing effect works or does not work. This paper explores the equivalent framing effect of citizen satisfaction in the case of poor government performance by using two investigation experiments, and examines the boundary conditions of this effect in terms of performance information sources and trust in government. The results show that citizen satisfaction is higher when performance information is framed positively, rather than negatively. The findings demonstrate that the equivalent framing effect of citizen satisfaction is moderated by performance information sources and trust in government. This result indicates that equivalent framing effect has a certain fragility, showing heterogeneity with different sources of performance information and different levels of public trust in the government.Points for practitionersTruthfully reporting poor performance is the basic requirement for local governments. This study reminds government staff that, on the one hand, low performance is not a scourge, and small changes in poor performance reports may significantly change citizen satisfaction. On the other hand, it is not a panacea to improve citizen satisfaction simply by changing the presentation of performance information. The government should make more efforts to improve the public's confidence in performance information and the government.
Although numerous studies have confirmed the existence and possible limitations of the equivalent framing effect in performance information evaluation, few studies have examined the conditions under which this framing effect works or does not work. This paper explores the equivalent framing effect of citizen satisfaction in the case of poor government performance by using two investigation experiments, and examines the boundary conditions of this effect in terms of performance information sources and trust in government. The results show that citizen satisfaction is higher when performance information is framed positively, rather than negatively. The findings demonstrate that the equivalent framing effect of citizen satisfaction is moderated by performance information sources and trust in government. This result indicates that equivalent framing effect has a certain fragility, showing heterogeneity with different sources of performance information and different levels of public trust in the government.Points for practitionersTruthfully reporting poor performance is the basic requirement for local governments. This study reminds government staff that, on the one hand, low performance is not a scourge, and small changes in poor performance reports may significantly change citizen satisfaction. On the other hand, it is not a panacea to improve citizen satisfaction simply by changing the presentation of performance information. The government should make more efforts to improve the public's confidence in performance information and the government.
Assessing the role of gender-related aspects in public budgeting debates: A view of the central level in Germany
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
The paper explores how members of parliament (MPs) address gender-related aspects in the budgeting process at the central level in Germany, a country that pursues gender equality as a global objective but has not implemented gender budgeting (GB) (yet). Nevertheless, from a budgeting perspective the German context is interesting, as parliament has unrestricted powers to amend the budget draft. The study follows approaches in performance management literature streams that have explored different types of performance information use. Building on a qualitative analysis of parliamentary budget debates, our results show that gender-related aspects matter in budgeting even when GB is not implemented. However, resources are less often referenced than programmes and policies in the budget debates. We find that MPs address gender-related aspects in a differentiated way (reflected in four types of performance information use), and that this is affected by user characteristics: the MPs’ gender, their party affiliation, committee membership and in some aspects, their age. While it may not come as a surprise that female MPs act as advocates for gender-related aspects, it is interesting that female MPs are more likely to reference resources when addressing gender-related aspects than male MPs. Further, our analysis of types of performance information use shows that a party's position as either a part of a governing coalition or opposition, as well as party lines across the opposition, affect the way in which gender-related aspects are addressed: exerting supportive use types (i.e., legitimizing, highlighting) and rather challenging use types (i.e., de-legitimizing, deflecting). Points for practitionersEven in a context where gender budgeting is not implemented, members of parliament (MPs) reference gender equality in budget debates.The frequency and the way in which gender-related aspects are referenced mirrors MPs’ stance towards gender equality (rather supportive/rather challenging).Female MPs are more likely than male MPs to draw attention to the allocation of resources for gender-related issues.More female MPs in parliament may strengthen advocacy for gender-related aspects, particularly if budget documents do not contain gender-related performance goals.
The paper explores how members of parliament (MPs) address gender-related aspects in the budgeting process at the central level in Germany, a country that pursues gender equality as a global objective but has not implemented gender budgeting (GB) (yet). Nevertheless, from a budgeting perspective the German context is interesting, as parliament has unrestricted powers to amend the budget draft. The study follows approaches in performance management literature streams that have explored different types of performance information use. Building on a qualitative analysis of parliamentary budget debates, our results show that gender-related aspects matter in budgeting even when GB is not implemented. However, resources are less often referenced than programmes and policies in the budget debates. We find that MPs address gender-related aspects in a differentiated way (reflected in four types of performance information use), and that this is affected by user characteristics: the MPs’ gender, their party affiliation, committee membership and in some aspects, their age. While it may not come as a surprise that female MPs act as advocates for gender-related aspects, it is interesting that female MPs are more likely to reference resources when addressing gender-related aspects than male MPs. Further, our analysis of types of performance information use shows that a party's position as either a part of a governing coalition or opposition, as well as party lines across the opposition, affect the way in which gender-related aspects are addressed: exerting supportive use types (i.e., legitimizing, highlighting) and rather challenging use types (i.e., de-legitimizing, deflecting). Points for practitionersEven in a context where gender budgeting is not implemented, members of parliament (MPs) reference gender equality in budget debates.The frequency and the way in which gender-related aspects are referenced mirrors MPs’ stance towards gender equality (rather supportive/rather challenging).Female MPs are more likely than male MPs to draw attention to the allocation of resources for gender-related issues.More female MPs in parliament may strengthen advocacy for gender-related aspects, particularly if budget documents do not contain gender-related performance goals.
“Money is not an issue!”: Hospital CFOs’ narratives about handling a sudden shift in managerial focus
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
The sustained political and managerial focus on cost containment and efficiency in hospitals has been altered by COVID-19-related concerns about public health. Through a novel qualitative study in Denmark, we explore CFOs’ narratives of their experiences during a sudden shift in managerial logic. All of the CFOs describe engagement in key operational procedures and change management that was fostered by the constant search for stability that strongly depended on bottom-up decision-making and flexibility. During this process, the existing competing logics of managerialism and medical professionalism vanished. The CFOs describe new forms of dynamic and collaborative approaches. The possibility of adhering to the core logic of administrative accounting techniques combined with urgency and emotional encounters appears to enable this approach. Thus, we document a moment when well-known opposing logics were suspended by exogenous urgency. This finding suggests possibilities for moving beyond deep-rooted views on established public administration structures and logics.Points for practitionersFinancial managers show administrative skills that are useful for public administration changes in both administration and daily operations. These managers appear to have a strong core identity and willingness to dynamically engage with and facilitate acute frontline operational issues. In an emergency situation such as COVID-19, we find co-dependency across subject fields (administration and medical professions) which enables collaborations.
The sustained political and managerial focus on cost containment and efficiency in hospitals has been altered by COVID-19-related concerns about public health. Through a novel qualitative study in Denmark, we explore CFOs’ narratives of their experiences during a sudden shift in managerial logic. All of the CFOs describe engagement in key operational procedures and change management that was fostered by the constant search for stability that strongly depended on bottom-up decision-making and flexibility. During this process, the existing competing logics of managerialism and medical professionalism vanished. The CFOs describe new forms of dynamic and collaborative approaches. The possibility of adhering to the core logic of administrative accounting techniques combined with urgency and emotional encounters appears to enable this approach. Thus, we document a moment when well-known opposing logics were suspended by exogenous urgency. This finding suggests possibilities for moving beyond deep-rooted views on established public administration structures and logics.Points for practitionersFinancial managers show administrative skills that are useful for public administration changes in both administration and daily operations. These managers appear to have a strong core identity and willingness to dynamically engage with and facilitate acute frontline operational issues. In an emergency situation such as COVID-19, we find co-dependency across subject fields (administration and medical professions) which enables collaborations.
Institutional geography: effects of physical distance on agency autonomy.
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
Establishing government agencies outside ministerial departments is frequently justified by a need to safeguard agency autonomy. In addition to ‘formal agencification’, that is, erecting formal barriers between agencies and ministries, agencies are also frequently (re)located physically distant from ministries to both signal and strengthen agency autonomy. However, we know little of the effects of physical location and distance on agency autonomy. Using two large surveys from 2006 and 2016, this study examines how geographical location and distance affect agency autonomy. Our study establishes that agency autonomy is only weakly associated with physical location and distance, and is much less important than political salience. Whereas a conventional claim is that agency autonomy may be strengthened by physically (re)locating agencies at arm's length distance from the core executive, our study suggests that physical (re)location represents an ineffective administrative policy design-tool when applied to agency autonomy.Points for practitionersPhysical distance between agencies and parent ministries is only remotely associated with agency autonomy.Physical location thus represents an ineffective design-tool if the purpose is to increase agency autonomy
Establishing government agencies outside ministerial departments is frequently justified by a need to safeguard agency autonomy. In addition to ‘formal agencification’, that is, erecting formal barriers between agencies and ministries, agencies are also frequently (re)located physically distant from ministries to both signal and strengthen agency autonomy. However, we know little of the effects of physical location and distance on agency autonomy. Using two large surveys from 2006 and 2016, this study examines how geographical location and distance affect agency autonomy. Our study establishes that agency autonomy is only weakly associated with physical location and distance, and is much less important than political salience. Whereas a conventional claim is that agency autonomy may be strengthened by physically (re)locating agencies at arm's length distance from the core executive, our study suggests that physical (re)location represents an ineffective administrative policy design-tool when applied to agency autonomy.Points for practitionersPhysical distance between agencies and parent ministries is only remotely associated with agency autonomy.Physical location thus represents an ineffective design-tool if the purpose is to increase agency autonomy
Interpreting digital governance at the municipal level: Evidence from smart city projects in Belgium
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
This article adopts an interpretive approach to investigate how local policy-makers portray and justify their own visions of digital governance initiatives at the municipal level. Our investigation focuses on smart city projects submitted by various Belgian municipalities in the framework of the ‘Intelligent Territory’ call for proposals initiated in 2019 by the Walloon Region. We use Boltanski and Thévenot’s theory of orders of worth and combine quantitative and qualitative content analysis to categorize the different justifications elaborated by municipal governments. The empirical results point to the polysemic nature of the smart city concept and highlight the diversity of opportunities offered by smart city policies according to municipal policy-makers. Overall, our study contributes to the understanding of the varieties of interpretations underpinning the construction of digital governance initiatives. It therefore supports the argument according to which there is no one-size-fits-all approach to smart city policies as local policy-makers may attribute different meanings to them and may formulate place-based ICTs solutions to what they perceive as the most pressing problems of their territories.Points for practitioners Smart city projects can be used by governing authorities as instruments to achieve a variety of policy goalsExamples of policy goals are to boost local economic development, to improve the effectiveness of municipal service provision, to strengthen social bonds across local community members, to promote the ecological preservation of urban environments and to improve the collaboration between citizens and public administrationsLocal governments can adaptively use smart technologies as instruments to overcome multiple place-based environmental, social and economic problemsLocal governments should frame smart urban technologies as means to solve different societal problems and achieve different policy goals – rather than an end per se
This article adopts an interpretive approach to investigate how local policy-makers portray and justify their own visions of digital governance initiatives at the municipal level. Our investigation focuses on smart city projects submitted by various Belgian municipalities in the framework of the ‘Intelligent Territory’ call for proposals initiated in 2019 by the Walloon Region. We use Boltanski and Thévenot’s theory of orders of worth and combine quantitative and qualitative content analysis to categorize the different justifications elaborated by municipal governments. The empirical results point to the polysemic nature of the smart city concept and highlight the diversity of opportunities offered by smart city policies according to municipal policy-makers. Overall, our study contributes to the understanding of the varieties of interpretations underpinning the construction of digital governance initiatives. It therefore supports the argument according to which there is no one-size-fits-all approach to smart city policies as local policy-makers may attribute different meanings to them and may formulate place-based ICTs solutions to what they perceive as the most pressing problems of their territories.Points for practitioners Smart city projects can be used by governing authorities as instruments to achieve a variety of policy goalsExamples of policy goals are to boost local economic development, to improve the effectiveness of municipal service provision, to strengthen social bonds across local community members, to promote the ecological preservation of urban environments and to improve the collaboration between citizens and public administrationsLocal governments can adaptively use smart technologies as instruments to overcome multiple place-based environmental, social and economic problemsLocal governments should frame smart urban technologies as means to solve different societal problems and achieve different policy goals – rather than an end per se
Lockdown, information quality, and political trust: An empirical study of the Shanghai lockdown under COVID-19
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
Many countries have adopted various measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulation measures of lockdown have triggered changes in public political trust in the government (including in its competence, benevolence and integrity). Information shapes the attitudes and values of residents; this paper aims to study the effect of a lockdown on political trust and the moderating effect from quality of government shared information. From 12 March to 31 May 2022, Shanghai implemented strict lockdown measures. In this study, we randomly sampled the participation information of 1063 participants. Data-based regression analysis shows that lockdown has had a negative impact on all subcategories of political trust. However, timely and accuracy information weakens its negative effect. The accuracy of information moderates the relationship between lockdown and political trust in competence and integrity, while a sufficient supply of information moderates the relationship between lockdown and political trust in benevolence.Points for practitionersThis study explores how different dimensions of information quality affect each component public’s political trust, and thereby inspires practitioners to strategically improve information communication in crisis.
Many countries have adopted various measures to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. The regulation measures of lockdown have triggered changes in public political trust in the government (including in its competence, benevolence and integrity). Information shapes the attitudes and values of residents; this paper aims to study the effect of a lockdown on political trust and the moderating effect from quality of government shared information. From 12 March to 31 May 2022, Shanghai implemented strict lockdown measures. In this study, we randomly sampled the participation information of 1063 participants. Data-based regression analysis shows that lockdown has had a negative impact on all subcategories of political trust. However, timely and accuracy information weakens its negative effect. The accuracy of information moderates the relationship between lockdown and political trust in competence and integrity, while a sufficient supply of information moderates the relationship between lockdown and political trust in benevolence.Points for practitionersThis study explores how different dimensions of information quality affect each component public’s political trust, and thereby inspires practitioners to strategically improve information communication in crisis.
Multilevel power structure and local compliance with government transparency mandates: evidence from China’s environmental transparency reform
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
Despite the ample literature on government transparency, our knowledge about how the vertical power structure of governments shapes local compliance with government transparency mandates is still limited. This study sets out to address this gap. Specifically, we investigate how the central government's environmental information disclosure (EID) signal and provincial governments’ conflicting signal of economic growth affect, independently and interactively, city governments’ compliance with central EID mandates in the center-province-city hierarchical structure in China. We argue that the central EID signal positively affects city compliance, while the provincial signal of economic growth reduces it. Moreover, the provincial signal of economic growth negatively moderates the impact of the central EID signal. Empirically, with a panel dataset for city-level governments from 2008 to 2018, we found robust evidence strongly supporting our theoretical hypotheses.Points for practitionersThis research reveals the influences of the complex dynamics among governments at different levels on local compliance with government transparency mandates. The findings suggest that the maneuvers of middle-level governments in a multilevel power structure and the interactions among multiple conflicting policy goals should be taken seriously by practitioners when designing policies to promote government transparency reforms.
Despite the ample literature on government transparency, our knowledge about how the vertical power structure of governments shapes local compliance with government transparency mandates is still limited. This study sets out to address this gap. Specifically, we investigate how the central government's environmental information disclosure (EID) signal and provincial governments’ conflicting signal of economic growth affect, independently and interactively, city governments’ compliance with central EID mandates in the center-province-city hierarchical structure in China. We argue that the central EID signal positively affects city compliance, while the provincial signal of economic growth reduces it. Moreover, the provincial signal of economic growth negatively moderates the impact of the central EID signal. Empirically, with a panel dataset for city-level governments from 2008 to 2018, we found robust evidence strongly supporting our theoretical hypotheses.Points for practitionersThis research reveals the influences of the complex dynamics among governments at different levels on local compliance with government transparency mandates. The findings suggest that the maneuvers of middle-level governments in a multilevel power structure and the interactions among multiple conflicting policy goals should be taken seriously by practitioners when designing policies to promote government transparency reforms.
Fighting depopulation in Europe by analyzing the financial risks of local governments
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
Throughout Europe, one of the main problems facing policymakers is that of falling rural populations. In many cases, this is aggravated by high levels of local government borrowing. Although researchers have sought to determine the causes of this debt, much remains to be known about the factors influencing the default risk of small- and medium-sized towns, information that would help them formulate policies to combat the loss of population. The aim of our study is to identify factors relevant to this default risk. We analyzed demographic, socioeconomic, and financial factors in a sample of 6456 Spanish local governments by their population size. Our findings show that financial policies applied to reduce this risk should vary according to the population size, as certain factors exert a specific influence on smaller municipalities. Nevertheless, socioeconomic and financial variables have more impact on default risk than demographic factors. Our findings are novel and useful for all concerned in combating the depopulation of rural areas in Europe, owing to the relevance of conclusions for the design of public policies based on the sustainability of public services in small municipalities.Points for practitionersThe measurement of the default risk in local governments reveals very relevant information for the design of public policies against depopulation. Socioeconomic and financial variables have more impact on default risk than demographic factors. The evolution of the measurement of default risk reveals that policies against depopulation must be defined based on the size of the municipalities. The influencing factors on the default risk are interesting to decide if finance government investments through loans that allow the repopulation of small municipalities.
Throughout Europe, one of the main problems facing policymakers is that of falling rural populations. In many cases, this is aggravated by high levels of local government borrowing. Although researchers have sought to determine the causes of this debt, much remains to be known about the factors influencing the default risk of small- and medium-sized towns, information that would help them formulate policies to combat the loss of population. The aim of our study is to identify factors relevant to this default risk. We analyzed demographic, socioeconomic, and financial factors in a sample of 6456 Spanish local governments by their population size. Our findings show that financial policies applied to reduce this risk should vary according to the population size, as certain factors exert a specific influence on smaller municipalities. Nevertheless, socioeconomic and financial variables have more impact on default risk than demographic factors. Our findings are novel and useful for all concerned in combating the depopulation of rural areas in Europe, owing to the relevance of conclusions for the design of public policies based on the sustainability of public services in small municipalities.Points for practitionersThe measurement of the default risk in local governments reveals very relevant information for the design of public policies against depopulation. Socioeconomic and financial variables have more impact on default risk than demographic factors. The evolution of the measurement of default risk reveals that policies against depopulation must be defined based on the size of the municipalities. The influencing factors on the default risk are interesting to decide if finance government investments through loans that allow the repopulation of small municipalities.
Analysis of the perception of digital government and artificial intelligence in the public sector in Jalisco, Mexico
International Review of Administrative Sciences, Ahead of Print.
The advancement and continuous development of information and communication technologies highlights the importance of analysing and monitoring the development and capabilities of governments to use and exploit the potential of new technologies. Digital government and artificial intelligence in the public sector are two trends associated with technological development. This research conducts an analysis of these elements from the perspective of public officials by conducting a factor analysis. The study is based on a survey administered to civil servants in the state of Jalisco in Mexico. An analysis was made of their training and knowledge of these aspects and whether there are significant differences according to gender, age, level of studies, area of knowledge and place of work. The results obtained show divergences and coincidences between variables and factors. The findings are useful as a reference for the government of Jalisco to promote measures aimed at improving the situation of digital government and artificial intelligence in the short to medium term, in order to optimize administrative management.Points for practitionersKnowing the perspective of public officials on digital government and artificial intelligence is important to evaluate and design a digital strategy in governments.Public officials in charge of technology areas in governments need constant training on emerging technological tools, mainly those related to artificial intelligence.There is a lack of knowledge about the use and implications of artificial intelligence in the public sector by public servants.Data interoperability and coordination between government agencies are relevant to the development of digital government.
The advancement and continuous development of information and communication technologies highlights the importance of analysing and monitoring the development and capabilities of governments to use and exploit the potential of new technologies. Digital government and artificial intelligence in the public sector are two trends associated with technological development. This research conducts an analysis of these elements from the perspective of public officials by conducting a factor analysis. The study is based on a survey administered to civil servants in the state of Jalisco in Mexico. An analysis was made of their training and knowledge of these aspects and whether there are significant differences according to gender, age, level of studies, area of knowledge and place of work. The results obtained show divergences and coincidences between variables and factors. The findings are useful as a reference for the government of Jalisco to promote measures aimed at improving the situation of digital government and artificial intelligence in the short to medium term, in order to optimize administrative management.Points for practitionersKnowing the perspective of public officials on digital government and artificial intelligence is important to evaluate and design a digital strategy in governments.Public officials in charge of technology areas in governments need constant training on emerging technological tools, mainly those related to artificial intelligence.There is a lack of knowledge about the use and implications of artificial intelligence in the public sector by public servants.Data interoperability and coordination between government agencies are relevant to the development of digital government.