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The agenda of the 11th CEE Forum Conference in Bratislava, Slovakia, held on 25-26 April 2019 was focused on the reassessment of the Central and Eastern European position in Europe and in the world, seeking for the specificities of this region, being often perceived as a double periphery – of the West and of the East. Since thirty years have passed since the disintegration of the bipolar world, the time has come for a critical reconsideration of the earlier scholarly findings or commonplaces and the formulation of more nuanced and refined conclusions. The selection of papers offered by the organizers in this volume provides an up-to-date view of the CEE region and issues and problems shared by the CEE countries

ICT, e-government and electronic participation have become increasingly important in the public sector and the social sphere in recent years. This book presents 53 of the papers accepted for the dual IFIP EGOV-ePart conference 2016, which took place in Guimarães, Portugal, in September 2016. This conference, which consisted of five partially intersecting tracks, presented advances in the socio technological domain of the public sphere demonstrating cutting edge concepts, methods, and styles of investigation by multiple disciplines. The conference has been a premier academic forum for over 15 years and has a worldwide reputation as one of the top two conferences in the research domains of electronic, open and smart government, policy and electronic participation. The papers in this joint proceedings of the 2016 IFIP EGOV-ePart conference comprise accepted submissions from all categories and all tracks (with the exception of some 38 papers which are published separately). The book is divided into 9 sections: eParticipation, e-Government Evaluation, Open Data and Open Government, Governance, Smart Cities, e-Government Implementation and Adoption, Ph.D. Colloquium Papers, Posters, and Workshops. Offering a comprehensive overview of research and practice on electronic government and electronic participation, this book will be of interest to all those involved in the socio-technological domain of the public sphere.

'For most of the history of the United States, periods of growing indebtedness—a product of wars and economic crises—were followed by reductions in the debt-to-GDP ratio.'But why have the last several decades failed to follow this pattern, leaving the national debt at its highest level since World War II? In this groundbreaking new book, author Marc Allen Eisner, who has devoted most of his scholarly career to studying the evolution of the US political economy, explores the significant changes in the fiscal conditions of the United States during the postwar period, embedding the discussion in a broader historical context. He demonstrates that the national debt is in part a product of reduced revenues and the growing costs of the largest entitlement programs, but it also reflects a long series of shocks, including two wars, the financial crisis and Great Recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic. Deficits, Debt, and American Politics chronicles the history of the US debt in the postwar period, placed in the context of broader changes in the political economy and partisan politics. But it grounds this exploration in reader-friendly, chapter-length discussions of public finance, taxation, mandatory spending, and the budgetary process from a policy perspective. The volume concludes with a discussion of the challenges of comprehensive tax and program reforms in the current political climate.Deficits, Debt, and American Politics assumes little prior knowledge on the part of the reader, making it an ideal book for courses on public policy and political economy taught at both the upper-level undergraduate and graduate level. The material on public finance, long-term trends in taxation and spending, and the budgetary process, often relegated to descriptive texts, will be invaluable in courses engaging the deficit and debt.

As global markets toppled during the 2008 financial crisis, the Canadian market for non-bank asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) seemed on the verge of collapsing. Fueled by a top rating from DBRS, ABCP had found its way into the portfolios of some of Canada's most sophisticated investors as well as vulnerable retail investors who didn't know what they were holding.The failure of the $32 billion market could have tipped Canadian and foreign credit default swap markets into chaos if it weren't for the swift actions of a few powerful asset holders. Collectively, through the Montreal Accord and led by veteran Canadian lawyer Purdy Crawford, they managed to hold the Canadian ABCP market back from the brink of collapse by crafting a complex and innovative solution.Back from the Brink goes behind the scenes of the ABCP crisis to examine how a solution was reached and lessons learned that could prevent or mitigate future crises. The authors also examine the imaginative use of the Companies'Creditors Arrangement Act and describe the roles played by the banks, the major investors, rating agencies, and the financial regulators in the crisis's origins and conclusions. Back from the Brink holds important lessons for anyone interested in Canadian law, the future of complex investments, and Canada's capital markets.

Among the many commemorations of World War I, little was made of the 100th anniversary of the secret Treaty of London between Italy and the Western War Allies in April 1915, which sealed the fate of South Tyrol for the duration of the twentieth century by passing it from Austria to Italy. In May 2015, a symposium was held in the medieval Prösels Castle in the Italian Dolomites to mark this historical moment. Contributors set out to explore the political, social and cultural impact of South Tyrol's existence «on the threshold» during the twentieth century. Individually and collectively, the essays in this volume challenge the simplistic reading of South Tyrol as merely a geographic region torn between Germanic and Italian cultures; instead, they explore the dynamic effects of its geographical, political and cultural history since 1915. South Tyrol, as a modern regional state in Europe, faces many of the same problems as other European regions, be they individual states or sub-state regions. Most of the contributions in this volume are from academics and intellectuals within the Province of Bolzano/Bozen who negotiate and discuss these issues through their native languages: German, Italian and Ladin. By making their research accessible through English translations and abstracts, this volume seeks to bring their work on historical and contemporary developments in South Tyrol to a wider European and global audience.

The International Conferences on Economics and Social Sciences (ICESS) organized by Bucharest University of Economic Studies provide an opportunity for all those interested in Economics and Social Sciences to discuss and exchange research ideas. The papers presented at the Conference are available online in the Conference Proceedings series (ISSN 2704-6524): Volume 2019 Collaborative Research for Excellence in Economics and Social Sciences, ISBN 9788366675322 Volume 2020 Innovative Models to Revive the Global Economy, ISBN 9788395815072 Volume 2021 Resilience and Economic Intelligence Through Digitalization and Big Data Analytics, ISBN 9788366675704 Volume 2022 Fostering recovery through metaverse business modelling, ISBN 9788367405072 The second edition of the conference, Collaborative Research for Excellence in Economics and Social Sciences, 4-5 April 2019 brought together researchers, PhD students and business representatives for an integrated approach of scientific research and better collaboration in the future. This edition of the conference includes five academic sessions, namely: Management Challenges in Public and Private Organizations Financial Challenges for Bio-Economy and Environmental Projects Cultural & Creative Economy. Creative and Entrepreneurial Europe Contemporary Business – between Sustainability and Waste Information Gathering and Reporting in the Data Science Era: Challenges and Opportunities The sessions were designed to connect different stakeholders from university to business and provide opportunities to develop joint papers and projects. The papers and presentations contained in this Proceedings volume cover a wide range of topics and ideas including European Governance Process, Lifelong Learning, Emotional Intelligence, Business Intelligence and Analytics, Neuromarketing, Fuzzy Models, Corporate Social Responsibility, Sustainable Development, Blockchain, Multiculturalism in Economic Higher Education, E-governance, Cloud Computing, Digital Globalization, Innovation and Multi-Level Governance and others. Scientific Committee ABYRE Asmaa, Ph.D. - University Ibn Tofail, MoroccoAHMAD Burhan, Ph.D. - Centre for foreign relations, TanzaniaAJIN R S - Kerala State Disaster Management Authority, IndiaAKINFOLARIN Akinwale Victor, Ph.D. - Nnamdi Azikiwe University, NigeriaALDEA Anamaria, Ph.D. – Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaBÂRÃ Adela, Ph.D. – Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaBODEA Constanța, Ph.D. - Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaBOITAN Iustina, Ph.D. - Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaBUSMACHIU Eugenia, Ph.D. - Academy of Economic Studies of Moldova, ChisinauCÂMPEANU Emilia, Ph.D. - Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaCHAUDHARY Monica, Ph.D. - Jaypee Institute of Information Technology, IndiaCHICIUDEAN Gabriela, Ph.D. - University of Agricultural Science and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaCICEA Claudiu, Ph.D. - Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaCIUREA Maria, Ph.D. - University of Petrosani, RomaniaCONSTANTIN Daniela-Luminiþa, Ph.D. - Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaCOVEI Dragoº, Ph.D. – Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaDIEACONE

The International Conferences on Economics and Social Sciences (ICESS)organized by Bucharest University of Economic Studies provide an opportunity for all those interested in Economics and Social Sciences to discuss and exchange research ideas. The papers presented at the Conference are available online in the Conference Proceedings series (ISSN 2704-6524): Volume 2019 Collaborative Research for Excellence in Economics and Social Sciences, ISBN 9788366675322 Volume 2020 Innovative Models to Revive the Global Economy, ISBN 9788395815072 Volume 2021 Resilience and Economic Intelligence Through Digitalization and Big Data Analytics, ISBN 9788366675704 Volume 2022 Fostering recovery through metaverse business modelling, ISBN 9788367405072 This conference provides an opportunity for all those interested in Economics and Social Sciences to discuss and exchange research ideas. We welcome both empirical and theoretical work that is broadly consistent with the conference'general theme. Especially, researchers, PhD students and practitioners are invited to submit papers on the topics related to new models in entrepreneurship and innovation, sustainability and education, data science and digitalization, marketing and finance, Fintech & Insurtech etc. that will develop innovative instruments for countries, businesses and education. The innovative models for sustainable development aim to ensure simultaneous economic development, social development, and environmental protection, to achieve a higher quality of life for all people and protect all living beings and the planet. The main topics of the conference are focused on but not limited to the following sections: Fintech & Insurtech - towards a sustainable financial environment The role of innovation in public and private organizations Financial perspectives in turbulent times Global Challenges for Agri-Food Systems and Sustainable Development Economic Policies for Non-Cyclical Crises Education for Sustainable Development: impact of universities on society Marketing and Sustainability The role of accounting in Sustainable Development Global world after crisis: towards a new economic model Sustainability for future business Current challenges within demographic data: measurement, collection, retrieval, analysis and reporting Scientific CommitteeACELEANU Mirela, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaALBU Lucian, Academia Romana, RomaniaANGHEL Ion, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaARROYO GALLARDO Javier, Complutense University of Madrid, SpainAUSLOOS Marcel, Leicester University, United KingdomBEGALLI Diego, University of Verona, ItalyBELLINI Francesco, Sapienza University of Rome, ItalyBRATOSIN Ștefan, Universite Montpellier 3, FranceCABANIS Andre, Universite Toulouse 1 Capitole, FranceCASTERAN Herbert, EM Strasbourg University, FranceCENȚIU Silvian, Retina Communications, San Francisco, USACERQUETI Roy, Sapienza University of Rome, ItalyCHAVEZ Gilbert, Globis University Tokyo, JapanCOSTICÃ Ionela, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaCOX Michael, London School of Economics, England, UKD'ASCENZO Fabrizio, Sapienza University of Rome, ItalyDIMA Alina Mihaela, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaDÂRDALÃ Marian, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, RomaniaDU

While many introductory public administration textbooks contain a dedicated chapter on ethics, The Public Administration Profession is the first to utilize ethics as a lens for understanding the discipline. Analyses of the ASPA Code of Ethics are deftly woven into each chapter alongside complete coverage of the institutions, processes, concepts, persons, history, and typologies a student needs to gain a thorough grasp of public service as a field of study and practice. Features include: A significant focus on'public interests,'nonprofit management, hybrid-private organizations, contracting out and collaborations, and public service at state and local levels. A careful examination of the role that religion may play in public servants'decision making, as well as the unignorable and growing role that faith-based organizations play in public administration and nonprofit management at large. End-of-chapter ethics case studies, key concepts and persons, and dedicated'local community action steps'in each chapter. Appendices dedicated to future public administration and nonprofit career management, writing successful papers throughout a student's career, and professional codes of ethics. A comprehensive suite of online supplements, including: lecture slides; quizzes and sample examinations for undergraduate and graduate courses containing multiple choice, true-false, identifications, and essay questions; chapter outlines with suggestions for classroom discussion; and suggestions for use of appendices, e.g., how to successfully write a short term paper, a brief policy memo, resume, or a book review. Providing students with a comprehensive introduction to the subject while offering instructors an elegant new way to bring ethics prominently into the curriculum, The Public Administration Profession is an ideal introductory text for public administration and public affairs courses at the undergraduate or graduate level.

This book presents a collection of original research papers addressing the relationship between information systems (IS) and innovation. “Open”, “Smart” and “Network” are three keywords that are currently guiding information systems (IS) innovation, enhancing IS potentialities and their ability to support decision-making processes. The book discusses the relevance of these three new concepts in connection with technological and organizational innovations (i.e. cloud, smart technologies and networking), and the role they play in the development of accounting and management information systems.The book's primary aim is to investigate how these innovations could influence information systems (with a particular focus on accounting and management information systems) by enhancing their information potentialities and improving accounting methodologies, performance measurement systems, data management, information systems architectures, and external and internal reporting.The book is based on a selection of the best papers—original double-blind reviewed contributions—presented at the 2016 Annual Conference of the Italian Chapter of the Association for Information Systems (AIS).

The volume highlights the state-of-the-art knowledge (including data analysis) of productivity, inequality and efficiency analysis. It showcases a selection of the best papers from the 9th North American Productivity Workshop. These papers are relevant to academia, but also to public and private sectors in terms of the challenges that firms, financial institutions, governments, and individuals may face when dealing with economic and education related activities that lead to increase or decrease of productivity. The volume also aims to bring together ideas from different parts of the world about the challenges those local economies and institutions may face when changes in productivity are observed. These contributions focus on theoretical and empirical research in areas including productivity, production theory and efficiency measurement in economics, management science, operation research, public administration, and education. The North American Productivity Workshop (NAPW) brings together academic scholars and practitioners in the field of productivity and efficiency analysis from all over the world, and this proceedings volume is a reflection of this mission. The papers in this volume also address general topics as education, health, energy, finance, agriculture, transport, utilities, and economic development, among others. The editors are comprised of the 2016 local organizers, program committee members, and celebrated guest conference speakers.

This paper estimates public sector service efficiency in England at the sub-regional level, studying changes post crisis during the large fiscal consolidation effort. It finds that despite the overall spending cut (and some caveats owing to data availability), efficiency broadly improved across sectors, particularly in education. However, quality adjustments and other factors could have contributed (e.g., sector and technology-induced reforms). It also finds that sub-regions with the weakest initial levels of efficiency converged the most post crisis. These sub-regional changes in public sector efficiency are associated with changes in labor productivity. Finally, the paper finds that regional disparities in the productivity of public services have narrowed, especially in the education and health sectors, with education attainment, population density, private spending on high school education and class size being to be the most important factors explaining sub-regional variation since 2003.

This ebook is the first of two parts on valuation. Valuation is at the core of all markets and all decision making. The importance of an educated and competent valuation profession cannot be understated. This ebook presents papers looking at the role of the valuation profession in developing models that are appropriate for reflecting the pricing of sustainability and, in separate papers, non market based activities.

This proceedings volume examines the state-of-the art of productivity and efficiency analysis and adds to the existing research by bringing together a selection of the best papers from the 8th North American Productivity Workshop (NAPW). It also aims to analyze world-wide perspectives on challenges that local economies and institutions may face when changes in productivity are observed. The volume comprises of seventeen papers that deal with productivity measurement, productivity growth, dynamics of productivity change, measures of labor productivity, measures of technical efficiency in different sectors, frontier analysis, measures of performance, industry instability and spillover effects. These papers are relevant to academia, but also to public and private sectors in terms of the challenges firms, financial institutions, governments and individuals may face when dealing with economic and education related activities that lead to increase or decrease of productivity.The North American Productivity Workshop brings together academic scholars and practitioners in the field of productivity and efficiency analysis from all over the world. It is a four day conference exploring topics related to productivity, production theory and efficiency measurement in economics, management science, operations research, public administration, and related fields. The papers in this volume also address general topics as health, energy, finance, agriculture, utilities, and economic development, among others. The editors are comprised of the 2014 local organizers, program committee members, and celebrated guest conference speakers.

This book presents a collection of original research papers focused on the relationship between information technology and accounting and control models. The book discusses the importance of establishing a synergetic relationship between new information technologies (ERP, BI, web-based technology, data mining, XBRL, etc.) and new or renewed accounting models and tools (performance indicators, prevision and simulation models, accounting models for public administration, etc.) in order to enhance an organization's capability to manage information and make valuable decisions. The search for these synergies takes place at all organizational levels: at a strategic level, in order to simulate and forecast behaviors and financial results at a management level, in order to innovate performance measurement and improve value creation at the operational level, in order to improve information qualityand the efficiency of the information process. This book is particularly useful for IS and CFO managers and scholars, as it is based on a selection of the best papers – original, double blind reviewed contributions - presented to the Annual Conference of the Italian Chapter of AIS under the category “Accounting Information Systems”.

As the public sector in Germany will likely increasingly face staffing problems in the coming years, this book approaches the topic of employer attractiveness within the German public sector from an internal perspective, focusing on current employees'turnover intentions. Using secondary survey data, ordinal logistic regression models are built to explore the influence of the social environment at the workplace, measured by the perception of a participative safety climate, in this context. Therefore, this paper takes its theoretical departure in value research, arguing that values serve as an underlying mechanism that informs behavioral intent and ultimately behavior. Drawing on a concept that has long floated at the periphery of turnover research, this project is largely exploratory in nature, but suggests that a social climate at work that is characterized by trust and support has a negative impact on turnover intentions in the German public sector. Age and employment status are found to not alter the effect, but it is likely mediated by job satisfaction.

Seminar paper from the year 2023 in the subject South Asian Studies, South-Eastern Asian Studies, grade: 1,7, Humboldt-University of Berlin, language: English, abstract: Drawing on a case-study approach, the leading question of this research plan is what kind of affective polarization can be identified among students at Tokai University in Japan. “Till Trump Do Us Part: The Relationship Deal Breaker We Never Saw Coming” is a catchy title of an article, in which the author illustrates cases of couples who are ending their relationships due to their different political leanings. As the atmosphere of political animosity between the two main rivaling camps in America- Democrats and Republicans is only being fueled every day, people slowly start to look for other co-partisans to form with them their private lives. On the other hand, those already in a relationship with out-partisans declare that they: “(...)often feel as though their partners don't understand their own specific fears and anxieties — or that they simply are so far apart politically that the relationship can't continue.” This phenomenon, known broadly in social sciences as affective polarization, has been emerging as a consequence of political polarization and has been on the rise in recent years in America. I divide affective polarization into two types: affective polarization manifested in attitudes toward political representatives (parties, political leaders etc.) or also called vertical and manifested in interpersonal attitudes or called “horizontal”. The research foresees two studies conducted in a time interval- one in late 2023 and one in 2025, before the elections in Japan.

This volume is a collection of papers written over the course of forty years. It examines political attitudes, patterns of political behavior, and institutional framework of transition to democracy in Poland. Its contents have been shaped by and provide commentary on the often-dramatic political developments in Poland: the emergence of the massive liberation movement “Solidarity” in 1980–81; the dissent against the communist regime in the 1980s; the struggles to pave the roads toward consolidated democracy in the 1990s; and the problems with adaptation to European liberal values in the 21st century that led to democratic backsliding. In conclusion, it presents the cultural and structural background of the cleavage between the proponents of open society and its enemies.

Journalism in the Civil War Era presents the historical context of Civil War journalism—placing the press of the era within the entire nineteenth century. It gives a broad account of journalism in the Civil War, reflecting on the political, military, legal, and journalistic issues involved in this era. It is written with chapters that examine these various facets of the journalism of the period, but they are connected by the theme of the development of the wartime press, with an emphasis on the professional, political, social, economic, legal, and military factors that affected it. It provides: An in-depth look at the political press in the 1850s and 1860s, and how it played a major role in the nation's understanding of the conflict; Technology's role in carrying information in a timely fashion; The development of journalism as a profession; The international context of Civil War journalism; The leadership journalists displayed, including Horace Greeley and his New York Tribune bully pulpit; The nature of journalism during the war; The way freedom of the press was advanced by polarizing political extremes. The work is historical, written in an engaging style, and meant to encourage readers to explore and analyze the value of freedom of the press during that very time when it most comes under fire—wartime. “David W. Bulla and Gregory A. Borchard explore ties between journalism and politics and between New York and the Midwest (then known as the West) before the Civil War. Newspapers shared an increasing emphasis on information over opinion. Facts often tended to fit the editors'agendas with winners overplaying their triumphs and losers becoming more restrained. Major newspapers, particularly the New York Herald with the largest investment in correspondents, placed news on the front page and interpretation inside, even while publisher James Gordon Bennett initially blamed Lincoln for the war. Major dailies increasingly reported news from the front and smaller papers relied more on opinion and local angles.”—William E. Huntzicker, Minneapolis writer and author of The Popular Press 1833-1865'Bulla and Borchard have produced what has been long needed in the study of U.S. Civil War journalism: a social and cultural history of the American press that goes beyond anecdotal accounts of war news. They explore the nature of the Civil War-era press itself in all its strengths and weaknesses, ranging from political and economic grandstanding and over-the-top verbal grandiloquence to the sheer bravery and determination of a number of editors, publishers, and journalists who viewed their tasks as interpreters and informers of the day's news. Using a mix of carefully selected case studies as well as an extensive study of newspapers both large and small, this highly readable work places the Civil War press squarely where it belongs—as a part of the larger social and cultural experience of mid-nineteenth century America.'—Mary M. Cronin, Department of Journalism, New Mexico State University'The study of Civil War journalism has traditionally been treated as a facet of the history of war correspondence, but war reporting does not exist in a vacuum, as David Bulla and Gregory Borchard skillfully show readers in their latest edition of Journalism in the Civil War Era. This new edition freshens the book's original version by expanding on their insightful examination of the way the American Civil War ushered in the greater reliance on the information model of journalism, which would exist side-by-side with the existing partisan model. Few scholars have attempted the sort of holistic study that examines not only the nature of Civil War journalism but,

This book studies public policy and administration in Bangladesh. It studies how, despite recording high-levels of corruption persistently, some governments in least developed countries (LDCs) like Bangladesh have achieved impressive online transformation level, through digital, electronic or e-Government implementation. The book investigates the historical and political context, and examines the different policies and strategies adopted by successive governments of Bangladesh for facilitating digital service delivery transformation of traditional, paper-based, circuitous public service delivery processes. It reviews public administration reforms introduced over several decades, and other initiatives launched with the specific objective of improving service delivery management. The volume also contextualizes the new e-Government development initiatives in light of the various approaches such as traditional public administration, new public management, digital era governance, new public governance, and design thinking.Drawing on a host of published and unpublished materials, interviews with senior public officials, academics, representatives of international donor agencies, think tanks and non-governmental organizations, and a survey of more than 400 plus bureaucrats, the book analyzes the progress of digital government in Bangladesh from a soft, behavioral perspective. It will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of public policy and public administration, politics, innovation, and South Asian studies. It will be an essential reading for bureaucrats and government officials, as well as think tanks and NGOs.

This proceedings volume contains papers accepted by the 2022 International Conference on Business and Policy Studies (CONF-BPS 2022), which are carefully selected and reviewed by professional reviewers from corresponding research fields and the editorial team of the conference. This volume presents latest research achievements, inspirations, and applications in applied economy, finance, enterprise management, public administration, and policy studies. CONF-BPS hopes this volume could be inspiring and of academic value.Business and policy studies both are heated research topics and are related to multiple fields. Held by Eliwise Academy, CONF-BPS aims at bringing together intellectuals from related fields including applied economy, finance, and public administration for academic exchange. Its goal is to serve as an international platform for researchers to present latest research progress, share ideas and inspirations, and exchange experience. Through more academic communication and exchange, this conference hops to promote international corporation and joint initiatives in relevant fields. This volume will be of interest to researchers, academics, professionals, and policy makers in the field of business, economics, management, and policy studies.

This proceedings volume provides a multifaceted perspective on the unprecedented crises generated by the global COVID-19 pandemic, and its ramifications for individuals, businesses, organizations, governments and systems in developing countries. Featuring selected papers from the 2020 Annual Griffiths School of Management and IT Conference (GSMAC), held in Oradea, Romania, this volume focuses on business, technological and ethical considerations in the process of navigating through a global crisis. It analyzes the effectiveness of different measures taken at individual, organizational and country level and outlines potential scenarios and solutions for the new post-crisis reality. Finally, the book provides diagnosis and recommendations for managerial practice in various industries impacted.

Although more than 30 years have passed since the Nominated Member of Parliament (NMP) scheme was introduced in 1990, it remains controversial and poorly understood today.Have NMPs raised views that elected MPs — on both sides of the House — could or did not? Have they kept voters away from the Opposition, or been a bulwark of loving critics in the midst of a parliamentary supermajority?In this first book devoted to the NMP scheme, former NMP Anthea Ong brings together 19 colleagues past and present to discuss their experiences in office, from the Population White Paper to the Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act, and what being appointed has meant to them personally.In exploring the workings and impact of the NMP scheme, the contributors hope this book will invite Singaporeans to consider how their NMPs should and must represent them, aside from their elected representatives. And in doing so, ask: What sort of Parliament does Singapore, as an evolving society, deserve?

Edited by Nora Lustig, the Commitment to Equity Handbook: Estimating the Impact of Fiscal Policy on Inequality and Poverty (Brookings Institution Press and CEQ Institute-Tulane University, 2nd edition, 2022) is a unique manual on the theory and practical methods to estimate the impact of taxation and public spending on inequality and poverty. In addition, the second edition covers frontier topics such as alternative approaches to measure the redistributive effect of education, health, and infrastructure spending. Policymakers, social planners, and economists are provided with a step-by-step guide to applying fiscal incidence analysis, illustrated by country studies. The 2nd edition of the Handbook has two volumes. Volume 1 is comprised of Part I, Methodology, describes what a CEQ Assessment© is and presents the theoretical underpinnings of fiscal incidence analysis and the indicators used to assess the distributive impact and effectiveness of fiscal policy. Part II, Implementation, presents the methodology on how taxes, subsidies, and social spending should be allocated. It includes a step-by step guide to completing the CEQ Master Workbook©, a multi-sheet Excel file that houses detailed information on the country's fiscal system and the results used as inputs for policy discussions, academic papers, and policy reports. Part III, “Applications,” presents applications of the CEQ framework to low- and middle-income countries and includes simulations of policy reforms. In this 2nd edition, chapters 1, 6, and 8 have been significantly updated and two new country studies have been added to Part III. Parts IV (updated), V (new), and VI (new) are available online only. Part IV contains the CEQ Assessment's main tools. Part V includes the databases housed in the CEQ Data Center on Fiscal Redistribution. Part VI contains the CEQ Institute's microsimulation tools. Volume 2 (new) includes a collection of chapters whose purpose is to expand the knowledge and methodological frontiers to sharpen even further the analysis of fiscal policy's redistributive impact. Topics include: alternative approaches to value in-kind education and health services; alternative methods to evaluate spending on infrastructure; corporate taxes and taxation on capital incomes; inter-temporal fiscal incidence and the redistributive consequences of social insurance pensions; fiscal redistribution, macroeconomic stability and growth; and, the political economy of fiscal redistribution.

The International Conferences on Economics and Social Sciences (ICESS) organized by Bucharest University of Economic Studies provide an opportunity for all those interested in Economics and Social Sciences to discuss and exchange research ideas. The conference takes place in Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Piata Romana 6, Bucharest, Romania.Contact: conference.icess[@]ase.ro The papers presented at the Conference are available online in the Conference Proceedings series (ISSN 2704-6524): Volume 2019 Collaborative Research for Excellence in Economics and Social Sciences, ISBN 9788366675322 Volume 2020 Innovative Models to Revive the Global Economy, ISBN 9788395815072 Volume 2021 Resilience and Economic Intelligence Through Digitalization and Big Data Analytics, ISBN 9788366675704 The past years'uncertainties and pressures resulted from the pandemic, alongside new developments in social technology, 5G, cloud computing, augmented and virtual reality, generated the perfect setting for the metaverse to gain traction. Several companies found there's a critical need to redefine the work environment and started exploring the metaverse concept beyond the entertainment sector. Thus, new tools for collaboration and data visualization within a digital shared space are being created, aiming for a fully immersive interaction between the virtual and the physical worlds within the next few years. While still in its early developments, the metaverse can be seen as an extension of the social media platforms, and an opportunity to leverage remote work even further. ICESS 2022 provides a space for all those interested in Economics and Social Sciences to discuss and exchange research ideas in the light of the work environment, business model, and technological changes driven by COVID-19. We welcome both empirical and theoretical work that is broadly consistent with the conference's general theme. The main topics of the conference are focused on, but not limited to, the following sections: Applied Economics and Statistics and Data Science Management in the Metaverse Era – the Role of Digital Transformation in Fostering Recovery of Public and Private Organizations Financial perspectives in turbulent times Resilient Agri-food and Environmental Systems for Sustainable Development and Agile Entrepreneurship Innovative Strategies and Models in Higher Education Digitalization impact on economic recovery in the context of Covid-19 pandemic Digital Leadership and Resilient Entrepreneurship in the Metaverse Era Marketing and Sustainability The role of accounting frameworks and digitalization in fostering recovery Global world after crisis: towards a new economic model Building business in times of crisis through entrepreneurship Current challenges within demographic data: measurement, collection, retrieval, analysis and reporting Looking into the future of a legal metaverse? Experimental Economics SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE 2022 ACELEANU Mirela, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania ALBU Lucian, Academia Romana, Romania ANGHEL Ion, Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania <

This Open Access book deals with the pressing question of how to achieve transformational change that reconciles development with environmental sustainability. It particularly focuses on the role of evaluation in finding sustainable solutions. Environment and development are closely interlinked, as are human health and ecosystem health. The pandemic that began in 2020 demonstrated in no uncertain terms how destruction of habitats has allowed hitherto unknown pathogens spill over to humans wreaking havoc on people's lives and livelihoods. We are already seeing the impacts of global climate change in terms of heatwaves, forest fires and increased storms. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) explicitly recognize the equal importance of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development. In these turbulent times, when humankind faces multiple complex challenges it is essential to know that our responses are effective and that they make a positive difference. Evaluationcan provide invaluable lessons to how we design policies, strategies and programs and how we allocate limited resources between competing priorities. This book brings together key thinkers and practitioners from the public and private sectors, from major multilateral organizations and from bilateral donor agencies, to present the latest knowledge and experience on how to evaluate interventions in the nexus of environment and development. The book does not promote any particular approach or methodology, but rather emphasizes the need for mixed methods to address the question at hand in the best and most suitable manner. It covers cases from a variety of fields, from climate change mitigation and adaptation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, natural resources management, biodiversity conservation and more.This book is not a conference proceedings although it has its roots in the Third International Conference on Evaluating Environment and Development organized by the GEF Independent Evaluation Office in October 2019. The conference brought together a larger number of established and upcoming evaluators, researchers and evaluation users from the Global North and South, representing a wide variety of organizations, to discuss the frontiers of environment and development evaluation. Following the conference, the editors identified and contacted the participants who made key contributions at the conference and asked them to develop their ideas and papers into book chapters according to a coherent plan.

A critical and evidence-based account of the COVID-19 pandemic as a political–economic rupture, exposing underlying power struggles and social injustices.The dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic represented an exceptional interruption in the routines of work, financial markets, movement across borders and education. The policies introduced in response were said to be unprecedented—but the distribution of risks and rewards was anything but. While asset-owners, outsourcers, platforms and those in spacious homes prospered, others faced new hardships and dangers. Unprecedented? explores the events of 2020-21, as they afflicted the UK economy, as a means to grasp the underlying dynamics of contemporary capitalism, which are too often obscured from view. It traces the political and cultural contours of a'rentier nationalism,'that was lurking prior to the pandemic, but was accelerated and illuminated by COVID-19. But it also pinpoints the contradictions and weaknesses of this capitalist model, and the new sources of opposition that it meets. An empirical, accessible and critical analysis of the COVID economy, Unprecedented? is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the political and economic turbulence of the pandemic's first eighteen months.

Public and private sector workforces in the U.S. look very different today than they did even 25 years ago. The changes are having a significant effect on how organizations manage their workforces. The old styles of managing heterogeneous workforces are proving to be ineffectual, and so management strategies aimed at embracing diversity and inclusion are essential. These strategies can have positive implications for worker satisfaction, morale and – ultimately – the delivery of public services to the American people.Managing Diversity in Public Sector Workforces, Second Edition examines demographic changes to the U.S. labor force and workplace and the ways in which government employers are managing the diverse populations that now fill public sector jobs. Addressing specific management strategies and initiatives relied on by public sector employers, as well as the implications of effectively managing variegated workforces for the overall governance of American society, this book demonstrates the importance of ensuring that programs to promote inclusiveness and diversity that appear on paper are carried through to practice through implementation. The book begins with a review of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action and the extent to which EEO and AA are still relied upon in the workplace. It then examines law and other public policy issues surrounding EEO, AA and diversity management. The remainder of the book focuses on the core of managing diversity in the public sector, exploring the initiatives, strategies, and programs that government employers either do or might rely on to ensure that the demographic mosaic embodied by their workforces is prepared to meet the needs and interests of the American citizenry of the 21st century. Data are provided on the demographics of the federal, state and local government workforces. Separate chapters address each of the following aspects of diversity: race, ethnicity, gender, LGBTQ employment, physical ability, and the intersection of these constructs. Managing Diversity in Public Sector Workforces, Second Edition will be of interest to students of public administration and public personnel management, and it is essential reading for all those involved in managing public organizations.

The volume examines the state-of-the-art of productivity and efficiency analysis. It brings together a selection of the best papers from the 10th North American Productivity Workshop. By analyzing world-wide perspectives on challenges that local economies and institutions may face when changes in productivity are observed, readers can quickly assess the impact of productivity measurement, productivity growth, dynamics of productivity change, measures of labor productivity, measures of technical efficiency in different sectors, frontier analysis, measures of performance, industry instability and spillover effects.The contributions in this volume focus on the theory and application of economics, econometrics, statistics, management science and operational research related to problems in the areas of productivity and efficiency measurement. Popular techniques and methodologies including stochastic frontier analysis and data envelopment analysis are represented. Chapters also cover broader issues related to measuring, understanding, incentivizing and improving the productivity and performance of firms, public services, and industries.

Designing Governance Structures for Performance and Accountability discusses how formal and informal governance structures in Australia, the People's Republic of China (PRC) and Taiwan may be designed to promote performance and to ensure accountability.The book presents a selection of papers developed from the Greater China Australia Dialogue on Public Administration's seventh workshop held in June 2017 hosted by City University of Hong Kong.Insights are provided on both current developments in the different contexts of the three jurisdictions examined, and on broader institutional and organisational theories. Chapters cover theories of organisational forms and functions in public administration, the'core'agency structures used in the different jurisdictions, the structures used to deliver public services (including non-government organisational arrangements) and other ‘non-core'agency structures such as government business enterprises, regulatory organisations and ‘integrity'organisations. A particular emphasis is placed on the institutional arrangements the executive arm of government uses for advising on and implementing government policies and programs. Although the book explores arrangements and developments within very different political governance systems, the purposes of the structures are similar: to promote performance and accountability.This book is a companion volume to Value for Money: Budget and Financial Management Reform in the People's Republic of China, Taiwan and Australia (ANU Press, 2018).

In this book, Barrett and Greene present evolving theories of performance management, the practices necessary for a good performance-based government, and the pitfalls that can easily be encountered along the way—andhow to avoid them. As performance management has evolved, it has encompassed many different tools and approaches including measurement, data analysis, evidence-based management, process improvement, research and evaluation. In the past, many of the efforts to improve performance in government have been fragmented, separated into silos and labeled with a variety of different names including performance-based budgeting, performance-informed management, managing for results and so on.Making Government Work: The Promises and Pitfalls of Performance-Informed Management by Katherine Barrett and Rich Greene is loaded with dozens of stories of what practitioners are currently working on—what's working and what's not. The benefits are ample, so are the challenges. This book describes both, along with practical steps taken by practitioners to make government work better. Readers will discover that while the authors strive to meet the documentation standards of carefully vetted academic papers, the approach they take is journalistic. Over the last year, Barrett and Greene talked to scores of state and local officials, as well as academics and other national experts to find out how performance management tools and approaches have changed, and what is coming in the near-term future. Performance management has been in a state of evolution for decades now, and so Barrett and Greene have endeavored to capture the state of the world as it is today. By detailing both the challenges and conquests of performance management in Making Government Work: The Promises and Pitfalls of Performance-Informed Management, Barrett and Greene ensure readers will find the kind of balanced information that is helpful to both academics and practitioners—and that can move the field forward.

This book gathers selected papers presented at the International Scientific Conference “Economics in the Changing World,” held on June 26-27, 2018 at the Institute of Management, Economics and Finance of Kazan Federal University (Kazan, Russia). The conference featured contributions by leading specialists in the field of management, territorial development, and state, regional and municipal management, covering the modern trends in the development of economic complexes and firms, economics of innovative processes, social policy, financial analysis, and mathematical methods in economic research. The book highlights new approaches for the development of various sectors of the Russian economy and individual markets, as well as for the efficiency of entrepreneurship in general. It also analyzes the concept, meaning and directions of the socio-economic development of the regional subjects in the Russian Federation. The scientific studies included make a significant contribution to the development of entrepreneurship, regional management, rationalization and optimization of resource use, state territorial administration, and sustainable economic growth in the regions and the transport infrastructure.

An edited volume consisting of 33 papers presented at Harvard University's East Asian Research Center's 1975 workshop on reform in China in the nineteenth century. The book is divided into eight parts, each with a general thematic introduction, several essays on more specialized topics, and a summary of the discussion that took place at the conference.

In this timely critique of federal procedures, the authors identify the underlying causes of the current overload of information/paper-work in government and explain why the problem cannot be controlled until the causes are eliminated or neutralized. Using a calcuius they have developed for estimating the'value and'burden of federal information,

Business Innovation driven by the advancement of technology has dramatically changed the business landscape over recent years, not only in advanced countries but also in emerging markets. It is expected that business innovation could help achieve economic inclusion, which has been a global initiative over the last decade, creating opportunities for all people to benefit from the economic development. These proceedings provide an outlet for discussing the importance of business innovation, especially in emerging countries in helping to reach inclusive economies. The papers cover the subject areas management, accounting, finance, economics and social sciences.

This volume contains the scientific papers presented at the 2nd International Conference “Contemporary Challenges in Administrative Law from an Interdisciplinary Perspective” that was held on 17 May 2019 at Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania. The scientific studies included in this volume are grouped into two chapters: Practical Aspects Regarding the Role of Administrative Law in the Modernization of Public Administration at European and International Level and Practical Aspects Regarding the Role of Administrative Law in the Modernization of Public Administration at National Level. This volume is aimed at practitioners, researchers, students and PhD candidates in juridical and administrative sciences, who are interested in recent developments and prospects for development in the field of administrative law and public administration at international and national level.

Examines how Hamilton's thoughts and experiences about public administration theory and practice have shaped the nation American public administration inherited from Alexander Hamilton a distinct republican framework through which we derive many of our modern governing standards and practices. His administrative theory flowed from his republican vision, prescribing not only the how of administration but also what should be done and why. Administration and policy merged seamlessly in his mind, each conditioning the other. His Anti-Federalist detractors clearly saw this and fought his vision tooth and nail. That conflict endures to this day because Americans still have not settled on just one vision of the American republic. That is why, Richard Green argues, Hamilton is a pivotal figure in our current reckoning. If we want to more fully understand ourselves and our ways of governing today, we must start by understanding Hamilton, and we cannot do that without exploring his administrative theory and practice in depth. Alexander Hamilton's Public Administration considers Hamilton both as a founder of the American republic, steeped in the currents of political philosophy and science of his day, and as its chief administrative theorist and craftsman, deeply involved in establishing the early institutions and policies that would bring his interpretation of the written Constitution to life. Accordingly, this book addresses the complex mix of classical and modern ideas that informed his vision of a modern commercial and administrative republic; the administrative ideas, institutions, and practices that flowed from that vision; and the substantive policies he deemed essential to its realization. Green's analysis grows out of an immersion in Hamilton's extant papers, including reports, letters, pamphlets, and essays. Readers will find a comprehensive explanation of his theoretical contributions and a richly detailed account of his ideas and practices in historical context.

A comprehensive overview of the state of crisis management in international affairs, this book focuses primarily on the U.S.-USSR relationship. For most of the postwar period, the U.S. superiority in nuclear weapons shaped the political structure within which international crises occurred. This edge began to deteriorate by the late 1970s, leading to a new and potentially more dangerous structure within which the superpower rivalry is now conducted. Arguing that the shifting nuclear balance has created a new dimension for crisis management, the contributors analyze such issues as the informal norms of diplomatic behavior that have evolved during the extended superpower rivalry, the tendency of both superpowers to engage in activities that progressively reduce crisis stability, and various concrete measures such as risk reduction centers that might enhance the current system for crisis management. The book also includes case studies of crisis management among non-superpowers. Taken together, these papers address the important question of how human control can be maximized in situations of international crisis.

Style guides come in many shapes and sizes, usually focused toward scientific or academic use only. However, business writing is a space occupied by many individuals that has not been given the attention it deserves. The Style Guide for Business Writing, Second Edition, is designed specifically to assist business writers in both the public and private sector, including those publishing with English as a second language; authors of academic papers; business book authors; financial journalists; and writers of reports, proposals or even just e-mail and memoranda. This book provides a comprehensive guide to clear and precise writing that will help develop basic communication skills for the beginner, and refresh the basics for the experienced business writer. Major topics are arranged alphabetically and the cross references and index enable quick and easy access to information. Michael C. Thomsett is a market expert, author, speaker, and coach. His many books include Stock Market Math, Candlestick Charting, The Mathematics of Options, and A Technical Approach to Trend Analysis.

This volume contains the scientific papers presented at the International Conference “Contemporary Challenges in Administrative Law and Public Administration” that was held on 27 April 2018 at Bucharest University of Economic Studies, Romania. The scientific studies included in this volume are grouped into two chapters: Contemporary Challenges in Administrative Law and Contemporary Challenges in Public Administration. This volume is aimed at practitioners, researchers, students and PhD candidates in juridical and administrative sciences, who are interested in recent developments and prospects for development in the field of administrative law and public administration at international and national level.

Treni che non funzionano, strade tappezzate di buche, uffici postali che chiudono, municipalizzate che pensano solo ai profitti dei soci privati di minoranza: questa è la fotografia dell'Italia che'torna a correre'nell'era di Matteo Renzi. Nonostante le parole del premier, forse era meglio quando Fs, Poste e Anas erano quelle inguardabili aziende statali, dependance ministeriali un po'sonnacchiose, regno delle mazzette, brulicanti di funzionari di partito, infarcite da amici e parenti. Assurdo ma vero: i boiardi non potevano sottrarsi a un percorso a suo modo efficace e la stessa politica che con una mano imponeva la corruzione pretendeva con l'altra un minimo sindacale di efficienza diffusa. Questione di voti. Poi arrivano 3 manager-padroni. Daniele Martini racconta per la prima volta i retroscena delle finte privatizzazioni dei grandi gruppi statali, svela i nomi dei dirigenti e delle loro cricche che si stanno arricchendo a discapito del cittadino costretto a pagare sempre più tasse a fronte di servizi ormai inaccettabili. Il tutto nello stile di Paper First e del Fatto quotidiano: senza sconti per nessuno.

This book is the outcome of in-depth academic research on the civil service carried out by acknowledged international and national experts in the field. It brings together papers and speeches presented at the international symposium'The civil service in Poland: 20 years of experience and the outlook for change', which was organized at the University of Warsaw. The authors summarise the studies on the transformations in the civil service systems in European and other countries, especially those pertaining to Anglo-Saxon culture. They also aim to provoke deeper reflections on the process of establishing the civil service in Poland, especially against the background of the legislative changes introduced in late 2015 and early 2016.

The Greater China Australia Dialogue on Public Administration has held annual workshops since 2011 on public administration themes of common interest to the People's Republic of China, Taiwan and Australia.This book presents and discusses a selection of papers developed from the Dialogue's fifth workshop held in late 2015 hosted by the National Taiwan University in Taipei. The theme,'Value for Money', focused on budget and financial management reforms, including how different nations account for the relative performance of their public sectors.All governments face the challenge of scarce resources requiring budgetary management processes for identifying the resources required by and available to government, and then for allocating them and ensuring their use or deployment represents value for money. Such budgetary and financial management processes need to inform decision-making routinely and protect the integrity of the way public resources are used – with some public accountability to indicate that their uses are properly authorised and reflect the policies of legitimate government leaders.The chapters in this book explore budgeting and financial management in three very different jurisdictions: Australia, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China (Taiwan). These activist and at times innovative countries are keen to analyse and reflect upon each other's policy achievements and patterns of public provision. They are keen to learn more about each other as their economic and social engagement continues to deepen. They are also conscious that fundamental differences exist in terms of economic development and global strategic positioning, and levels and philosophies of political development; to an extent these differences are representative of differences amongst countries around the globe.

This book examines the relationship between digital innovations on the one hand, and accounting and management information systems on the other. In particular it addresses topics including cloud computing, data mining, XBRL, and digital platforms. It presents an analysis of how new technologies can reshape accounting and management information systems, enhancing their information potentialities and their ability to support decision-making processes, as well as several studies that reveal how managerial information needs can affect and reshape the adoption of digital technologies. Focusing on the four major aspects data management, information system architecture, external and internal reporting, the book offers a valuable resource for CIOs, CFOs and more generally for business managers, as well as for researchers and scholars. It is mainly based on a selection of the best papers - original double blind reviewed contributions - presented at the 2015 Annual Conference of the Italian Chapter of the Association for Information Systems (AIS).

Public Policy Analysis, the most widely cited book on the subject, provides students with a comprehensive methodology of policy analysis. It starts from the premise that policy analysis is an applied social science discipline designed for solving practical problems facing public and nonprofit organizations. This thoroughly revised sixth edition contains a number of important updates: Each chapter includes an all-new'big ideas'case study in policy analysis to stimulate student interest in timely and important problems. The dedicated chapter on evidence-based policy and the role of field experiments has been thoroughly rewritten and expanded. New sections on important developments in the field have been added, including using scientific evidence in public policymaking, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and'big data.'Data sets to apply analytical techniques are included online as IBM SPSS 23.0 files and are convertible to Excel, Stata, and R statistical software programs to suit a variety of course needs and teaching styles. All-new PowerPoint slides are included to make instructor preparation easier than ever before. Designed to prepare students from a variety of academic backgrounds to conduct policy analysis on their own, without requiring a background in microeconomics, Public Policy Analysis, Sixth Edition helps students develop the practical skills needed to communicate findings through memos, position papers, and other forms of structured analytical writing. The text engages students by challenging them to critically analyze the arguments of policy practitioners as well as political scientists, economists, and political philosophers.

The growing ‘constitutional school'of public administration has roots in the Federalist Papers, constitutional law, and the writings of several contemporary leaders and contributors in the field. It is comprised of a loose grouping of scholars who subscribe to the proposition that constitutions and the constitutional characteristics of a regime are key determinants of public administrative culture, institutions, organizations, personnel practices, budgetary and decision-making processes, commitment to the rule of law and human rights, and myriad aspects of overall behavior. Participants in constitutional school research believe that the ‘big questions'in public administration cannot be answered without reference to constitutional designs, institutions, and regime values. This edited volume brings together the most prominent names in constitutional school scholarship in an aim to make it more visible, accessible, and central to the field of public administration's pedagogy, scholarship, and intellectual development. It will be essential reading for scholars and students of public administration with an interest in constitutional / administrative law and political theory around the globe.

The volume discusses the current state of international comparative Third Sector research and potential avenues for future development of the field. Building on seminal work by Helmut Anheier and Lester Salamon, the volume provides necessary updates to ensure further Third Sector research is relevant and impactful due to the changing landscape of international relations and the way that the Third Sector interacts with the state, corporates, and wider civil society to face the new global challenges: environmental, economic and social. The book is articulated in five sections that are organized to move from “theory” to “definition” and “classification” towards “aggregation” (measurement, counting), plus one section dedicated to the relationship between Third Sector and faith. The sixth and final section synthesizes the scientific conversation developed in the five previous ones and opens new research paths for the future. Encompassing multi-disciplinary approaches and international points of view, the volume is directed towards graduate students and researchers across the academic spectrum as well as practitioners and policymakers working in the Third Sector. This is an open access book.

Ethics is at the heart of leadership. Leaders must make every effort to make ethical decisions and foster ethical behavior among followers. The Eighth Edition of Meeting the Ethical Challenges of Leadership: Casting Light or Shadow explores the ethical demands of leadership and the dark side of leadership. Bestselling author Craig E. Johnson takes an interdisciplinary approach, drawing from many fields of research to help readers make ethical decisions, lead with integrity, and create an ethical culture. Packed with dozens of real-world case studies, examples, self-assessments, and applications, this fully-updated new edition is designed to increase students'ethical competence and leadership abilities.

In recent years, the application of artificial intelligence and big data analysis has become increasingly common, including in areas related to security and cybersecurity. The use of artificial intelligence and advanced big data analysis tools has enabled new critical perspectives on many different areas of the world around us. The purpose of this volume is to present the perspectives of researchers, experts and scientists, who are concerned with the problem of the distortion of reality by the authors of false narratives.The book focuses primarily on security matters, issues demanded by the international political and economic situation. Disinformation is a tool of hybrid war, shaping the social and economic environment long before the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Since February 2022, the issues of post-truth, fake news, and disinformation have taken on additional gravity.

The aim of the book is to reevaluate inner dymamics of, and tensions between, individuals who are active in the political process as members of interest groups. To that end, the author creates a model for the individual reasoning, preferences, and motivations made manifest in their observable behavior. This is achieved by analyzing the conduct of individuals in society according to the increasing complexity of interaction in the public sphere. The analysis starts with the ethical concerns of individuals and moves towards their capacities as citizens, voters, and politicians. The author then addresses aspects of social contract theory, as well as the uncertainty that is an inherent part of socialcooperation. An interdisciplinary approach to public choice, as well as elements of constitutional economy, political philosophy, and ethics are brought together to question our understanding of the way individuals and interest groupsoperate in the political sphere due to serious inconsistencies of individual reasoning within the latter.

Social equity is a pillar of public service. Thus, social equity should be a central concern in public management in practice and scholarship. However, widespread incorporation and reflection of social equity practices in government and the anticipated public benefits still seem like an elusive goal. The ability to analytically assess social equity is the first step toward prescribing social equity reforms. Public affairs graduate programs, like a master's in public administration or public policy, often teach public management separately from social equity. This book empirically and theoretically bridges social equity and public management for use in the public affairs graduate classroom. The book highlights international research that leverages public management theory to build reasonable social equity measures and applications. The research highlighted in the text includes studies from across countries in North and South America, Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia. This is the first book specifically designed for global public affairs classrooms that connects public management theory and practice with social equity reforms.