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Purpose: Concerns regarding the dysfunctional behaviours of public officials have sparked renewed interest in public service ethics and spirituality. While national and organizational systems have been established to eliminate dysfunctional behaviours such as corruption, sexual harassment and misuse of confidential information, the practice continues to have a demoralizing impact on developing countries. The study aims to intend to investigate the empirical relation between the application of spirituality and ethics in reducting dysfunctional behaviours within Ghana's Public Sector. Design/methodology/approach: The study conducted a qualitative case analysis that utilized 28 semi-structured interviews and four focus groups. Interviews and group discussions with public sector staff, managers and policymakers were used to collect qualitative data. This approach facilitated an in-depth investigation into their views on dysfunctional actions and the possible impact of workplace spirituality and ethics in the Ghanaian public service. Findings: The study uncovered a persistent recurrence of dysfunctional behaviours, such as fraudulent activities, resource misuse, unofficial work and inappropriate use of official time. There was uncertainty regarding the effectiveness of integrating ethics and spirituality to curtail dysfunctional behaviours. Nevertheless, the results supported adopting spiritual and ethical rejuvenation in the public service as a universal solution to overcome these behaviours. Originality/value: This study enhances comprehension of dysfunctional behaviours in Ghana's public service by providing insights into how spirituality and ethics can transform it. The potentials of workplace spirituality and ethics can lead to a strong public service that embodies accountability, integrity and effectiveness, thereby serving as a pivotal device for Ghana's holistic advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Companies are adopting innovative methods for responsiveness and efficiency in the public transport sector. The implementation of air-taxi services (ATS) in the transport sector is a move in this direction. Air taxis have a two-pronged advantage as they can reduce travel times by avoiding traffic congestion and have the potential to reduce carbon footprint compared to traditional modes of public transportation. Many companies worldwide are developing and testing ATS for practical applications. However, many factors may play a significant role in adopting ATS in the transport sector. This paper attempts to unearth such critical success factors (CSFs) and establish the interrelationships between these factors. Design/methodology/approach: Fifteen CSFs were identified by systematically reviewing the literature and taking experts' input. An integrated multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) technique, Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory-Analytic Network Process (DEMATEL-ANP [DANP]) was used to envisage the causal relationships between the identified CSF. Findings: The results reveal that Govt Regulations (GOR), Skilled Workforce (SKF) and Conductive Research Environment (CRE) are the most influential factors that impact the adoption of ATS in the transport sector. Practical implications: The research implications of these findings will help practitioners and policymakers effectively implement ATS in the public transportation sector. Originality/value: This is the first kind of study that identifies and explores the different CSFs for ATS implementation in public transportation. The CSFs are evaluated with the help of a framework built with inputs from logistics experts. The study recognizes the CSFs for ATS implementation and provides a foundation for future research and smooth adoption of ATS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to assess the effectiveness of a scale measuring artificial intelligence capabilities by using the resource-based theory. It seeks to examine the impact of these capabilities on the organizational-level resources of dynamic capabilities and organizational creativity, ultimately influencing the overall performance of government organizations. Design/methodology/approach: The calibration of artificial intelligence capabilities scale was conducted using a combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis tools. A set of 26 initial items was formed in the qualitative study. In the quantitative study, self-reported data obtained from 344 public managers was used for the purposes of refining and validating the scale. Hypothesis testing is carried out to examine the relationship between theoretical constructs for the purpose of nomological testing. Findings: Results provide empirical evidence that the presence of artificial intelligence capabilities positively and significantly impacts dynamic capabilities, organizational creativity and performance. Dynamic capabilities also found to partially mediate artificial intelligence capabilities relationship with organizational creativity and performance, and organizational creativity partially mediates dynamic capabilities – organizational creativity link. Practical implications: The application of artificial intelligence holds promise for improving decision-making and problem-solving processes, thereby increasing the perceived value of public service. This can be achieved through the implementation of regulatory frameworks that serve as a blueprint for enhancing value and performance. Originality/value: There are a limited number of studies on artificial intelligence capabilities conducted in the government sector, and these studies often present conflicting and inconclusive findings. Moreover, these studies indicate literature has not adequately explored the significance of organizational-level complementarity resources in facilitating the development of unique capabilities within government organizations. This paper presents a framework that can be used by government organizations to assess their artificial intelligence capabilities-organizational performance relation, drawing on the resource-based theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study operationalizes risks in stakeholder dialog (SD). It conceptualizes SD as co-produced organizational discourse and examines the capacities of organizers' and stakeholders' practices to create a shared understanding of an organization's risks to their mutual benefit. The meetings and online forum of a German public service media (PSM) organization were used as a case study. Design/methodology/approach: The authors applied corpus-driven linguistic discourse analysis (topic modeling) to analyze citizens' (n = 2,452) forum posts (n = 14,744). Conversation analysis was used to examine video-recorded online meetings. Findings: Organizers suspended actors' reciprocity in meetings. In the forums, topics emerged autonomously. Citizens' articulation of their identities was more diverse than the categories the organizer provided, and organizers did not respond to the autonomous emergence of contextualizations of citizens' perceptions of PSM performance in relation to their identities. The results suggest that risks arise from interactionally achieved occasions that prevent reasoned agreement and from actors' practices, which constituted autonomous discursive formations of topics and identities in the forums. Originality/value: This study disentangles actors' practices, mutuality orientation and risk enactment during SD. It advances the methodological knowledge of strategic communication research on SD, utilizing social constructivist research methods to examine the contingencies of organization-stakeholder interaction in SD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Village health volunteers are community health volunteers in Thailand that have helped the government deliver public health services for many years, particularly during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Though labeled as "volunteers," the village health volunteers are recruited, trained and supervised in a manner similar to how a government agency recruits, trains and supervises its street-level bureaucrats (SLBs). This study examines the two factors that affect how these street-level quasi-bureaucrats use their professional discretion: transformational leadership and public service motivation (PSM). Transformational leadership means a leadership style that develops, shares and sustains a vision to elevate SLBs to higher levels of performance, while PSM is defined as an SLB's predisposition to make a difference by working in the public sector with a sense of calling. This study attempts to analyze the mediating role of psychological empowerment in the relationship between transformational leadership, PSM and professional discretion. Design/methodology/approach: The paper uses a three-wave survey-based quantitative method to avoid common method biases. This method provides evidence gathered from 105 subdistrict health promotion hospitals and 798 village health volunteers (VHVs) in five provinces in Thailand. Findings: PSM and transformational leadership influence the village health volunteers' use of professional discretion indirectly through the psychological empowerment mechanisms that make them feel positive toward their village health volunteer role and responsibility. The authors' findings suggest that the hospital directors' transformational leadership induces the village health volunteers' use of professional discretion by making them feel competent to do their work and feel fulfilled and valuable about their work. Similarly, the village health volunteers' PSM leads them to use professional discretion by making them feel fulfilled and valuable and by convincing them of the social and community impact of their work. Research limitations/implications: While existing research focuses on VHVs' role in alleviating capacity constraints on the health care system, this study revealed an equally important role played by hospital directors. These directors' transformational leadership was instrumental in enhancing VHVs' psychological empowerment – particularly their perceptions of the meaning of their work and their competence – that ultimately enabled them to use professional discretion in their work. This study also highlighted the importance of VHVs' PSM, which leads to their use of professional discretion via the meaning and impact dimensions of psychological empowerment. Based on this study, PSM should also be incorporated into the community health volunteers' recruitment criteria. Also, public health agencies should consider including transformational leadership in the hospital directors' training programs and their promotion criteria. Practical implications: As VHVs' high-PSM level was found to enhance their professional discretion, the process of recruiting ordinary citizens to serve as community health volunteers should incorporate assessment of the candidates' PSM. Also, the Ministry of Public Health should design and assign tasks that citizen volunteers, particularly VHVs, consider meaningful and at which they feel competent. Social implications: Aside from technical training, directors of the subdistrict health promotion hospitals should regularly receive soft skill training (i.e. leadership training) and transformational leadership characteristics should be included in the government criteria for promotion. Originality/value: While past research has examined the impact of other leadership styles on psychological empowerment, this study took a further step by examining the mediating effects of psychological empowerment on the relationship between transformational leadership and professional discretion among VHVs. The authors analyzed the mechanism linking PSM to the VHVs' professional discretion. In addition, by examining the relative importance of different dimensions of psychological empowerment, this study offers a nuanced understanding of the psychological processes by which transformational leadership and PSM shape the SLBs' use of professional discretion in their work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: By increasing the digitalization of commercial services citizens' expect more from public services. First of all, this study will strive to identify which problems citizens encounter when they use a complex public service: preparation of an application for a building permit. In the light of the popularity of omnichannel approaches, the study then explores how omni-channel could help to address the problems which have been identified. Design/methodology/approach: We implement the first phases of an action design science research project. We collect data both from citizens and public agencies and frame them as transparency problems. These abstract problems are then addressed by an omnichannel service provision as an abstract solution. The abstract solution is then instantiated in a design in the form of a user scenario developed in collaboration with current and future public officials. Findings: The analysis uncovers multiple transparency issues: it distinguishes between process, case, language, cross-channel and cost transparency. One root cause of the transparency issues observed is the lack of service transparency which defines the purpose and scope of a ser-vice. We therefore recommend defining a service-strategy before informational and technical aspects of an omnichannel approach can be implemented. Following this strategy, omnichannel offers public administrations unique opportunities to excel in citizens' service provision. Originality/value: The study provides insights into how citizens view complex public services. For researchers, this study offers the conceptualization as transparency issues. Practitioners from the public administrations can also benefit from the concept and vision of omnichannel public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Deterioration of integrity is featured in public service across the globe, including Tanzania. Local government authorities (LGAs) are among the areas where such practices have been reported. However, factors compromising integrity in LGAs receives less attention from the literature. Citing 19 LGAs from Tanzania, this study aims to examine contributes to this debate. Design/methodology/approach: A sequential explanatory research design was applied. Data were collected from 54 respondents through survey questionnaires, interviews and a documentary review. The study was guided by Hoekstra theoretical framework for assessing integrity practices in LGAs. Findings: The findings revealed that maintaining integrity in Tanzania's LGAs is still challenging. Poor institutionalization processes, institutional unpreparedness, insufficient integrity policy execution and being less informed of moral development of recruited public servants are said to compromise integrity in Tanzania LGAs. This qualifies to conclude that institutional pathologies and moral history of public servants are the major factors contributing to integrity deterioration in Tanzania LGAs. This has resulted in subpar service delivery and the waste of public funds. Research limitations/implications: This study confined itself to Tanzania LGAs. More studies could be conducted to LGAs in other countries struggling with the same problem. On the same ground, moral development should be studied more to ensure that the public service receives ethical public servants in the future. Practical implications: The theoretical framework for assessing integrity systems in LGAs as proposed by Hoekstra (2022) could be applied by other countries struggling with the same challenge. Originality/value: LGAs must implement an integrity-based self-reflection technique that will allow them to assess their current condition and come up with solutions. Furthermore, institutional policies must be strengthened to govern ethical behavior in LGAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John Kenneth Galbraith's social balance theory is an important theme in many of his books, particularly The Affluent Society, The New Industrial State, and Economics and the Public Purpose. Galbraith's social balance theory states that forces driving private consumption in an industrial society will outpace the development and provision of public goods and services with consequences on the well-being of society (Stanfield, 1996, p. 49). The theory leads to several questions: (1) What is the specific relationship between private and public goods and consumption? (2) What is optimized with social balancing? (3) Does the relationship between private and public goods change over time? and (4) How do we evaluate the types of public goods we need? This chapter explores these questions and examines the type of public goods we need today to serve our communities better. For example, police presence and activities in many minority communities are now viewed negatively, as evidenced by the "defund the police" movement. Conversely, some have advocated for greater public spending on community mental health programs and new initiatives to deal with racism in communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The aim of this study is to determine the most critical success factors (CSFs) of lean adoption in a specific Greek public services subsector namely citizen's service centers (CSCs) and to define their underlying structure (latent constructs). Design/methodology/approach: In this study an online structured questionnaire survey was distributed to all the Greek CSCs and six hundred and seventy-two employees responded and fully completed the questionnaire. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were applied to assess the reliability and validity of the latent constructs of the Lean CSFs. Findings: Data analysis revealed that the latent constructs of the lean CSFs, namely communication, top management commitment and leadership, organizational culture, training and education, change and project management, availability of resources, teamwork, and employee involvement and empowerment are of major importance for the adoption of lean in the CSCs. Research limitations/implications: The small percentage of the responding employees of the Greek CSCs, given their large population and the subjective nature of the data collected constitute the main limitations of the present study. Practical implications: The findings of this research can guide managers and decision makers of CSCs in recognizing the key factors that potentially will influence the successful adoption of lean, and the enhancement of the quality management initiatives of these services organizations. Moreover, the formulated model can also serve as a reference for academics and researchers to generate new research ideas. Finally, the results may offer guidelines to managers of public services organizations of other countries with a similar structure of the public sector. Originality/value: The present study is stimulated by the existing gap identified in the literature in the field of the public sector. Building on the public sector literature, this is the first study that evaluates the importance of the CSFs of lean in the Greek CSCs and defines their underlying structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Chinese government hopes to achieve the goal of benefiting citizens by building a National Integrated Online Government Service Platform (NIOGSP). However, citizens' low adoption of the platform makes it difficult for the government to achieve its goal. Research on the influencing factors of citizen adoption of NIOGSP can help the government fully understand the concerns and needs of its citizens and take targeted measures to increase citizen adoption. Design/methodology/approach: First, this research builds a model of the citizen adoption process, including attention, retention and motivation, based on an observational learning model. Next, research variables are determined based on social cognitive theory, literature review and real-world needs. Finally, based on the questionnaire survey and structural equation model, the influencing factors of each stage of the citizen adoption process model are studied and the relationship between the three stages of the model is verified. Findings: Results show that perceived usefulness (PU) and self-efficacy (SE) positively affect attention. SE positively affects retention, while perceived privacy (PP) negatively affects retention. PU, social influence, PP and anxiety positively affect motivation. Originality/value: The conclusion of this study can provide reference for governments in various countries to establish and improve online one-stop government. In addition, this study verifies the citizen adoption process model and finds that there is no obvious causal relationship between attention and retention, but both have positive effects on motivation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to explore how transformational leaders enhance public service employees' growth satisfaction in the job and mitigate job stress and burnout, incorporating follower interpersonal communication satisfaction with the leader (IPCSL) as a mediator. Design/methodology/approach: On the basis of the survey data collected from the Indian public service employees, regression analysis, bootstrapping and SOBEL test are used to test the proposed research model. Findings: The findings highlighted a partial mediation of follower interpersonal communication satisfaction with leader between transformational leadership (TL) and public service employees' growth satisfaction in the job. Although there was no significant direct effect of TL on job stress and burnout, the results underlined a significant indirect effect of follower IPCSL. Originality/value: By examining the important role of follower IPCSL, this study unravels the precise intervening mechanism between TL and follower affective outcomes like growth satisfaction in job, job stress and burnout among public service employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Even as governments worldwide take extraordinary measures and spend unprecedented amounts of their state budgets to combat COVID-19, tax compliance remains challenging. Therefore, this study employs previously identified predictors to investigate the factors that persuade individual taxpayers to comply with the law. Design/methodology/approach: Individual taxpayers in Indonesia (N = 699) who had experienced COVID-19-related benefits were asked to assess the provided evaluation regarding the tax compliance intention and its determinants. The bootstrapping analysis was employed using smart partial least squares (SmartPLS) to test the hypotheses. Findings: The results suggest that the perceived fiscal exchange, tax morality, tax fairness, tax complexity and the power of authority are significant determinants of tax compliance intention. This study also supports the indirect effects of numerous factors on tax compliance intention through the perceived fiscal exchange and tax morality. In practice, reminding taxpayers of how tax payments fund public services, improving taxpayer morale, increasing the perceived fairness of the tax system, streamlining the tax code and managing the effectiveness of tax administration could all lead to a greater intention to comply with the law. Originality/value: In addition to highlighting the dynamics of tax compliance amid the unprecedented pandemic crisis, our findings also provide insight into the importance of perceived fiscal exchange and tax morality for achieving and sustaining planned behavior to comply with tax rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to ascertain the forms of social enterprises created for public services and the dimensions of community-based management of public facilities. It seeks to understand how community-based facilities management (CbFM) can apply to the management of public services created by social enterprises in developing communities. Design/methodology/approach: The study examines research studies on CbFM through a scoping review of papers published between 1997 and 2022. Findings: The scoping review revealed that there are five dimensions of CbFM for developing communities: CbFM, urban facilities management, sustainable CbFM, urban infrastructure management and management of community hubs. It also revealed that social enterprises have been used to manage services, and for social inclusion, and to increase the efficiency of tangible infrastructure in communities. Research limitations/implications: The scoping review included literature from 1997 to 2022 to understand the development trends in CbFM in developing communities. It is possible that literature from a broader timeframe could have produced more in-depth understanding of the subject investigated. Practical implications: The paper articulates a framework of CbFM models for public services in developing communities and developed a database of the relevant studies, which can further guide future researchers, stakeholders and policymakers in this area. Originality/value: The comprehensive review produced a framework for community management of public services. It also identified that there is a paucity of literature on social infrastructure. It highlighted the need for skillsets to support community-based enterprises. There are limited studies that touch on the development of performance indicators for developing communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: There is widespread and long-lasting worry related to the condition of public purpose buildings and public investments. Public buildings make up a huge capital stock and proper maintenance and investments are important for public policy. Notwithstanding, the relevant research literature is fragmented and spread across several fields. The authors take stock of earlier and more recent research and suggest some ideas for future research. Design/methodology/approach: The authors summarize the relevant literature and discuss implications of various theoretical assumptions and empirical findings for maintenance and investment strategies. Findings: A better understanding of the role of public facilities in public service provision is important. Relevant topics for further research are the impact of technological changes, both in buildings and service provision, economic issues including macroeconomic shocks and trends that influence public funding and demand for public services, and advancing maintenance scheduling models to consider a portfolio of facilities. Further, the empirical literature suffers from a lack of relevant data to gauge both the condition of public facilities and their impact on public services. Originality/value: There is widespread worry that poor facilities adversely impact public services, but the size and significance of this impact are an open question. This paper contributes by taking stock of the existing research on public facilities, maintenance, and investments, and suggest ideas for further work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the basic public service level in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region under the impact of COVID-19. Design/methodology/approach: This study constructed a basic public service-level evaluation system from the five dimensions of education, culture, health, social security and infrastructure and environment, and measures the basic public service level in 13 cities in Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei using the entropy method. The spatial pattern and dynamic evolution of the public service level are analysed from the perspective of dynamic trends in time series and spatial distribution, along with the reasons for the evolution of spatial distribution. Findings: (1) The basic public service level in the 13 cities is generally on the rise, but the trend is unstable. (2) The basic public service level in space shows a general trend of attenuation from northeast to southwest, with significant spatial imbalance and orientation. (3) The regional differences first increase and then decrease. (4) The inter-group mobility of different basic public service levels is low, and cities with lower initial levels find it difficult to achieve leapfrog development. Moreover, the health service level of the region is still at a low stage, which is not conducive to effectively preventing and controlling the epidemic. Originality/value: From the perspective of this research, the spatial pattern and dynamic evolution of basic public service were adopted to analyse the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. Furthermore, this study discusses how to improve the basic public service level to ensure sustainable operation in the region under the impact of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the impact of ethical leadership on the extra-role behavior toward individuals of employees in the public sector. In addition, the study examines the mediating roles of supervisor-subordinate guanxi and public service motivation. Design/methodology/approach: Research data were collected from 222 public servants in local government, Vietnam. Study using partial least square SEM (PLS-SEM) method performed by SmartPLS 3.2.9. Findings: Ethical leadership has a direct impact on OCBI. In turn, supervisor-subordinate guanxi holds mediating role in linking the relationship between ethical leadership and OCBI. Public service motivation mediates nexuses between ethical leadership, supervisor-subordinate guanxi and OCBI. Research limitations/implications: To encourage public servants to engage in interpersonal citizenship behaviors, leaders must focus on fostering an ethical climate in the workplace by acting as an ethical model and encouraging ethical standards in daily work. Originality/value: The study provides new insights on the mediating role of public service motivation, guanxi from the perspective of the leader's ethical aspect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Identifying the complementary effects of ride-sharing on public transit is critical to understanding the potential value of growing partnerships between public transit agencies and ride-sharing platforms. The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether and how ride-sharing services complement public transit. Design/methodology/approach: Taking advantage of a natural experiment whereby subway Line 2 opened after the entry of ride-sharing services in Xiamen, this study uses a difference-in-differences approach to identify the complementary effects of ride-sharing on public transit based on a proprietary fine-grained trip-level data set from a large ride-sharing platform. Findings: This study obtained the encouraging finding that ride-sharing has a significant complementary effect on the subway, as the number of ride-sharing pickups and drop-offs at subway stations increased by 130% and 117.9%, respectively, after the subway opening. Moreover, mechanism analysis shows that the complementary effect of ride-sharing services is stronger when connection distance is short (i.e. under 6 km) and when the transportation availability is limited (i.e. at night or in the areas with low transit supply and low population density). Practical implications: The findings provide guidelines for promoting cooperation between public transit agencies and ride-sharing platforms to build an efficient and sustainable urban transport system. Originality/value: This study is the first to examine the complementary effect of ride-sharing services on public transit via unique fine-grained ride-sharing trips data, and further reveal the underlying mechanism behind this effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Concerning the decision-making of frontline bureaucrats, research has suggested that caseworkers take into account a broader range of legal, organisational, professional and personal aspects. Their decision-making can offset social rights, when it neglects policy goals, but it can support social rights if the decisions consider clients' perspective. Design/methodology/approach: Based on a factorial survey experiment with 197 Viennese caseworkers of the employment service, the caseworkers were asked how likely they would be to refer nine different typical clients to the introductory session for the programme "Women into Technical and Craft Professions", whereby different dimensions were altered to grasp regulations and clients' perspective. Findings: In the multilevel analysis, the interest of the clients in a technical-educational programme demonstrates the strongest positive effect, which complies with the programme's political intention. Other pertinent criteria may support clients' interests and the organizational performance goals, but neglect clients' position, when they counteract performance goals. Primarily, caseworkers do what they must and follow mandatory and performance criteria. Research limitations/implications: On the caseworker's level, further research should aim to reach larger samples. Furthermore, the impact of performance goals on caseworker's decision making has to regard different professional groups beside personnel and labour market experts. Practical implications: The findings suggest that a focus on the micro-level is needed to evaluate the impact of social policies. The practitioner's position is crucial to juggling legal goals and client's need. Social implications: Performance goals ought to better reflect social rights on a broader scale. Originality/value: This article provides new evidence on the level of discretion caseworkers execute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Malaysia's building regulation is mainly based on the Uniform Building By-Laws (UBBL) 1984 which provides guidelines on the procedures for building plans approval and other means of development control. However, the application of these by-laws varies between local authorities, as they are gazetted by different state governments. The formulation of UBBL 1984 which was originally formulated to address the need for a standardized set of building regulations for the country is now perceived as inconsistent and complex. Therefore, this research attempts to examine the discrepancies between state by-laws, particularly Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur and national UBBL 1984. Design/methodology/approach: Critical review of the content of the UBBL (Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur) 1985 and national UBBL 1984 was carried out to pinpoint discrepancies between the two by-laws. Findings: Differences between national UBBL and Kuala Lumpur By-laws fall into four main categories particularly terminology, prescriptive requirements, presence of terms and by-laws. Three editorial spelling and typing errors were also found in the national UBBL 1984. It is argued that the errors and differences lead to confusion and pose unnecessary regulatory burden to the construction industry which ultimately discourage people to disobey the rules. The identified discrepancies between these by-laws showed an urgent need to review the current building by-laws considering today's technologies, norms and citizen needs. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first of many fruitful contributions that examine discrepancies between by-laws that govern building control matters in Malaysia. Although centred on legislation in Malaysia, the findings are relevant for governments around the world working towards improving public service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article examines the overlooked literature on algorithmic profiling in public employment services (APPES) in the field of public administration. More specifically, it aims to provide an overview and connections to identify directions for future research. Design/methodology/approach: To understand the existing literature, this article conducts the first systematic literature review on APPES. Through inductive coding of the identified studies, the analysis identifies concepts and themes, and the relationships among them. Findings: The literature review shows that APPES constitutes an emerging field of research encompassed by four strands and associated research disciplines. Further, the data analysis identifies 23 second-order themes, five dimensions and ten interrelationships, thus suggesting that the practices and effects of algorithmic profiling are multidimensional and dynamic. Research limitations/implications: The findings demonstrate the importance of future research on APPES undertaking a holistic approach. Studying certain dimensions and interrelationships in isolation risks overlooking mutually vital aspects, resulting in findings of limited relevance. A holistic approach entails considering both the technical and social effects of APPES. Originality/value: This literature review contributes by connecting the existing literature across different research approaches and disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the impact of migration growth on environmental outcomes and local governance and assess how well the existing local municipal governance has responded to the environmental impact of increased migration influx in Ontario, Canada using the annual data during 2012–2021. Design/methodology/approach: This study used the grey relational analysis (GRA) to examine the correlation degree between migrant growth, environmental outcomes and local governance, used coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) to access to what extent the existing local governance systems have responded to the environmental impact of immigrant growth. Findings: Results show that higher immigrant populations are associated with worse environmental outcomes and the need for more municipal environmental investment and service. The present local municipal environmental service in Ontario lags behind in response to the environmental impacts of increased migration. Good local governance practices and environmental services are required to improve the environmental adaptation capacity of host countries to migrant influx. Originality/value: Climate change has been regarded as an important driver of internal and international human migration. The mass influxes of migrants will threaten cities' environmental quality and put considerable pressure on municipal services. This study provides empirical evidence for Ontario's municipal environmental governance and relevant authorities on how to deal with the environmental impact of increased migration and contributes to call the attention of other countries to the urban environmental pressure caused by migration influx due to the changing climate world wide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine an important mechanism in the policy-led institutional transitions in China, namely, Te Shi Te Ban (Special Treatments for Special Matters) – an institutional device that facilitates policy implementation. The discussions are contextualized based on the latest chapter of China's institutional transition, known as the reform initiative of Fang Guan Fu (i.e. the FGF reform: delegate power, streamline administration and optimize government services), which is a policy regime introduced in 2018 to improve the state-market relationship for better socioeconomic development. Design/methodology/approach: Based on the theoretical lens of proto-institutions and institutional work and using real-life examples from mass media, this perspective paper examines the effects of the Special Treatments in the institutional transition under the FGF Reform. Findings: The Special Treatments are the proto-institutions purposively adopted by the regulators in China to innovate, supervise and renovate the rules and norms during policy implementation. They produce both incremental and radical institutional effects which allow for a more efficient and effective policy-led institutional transition. Originality/value: This study contributes to institutional theory in the Chinese management context. Foremost, this study introduces the concept of proto-institutional work and shows how proto-institutions can serve as a mechanism to support and manage the process of institutional transition. In addition, to the best of the authors' knowledge, this paper is the first to study the FGF Reform – the latest reform initiative in China and theorize an under-researched but important mechanism in its institutional environment – the Special Treatments for Special Matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Governments are increasingly turning to artificial intelligence (AI) algorithmic systems to increase efficiency and effectiveness of public service delivery. While the diffusion of AI offers several desirable benefits, caution and attention should be posed to the accountability of AI algorithm decision-making systems in the public sector. The purpose of this paper is to establish the main challenges that an AI algorithm might bring about to public service accountability. In doing so, the paper also delineates future avenues of investigation for scholars. Design/methodology/approach: This paper builds on previous literature and anecdotal cases of AI applications in public services, drawing on streams of literature from accounting, public administration and information technology ethics. Findings: Based on previous literature, the paper highlights the accountability gaps that AI can bring about and the possible countermeasures. The introduction of AI algorithms in public services modifies the chain of responsibility. This distributed responsibility requires an accountability governance, together with technical solutions, to meet multiple accountabilities and close the accountability gaps. The paper also delineates a research agenda for accounting scholars to make accountability more "intelligent". Originality/value: The findings of the paper shed new light and perspective on how public service accountability in AI should be considered and addressed. The results developed in this paper will stimulate scholars to explore, also from an interdisciplinary perspective, the issues public service organizations are facing to make AI algorithms accountable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims mainly to examine the mediating role of public service motivation (PSM) in the relationship between servant leadership and employee performance in the context of Ethiopian public sector organization employees. Design/methodology/approach: A survey design has been used, where all the 154 employees from seven public sector organizations participated. A confirmatory factor analysis employed on the 149 valid responses further validated the hypothesized model. Findings: The study supported the significant relationship between servant leadership, public service motivation and job performance. Moreover, it exhibited a complete mediating effect of public service motivation, on the relationship between servant leadership and an employee's job performance. Practical implications: The successful mediation of PSM into servant leadership and job performance indicates that the new government must focus on empowering colleagues to have a say in the department-level policy formulation process. Originality/value: The novelty of this study stems from the fact that it is a rare study that investigates the relationship between PSM and servant leadership and job performance in Africa, particularly in Ethiopia, where a regime change in 2018 triggered a flurry of reforms to the public sector work culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to reframe the whistleblowing process by examining the individual and situational factors that have been overlooked by prior studies. Ethical climate, public service motivation (PSM), organisation identification and psychological safety are inquired. Design/methodology/approach: The present study sample was drawn from a population of Indonesian local governments located in east Java, Indonesia. Particularly, self-administered questionnaires were hand-distributed to the employees in the four local governments. Of 2,169 questionnaires distributed to the employees, 1,687 questionnaires were returned to the researcher. However, the researcher removed 33 returned questionnaires because of poor data quality, such as incomplete answers. Thus, only 1,654 questionnaires were analysed in this study. Findings: The findings support the idea of an ethical climate that can encourage the individual to blow the whistle. However, its effect is indirect. The predictive power of ethical climate on the individual's whistleblowing intentions depends on the meditating roles of PSM, psychological safety and organisation identification. Interestingly, the mediating effects of PSM, psychological safety and organisation identification are extremely acknowledged when individuals have an opportunity to choose internal or external disclosures. Originality/value: This study produces a different approach to understanding people's intentions to report any wrongdoings. This study is dissimilar from prior studies in terms of the theoretical paradigm and research design. Previous studies mostly used students as their experiments. In contrast, the current study recruited employees who work in local governments. This situation fundamentally affects the understanding of the impact of an ethical climate on the individual intention to blow the whistle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although Norway is an affluent country, there is widespread and long-lasting worry related to the condition of public purpose buildings. The purpose of this paper is to study how the condition of local public purpose buildings affect citizen satisfaction with local public services in Norwegian local governments, using data from two Norwegian survey data sets. Design/methodology/approach: This paper investigates how the conditions of local public purpose buildings affect residents' satisfaction with local public services, using data from two Norwegian survey data sets. The data is analyzed using regression analysis. Findings: This paper finds a significantly positive relationship between building conditions and overall satisfaction with local public services, kindergartens and schools. This paper finds no such relationship between building conditions and satisfaction with nursing homes. This paper quantifies the average expected impact on public service satisfaction from a hypothetical one unit improvement in building conditions, as measured on the building condition scale, and discuss this impact in the context of expenditure on public services. Originality/value: There is widespread worry that poor facilities adversely impact public services, but the size and significance of this impact are open questions. This paper contributes by offering new insights into the relationship between the condition of public buildings and provision of public services. The results indicate how the state of public facilities should be considered a part of the production function for public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Despite much research, too many employees are disengaged in their work. As such, the present research uses a public sector setting to investigate variables (e.g. public service motivation and high-involvement climate) most likely associated with engagement and demonstrates a conceptual and empirical link to relevant outcomes (e.g. job performance and perceived meaningfulness). Design/methodology/approach: Across a work week, the authors analyze the drivers and outcomes of public service employees' engagement levels and the mediating effect of employee engagement. Findings: Employee engagement mediated the positive relationship between the authors' independent variables of public service motivation and high-involvement climate and our outcomes of supervisor-rated employee performance and meaningfulness. All direct and indirect effects were statistically significant and positive. Research limitations/implications: The authors' sample is a nonprofit government agency, so the results may lack generalizability. Although self-determination theory (SDT) guided their choice of variables and hypotheses, they did not measure the specific needs satisfaction (competence, relatedness, and autonomy) associated with the SDT. Practical implications: Managers in public-service organizations may want to recruit those high in public service motivation and institute a high-involvement climate via manager skill training. Originality/value: This article follows a meta-analysis call on SDT to test the impact of variables that fall under the identified form of autonomous motivation, and investigate their impact on engagement and other positive organizational outcomes (e.g. job performance and perceived meaningfulness). Additionally, the author followed calls to extend engagement research to focus on specific industry sectors, such as the public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of organizational goal ambiguity (OGA) on public service motivation (PSM) considering the mediating role of job satisfaction (JS), performance appraisal (PA) and perceived organizational fairness (POF) in the Iranian public sector. This research also seeks to answer this question: to what extent PSM confirmed in Western countries is generalizable to the Iranian public sector? Design/methodology/approach: A survey of 779 employees working in 16 ministries of Iran was administered. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and hierarchical regression were applied to test the model and the mediators. Findings: The results indicate that OGA negatively affects PSM, and this relationship is mediated by JS, PA and POF. Furthermore, the research findings have varied across ministries, contract type, positions and gender. Most importantly, the generalizability of the PSM construct is limited in the public sector of Iran since two of four dimensions of PSM were confirmed, that is, an attraction to public service and self-sacrifice (compassion). Practical implications: This paper provides managers and decision makers with a clear understanding of the effects of context (including goal ambiguity, the importance of employee's attitudes and HR systems in shaping unique intrinsic motivation for public organizations) on employee's PSM. Also, these findings show how they can manage and motivate employees to engage in PSM. By clarifying organizational goals or making an association between job tasks and higher-level goals, practitioners can stimulate PSM at work. Originality/value: This paper advances a new and further understanding of antecedent and mediators of PSM in Iran. Also, it provides an explanation of its generalizability and the role of organizational climate in fostering it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Government information and services are increasingly delivered online through the Internet or other digital means. To benefit citizens, such electronic government (e-government) must be incorporated in their government-related information behavior. This study reviews citizens' information behavior in relation to e-government. Design/methodology/approach: Following procedures for systematic reviews, this study reviews 53 papers about citizens' e-government information behavior. Findings: The review finds that citizens (1) employ a rich set of quality, accessibility and non-utilitarian criteria in their perception of e-government; (2) use e-government in combination with offline channels; (3) choose channels on the basis of demographic and situational factors; (4) make frequent use of interpersonal sources and (5) may or may not achieve the intended outcome of their e-government information behavior. E-government information behavior has a lot in common with information behaviors in other domains, but it also accentuates certain facets of information behavior, such as the simultaneous use of multiple channels. In addition, mixed findings are common. Research limitations/implications: Interpersonal sources, both lay and professional, are integral to citizens' e-government information behavior. Yet, theoretical frameworks for understanding information behavior tend to focus on the individual citizen. Practical implications: On its own, e-government is most suited for simpler problems. More complex problems require an information behavior that combines e-government with interpersonal sources. Originality/value: E-government shapes how citizens satisfy their government-related information needs. This study provides an overview of the otherwise scattered research on this information behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research systematically reviewed studies on tax compliance based on five determinants consisting of tax services, trust in government, personal norm, social norm and religiosity. Design/methodology/approach: The research used a vote-counting method to synthesize 279 studies consisting of 160 empirical studies and 119 non-empirical studies conducted from 1946 until 2017. Findings: The research has made a relatively robust conclusion related to the impacts of determinant factors on tax compliance. Tax service and trust in government are the most critical factors to increase tax compliance. Personal norm, social norm and religiosity encourage tax compliance, yet the influence is not as strong as expected. Practical implications: This research suggests that improving tax service and government trust are more effective and relatively easier to implement than developing the taxpayers' positive behaviors. Originality/value: Several studies conducted to synthesize the impacts of determinant factors on tax compliance were only limited to the empirical research which provided sufficient statistical data. On the other hand, there were many substantial research types discussing tax compliance without involving statistical numbers. The facts have distorted the complete picture of tax compliance. Recently, no synthesis studies have comprehensively combined and compared the empirical with non-empirical research based on the related theories. Thus, the synthesis studies that discuss tax compliance based on non-deterrence approach are still limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The maintenance of hospital buildings is often acknowledged as challenging tasks yet inevitable to ensure effective delivery of health-care functions. This study aims to investigate the rationale behind the execution of maintenance which provides essential input for better prioritization of maintenance tasks. Design/methodology/approach: This study evaluated the determinants of building maintenance of public hospitals in Malaysia from the perspectives of key personnel appointed to monitor, supervise and inspect the activities of the privatised support services in public hospitals. A total of 66 questionnaire survey responses were analysed. Findings: Findings revealed that the maintenance practices in public hospitals are user-centric with high emphasis on user's expectations and complaints. Comparatively, vandalism and improper use of facilities were less of concerns. Originality/value: This paper reveals the key determinants that influence decision-making in building maintenance of the Malaysian public hospitals from the perspective of maintenance personnel. It adds value to the under-researched topic of privatised hospital support services, which is currently outsourced to five concession companies nationwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to ascertain empirically to what extent we can quantify an occupational shift, where a new type of bureaucracy of organisational professionals is on the rise in tertiary educational institutions in New Zealand. Furthermore, the objective is also to present accountability as the prime factor behind the changes. Design/methodology/approach: The analytical strategy of the study takes a point of departure in the distinction between occupational and organisational professionals in the public sector in general, and more specifically in tertiary education (TE). Based on these new categorisations, the authors have used various descriptive historical statistics (both national and institutional) to estimate changes over time. Findings: The article finds, in line with some international research, that there has been a comparatively higher growth of organisational professionals in TE in New Zealand, and a significantly higher growth than in the private sector and in the overall public services. The authors hypothesise that this growth can be associated with accountability (both vertical and horizontal) as the dominant notion in TE. Originality/value: This article takes a different approach than the existing literature on administrative intensity in TE by looking at occupational changes rather than changes in institutions budgets. This article also confirms some of the findings in the growing international literature on changes in professional roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper explores the main drivers of the regional-level digital divide in Ecuadorian cities and the extent to which the information and communication technology (ICT) adoption by citizens influences local-level policymakers' decisions to develop eGovernment services. Design/methodology/approach: The paper used an exploratory approach. The authors empirically assessed the provision of eGovernment services in each of the 36 Ecuadorian local governments following the Local Online Service Index (LOSI) measurement scale proposed by the United Nations, and then evaluated the drivers of the eGovernment divide at a local level. Ordinary least squares regression analysis was used. Findings: The findings indicate that the digital divide is driven by income and education disparities, and that eGovernment availability is driven by ICT use. It appears that proper attention to technology use by its citizens is not being given by local-level policymakers in Ecuador when they devise their eGovernment strategy. Research limitations/implications: Because the data were available at different levels of aggregation, there may be some inaccuracy of the indicators and lack of generalizability. Researchers are encouraged to test this hypotheses with data at lower levels of aggregation and from different latitudes to provide a comparative view between countries. Practical implications: The paper includes implications for policymakers and local authorities regarding how the limitations on eGovernment development may be mitigated. Originality/value: This study fulfils the need to assess digital development and its impact on eGovernment services at a city level in a developing country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: A sustainable transportation system should represent a win-win situation: minimizing transport's impact on the environment and reducing natural disasters' effects on transportation. A well-distributed set of rain gauges is crucial for monitoring services in smart cities. However, those services should consider the uncertainties about the registers of rainfall impacts. In this paper, the authors present a case study of optimal rain gauge location based on an actual database of rainfall events with impacts on urban mobility in the city of Sao Paulo (Brazil). Design/methodology/approach: This paper presents a maximal covering location formulation and proposes a robustness analysis considering spatial location perturbations. Findings: In this case study, the robustness of the objective function is above 99.99%. The robustness for the number of covered demand points is 88.93%, and the frequency associated with every candidate is between 11.71% and 69.49%. Originality/value: Incorporating spatial uncertainties on coverage problems is essential to provide stakeholders more realistic supporting tools and to draw different possible scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Public service motivation (PSM), among actual and prospective employees in the public sector, lead to positive work outcomes. However, there is limited integration of PSM with existing motivational theories, especially self-determination theory (SDT). The impact of destructive leadership styles on PSM is also understudied. The study aims to fill the gap. Design/methodology/approach: The study used a cross-sectional survey of 693 public sector officials employed in Indian Railways to test the hypotheses. PLS-SEM was used for the analysis. The study found that fulfillment of basic psychological needs (BPN) at work leads to improved PSM while BPN partially mediates the positive/negative effect of constructive/destructive leadership styles like servant/autocratic leadership on employees' PSM. Findings: Autocratic/servant leadership was negatively/positively and significantly related to PSM and to all three BPN needs. Servant leadership was found to be positively and significantly related to all three BPN needs, while the BPN needs partially mediated the relationship between servant leadership and PSM. Research limitations/implications: The study identifies servant leadership as a driver of PSM and suggests that managers employed in public sector establishments should be trained to be less autocratic and more attuned to subordinates' needs. The baneful impact of autocratic leadership on employee PSM is highlighted. The cross-sectional nature of study makes it susceptible to common-method bias. The sample was limited to a single country. Future longitudinal and experimental studies based on samples drawn from multiple countries can yield more robust results. Originality/value: The study advances the integration of PSM with SDT by identifying PSM with introjected motivation. It is also the first study to link destructive leadership styles with a reduction in employees' PSM. It identifies a counterintuitive, negative relationship between competence need satisfaction and PSM in the Indian public sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Many developing countries such as South Africa have been introducing measurement of results to improve public service delivery. The practice of development of performance measures in the public service emanates from pressure exerted by citizens who are calling for more efficiency and effectiveness in delivering services. This article examines the implementation of the audit of pre-determined objectives at the Department of Basic Education (DBE). Design/methodology/approach: This study is based on a qualitative case study approach. Secondary sources of data were used in order to analyse the DBE's challenges in managing performance information. Key secondary documents used include the AGSA annual audit reports as well as the DBE 2010/11–2014/15 Strategic Plan and Annual Performance Plans (APP) that provide the pre-determined objectives selected by the Department to measure performance for the five-year period. Findings: The findings indicate that there are shortcomings in the processes of managing performance information. Based on the findings, it is incumbent upon the senior management of the DBE to strive towards understanding and improving their oversight roles and responsibilities in the management of pre-determined objectives. Originality/value: The study generates a deeper understanding of what has been happening when pre-determined objectives were developed, reported or assessed in the DBE. This will assist the Department and similar public institutions to make further improvements in order to achieve pre-determined objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: E-government development (EGD) is vital in enhancing the institutional quality and sustainable public service (SPS) delivery by eradicating corruption and cybersecurity crimes. Design/methodology/approach: The present study applied econometric fixed-effect (FE) regression analysis and random forest (RF) algorithm through machine learning for comprehensive estimations in achieving SPS. This study gauges the nexus between the EGD as an independent variable and public service sustainability (PSS) as a proxy of public health services as a dependent variable in the presence of two moderators, corruption and cybersecurity indices from 47 Asian countries economies from 2015 to 2019. Findings: The computational estimation and econometric findings show that EGD quality has improved with time in Asia and substantially promoted PSS. It further explores that exercising corruption control measures and introducing sound cybersecurity initiatives enhance PSS's quality and support the EDG effect much better. Practical implications: The study concludes that E-Government has positively impacted PSS (healthcare) in Asia while controlling cybersecurity and institutional malfunctioning made an E-Government system healthier and SPS development in Asia. Originality/value: This study added a novel contribution to existing E-Government and public services literature by comprehensively applied FE regression and RF algorithm analysis. Moreover, E-Government and cybersecurity improvement also has taken under consideration for PSS in Asian economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study draws on self-determination theory (SDT) and describes a study that elucidates how motivation can be fostered in the local management context. The study aims to provide state and local officials with a decision-making tool that allows evaluation of the quantity and quality of the public services by using SDT to interact with locals and students. Design/methodology/approach: A qualitative approach and thematic analysis (TA) were used to find common themes and to develop an in-depth insight by gathering specific information from the point of view of local residents. In total, 19 interviews with locals were conducted using questions drawn from SDT. Findings: The study found that the most significant obstacles were autonomy, competence and relatedness to intrinsic and extrinsic factors such as managing budgets, provision of basic services such as waste management, accessibility and support for local non-government organisations and local festivals and lack of knowledge about sustainable tourism product development among local residents. Originality/value: Although there is growing knowledge related to environmental and social concern, the municipality's engagement level in this area is low. Hence, the study provides state and local officials with a decision-making tool to evaluate public services' quantity and quality through the SDT on locals and students, and it is significant to explain the application of SDT to the tourism service at the local level and its potential to develop sustainable tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper explores the creation in Australia of the Register of Accountants for National Service. Established at the outset of the Second World War, the Register operated for four years from June 1940 providing voluntary, non-remunerated, part-time and after-hours services to a highly stressed and seriously stretched federal government bureaucracy by members of the main Australian professional accounting bodies. Departments of the Navy, Army, Air Force, Supply and Development and Munitions were the largest consumers of the services offered. Design/methodology/approach: The study of the Register relies mainly on an extensive archive of war-time documentation from the Federal Government and various accounting professional institutes which has survived, predominantly in the National Archives of Australia. The resource is particularly rich in material covering the complex negotiation processes that brought the Register into operation together with documentation recording and reporting the work of the Register. The themes of professionalization, institutional legitimacy, volunteerism and patriotism are all invoked to explain the presence of the Register in the machinery of government that was assembled to deliver the ultimately successful war effort. Created by the principal professional accounting institutes, the Register attests to the commitment of their members to the war effort and, thereby, the importance of the profession to Australian society. Findings: The perilous situation of Australia at a time of war provided a compelling incentive for the accounting profession to organise itself in an efficient and highly effective manner to assist with the war effort. The disparate and somewhat fractured accounting profession at the time was able to work together in a structured, cohesive and disciplined manner to provide voluntary services when called upon. To deliver the voluntary services promised, a purpose-built set of institutional arrangements was put in place. An extensive inventory of the potential services that could be provided by members of the main professional accounting bodies was conducted to facilitate the smooth matching of government needs with services available. Research limitations/implications: Discussion focusses only on Australia where the Register was unique. No other examples have been discovered where a profession has self-mobilised to serve a nation in a time of war. A further limitation is that the activities reported are restricted to self-reporting by the Register and a small loose collection of documents prepared by the Department of the Navy. Originality/value: The uniqueness of the Register is the core of the originality and value of this study. How and why it came into being and the method by which it completed the "task" assigned to it stand as testament to a profession strategically placed to contribute in a substantive manner to the war effort at minimal cost to the nation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper's purpose is to consider the challenges, a public sector organization faces combining both transparency and "intelligent" forms of accountability (cf. Roberts, 2009). Design/methodology/approach: The authors conducted a case study of StatePol, a police service in an Australian state. Findings: The data analysis revealed three themes. First, prior to 2013, transparency forms of accountability dominated, emphasizing crime statistics with the effect of reinforcing internal partitions and inhibiting collective action. Second, post-2013, a greater emphasis was placed on "intelligent" accountability with conversations around process and collective accountability at the operational level. Crime statistics were used less for operational-level accountability and more for attention-directing. Third, changing the emphasis from transparency to its combined use with "intelligent" accountability required strong leadership, clearly communicated strategy and middle-level managers with appropriate skills. Originality/value: The authors identify a number of important factors in combining transparency and "intelligent" forms of accountability. The authors note the difficulties that fragmentation between forms of accountability and the somewhat amorphous nature of the accountability concept itself can cause. In doing so, the authors provide empirical evidence of the challenges changing from an emphasis on transparency, to combined use with an "intelligent" form of accountability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is twofold: to test existing Authentic Leadership (AL) instruments simultaneously in the same environment, and based on these, to propose an extended instrument for the assessment of AL intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies. Design/methodology/approach: Three existing instruments of AL – Authentic Leadership Questionnaire (ALQ) (Walumbwa et al., 2008), Authentic Leadership Inventory (ALI) (Neider and Schriesheim, 2011) and the Three Pillar Model (TPM) (Beddoes-Jones and Swailes, 2015) – were tested, and an extended instrument was proposed based on the results. Two different samples were used – a homogeneous sample (N = 1021) from the military and a heterogeneous sample (N = 547) from retail, catering, public services and logistics industries. Construct validity for the instruments was assessed using a confirmatory factor analysis, and the internal consistency of the factors was analysed using Cronbach's alpha. Findings: From existing instruments, two out of three indicate issues with internal factor consistency and model fit. The internal consistency of factors and model fit of the extended instrument developed here is satisfactory and suitable for assessing authentic leadership competencies in a single organisation or industry. Originality/value: This paper sees AL as the behaviour of leaders affected by leadership competencies. Three existing AL instruments were tested alongside a proposed extended instrument to assess AL intrapersonal and interpersonal competencies in the same context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to understand and interpret the fundamental meanings attached to consumer behavior through m-Government (m-Gov) experience and to derive insights. The study explores the extent to which the emergence of m-Gov is able to change citizens established behavior of accessing government services primarily focusing on experience as an important driver. Design/methodology/approach: The study used qualitative methods, and data were collected using semi-structured interviews of m-Gov users. Participants were identified through purposive sampling. Themes are identified from the collected data using thematic analysis. Findings: The study reveals that m-Gov experience is highly satisfying since it meets citizens' expectations. The findings highlight that in many aspects, m-Gov services provide improved experiences compared to the traditional government and conventional e-Government (e-Gov) services (accessing public services from computers and laptop). The study also reveals a few negative experiences with m-Gov services, like limitations in the use of mobile devices due to their small screen size and high memory consumption, etc. Research limitations/implications: The qualitative method used in this study focuses clearly on unearthing depth and richness of understanding rather than the breadth of generalization. The sample size is apt for drawing reasonable conclusions. Scholars and information systems researchers may use some insights for future research. Practical implications: m-Gov services in a developing economy like India is a new and emerging area for managers. The findings about the elements of m-Gov experience and how the experience influences citizens' acceptance decisions will benefit managers and policymakers in implementing m-Gov services or projects. Originality/value: This study is one of the early attempts to explore the m-Gov experience. The research is important as experience affects users' attitude, a precursor to behavioral intention, which in turn, influences their behavior. Peer review: The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-10-2020-0482 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to understand the relationship between the National Innovation Demonstration Zone policy and city innovation capability and the underlying mechanisms. Design/methodology/approach: This paper collects panel data of 283 Chinese cities from 2006 to 2018 for the quasi-natural experiment of National Independent Demonstration Zone (NIDZ) policy. It applies the difference-in-difference (DID) method to study the impact of NIDZ policy on city innovation capability and its underlying mechanism to enhance it. Findings: The empirical result indicates that the establishment of NIDZ significantly enhances the city's innovation capability, which was verified through a series of robustness tests. The mechanism analysis shows that the NIDZ promote the inflow and outflow of knowledge, which implies NIDZ enhances the innovation capability of cities by facilitating the innovation sharing impact. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the higher degree of digitalization, the higher the government service level induce a more favourable policy effect. The policy effect is more significant in the cities with a higher marketization or the eastern developed region. Practical implications: This study's empirical findings suggest that it is essential to improve the digital infrastructure to accomplish the digital transformation and upgrading of NIDZ. The government should improve the service efficiency and reshape the city market environment to ensure the fair competition of science and technology enterprises. Originality/value: The paper first proposed and empirically tested that innovation sharing is an important mechanism that can significantly enhance the city innovation capability. The authors analyse the heterogeneity of NIDZ from four aspects: digitalization level, marketization level, government service level, and regional development and expanded research boundaries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The WeChat mini-program is a new channel for the delivery of online and mobile services, including electronic government services. Given the distinguishing characteristics and new business model of WeChat mini-programs, additional studies of mini-program-based government services are warranted. The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors that determine user adoption and usage of government WeChat mini-programs (GWMPs). Design/methodology/approach: An empirical study was conducted through an online survey of Chinese GWMPs users. The proposed model was tested by analyzing the collected data using the covariance-based structural equation modeling approach. Findings: The findings show that trust in government, trust in WeChat, trust in GWMPs and perceived convenience have significant effects on the usage of GWMPs. Originality/value: This study contributes to the understanding of the GWMPs and mini-program-based government phenomenon. Theoretical implications for future e-government research as well as practical suggestions for GWMPs operators are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine the interrelationship between the employee public service motivations (PSM), organisational corporate social responsibility (CSR) objectives and employee organisational commitment amongst accounts department staff in public service organisations. Design/methodology/approach: Survey data is taken from tax accountants and accounts administration staff (n = 285) across seven South Korean state-owned enterprises involved in the provision of various public services (utilities, infrastructure, energy and housing). Structural equation modeling techniques are used to conduct mediation and moderated-mediation analysis. Findings: Results show that both employee PSM and organisational CSR are significant in determining organisational commitment, especially where they result in value congruence. The authors also find that perceived levels of internal and external CSR are significant in moderating the impact of different dimensions of PSM. Practical implications: As accounting in public service organisations faces growing professional and commercial demands to address stakeholder needs, the need for organisations to retain accounts staff with the necessary motivations is vital. The findings highlight the importance of value congruence in achieving long-term employee organisational commitment and the need for the CSR objectives of organisations to take account of both external and internal stakeholders. Originality/value: Little research has examined the relationship between PSM and organisational commitment amongst accounting staff in the quasi-public/private state-owned enterprise sector. This despite the level of organisational (e.g. introduction of new public management approach) and professional change (e.g. regulatory changes) experienced over the past two decades and the importance of the sector in public service provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This article examines the power of management control mechanisms as "inscriptions" for bringing the interests of organisations within a purchaser–provider network into alignment. Design/methodology/approach: The study contributes to accounting and accountability literature in hybrid organisations by applying actor-network theory to a case study organisation. This enables an analysis of how a government agency, operating as a social service provider to the community, developed and used management control mechanisms in its intra-organisational units to ensure its operations were aligned with the expectations of inter-organisational networks in a purchaser–provider context. Data were collected using open-ended interviews and by examining internal accounting and management reports, government archival records and newspaper articles. Findings: Analysis of the results demonstrates that inter-organisational network control was internalised within the provider organisation because of the ability of the controls to function as inscriptions that influenced organisational actions. The authors conclude that the network control travelled across boundaries over time and was assimilated by the provider organisation to become its internal management control mechanisms. Research limitations/implications: A single case study of a government service provider agency may limit the generalisation of the findings to other hybrid entities or networks. The significant practical essence of this study lies in the diversity within the results that offer a rich representation of the impact of purchaser–provider arrangements on internal organisational systems within a hybrid public sector setting. Originality/value: The outcomes enhance knowledge of how a hybrid government agency developed, mobilised and institutionalised its management control mechanisms to ensure the activities of one party are consistent with the other parties' expectations within a network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The present paper constructed a new framework for government data governance based on the concept of a data middle platform to elicit the detailed requirements and functionalities of a government data governance framework. Design/methodology/approach: Following a three-cycle activity, the design science research (DSR) paradigm was used to develop design propositions. The design propositions are obtained based on a systematic literature review of government data governance and data governance frameworks. Cases and experts further assessed the effectiveness of the implementation of the artifacts. Findings: The study developed an effective framework for government data governance that supported the digital service needs of the government. The results demonstrated the advantages of the framework in adapting to organizational operations and data, realized the value of data assets, improved data auditing and oversight and facilitated communication. From the collection of data to the output of government services, the framework adapted to the new characteristics of digital government. Originality/value: Knowledge of the "data middle platforms" generated in this study provides new knowledge to the design of government data governance frameworks and helps translate design propositions into concrete capabilities. By reviewing earlier literature, the article identified the core needs and challenges of government data governance to help practitioners approach government data governance in a structured manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]