Search

Rural areas have often been labelled by the literature as 'left-behind' areas or 'places that don't matter', implicitly suggesting that residents of these communities feel neglected by political elites. This article studies the rural-urban divide in external political efficacy, which reflects individuals' beliefs about the responsiveness of political elites, while also examining if compositional and contextual factors can explain such a divide. Drawing on data from the European Social Survey, the results reveal a significant rural-urban gap in external efficacy, which is partly explained by differences in the sociodemographic characteristics of rural and urban dwellers, but not by disparities in their evaluation of the provision of basic public services. Notably, this rural-urban gap in external efficacy is substantively smaller in those countries with higher levels of electoral malapportionment that lead to an overrepresentation of rural areas in national parliaments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent attention to public service logic (PSL) has resulted in the creation of several theoretical guidelines for value creation. This empirical study applies PSL framework to explore how PSL is fit to and can adapt to the evolving landscape of the digitalization of public services. This research is based on 12 semi-structured interviews with managers of digital health services in Norway. Our results demonstrate that digital technology alters service users' involvement in value co-creation, helps solve capacity problems, empowers service users to take care of themselves, and cultivates several societal values but additional resources facilitating the co-creation process are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Citizen satisfaction is an important instrument to assess the quality of public services and hold governments accountable to their citizens. Despite significant amount of research, few studies have examined whether citizen satisfaction is generalizable across social groups or whether different social groups interpret it differently. Based upon the ingroup preference theory, this study uses data from Chicago Public Schools to argue that citizen satisfaction varies across different social groups, such that different performance information influences each groups' level of satisfaction differently. The findings suggest that different types of performance information (overall v. group performance) have different effects on citizens of different racial groups when they evaluate public services. Further, it is important to measure performance for each social group, and as each group's performance increases, divergence in citizen satisfaction among racial groups may decrease, helping public managers reduce unexpected factors that harm citizens' perception of their agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed significant stress on public services, including front-line personnel in a variety of core government positions like policing. Past research in law enforcement has long described challenges related to these ideas of uncertainty, stress, and situational difficulties, and the effects of those on individual and group behavior and work practices. This exploratory research focuses on the retention of these key personnel in the midst of a pandemic. Survey data were collected in 2020 and 2021 from law enforcement personnel at all departmental ranks. Results indicate that there is wide variation in feelings of preparedness and efficacy of response, and that those with stronger perceptions of organizational capacity to respond to the pandemic, increased job satisfaction, and higher organizational commitment were more likely to express an intent to remain in those positions on a short- and long-term basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the global wave of privatization of local public services, re-municipalization has emerged as a viable policy alternative, broadly understood as the return to public management. The paper examines its transformative potential by analysing what 'public' means in practice with a particular focus on governance and decision-making. To do so, the paper investigates the re-municipalization of urban water services in Naples (Italy) and Paris (France) by utilizing qualitative methods. Through a critical political economy approach, informed by social reproduction theory and political ecology, I argue that re-municipalization should be seen as a process that different social forces continuously try to shape. The findings not only contribute to the specific literature on water services, but also to that on re-municipalization, within the debate about public versus private provision. More broadly, the research enhances the understanding of water through the lenses of critical political economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social exclusion is a multidimensional concept defined as being away from social resources and opportunities, being unable to participate in society, and being socially disadvantaged in society. In Türkiye, problems, such as economic disadvantages, inequalities in access to public services, migration and displacement, and lack of infrastructure make social exclusion an important risk factor for children. Therefore, adapting the Social Exclusion Scale for Children to Turkish culture and language can help identify children exposed to social exclusion, better understand the problem, develop effective interventions, and build a more inclusive society. The aim of this study was to adapt the Social Exclusion Scale for Children (SESC) to Turkish society. The data of this methodological study were collected from 380 children aged 12–17. The content validity, construct validity, and internal consistency of SESC were analyzed. The results of this study showed the validity and reliability of SESC as a measurement instrument to assess social exclusion in Turkish children aged 12–17 in the school environment. The Turkish version of SESC was found brief, practical, age-appropriate, self-reported, easily applicable, valid, and reliable measurement instrument. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the topic of municipally owned corporations (MOCs) and their governance and accountability. It discusses the challenges faced by MOCs in balancing organizational autonomy with accountability to municipal owners. The article emphasizes the importance of context-specific choices and risk management in MOC governance, as well as the balance between close connections and the risk of corruption. It calls for better understanding and research on MOC governance and highlights the potential benefits and risks of corporatization. Overall, MOCs have the potential to improve public service provision, but careful management and accountability are essential. [Extracted from the article]

Social enterprises, promoted by policymakers as effective and efficient public services producers and deliverers, are increasingly gaining academic focus. This paper explores the state of studies on social enterprise within Public Administration (PA) field, highlighting through a bibliometric analysis a community of 274 scholars contributing to 138 articles, grouped in six research clusters. We discuss three scenarios for SE-PA relationships: separation, cooperation, and integration into public administration & management (PAM) field alongside suggesting a future research agenda for SE in the PAM domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores increasing emphasis on long-term investment in English devolution policy, as part of attempts to revitalise struggling communities through investment in infrastructure and public space. English councils seek to offset the financial difficulties they faced due to austerity cuts by establishing their own corporations, joint ventures, and investment partnerships, in order to generate needed income by creating economic flows from capital markets to public services. They have, consequently, envisaged a form of 'patient investment' in their communities, taking a long-term view of economic regeneration that aims to balance the risk of investment with the reward of local growth. The rollout of the Levelling Up agenda in February 2022 entrenches the narrative of patient investment as a conduit to regional regeneration, although it emphasises investment in infrastructure projects primarily for the purpose of attracting business and industry to deprived areas. Through a narrative policy analysis of Parliamentary debates about Levelling Up in England, I examine the turn towards long-term investment as an ethical shift in conceptions of welfare provision which prioritises private sector expansion for its potential to drive economic improvement. In this understanding, quality of life in communities is tied to growth and profit, rather than social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews government employment and compensation trends using data derived from the government's payroll. Employment levels and average pay grew strongly in the 2000s, but in the last decade, headcounts have stagnated or fallen, and increases in average pay have been moderate. The distribution of pay between government employees is compressed, especially when compared to income inequalities in society. The paper suggests attempts to reduce government's wage bill that rely on blunt, across-the-board measures will have their largest impact on core public services – basic education, healthcare and criminal justice – and are likely to erode the value of these services and the quality of service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds, cats, dogs, and horses are some of the creatures that have collaborated with humans in delivering public services. This assertion is known but insufficiently examined. To bring animals into the public affairs discourse, this article defines public service and employs a narrative approach to examine animals working with people in service delivery. Animals are shown to satisfy essential public needs—from helping to win wars to policing streets to providing support for people as diverse as nursing home residents and occupants of the White House. Animals also make significant contributions to public service by being inspirational, demonstrating how mutual effort can accomplish goals, advancing the concept of empathy, bringing out the importance of character ideals, spurring innovation, and generally adding value to the public administration ecosystem. These findings support future research to understand the nature of human-animal cooperation in achieving societal objectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of the increasing number of projects used to deliver public services and the professionalization of project management activities in government, the phenomenon of projectification has emerged as a key feature of contemporary public management. The article examines the impact of projectification on public sector employees based on in-depth qualitative research conducted in Polish public organizations in 2018–2019. As the findings shows, the phenomenon of projectification shapes the working environment of the public sector by shifting work from repetitive activities to the demands of unique projects, by requiring constant communication with stakeholders, by working outside of the traditional schedules and workplaces, and by operating in matrix structures. Mass implementation of projects has also left its mark on the identity of public sector workers. Respondents increasingly perceive their professional identity through the prism of project work: they frequently tend to identify with their projects rather than the organization itself or its departments. Moreover, despite the difficulties and inconveniences of project work, public sector employees involved in projects show an extraordinarily high level of motivation, which results from the possibility of implementing interesting, innovative and diverse projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, Singapore has sought to project itself as innovative and technologically cutting-edge through narratives such as 'intelligent island', digital ecosystem', and more recently, 'smart nation'. The Smart Nation initiative is aimed at digitising and, 'datafying' as many public services as possible. To this end, the government launched a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy in 2019 that envisions Singapore as a global hub for developing, test-bedding, deploying, and scaling AI solutions. In late 2023, the same year Generative AI entered public consciousness thanks to ChatGPT, Version 2.0 of Singapore's AI strategy was released. Providing a commentary of Singapore's digital journey and its governing approaches, this paper contends that AI is more than just a new digital tool for Singaporeans; it is also a proxy for Singapore's digital and 'smart nation' global reputation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

IMPACT: The authors put forward a relational public service agenda which involves investing in infrastructure, focusing on appropriate scaling of change, balancing specialism and generalism in public service roles and functions, and pursuing improvement through engaged research endeavours. This shift requires new thinking, tools and research in terms of measurement, learning and evaluation practice in public service. The authors argue this constitutes a basis for academic public administration to prospectively engage in scholarship which addresses the complex challenges confronting our societies in coming years. Governments face increasing calls to radically reform public services around human relationships. The authors describe how New Public Management's (NPM) legacy of transactionalism has denatured waves of public service reforms, making them unfit for contemporary governance. Contrasting academic and practitioner perspectives on public service reform, the authors describe a burgeoning movement towards relational ways of conceptualizing and enacting the management and delivery of public services. Taking stock of this, the authors put forward a broad research agenda into relational public services. Academics must play a much more active role in this movement than they did during the NPM era—not merely describing and classifying change, but actively and directly shaping a future-focused prospective public service reform agenda. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Why do citizens prefer to utilize personal connections (e.g. guanxi) with government officials to access public services? Conventional wisdom suggests that improvements in formal institutions can reduce the popularity of informal behaviors; however, limited research has explored the relevant roles of e-government and anticorruption endeavors. Thus, based on survey data from 30 Chinese municipalities and multilevel regression designs, this study shows that citizens in cities with higher e-government development levels or who perceive governments' anticorruption efforts to be effective are less likely to perform guanxi practices. The negative effect of e-government is also more salient among individuals with political connections. Therefore, this study contributes to the ongoing discussion on the relationship between formal institutions and guanxi practices by revealing the specific ways in which e-government development and anticorruption efforts lessen individuals' reliance on guanxi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis qualitative (QL) case study aimed to map and evaluate the localized migrant interventions in Ilocos Norte, a province in northwestern Philippines with a large population of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Using an asset-based approach, this study sought to emphasize the strengths of local government agencies and their problem-solving capacities. Interview and focus group discussion data were collected from 37 participants, specifically from returned OFWs, provincial and local governments’ employees, and volunteers from an OFW family group. Results show that localized migrant interventions include those that were delivered during the COVID-19 pandemic, namely, repatriation and quarantine and testing services. There were social protection services provided pre-pandemic and during the pandemic, including socioeconomic, social, health, and legal assistance, and capacity-building programs. Coordination among government agencies also occurred. Participants evaluated pandemic interventions as inconsistent and lacking, and these interventions were marred by poor communication and coordination. Results also show the centrality of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration, which offers many programs but whose service provision received mixed assessment. The other government agencies also had mixed evaluations, marked by limitations in mandate and resources. Lastly, perceptions of the effectiveness of information dissemination by government agencies were varied. Results show that localized interventions are important in providing social protection to distressed OFWs. Policies to promote sustainable reintegration, prepare for future mass repatriation, and improve decentralization are recommended. Findings are useful in promoting awareness of government services and improving the lives of OFWs and their families. Future research can investigate linkages between government levels (e.g., between national and provincial, national and local) and the health status of service providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Future projections indicate a global increase in heat waves, especially in urban areas due to climate change and the heat island effect, leading to adverse human, economic, and environmental outcomes. Cities worldwide respond by integrating climate mitigation and adaptation measures. While long-term strategies dominate research, this paper explores the increasing interest in short-term solutions, examining the Barcelona Climate Shelter Network. Investigating climate shelter initiatives, it highlights the use of public or private spaces for respite during extreme heat. This model offers insights for other European cities facing escalating heat waves, encouraging reflections on reshaping public services amidst climate crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Remunicipalisation of local public services has attracted the interest of scholars from different fields of the social sciences in recent years. Whereas earlier studies into this phenomenon were dominated by case-based analysis, there has been a noteworthy increase in quantitative studies in recent years. There is now, abundant evidence on the drivers of remunicipalisation especially the influence of pragmatic and political motivations. Other topics, such as the effects of remunicipalisation, however, remain underdeveloped. We provide an overview of the scope and dynamics of remunicipalisation, recent advances in its research, and discuss where future research should be directed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Governments manage coordination problems with different levels of success. The existing literature suggests that organizational features are important for explaining coordination quality, that is, how successful governments are in managing coordination problems. However, few studies have systematically compared coordination quality in multiple political systems. This article examines how governments' organizational features explain variations in the coordination quality of public services in 259 local political systems in Norway. Three organizational features are considered, namely governments' use of coordination instruments, their structural specialization, and task interdependence between their services. For the analysis, the article combines existing and original survey data on the coordination of public service delivery. Multilevel regression analysis indicates that public managers perceive coordination quality to be better when local governments introduce more coordination instruments and when task interdependence is higher. However, local governments' structural specialization does not correlate with perceived coordination quality. These findings are important because they suggest that local governments have the capability to facilitate coordination. Moreover, local governments' coordination efforts inform how public managers perceive their own abilities to address coordination problems and, by extension, foster more coherent service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Risk is an important factor that hinders entrepreneurial activities, especially for entrepreneurs with high aspirations. This study examines e-government's impact on entrepreneurship from a risk perspective. Based on individual data from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor, results show that e-government promotes new ventures, especially those with aspirations to grow and innovate, thus enhancing the quantity and quality of entrepreneurship. Furthermore, mechanism analysis reveals that e-government significantly reduces actual risk and fear of failure, suggesting that it creates a stable environment and decreases risk aversion, which encourages starting new ventures and high-quality entrepreneurial activities. E-government reduces entrepreneurial risk by improving country governance in three dimensions: efficiency of public services, regulatory quality, and control of corruption. Besides, e-government has larger effects on enhancing the quality of entrepreneurship in developing economies. This study provides new insight into e-government's effects on entrepreneurship and the mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Recent studies advocate expanding the concept of soft power from the nation to city context and emphasize the importance of culture in building urban soft power. The existing research neglects the role of classical music on urban cultural soft power and reflects the necessity to explore long-term musical projects that are beneficial to residents. By analyzing the case study of a classical-music-educational-based public services project, the Guangzhou Youth Symphony Orchestra (GYSO), this research finds that public cultural services can continuously improve urban cultural soft power through the triple model of "contractor-cultural policies-public participation". This research argues that although the In Harmony and the EI Sistema projects are also public cultural services of classical music, the triple model of GYSO has multi-faceted impacts on urban development, including cultivating creative class, enhancing residents' cultural tastes, promoting social cohesion, integrating cultural resources and establishing city branding. This triple mechanism is a model with Chinese characteristics that combines the arm's length principle with the cultural exception policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After declining from historically high levels following the Great Recession, homelessness in the United States is again on the rise due to an increase in the prevalence of unsheltered homelessness, and homeless encampments in public spaces such as parks. As such, there is significant interest in understanding opinion regarding community park agency activities intended to support unhoused users. Unfortunately, these actions and investments may also contribute to the process of environmental gentrification. In this note we use structural equation modeling of survey responses to examine how beliefs about the gentrification process influence public attitudes toward park and recreation agency activities intended to support people experiencing homelessness. Gentrification beliefs were significantly related to attitudes toward both housing-related and service-related agency activities. Managers and other decision makers should consider the potential impact of agency activities on the gentrification process, and seek to understand stakeholder attitudes toward gentrification as a phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on career development resources for public services librarians and others seeking professional growth. Topics discussed include the value of WebJunction for career and skill development, the American Library Association's comprehensive Education & Careers section, and CareerOneStop's tools for job search and career guidance.

Traditional academic library models often separate public and technical services into different focus areas. Each of these approaches the core library service of connecting users to information from opposite ends. The following articles document individual cases in which the work of these seemingly disparate disciplines overlaps, highlighting the strengths of each and focusing on suggestions for a more holistic approach to library services. Takeaways include the importance of regular opportunities for interaction, familiarizing staff with any department-specific terminology, actively recognizing the skills and contributions of different service areas, and enlisting buy-in from all levels for facilitating a collaborative working environment focused on student and patron success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today's technological advances have created new channels for the collaboration of local governments with citizens, who can perform the role of both partner and customer in public service delivery. This article examines an initiative in Barcelona in which citizens monitor and evaluate public services using a feedback system to register their complaints. Specifically, it analyzes how socioeconomic factors, political activism, and partisan alignment influence citizen complaints about eight urban public services in Barcelona. Using a panel of monthly district-level observations from the city's feedback system for 2014 to 2019 and fixed-effect estimations, the results show that political participation is related to a higher propensity to complain, while economic status, educational attainment, and partisan alignment do not have a significant association with complaints. These findings are then considered and discussed in relation to a survey of citizen satisfaction with urban public services in Barcelona. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical political omissions and current lack of access to public services in the favelas generates an conflictive and vunerable environment. This research's aim is to understand the environmental issues experienced by residents from two slums in Niterói city (Brazil). Based on the actor-oriented perspective, this investigation analyzes the interaction between residents and interveners. The cultivation of plants and animal rearing plays an important role in the reproduction and sociability of one group of dwellers, and is also promoted by interveners, but these practices are juxtaposed with waste/sewage dumps and with the use of forested areas by drug dealers. This paper concludes that a new type of knowledge is generated, which is intercognitive, and it goes beyond just an adaptation or transference of the techniques, since it is a product of a dialogue-oriented process on facing the favela's contingencies. This shared knowledge is an important subsidy to reflect upon participatory environmental interventions in vulnerable conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inter-municipal cooperation, where two or more local governments jointly provide one or more public services across their jurisdictions, is an increasingly prevalent mode of public administration. In part, this reflects the limited success of prior rounds of privatization and amalgamation reform – and the continuing desire to economize and improve regional coordination. In part, it speaks of the wider policy fashion for seeking collaborative solutions to public problems. This article introduces a special issue on "the drivers and effects of inter-municipal cooperation." It reviews the current evidence base and the contributions of six papers, and suggests productive avenues for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how abusive supervision impacts employee turnover intention and performance and examines how attribution styles moderate the relationship in public service organisations. Data were collected from five types of public service organisations in Indonesia (i.e., municipal offices, hospitals, police offices, social security offices, and schools) using a multi-wave longitudinal survey method with a five-workday interval. After removing incomplete responses and participants with careless responses, 369 participants were included in the analysis. The data were analysed using Hayes' moderated-mediation regression technique. This study confirmed that abusive supervision indirectly reduced performance by increasing turnover intention. However, three attribution styles (i.e., self-, supervisor-, and organisation-directed) showed different moderating effects on the relationship. Self- and organisation-directed attribution could intensify the positive impact of abusive supervision on turnover intention. The negative impact of abusive supervision on performance was observed when supervisor-directed attribution was low. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the evolving role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the design and delivery of public services. It highlights four areas where AI can challenge current public management practices: AI as an interface, AI as a data processor, AI as a service enabler, and AI as a partner in co-production. The article emphasizes the potential of AI to enhance the interface between citizens and public services, automate administrative tasks, improve decision-making through big data analysis, and facilitate personalized services. However, it also raises concerns about accountability, bias, ethical standards, and the need for robust governance frameworks to ensure transparency and trust in AI-driven public services. The article concludes by suggesting implications for policy and practice, including the need for robust metrics, addressing bias, and fostering collaboration between public service organizations, technology providers, and academic institutions. [Extracted from the article]

The case for competition and marketization of public services, though widely accepted in government, has been made through the application of formal economic reasoning rather than practical experience. Efficient market production relies on a process of defining services in terms which allow for competition, choice and the substitutability of tradable products. The evidence for this theoretical position is mixed at best. This article provides policy-makers, those commissioning services and practitioners with support in arguing for public services to be judged by different criteria. Within the frame of orthodox economics, only market allocations can be efficient, and markets can achieve any desired outcome. Public services, however, operate by criteria which are not satisfied by market allocations, including the requirements of policy (such as targeting, universality and equity), cost-effectiveness, and conformity with the requirements of democratic government (such as accountability and prior authorization). The efficient delivery of commercialized services depends on commoditization—standardizing commodities so that they can be traded on equivalent terms. That process changes the nature and character of what is provided, and compromises the effectiveness and quality of public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Health sciences library public services underwent profound changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Circulation, reference services, instruction, interlibrary loan, and programming were all significantly affected. Libraries adapted by moving to virtual services, featuring online workshops, video consultations, and digital information sharing. Reference services moved to virtual consultations for a streamlined experience, and instruction transitioned to interactive video tutorials. Interlibrary loan services saw a decrease in print material lending but an increase in electronic subscriptions. Library programming shifted from in-person to virtual, focusing on wellness activities. This post-pandemic transformation underscores the importance of ongoing adaptation to meet changing user needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We set out in this study to examine the mechanisms (specific knowledge management practices) required to operationalize service innovation readiness within public sector service delivery. Data is obtained from 150 service delivery managers drawn from public sector service organizations within the emirate of Sharjah. Sampling is undertaking utilizing a 38 factor knowledge management-focussed service innovation readiness questionnaire developed from the literature. Analysis of the data is via variable ranking and multidimensional scaling (MDS). The findings of the study suggest the existence of four knowledge management-based imperatives which are construed as managerial mechanisms for public sector service innovation readiness. These are (i) 'Knowledge core competence' (knowledge as a key strategic asset) (ii) 'Organizational structure' (internal patterns of organizational communication, authority and relationships) (iii) 'Responsiveness to change' (propensity to engage in both purposeful and timely behavioural change in response to modulating stimuli), and (iv) 'Innovativeness' (relative earliness in adopting innovation). The findings lead to a service innovation readiness typology which is oriented towards ensuring that public sector entities are able to effectively and efficiently deliver innovative services that meet both operational mandates and national visions of service expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper sheds light on how much citizens value different features of public sector algorithms, specifically whether they prioritize effectiveness over transparency and stakeholder involvement in algorithm design or instead see effectiveness as less important. It does so with choice-based conjoint designs that present variants of algorithms used in policing and health care to respondents from representative German samples. Two studies with overall more than 3000 participants show that people are ready to trade away transparency and stakeholder involvement for small effectiveness gains. Citizens thus seem unlikely to demand accountable algorithms even in sensitive areas like policing and health care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The obituary in "Archives & Records" pays tribute to Thomas Kevin Campbell (1939-2023), known as Kevin, who passed away after battling cancer. Kevin was a dedicated archivist, magistrate, and community member in Preston, Lancashire. His commitment to preserving Bolton's history, supporting new archivists, and promoting collaboration among archivists in Greater Manchester left a lasting impact on the profession and community. Kevin's legacy is remembered with admiration and respect by his colleagues, friends, and family. [Extracted from the article]

The article focuses on Marquette University's J.R.R. Tolkien collection, catering to both scholars and fans of the renowned author. Topics include the contents and significance of the collection, the efforts to preserve and expand it, and the opportunities it provides for research and exploration into Tolkien's life and work.

Nightlife in urban areas is gaining interest due to its role as a stimulus of the local economy, tourism, safety, and public services. However, most studies analyse nighttime activity from a qualitative perspective and at a general urban scale, without going into a detailed spatial analysis. In this paper, we have used the spatio-temporal details of Google Places data, and the activity trends at a variety of facilities that provide Google Popular Times. We studied and mapped the recovery of nighttime activity in the city of Madrid after the pandemic restrictions. The results reveal that there was a significant decrease of over 80% in the activity levels of open premises, which also led to a decrease in their average occupancy rate. These reductions were particularly noticeable in the city center and during the latenight hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We draw on first-hand experience and empirical evidence to address current concerns that the mission approach carries too much emphasis on technological innovation and top-down state-led action. We identify the concept of smaller scale 'micro-missions' that address place-based challenges. In so doing, we show a role for universities that extends beyond the entrepreneurial triple helix and demonstrate how a mission approach can be effective beyond an emphasis exclusively on science and technology and economic outcomes. We highlight universities as safe, convening spaces and their role in bringing together local actors in designing and delivering a micro-missions approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the policy background of AI in ethical public services by applying the perspective of mutuality and trust to give a better understanding of the ethical evaluation of AI-enabled public services. The findings from Finnish government services emphasize that establishing governance rules arising from mutuality is not often viewed as a precursor to ethical evaluation, which was done post-facto with limited user engagement. We conclude that structured by a social mutuality framework, mutuality requires a systemic approach to ethics and active user engagement, which in turn requires an investment of time and cognitive attention by all agents involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we draw on systems leadership, complexity and paradox theory to elucidate the tensions that organizational actors experience when practising multi-level leadership. We explore these issues through a study of the perceptions and experiences of stakeholders within an Integrated Care System (ICS) in England. Employing a collaborative inquiry approach, data were collected via 19 narrative interviews with participants in key leadership roles across ICS partners and nine co-creation workshops with a total of 86 participants from different parts of the ICS. Findings highlight that in developing multi-level leadership practice, leaders experience contradictory expectations and outcomes, including paradoxes of identity, place, purpose and change. We conclude by suggesting that leadership in multi-level contexts requires oscillating between competing polarities in a dynamic equilibrium with attention to localized interactions. MAD statement Integrated Care Systems were enacted across England in July 2022 to enhance the capacity for statutory, voluntary and community organizations to work in partnership to improve health outcomes across diverse populations. Multi-level systems leadership, however, poses significant challenges around navigating the inevitable tensions that arise when working with complexity. Through qualitative research in a vanguard ICS, this paper highlights a range of paradoxes faced by leaders and organizations and proposes implications for policy and practice in enabling dynamic equilibrium and working in contexts of uncertainty and change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The path to management is difficult for academic librarians without formal supervisory experience, especially in public services. However, little research on how frontline librarians without supervisory experience advance into middle management has been conducted. To determine the extent to which a relationship between certain personal characteristics and librarians' likelihood to advance exists, a survey was administered to public services librarians who had been promoted into middle management within the previous 5 years. Exploratory factor analysis revealed that charismatic presence, long-term thinking, instruction experience, customer service orientation, interpersonal skills, and ability to achieve tenure/promotion in rank contributed to librarians' successful advancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Experiences with changes caused by the Covid 19 pandemic clearly show that making changes in public administration is about the dynamic interaction of various organizational elements. To cope with the pandemic, public administrations had to deal rapidly with technological adoption and solution implementation. Due to Covid 19, digitalization accelerated, but the literature review suggests that, to be transforming, changes in technologies must be accompanied by changes in other organizational elements (like people or processes), because the pandemic challenged leadership styles and working models, as well as internal and external collaboration. The pandemic disrupted previous operational models and led to changes in public administration. The academic literature on the impacts of the pandemic on public administration and management is growing. To date, no literature review outlining the findings of the published research has been made available, to our knowledge. This article summarises the findings of a systematic literature review outlining changes in public administration that can be attributed to the pandemic. It also points out gaps that should receive attention in future research (for example the longevity of changes). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public administrations, to innovate public services, seek strategies beyond market-like mechanisms and claim for clear paths such as lifecycles. This research bridges service management theory and theory of public management to further how networks for public service innovation mediate public value creation; the study, by integrating both theories and the public service logic approach, discusses the dynamic interactions throughout networks evolution (lifecycle). A theory is elaborated, advancing the relevant role of networks lifecycles in public service innovation lifecycles. The research, lastly, offers several propositions to improve (meta)governance of networks for innovation of public services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the academic librarianship literature, a significant amount of research on burnout, and excessive workload has been conducted. However, researchers frame the issue differently: some view this conflict as a work–life boundary issue, others view it simply as in-role related responsibility conflicts. This study focuses on the in-role related responsibility conflicts of Special Collections librarians in public services. Survey findings revealed that some current responsibilities exceeded the official position description of Special Collections librarians, and professionals were at times ambivalent about those additional responsibilities. Areas for future research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the increasing use of municipally owned companies (MOCs) for service provision in Europe, particularly in Finland where the number of MOCs has doubled in the past 15 years. While corporatization offers benefits such as competition neutrality and clearer decision-making structures, it also raises concerns about transparency and democratic influence. The article emphasizes the importance of expertise in both municipal ownership steering and the board of directors of MOCs. It suggests improving the operation of MOCs through sharpening owner control, renewing board nomination processes to prioritize expertise over politics, and ensuring sufficient access to information for stakeholders. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the risks and best practices associated with local authority-owned companies in the UK. It highlights the case of Woking Borough Council, which faced significant debt due to a failed investment strategy. The article emphasizes the importance of considering alternative options before setting up a separate company and stresses the need for strong governance and proper financial arrangements. It also recommends reviewing existing company portfolios, understanding and managing risks, and having an exit strategy. The author, Joanne Pitt, is an experienced local government adviser who provides practical advice and support in the field. [Extracted from the article]

This article discusses the accountability of municipally owned corporations (MOCs) and highlights the need to consider alternative accountability relationships beyond the traditional focus on the relationship between the organization and the owning municipality. The article suggests that MOCs also interact with other stakeholders such as customers, citizens, and peer organizations, which can serve as potential fora for accountability. The article explores the opportunities and risks associated with these alternative accountability relationships and calls for further research and theoretical shifts in the literature on MOCs. The author also advises practitioners to be aware of these relationships and devise strategies to use alternative accountability mechanisms to the advantage of the municipality and the public interest. [Extracted from the article]

This document is a correction notice for a set of articles published in the journal Public Management Review. The articles were written for a special issue titled "Implementing AI in the Public Sector" and were mistakenly published in regular issues. The correction provides the correct order of the articles and updates the references in the introduction for clarity. The complete set of papers can be found on the journal's collection page. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the need for new public service codes in the UK in light of recent scandals that have eroded trust in the government and civil service. The author argues that the existing codes, such as the Nolan Principles of Public Life, have failed to prioritize the needs of individual citizens and calls for a new principle that emphasizes acting for the benefit of the public and treating people with respect and consideration. The author also suggests introducing a new public duty of candour and greater transparency and accountability for breaches of the codes. The article emphasizes the importance of restoring trust and resetting expectations in order to prevent further erosion of democracy. [Extracted from the article]