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There is a compelling demand for approved plague vaccines due to the endemicity of Yersinia pestis and its potential for pandemic spread. Whilst substantial progress has been made, we recommend that the global funding and health security systems should work urgently to translate some of the efficacious vaccines reviewed herein to expedite clinical development and to prevent future disastrous plague outbreaks, particularly caused by antimicrobial resistant Y. pestis strains. Content includes material subject to Crown Copyright © 2024.This is an open access article under the Open Government License (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In its regulatory enterprise to improve the conditions of data sharing and reuse, the European Union has enacted new legislation: the Data Governance Act (DGA). The DGA envisages new forms of sharing public sector data (PSD). Based on a legal analysis of the DGA and an in-depth study of data governance literature, this paper highlights what is at stake in the new regulatory framework and argues that more than the mere openness of more PSD will be necessary to ensure that the European Union policy goals are achieved, especially those concerning enhancing innovation for the common good. From this perspective, the paper argues that the public data trust model of data governance and the Responsible Research and Innovation approach offer two powerful tools for public sector data governance. In this context, this paper contributes to the debate about new data governance models and discusses tools and frameworks enabling the use of data for the common good. It also provides insights to public administration practitioners aiming to implement a framework for increased and sustainable PSD sharing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Does compliance with open government reforms imply openness? Based on an institutional framework, this article analyses the implementation of two open government reforms – the Access to Information and Citizen Participation laws – in three Chilean municipalities. The results suggest that how formal rules interact with informal strategies could explain the different outcomes of open government reforms and that compliance does not necessarily lead to openness. In contrast, the complexity of formal and informal interaction, defined by the strength of formal laws and their convergence with local informality, can produce counterproductive results on local governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of fiscal transparency on governance and corruption within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with a specific focus on Egypt's standing compared to its regional counterparts. Utilizing data from the Open Budget Survey and the Bayesian Corruption Index, alongside a review of fiscal policies and economic performance metrics, the research highlights the nuanced role of fiscal transparency in combating corruption and fostering effective governance. Findings indicate that higher levels of budgetary transparency correlate with reduced perceptions of corruption, suggesting the critical importance of transparent fiscal practices for governance improvement. The study also explores the relationship between fiscal policies, economic performance, and investment, underlining the significance of transparency in enhancing economic outcomes. This research contributes to the broader scholarly discourse on fiscal governance by providing empirical evidence of the benefits of transparency within the challenging context of the MENA region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potential of fiscal transparency to improve tax morale (or the willingness to pay taxes) has been widely studied. However, the strength of the fiscal transparency-tax morale relationship may depend on how citizens perceive government performance and corruption. To probe these questions, this study draws on data from the World Values Survey Wave 7 (2017–2022), comprising 70,203 respondents from 48 countries, as well as various international governance indicators. The findings suggest that when individuals perceive more government corruption, fiscal transparency is associated with lower tax morale. In contrast, when individuals perceive better government performance, fiscal transparency has limited influence on tax morale. The results imply that the effect of fiscal transparency on tax morale is context dependent and, moreover, may backfire in countries with high levels of perceived corruption. Implications for policy and practice are discussed. Points for practitioners: Citizens' perceptions of government may influence their reactions to fiscal transparency. Efforts to boost willingness to pay taxes through greater fiscal transparency should also consider citizens' views on government corruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine the association between money laundering (ML)/terrorist financing (TF) risks (hereafter, money laundering risks) and democratic governance across 117 countries. Design/methodology/approach: A cross-sectional design was used to examine the association between ML risks and democratic governance by a quantitative approach. The findings are based on annual ratings of 117 countries on ML/TF risks and democracy while controlling for criminality and peace. The data was compiled from the Basel Anti-Money Laundering/Countering Financing Terrorism Risks Index, the Economic Intelligence Unit (Democracy Index), the Global Initiative against Transnational Organized Crimes (Criminality Index) and the Institute for Economics and Peace Index for 2020. Findings: A multiple linear regression model found a statistically significant negative association between democratic governance and ML risks (B = −0.354, t = −7.454, p = <0.001) and a significant positive association between criminality and ML risks (B = 0.242, t = 2.692, p = 0.008). Research limitations/implications: A cross-sectional design cannot determine causal inferences and generalization (Levin, 2006). The study only used a year to examine the hypothesis of a negative correlation between ML risks and democratic governance, thus making generalization difficult. Originality/value: Extant literature examined ML, terrorism and AML diversely. There was a need to estimate the association between ML risks and democratic governance, especially globally, during a global crisis like COVID-19, when democratic principles, such as the rule of law, transparency and accountability, are challenged. Many personnel were laid off, thus limiting supervision for ML and TF. This study presents evidence of this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Over the last three decades, the concept of government transparency has remained at the forefront of ongoing public debate. Using a systematic literature review of 470 articles on government transparency, this article identifies eight paradoxes and dilemmas related to government transparency including regulation, public safety, media interpretation, collaborative governance, functional ability, risk-taking, privacy, and personal interpretation. We then propose a comprehensive framework on how to reconcile these paradoxes and dilemmas towards achieving better transparency outcomes and ultimately effective public administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In July 1927, the Queensland state government declared an open season on koalas, in which more than 600,000 koalas were shot, poisoned, or trapped. In the broad-based and emotional backlash which ensued, gender ideologies featured significantly. Concepts of authentically Australian forms of masculinity and femininity were mobilised in attempts to end the destruction; koala-killing was framed as a debasement of an idealised ‘bushman’ identity and koala fur wearing as a betrayal of an idealised category of inherently caring womanhood. The interests of parents and children came to the fore in a campaign concerned with preserving the popular ‘native bear’ for the enjoyment of future generations. This article draws out how gendered understandings of koalas and koala-killing contributed to the animals’ reclassification from an economic resource to an anthropomorphised friend and symbol, whose slaughter was conceived by many as unmanly and un-Australian. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the methodological and empirical challenges researchers encounter when accessing government open data through the case study of Canada's Open Government Action Plan, with a specific emphasis on datasets hosted by the House of Commons. To address these challenges, we have created an R package designed to streamline the retrieval process of datasets, that are not-so-user-friendly, from the House of Commons website. Furthermore, we have made complete datasets available in both French and English, which are the official languages of Canada, and in multiple formats to improve accessibility. Our package aims to be an invaluable resource for researchers interested in Canadian politics or conducting comparative research. Therefore, a portion of this paper is allocated to showcase the potential utility of our package. Through our research, we highlighted three crucial lessons: firstly, the heterogeneous nature of datasets requires flexibility and adaptability; secondly, open data curators encounter various challenges in addressing user-reported issues; and thirdly, there is a nuanced understanding of "openness" in government datasets. In conclusion, we reflect on the potential scalability of open data initiatives while advocating for a nuanced approach that considers the complex challenges associated with open data accessibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract\nPLAIN LANGUAGE SUMMARYInspectors general are the independent government watchdogs tasked with combating fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption, and promoting efficiency and effectiveness of the agencies, programs, and jurisdictions they oversee. Unlike federal inspectors general, state and local inspectors general are not required to adhere to the reporting requirements of the federal Inspector General Act of 1978, which raises questions on their activities. To date, there is limited research on state and local inspectors general given their substantial differences in reporting requirements, content, and publication. The author brings attributes from Stohl’s Information Visibility Scale and the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General Transparency Act to develop a 5-point scale to measure transparency of state and local offices of inspector general. This analysis finds 53% out of 116 state and local offices are very or extremely transparent while the remaining 47% are moderately to not transparent at all. The author recommends amendments to state and local inspector general statutes and their reporting methods to improve transparency within the inspection and oversight profession.The mission of inspectors general is to combat fraud, waste, abuse, and corruption and to promote transparency in government. Contemporary research focuses on federal inspectors general because federal inspectors general are required to publish their activities to the public while state and local inspectors general are not. Due to data availability, there is limited research on state and local inspectors general and their activities despite their shared role in promoting transparency in government. This article focuses on two objectives: to advance research on state and local inspectors general and to measure their transparency levels. The author develops a 5-point scale to measure state and local inspector general transparency by combining elements from an empirical transparency model and a federal inspector general transparency bill. When applying the 5-point scale, 53% of the sampled 116 state and local inspectors general are very to extremely transparent while the remaining 47% are moderately to not transparent at all. Based on the findings in this analysis, the author recommends amendments to state and local inspectors general statutes to promote transparency in the oversight profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital era of governance, few studies have analysed the influence of digital government on micro economies. To fill this gap, we explore the nexus between digital government and firm total factor productivity (TFP), and uncover the potential transmission channels behind this connection by focusing on Chinese listed firms from 2010 to 2017 and utilizing panel regression with firm-, year-, and province-fixed effects. Our findings confirm that digital government has constructive effects on firm TFP. Furthermore, empirical results suggest that this favourable impact can be transmitted through three channels of firm transaction costs and innovation, digital infrastructure construction, and government-market relationships. Further analysis reveals that the beneficial effect of digital government on firms is more significant in provinces with low fiscal transparency and complex topography, indicating that digital government compensates for the disadvantages of low fiscal transparency and inconvenience of steep terrain. Based on these conclusions, we provide suggestions for government digitalization to improve the performance of government-microeconomic complementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation Purpose Approach and methods Findings Policy implications “Localization”—direct donor support for national organizations in aid recipient countries—has become a top priority for international development. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) pledged to raise the proportion of direct funding to national organizations to 25% and for 50% of funding to involve “locally led” input. Independently, USAID commits to proactive disclosure of project information. This study analyses sectoral priorities, access to project data, and localization trends to inform policy discussion about how USAID can reach its twin localization goals, with a focus on Colombia, the largest US aid recipient in Latin America.An open government perspective can shed light on whether and how development agencies are making progress towards localization. Moreover, user‐centred information disclosure by donors is necessary to inform locally led development. The goals of this study are to document USAID's sectoral funding priorities, gaps in data disclosure, implementation actions, and direct local funding percentages to make patterns more visible to stakeholders. We ask: What are the strengths and limitations of public disclosure of data concerning US aid in Colombia?This analysis uses open‐source data review methods to bring together different sources of publicly available data. These methods include triangulating government data disbursed across multiple sites, recoding government data to make trends visible, and identifying barriers to data access.Public data indicate that US funding for peace‐related projects increased in the years following Colombia's 2016 Peace Accord, though the security share of total US aid remains high. Funding trends demonstrate that USAID is far behind its localization goals in Colombia, though absolute funding totals to local organizations are increasing. Finally, publicly available project data are not user‐centred, require technical acumen to access, and are fragmented across multiple sites.User‐centred disclosures are key to locally led development to ensure informed participation and accountability to stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legislatures are having their moment. From the independent state legislature theory, to the major questions doctrine, to the potential scrapping of the Chevron doctrine, to efforts to constrain popular initiatives, legislative power today seems to be, or at least seeks to be, ascendant. At the state level, one example of the expansion of legislative power is the reinvigoration of legislative veto mechanisms. Legislative vetoes allow legislative branch actors to nullify duly authorized executive branch actions without enacting new laws. Forty years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in INS v. Chadha invalidated the federal legislative veto as an unconstitutional end-run around the lawmaking requirements of Article I of the U.S. Constitution. But this decision had no binding effect on state legislative veto mechanisms. Today, legislative vetoes persist in many states, and efforts to enhance these mechanisms have surfaced specifically in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. During the COVID-19 pandemic, state legislatures sought heightened legislative veto authority on matters of public health. The pandemic presented public health authorities throughout the country with unprecedented challenges. But little did public health officials anticipate that one challenge would come in the form of legislative pushback against the deployment of public health expertise, as state legislators in many states objected to mask mandates, vaccination campaigns, and other public health measures undertaken by state agencies. Legislatures in several states either stripped public health agencies of some of their discretionary powers or imposed additional hurdles on the exercise of these powers. Many other states have contemplated similar retrenchments. In inviting closer examination of state legislative veto mechanisms, this Article argues that these mechanisms suffer from several anti-democratic defects. Specifically, these mechanisms erode the legitimacy of legislative power, inhibit transparency in governance, prevent formation of customized administrative policies, and threaten to skew the balance of the separation of powers beyond traditional constitutional parameters. Legislation during the COVID-19 pandemic provides a dramatic example of these democratic flaws inherent to the legislative veto, but state legislative vetoes could also hobble other public policy areas. It thus is time for additional attention to the place of the legislative veto in state government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most powerful charges that can be leveled against the IRS is that it is targeting taxpayers. Charges of political targeting have dogged the IRS for over a century, including in major controversies such as the alleged Tea Party auditing scandal in 2013. Commentators and scholars have long critiqued the IRS for focusing audit resources on some of the lowest-income Americans. And, most recently, a group of researchers estimated that the IRS audits Black taxpayers at a 2.9 to 4.7 times greater rate, as compared to non-Black taxpayers. In response, legislators demanded action, there was widespread public consternation, and IRS officials stated that they were "deeply concerned by these findings." These, and other, controversies suggest deep disdain for the targeting of taxpayers by the IRS, as well as general confusion about what it even means for the IRS to "target" taxpayers. Despite the fact that "targeting" is a powerful accusation often leveled at the IRS, it turns out that it is a significant challenge to pinpoint what "targeting" means. This question is complicated by the fact that the IRS must focus its resources on some taxpayers, but not others. Moreover, how best to allocate tax enforcement resources is not a question that has a clear, technocratic answer. Rather, it depends on normative questions, such as how much we should prioritize taxpayers who face greater vulnerabilities. And the law provides little help in deciding when tax enforcement choices are out of bounds, as antidiscrimination law plays no real, practical role in curbing the IRS's tax enforcement decisions. This Article identifies how these factors lead to a democratic accountability problem at the heart of tax enforcement. Which taxpayers to pursue is a deeply valueladen question, and the IRS is left to answer it with few legal guidelines, little ex ante oversight by the accountable branches of government, and little transparent dialogue with the public. This state of affairs inevitably leads to targeting controversies, which harm both the IRS and the public. Having identified this central problem, this Article begins to chart a path toward more democratically accountable tax enforcement. Dialogue with the public about difficult, normative tax enforcement decisions can, and should, be consistent with a successful enforcement regime. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This research examined the accountability measures put into practice during the housing reconstruction following the 2015 Nepal earthquakes. Additionally, it aimed to identify gaps in accountability practices and suggest approaches for improving their efficacy. Design/methodology/approach: The research methodology encompassed a qualitative approach. Around 30 research participants were selected for in-depth interviews using a purposive sampling strategy to ensure data richness and relevance. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and then iteratively analysed using thematic framework analysis. This analytical technique involved identifying recurrent themes and patterns within the transcriptions of the participants' articulation. Findings: The study showed the pivotal role of meetings and interactive forums in promoting transparency and disseminating vital information during housing reconstruction. Additionally, it underscored the contributions of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in information dissemination within affected communities. Policy challenges centre on identifying vulnerable populations, local support mechanisms and contextualizing reconstruction policies, specifically focusing on urban heritage settlements. Strengthening local service delivery and complaint mechanisms, capacity building and defining the roles and responsibilities of actors and beneficiaries are suggestive measures for a participatory and inclusive reconstruction process. Originality/value: Research holds distinctive value due to its recent inception and its focus on both the subject matter and the specific geographical context. It contributes novel insights into the principles and practices of accountability mechanisms during the housing reconstruction process following a major disaster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes the court case Alternatives v. Department of Human Services, wherein the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania considered government transparency and access to third-party records via the Right to Know Law (RTKL). It reviews RTKL provisions and statues and analyzes the dispute over access to invoices, receipts, expenditure documentation and agreements between Real Alternatives and its predecessor groups, and infringement of due process, privacy and property protection rights.

Digital technologies are often perceived to be uniformly positive tools for anti-corruption purposes creating more transparency and making governments more accountable. However, the evidence is inconsistent and scarce with empirical research narrowly focused on ICT as a specific aspect of digitalization. This study offers new insights based on a context-dependent perspective to solve the puzzle with a more holistic view of the digital transformation process. We distinguish between rule-based and non-rule-based countries as different governance environments and suggest that the context determines how digitalization plays out. While digital tools contribute to the fight against bribery in rule-based economies, they facilitate corruptive practices in non-rule-based countries. A panel data analysis on 72 countries over a 9-year period from 2012 to 2020 supports our arguments and confirms the context-specific nature of digital transformation and its discrepant implications for different societies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the continuously evolving field of E-government, understanding the breadth and depth of academic research is crucial for advancing governmental digital transformation and policy development. This study employs visual bibliometric analysis, using the Web of Science database to map the evolution trajectory of E-government research from 2000 to 2023. By utilizing CiteSpace for a comprehensive examination of 4536 academic articles, this paper outlines the growth patterns and thematic evolution within the field. The development of the E-government field is delineated into four distinct phases: the budding period (2000–2003), the bottleneck period (2004–2014), the development period (2015–2018), and the growth period (2019–2023), which are each marked by unique thematic shifts and technological advancements. The research results reveal the transformation of research focus in different periods, from the initial focus on the technological means and the electronic transformation of government services, moving on to more complex issues such as E-government acceptance and government transparency and corruption, and ultimately to the current focus on innovation and smart cities. In addition, the paper also clarifies that the research boom that began in 2019 is driven by technological innovation opportunities, the improvement in infrastructure, and multidisciplinary research. By depicting these developmental stages and emerging trends, this study not only unveils past academic efforts but also forecasts future research directions, thereby providing valuable insights for researchers and policymakers aiming to understand and implement effective E-government strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparency is expected to strengthen electoral accountability. Yet, initiatives disseminating politician performance information directly prior to elections have reported mixed results. We argue that to be effective, transparency needs to be sustained: The dissemination of politician performance information needs to occur early, regularly, and predictably throughout the term. Using a formal model of electoral accountability under nonprogrammatic and uneven party competition, we study how sustained transparency affects a string of decisions by various actors in advance of elections: incumbents' running choices, parties' nomination strategies, and potential challengers' entry decisions. We show how these effects shape the candidate slate and ultimately electoral outcomes, conditional on incumbent performance and the incumbent party's relative strength. We test our theory using a field experiment involving 354 subnational constituencies in Uganda, and find robust support for the idea that sustained transparency can improve electoral accountability even in weakly institutionalized electoral settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital technologies have a recognised potential to build more efficient, credible, and innovative public institutions in Latin America. Despite progress, digital transformation in Latin American governments remains limited. In this work, we explore a peculiar yet largely understudied opportunity in the region: pursuing digital government transformation as a collaborative process between the government and civil society organisations. To do so, we draw from information systems research on digital government and platforms for development, complemented with governance theory from political science and conduct an interpretive in‐depth case study of an urban reporting platform in Montevideo called 'Por Mi Barrio'. The study reveals three mutually reinforced orders of governance in the trajectory of the project and explain how the collaboration unfolded over time: (i) a technical decision to use open platform architectures; (ii) the negotiation of formal and informal rules to make the project thrive and (iii) a shared, long‐term ideology around the value of open technologies and technical sovereignty grounded in years of political history. Using a contextual explanation approach, our study helps to improve our understanding on the governance of collaborative digital government platforms in Latin America, with specific contributions to practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Having emphasized upon the potential benefits of Open Government Data (OGD) initiatives via value derivation and innovation pursuits of the stakeholders, it falls in place to complement this line of OGD research in the specific case of Tanzania, a developing country, to support the inferences. Specifically, it is important to understand the manner in which OGD VCC‐one of the hinges of OGD initiatives‐ and OGD VCD‐a possible fall out of OGD initiatives‐happens to pass. Thus, a content analysis of the interviews of 15 public officials and managers associated directly with the management and operationationalization of OGD initiatives is being done to arrive at the conclusions. Thus, the interviewees aver that OGD Value Co‐creation (VCC) may be facilitated on top‐priority bases by consistent marketing efforts by the government as also the partnerships with the key stakeholders of the OGD ecosystem, and, among the prominent Value Co‐Destruction (VCD) factors may be counted the issues linked with data privacy and resource restriction. Literature on OGD VCC is at a nascent stage and the one on OGD VCD is evolving. As an atypical empirical validation case vis‐a‐vis the emerging OGD VCC‐VCD research, the study is an additional contribution to the extant literature with specific reference to the developing country's experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significance of resilience, an attribute that remains underexplored within the context of open data, holds immense potential for shaping long-term advantage in the sustainability. This research aims to underscore the importance of incorporating resilience considerations in the establishment and sustenance of ecosystems specifically designed to foster open government data. Through a case study conducted in Taiwan, this paper showcases the integration of an ecosystem and platform model, facilitating a more resilient and sustainable Open Government Data (OGD) system, particularly attuned to adaptative responses in the face of systemic shocks and crises. This paper emphasizes the critical role of a supportive ecosystem, a well-designed open data platform, and a user-friendly interface in realizing the full potential of open government data and open data initiatives. These interconnected factors necessitate careful consideration and strategic development to achieve successful outcomes. By (1) presenting a case study of Taiwan to exemplify the fusion of OGD ecosystem and platform models, and (2) offering insights into the design of an OGD ecosystem from a resilience perspective, this paper contributes to the existing literature. This holistic approach allows for the integration of diverse perspectives, stakeholders, and knowledge sources, fostering resilience and adaptability within the OGD landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing availability of extensive governmental data, technological advancements, and a rising standard for government openness are encouraging global governments to implement open data initiatives. While some governments are actively adapting to these trends, others remain behind, despite the pressure. This research explores the political and administrative reasons behind these differences. By analyzing how local governments in South Korea handled requests for open data from citizens between 2007 and 2016, the study highlights the importance of political competition and administrative strength in fostering government transparency and effectively addressing citizen data requests. The study assesses open government data based on its scope, time, and quality, finding that higher levels of electoral competition and better administrative capabilities contribute to increased transparency and responsiveness. However, the study's use of a regression discontinuity design reveals that the political party controlling local governments had minimal influence on these factors. Related Articles: Heo, Inhye. 2013. "The Political Economy of Policy Gridlock in South Korea: The Case of the Lee Myung‐bak Government's Green Growth Policy." Politics & Policy 41(4): 509–35. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12029. Heo, Inhye. 2022. "Energy Democratization Policy without Democratization of Policy Governance in South Korea: A Participatory Democracy Perspective." Politics & Policy 50(4): 834–50. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12480. Nam, Aerang, and Christopher M. Weible. 2023. "Examining Experts' Discourse in South Korea's Nuclear Power Policy Making: An Advocacy Coalition Framework Approach to Policy Knowledge." Politics & Policy 51(2): 201–21. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12522. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Open Government reform has been actively adopted across various non-democratic regimes, including post-Soviet Central Asia. The reform is supposed to bolster responsiveness and transparency through the active use of information communication technologies, and numerous authoritarian countries have recently adopted and deepened the Open Government reform. In this work, we study whether Open Government reform contributes to responsiveness in autocracies using the case of Kazakhstan under Tokayev's rule (2019–present). We investigate the concept of the 'Listening State' recently adopted in Kazakhstan through the analysis of novel primary data. The perceptions of ordinary citizens reveal that the Open Government reform in the country has not led to the realization of its key goal of increased responsiveness. Therefore, we argue that the Open Government reform has serious limitations in achieving its ultimate goal of a better listening state to people's needs in autocracies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interpretation of administrative policies is of great importance in contemporary public law. The correct approach to policy interpretation has, however, been subject to insufficient academic scrutiny. The effect of policies is to provide guidance: not only to decision-makers, but also to stakeholders in the decision. Obvious stakeholders include the applicant or the individual who is the subject of the administrative decision, but the scope of potential legitimate stakeholders may go far beyond this. In matters of general interest, the broader public may be guided by policy (for instance, whether to object to a proposal during a consultation exercise, or on what basis to object). When considering how policy should be interpreted, the court should have regard to the extent of the appropriate audience of the policy, specifically considering how the least expert reader of the policy would interpret it. This 'least expert reader principle' will assist in answering difficult questions, such as whether the court should have regard to the underlying evidence base when interpreting a policy. The courts should rely upon, and express their reasoning by reference to, the least expert reader principle, in order to increase the transparency of judgments in the field of policy interpretation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are present in key sectors of economies around the world. While they can provide an important public service, there is widespread concern that their activities and financial performance are hindered by corruption. In the meantime, cross-country analysis on the cost of corruption for SOEs remains scarce. We present new cross-country evidence on how corruption affects SOE performance using firm level data. We find that SOEs perform as well as private firms in core sectors when corruption is low but are significantly less efficient when corruption is high. We also show that, in turn, improvements in fiscal transparency and specific SOE governance reforms have the potential to improve SOE performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corporate transparency has a positive impact on firm valuation, as predicted by agency theory; however, the transparency of strategically important government suppliers is not rewarded with higher valuations as the market expects politically sensitive firms to be inherently more transparent. The association between transparency and valuation among politically sensitive firms is consistent with the political cost hypothesis. We address endogeneity concerns using propensity score matching, Heckman's self‐selection models and entropy balancing. Our findings offer novel insights, suggesting that the influence of transparency on corporate valuation varies with political sensitivity – a significant consideration for both finance professionals and scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safely walking or wheeling in a wheelchair in the community is a civil and human right. Some progress has been made in the US towards making walking/wheeling paths more accessible for people with disabilities through the construction of new curb ramps, fixing sidewalk barriers, and installing accessible pedestrian signals. However, pedestrians with disabilities continue to be limited by infrastructure barriers on sidewalks and streets. To encourage progress and government transparency, we developed a set of performance metrics for local governments to monitor and report their progress in implementing barrier removal plans, called Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) transition plans. We used the five-step Nominal Group Technique to systematically develop and prioritize a set of performance metrics with an expert panel of ADA coordinators, disability organizations, and state and federal Department of Transportation staff. The research resulted in obtaining 53 metrics across five goals and 14 objectives that can be used to measure all phases of implementation and are intended to be customized to fit different community contexts and capacities. The metrics could be used by federal and state transportation agencies, as well as internationally, with some adaptation to ensure that adequate progress in barrier removal is being made. Local governments can use the metrics to document and communicate their progress and effectively reduce ADA compliance litigation concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have been conducted on the relationship between trade openness and government expenditure in several developing countries including African countries, however, the studies are limited in South Africa. Therefore, South Africa does not have adequate empirical studies regarding the impact of trade openness on government expenditure, which could assist in developing their trade policies. The study examines the relationship between trade openness and government expenditure in South Africa for the period 1980 to 2021. The study uses the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration for estimation of the three Models in the study. The estimation results of all of the three models found that in the short run trade openness has a positive and significant impact on government expenditure in South Africa. The results also suggest that the increase in government expenditure seems to be as a result of trade openness, urbanisation and dependency ratio in the short run while inflation also leads to an increase but only in the long run. The study uses three proxies of trade openness which are total trade, ratio of exports, and ratio of imports as a percentage of GDP. To the best of our knowledge, the study may be the first of its kind to empirically examine the impact of trade openness on government expenditure in South Africa using three proxies in a single study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the transparency of debts incurred for the EU Recovery Fund. In our opinion, the Recovery Fund lacks transparency at various levels. We find that the Fund implements a hidden transfer scheme that splits member states into net contributors and net recipients. As a result, the national budgets of the EU member states will have to face uncertain future obligations. Finally, we hold that the Fund weakens the European fiscal rules because the debts of the Recovery Fund do not add to the national debt levels. The national debt levels therefore do not show the whole burden. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to further the understanding of Open Government Data (OGD) adoption by the government by invoking two quantum physics theories – percolation theory and expander graph theory. Design/methodology/approach: Extant research on the barriers to adoption and rollout of OGD is reviewed to drive home the research question for the present study. Both the theories are summarized, and lessons are derived therefrom for answering the research question. Findings: The percolation theory solves the riddle of why the OGD initiatives find it difficult to seep across the hierarchical and geographical levels of any administrative division. The expander graph theory builds the understanding of the need for having networking among and within the key government personnel for bolstering the motivation and capacity building of the operational personnel linked with the OGD initiative. The theoretical understanding also aids in the implementation and institutionalization of OGD in general. Originality/value: Intersectionality of domains for conducting research on any theme is always a need. Given the fact that there are innumerable challenges regarding the adoption of OGD by the governments across the world, the application of the two theories of quantum physics might solve the quandary in a befitting way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is a systematic review that intends to improve our knowledge of the ideas of open data synchronization and standardization by reviewing the methodology and instruments utilized in previous studies through a careful examination of accessible literature. The methodology of this study was developed in several key phases. Firstly, a search was conducted in electronic databases to identify relevant studies in the field for Open Government Data (OGD). After identifying the studies, they were carefully reviewed through an initial abstract-based screening process. In the next phase, the research design and sample used in each identified study were analyzed to assess their quality and reliability. Subsequently, data from the studies were analyzed and categorized into various categories, including the usability of open data, synchronization, scalability, and reliability. The gained results highlight the importance of open data in our information-driven society. Open data positively impact transparency, anti-corruption efforts, and free access to information. To achieve these benefits, it is crucial to standardize and license open data, giving priority to their usability. The study underscores the importance of open data for transparency, innovation, and citizen engagement. Despite the disadvantages, this technology has the potential to change how governments and society use data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anticipating and planning for the urgent response to large-scale disasters is critical to increase the probability of survival at these events. These incidents present various challenges that complicate the response, such as unfavorable weather conditions, difficulties in accessing affected areas, and the geographical spread of the victims. Furthermore, local socioeconomic factors, such as inadequate prevention education, limited disaster resources, and insufficient coordination between public and private emergency services, can complicate these situations. In large-scale emergencies, multiple demand points (DPs) are generally observed, which requires efforts to coordinate the strategic allocation of human and material resources in different geographical areas. Therefore, the precise management of these resources based on the specific needs of each area becomes fundamental. To address these complexities, this paper proposes a methodology that models these scenarios as a multi-objective optimization problem, focusing on the location-allocation problem of resources in Mass Casualty Incidents (MCIs). The proposed case study is Mexico City in a earthquake post-disaster scenario, using voluntary geographic information, open government data, and historical data from the 19 September 2017 earthquake. It is assumed that the resources that require optimal location and allocation are ambulances, which focus on medical issues that affect the survival of victims. The designed solution involves the use of a metaheuristic optimization technique, along with a parameter tuning technique, to find configurations that perform at different instances of the problem, i.e., different hypothetical scenarios that can be used as a reference for future possible situations. Finally, the objective is to present the different solutions graphically, accompanied by relevant information to facilitate the decision-making process of the authorities responsible for the practical implementation of these solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a general awareness of the potential of big data in terms of public interest, several obstacles prevent their effective sharing. This study, linking the discourse on data to the concepts of data value and accountability, aims at emancipating the scientific debate from the emphasis on administrative transparency and the protection of privacy, tracing new perspectives for future research. The present research examines the main peer-reviewed articles published by journals that have dealt with data value and accountability across the public and private dimensions. The bibliometric analysis carried out indicates a propensity by current literature to consider the issue of data value creation either only in the private (data as input to improve business performance or customer relations) or in the public dimension (open data government models). This means that research on behavioral data for public governance has so far been underestimated. Evidence shows that big data value creation is closely associated with a collective process where multiple levels of interaction and data sharing develop among private and public actors in a multilayered accountability environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The rising volume of open government data (OGD) contrasts with the limited acceptance and utilization of OGD among citizens. This study investigates the reasons for citizens' not using available OGD by comparing citizens' attitudes towards OGD with the development of OGD portals. The comparison includes four OGD utilization processes derived from the literature, namely OGD awareness, needs, access and consumption. Design/methodology/approach: A case study in China has been carried out. A sociological questionnaire was designed to collect data from Chinese citizens (demand), and personal visits were carried out to collect data from OGD portals (supply). Findings: Results show that Chinese citizens have low awareness of OGD and OGD portals. Significant differences were recognized between citizens' expectations and OGD portals development in OGD categories and features, data access services and support functions. Correlations were found between citizens' OGD awareness, needs, access and consumption. Originality/value: By linking the supply of OGD from the governments with each process of citizens' OGD utilization, this paper proposes a framework for citizens' OGD utilization lifecycle and provides a new tool to investigate reasons for citizens' not making use of OGD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, there has been an increasing amount of research analyzing open government initiatives that enable access to the information held by public bodies, promoting accountability and the fight against corruption. As there are few studies on intermediate governments to date, this research focuses on this level of government in Spain, one of the most decentralized countries in the world. The autonomous communities in Spain manage over 35% of consolidated public spending and are responsible for providing most social services, including health, education, and social services. To achieve this goal, the perceptions of the seventeen heads of open government in Spain's autonomous communities were collected through a questionnaire. This approach fills a research gap as individuals outside of public administration have made the previous assessments. By allowing for a comparison with the conclusions reached by prior research, this study contributes to the creation of new knowledge. The study's results are consistent with previous research and suggest that the open government in Spain is positively regarded, not falling below the European or global averages, and has a promising future despite significant obstacles, such as a resistance to change. Transparency is the most developed aspect of open government, while citizen collaboration ranks last. The autonomous communities of the Basque Country, Aragon, Castile Leon, and Catalonia have been identified as the most advanced in terms of open government. The analysis did not reveal any gender-based differences in opinion. Still, it did show variations based on age, the size of the autonomous community, or membership to the most developed group. Therefore, it is evident that promoting open government in the autonomous communities of Spain should continue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While previous research on Open Government Data (OGD) has primarily focused on reuse and adoption, this study aims to explore the implications of the Public Service Logic (PSL) and Public Service Motivation (PSM) dimensions in the context of OGD initiatives. This study is contextualized in Tanzania wherein the OGD initiatives are at an evolving stage. For the present study, the perspectives of the 15 public officials involved in the management of the OGD initiatives are being solicited. Findings underscore the need for furthering the marketing and refurbishing the OGD initiatives' quality alongside the increased involvement of the stakeholders to engage in value co‐creation. Furthermore, as a study contextualized in a developing country to understand the involvement of the public personnel in the refurbishment of the OGD initiatives, the study contributes to the extant OGD literature while identifying the OGD publisher‐side challenges and strengths in a still‐evolving OGD initiative. Finally, with its societal implications in terms of the impact on societal stakeholders' engagement with OGD given the PSL‐PSM of the public officials, the study's relevance is also clinched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on national digital capability, specifically differentiating the impact between FDI greenfield and mergers and acquisitions (M&A). The research also investigates factors shaping digital capabilities, encompassing government transparency and absorptive capability, while exploring the mediating influence of absorptive capability in the FDI–digital capability relationship. Design/methodology/approach: An econometric model has been developed to examine the interrelationship between national digital capability, FDI inflows, national absorptive capability and government transparency. The data set encompasses 55 countries over a period of nine years (2013–2021). National digital capability data is derived from the well-established index published by the World Competitive Centre (WCC). The sources of the explanatory variables align with standard practices, drawing from reputable institutions (UNCTAD and the World Bank, among others). Findings: The findings reveal a significant positive impact of FDI, particularly in greenfield investments, on national digital capability. Government transparency and research and development (R&D) investment are crucial factors contributing to digital capabilities. Additionally, the absorptive capacity, reflected by R&D investment, also emerges as a potential moderating factor, influencing the impact of FDI inflows on digital capabilities. Practical implications: The results recommend that policymakers and stakeholders should carefully consider the role of FDI, especially in greenfield investments, as a catalyst for enhancing national digital capability. The findings also underscore the significance of promoting government transparency and directing investments towards R&D to nurture digital capabilities. Moreover, understanding the mediating role of absorptive capability can inform strategies aimed at optimizing the impact of FDI on digital capabilities. Originality/value: This study contributes uniquely to the existing literature by being the first to systematically explore the influence of FDI on national digital capability. Furthermore, it presents innovative empirical findings on the role of absorptive capability in enhancing the FDI impact on national digital capability, an area that remains relatively uncharted in current literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparency laws, such as the Right to Information (RTI) in India and Open Government Information (OGI) in China, seek to confront corruption. They have been able to expand people's space against corruption and other abuses of power, thus demanding accountability from the powerholders. Instead of particular regimes like democratic or authoritarian, we employ the Quality of Government (QoG) as a context to understand corruption control in India and China. Yet, due to various socio-political limitations, QoG remains inadequate in India; and uneven in China: these cripple the promises of transparency laws. Hence, it is necessary that India prioritizes human development, which shall require better QoG and China addresses its weaker areas in QoG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the potential and obstacles of adopting open government principles in Vietnam. Utilizing a thorough document analysis of governmental reports, policy directives, and academic documents, the study highlights significant progress through legislative reforms and digital technology adoption in Vietnam. This country is undergoing a shift towards transparent governance, motivated by its strong economic growth and political development. Notwithstanding these progressions, Vietnam encounters various obstacles. These factors encompass discrepancies in technology infrastructure, cultural and institutional opposition, concerns around privacy and security, and limitations in available resources. Furthermore, the challenge of aligning new policies with current legislation and ensuring efficient implementation presents additional complexities. The study suggests that enhancing legal and regulatory frameworks, digital infrastructure, fostering a culture of transparency in public agencies, building inclusive participation methods, and prioritizing anti-corruption measures will help Vietnam overcome obstacles in developing an open government. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the role of accounting in disaster mitigation and the importance of transparency to avoid corruption. During the Ukrainian war, accounting has allowed the redistribution of war material, the quantification of economic aid, or the efficient management of humanitarian aid. This paper aims to set a research agenda on transparency and corruption in foreign aid to a fragile and conflict‐affected country. In order to analyze the situation of corruption in Ukraine during the war, first a review of the latest corrupt events is carried out and its position in the Corruption Perception Indicator is analyzed. Subsequently, we analyze the aid that Ukraine has received from other countries and institutions, and whether it is transparent. The possible dependence of the Corruption Perception Indicator on the transparency index of each country in the management of aid to Ukraine is studied. This article links corruption, transparency and accounting in the context of the Ukrainian war, highlighting the important role of auditing and financial controls, and presents proposals for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the importance of data in the development of the services of the National Library and Archives of Iran, it is intended to identify and categorize the components of the open data initiative in the organization. The research is an applied one and has been done with a qualitative approach using thematic analysis method. The statistical population of the research was 15 managers and specialists of the organization who were selected with a purposeful method due to their experience and knowledge in the field of data. The data was collected through semistructured interviews and analyzed and coded with thematic analysis method in MAXQDA. The components of the open data initiative, were categorized into 4 main themes. The first theme is the requirements of the open data initiative, which includes the creation and development of platforms for production, quality and dissemination of data, development of management processes, promotion of open data culture, creation of intellectual property rights mechanisms, implementation of government transparency policies, development of specialized training, and participation in national programs. The second main theme of the existing includes the data and metadata of the organization, the infrastructure of extraction and preparation, publication and sharing of data in standard formats and appropriate search facilities, the support of the senior management with adopting appropriate policies, specialized positions and specialized skills in the organization and national and international experiences and methods. Obstacles and limitations are the third theme, which includes technical problems of production and preparation and data access limitations, incompatibility of specialized processes with the goals of the open data initiative, lack of attention to the importance and lack of policies and guidelines. Management problems and problems are associated with limited knowledge and specialized skills, lack of updating information and data of systems and databases. The fourth main theme is the benefits and results of the open data initiative, which includes two groups of program benefits for the organization and for outside the organization. Benefiting the society, communicating with the audience, realizing the government’s goals and supporting entrepreneurs, external organizational results and the development of data-oriented research, organizational transformation, creating value, improving the services and reference of the organization, gaining organizational benefits, strengthening the technological infrastructure and in general organizational benefits are of positive results of the open data program for the organization. The open data initiative requires planning, provision of technical and content resources and infrastructure, and by educating and promoting the culture of open data, solving management challenges and formulating appropriate policies, it achieves excellent goals in improving services and supporting businesses. New works will reduce corruption and increase transparency. Organizations should take the approach of open access to their content data and metadata by formulating a coherent plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Brazil, government purchases of products or services, by constitutional and legal impositions, must be preceded by bidding, whose supervision is the responsibility of the Courts of Auditors. Bids are subject to numerous frauds, including collusion between bidders, which sometimes occur through the exclusive or majority participation of the same group of business partners. The transparency of government spending is a global trend and, in Brazil, there are several public databases of the Courts of Auditors on bidding procedures. The present study, using public data, aims to verify the degree of involvement/engagement among bidders. Our research resulted in the identification of 688 bids in which the same economic group represented 100% (one hundred percent) of the bidders, which constitutes a strong presumption of fraud. The adopted approach uses graph-based databases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parliamentary questions are one of the most widely used and common parliamentary control instruments. The purpose of parliamentary questions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is to hold the government accountable and reveal violations or clarify facts in the work of the executive authority. The Federal Constitution does not provide means of parliamentary control over the government, so parliamentary questions play a bigger role in the UAE than in other countries. This paper examines the practice of parliamentary questions in the Federal National Council (FNC) of the UAE. The methodology employed in this paper involves a comprehensive analysis of the practice of parliamentary questions within the context of the UAE's Federal National Council (FNC). Through a qualitative approach, the study delves into the role of parliamentary questions as a tool for governmental reforms, transparency enhancement, and executive authority accountability. Utilizing both primary and secondary sources, the research examines the impact of parliamentary questions in revealing violations, elucidating facts, and addressing citizens' everyday concerns. By employing a multifaceted analytical framework, this study offers valuable insights into the significance and effectiveness of parliamentary questions within the UAE's political landscape. The key findings in the paper on the practice of parliamentary questions in the UAE's FNC underscore the essential role of parliamentary questions in holding the government accountable and ensuring transparency. The document reveals how parliamentary questions serve as a vital tool for revealing violations, clarifying facts, and prompting governmental reforms. Overall, this paper highlights how parliamentary questions are a vital component of governance in the UAE and emphasizes their importance for ensuring accountability and transparency in government operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pilot of Accountability Audit of Natural resources (AANR) is an important initiative for the Communist Party of China Central Committee to eradicate environmental pollution and promote the construction of ecological civilization. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between AANR and green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises, so as to promote regional sustainable development. With a sample of the national key monitoring enterprises in China from 2011 to 2018, this paper investigates the impact of AANR on green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises by applying the multi-period difference-in-differences model. The results indicate that AANR significantly promotes green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises. The results of mechanism testing indicate that AANR stimulates green innovation by promoting government environmental governance and government innovation-driven strategy. The heterogeneity testings indicate that the promoting effect of AANR on green innovation in heavily polluting enterprises is more significant in regions with higher environmental carrying capacity, higher pressure of GDP achievement and higher transparency of government environmental information. Therefore, China should deepen the enforcement of AANR to promote the green transformation of heavily polluting enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]