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In recent years, 'participatory governance' has emerged as an important concept within the governance domain. It is a policy that insinuates participation of local citizens to implement locally based propeople development initiatives. International aid agencies have been pursuing this agenda with an aim to provide greater legitimacy to development projects for economic growth in developing countries. In response, the government of Bangladesh has been trying to implement participatory governance policies for aid-assisted development projects for the last three decades. However, empirical studies reveal that the level of participation of local citizens in development projects has hardly been improved despite such attempts. Relying on six aid-assisted project-based case studies, this article explores the reasons of such a failure and has found out that the dysfunctional political system and corruption in Bangladesh have compromised the role of the state in ensuring any meaningful participation of ordinary citizens in local-level development activities. Related Articles [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research reveals that many local governments across the world do not demonstrate transparency by inviting local citizens in their decision-making activities. This research aims to explore the financial and governance factors that may influence municipalities/councils to make closed-door meetings. Based on the Critical Social and Critical Urban theories this research has hypothesized three models, which have been tested with empirical data collected from 79 local councils/municipalities in Victoria, Australia. The analysis reveals that financial factors such as surplus-income and cash equivalent significantly influence municipalities to conduct closed-door meetings. On the other hand, governance factors such as citizen-satisfactions have no significant relationship with closed-door meetings. These findings have implications for policy-makers and public managers to rethink and redesign the factors that influence on local government transparency. • Citizen satisfaction has no significant relationship with the transparency of municipalities' decisions. • Urban policy-makers should not only focus on earning surplus revenue, they also need to focus on citizen participation and their satisfaction with municipalities' decisions. • Urban planners should avoid top-down approach to create any public value, rather they need to co-create and measure a public value jointly with the local citizens. • City councils conduct more closed-door meetings when councils experience a deficit of revenue income. • City councils are more inclined to follow the principle of Critical Urban Theory to generate surplus revenue even it is required to compromise with the transparency of their decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a condition of receiving foreign aid, developing country governments have actively tried to achieve pro-people development through community participation in local-level development projects. Based on a case study of Bangladesh, this article analyses the impact of community participation on the various governance-related issues such as accountability, transparency, responsiveness and predictability during the implementation of such projects. The empirical findings reveal that efforts to achieve such objectives have mostly been futile, leaving community participation in the local governance process as an inchoate and piecemeal affair. Political manipulation, clientelism and inadequate governance structure and processes have been the key stumbling blocks contributing to such failures. This study provides important insights into governance at the local level, implying that greater awareness and participation are needed to formulate and implement effective community-based local governance in developing countries such as Bangladesh. 作为接收外国援助的一项条件，发展中国家的政府会积极通过地方层面的发展项目的社区参与，来取得民生的发展。本文基于对孟加拉的一项个案研究，分析了社区参与对各种治理相关话题的影响，诸如项目实施期间的问责、透明度、因应、可预见性等等。实证研究发现，实现这些目标的努力大多劳而无功，搞得地方治理过程中的社区参与有始无终，七零八落。政治操控、裙带关系、不到位的治理结构及过程都是导致失败的绊脚石。本文深入考察了地方层面的治理，指出在孟加拉国这样的发展中国家，需要更大的自觉和更多的参与来规划并实施有效的社区层面的地方治理。 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Although skilled migrants have a high capacity for integration, many report experiences of exclusion which impacts their ability to contribute fully to the host country. This experience of exclusion, which can diminish their self-efficacy at work, is especially acute for skilled migrants from non-English speaking backgrounds when functioning in a new or exclusionary environment. In this paper, we explore the relationship between workplace inclusion and self-efficacy and identify factors that contribute to perceived inclusion for skilled migrant workers. Design/methodology/approach: Participants were recruited through social network groups representing migrant workers via LinkedIn. Through snowball sampling, participants were asked to recommend recent (3–5 years) skilled migrants to participate. A total of 210 skilled migrant workers to Australia completed the survey. Structural equation modelling (SEM) is used to test our model on the relationship between inclusion and self-efficacy. Findings: Migrants' perceptions of inclusion at work are related to their self-efficacy at work. We also find that some dimensions of inclusion are more important than others in enhancing self-efficacy for skilled migrants. Meaningful exchanges with supervisors, a sense of belonging at work and workgroup cohesion (being accepted by co-workers) are more important than senior management support or getting involved in organizational social activities as determinants of perceived inclusion. Social implications: Although skilled migrants are often assumed to be a self-select group of highly motivated, high achieving workers, many experience poor adjustment and feel excluded after arriving in the host country. Public policies have limited effects in promoting inclusion of skilled migrant workers in organizations. These policies may be supplemented with an inclusive organizational climate to improve migrant worker success. Organizations and employers are thus critical partners in fostering migrant workers' sense of inclusion and supporting the career outcomes of skilled migrant workers in the host country. Originality/value: This study supports the link between perceived inclusion and self-efficacy among skilled migrant workers. It also sharpens the evidence of organizational-level factors that contribute to perceived inclusion for migrant workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]