Strategies for improving performance in the Italian local government organizations

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 344-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrea Chiarini
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Internal Communication ◽  
Iso 9001 ◽  
Controversial Issues ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Pros And Cons

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand what are the benefits in terms of improvement of performances that a local government organization (LGO) can achieve embracing ISO 9001 certification as a strategy. This research is aimed at contributing to the answering of this question by exploring the Italian situation, in particular organizations linked to Italian local government which provide services to the citizens. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on mixed methodologies. First, a qualitative interview based on a semi-structured interview guide was administered to ten LGO quality managers. From this first qualitative inquiry 11 hypotheses to be validated have been stated. A survey has been carried out to validate the hypotheses. By means of two distinct questionnaires each hypothesis has been transformed into a specific question. The question is based on the Likert scale which allows using a χ2-test and non-parametric test such as Cramer’s V. The results from the scale were augmented by the interviewees’ annotations, which comprised suggestions and comments, to each question. The questionnaires have been administered over the last five years to 201 LGOs. Findings – From the findings it seems that ISO 9001 could improve performances in terms of effectiveness, such as citizens’ satisfaction, reduction of defectiveness and claims, as well as staff awareness of citizens’ needs. Moreover, ISO 9001 seems to have a negative effect on citizens’ participation, internal communication and teamwork as well as cost reduction. Controversial issues related to the bureaucracy of documentation and the external auditing process emerged. Research limitations/implications – The findings are linked to Italian LGOs therefore they need further validation in other European countries where LGOs are managed in a similar way. Practical implications – The implications of this research are useful for consultants and managers who want to understand what the benefits and limitations of the ISO 9001 certification are in the LGOs. The results are also useful for local government managers and practitioners who are weighing the pros and cons of ISO 9001 certification. Originality/value – The paper discusses in a quantitative way the benefits of ISO 9001 certification process on the performances of LGOs opening an interesting debate on the topic.

Evaluation of local government revenue collection information system success in Tanzania

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Sausi ◽  
Erick J. Kitali ◽  
Joel S. Mtebe
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Local Government ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Information Quality ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Government Revenue ◽  
System Quality ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Revenue Collection ◽  
Negative Effect

Purpose This study aims to adapt the updated DeLone and McLean model to evaluate the success of the local government revenue collection and information system (IS) implemented in Tanzania. Design/methodology/approach The study used a concurrent mixed research design integrating quantitative and qualitative data within a single investigation. A total of 296 users from local government authorities (LGAs) in 5 regions in Tanzania participated in the study. Findings The study found that the system quality and information quality had a significant positive impact whilst service quality and trust in the system had a significant negative effect. In contrast, facilitating conditions did not have an effect whatsoever. The findings from the open-ended questions and implications of the findings are discussed. Originality/value The findings from this study will help LGAs understand the factors that affect the success of the ISs in developing countries. The results indicate that in addition to information technology attributes, building trust in the system is crucial to foster user satisfaction and increase the public value of the systems.

A descriptive case study of effective decision-making of a local government organization in the United States of America

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-297
Author(s):  
Jennifer Capler
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Decision Making ◽  
Local Government ◽  
United States Of America ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Effective Decision ◽  
Effective Decision Making

PurposeThis article details a qualitative descriptive case study of affective factors of effective decision-making of one local government organization in the United States of America. The specific problem was that many elected American local government representatives lack effective decision-making strategies. This research focus indicated a lack of qualitative research on the real-world experience of factors that were taken into consideration during decision-making within American local government organizations.Design/methodology/approachUsing a local government organization in southwest Illinois, elected representatives were interviewed and observed. The interviews and observations surfaced how the representatives made decisions. Data were analyzed using manual coding and theming to determine themes and patterns.FindingsThe results produced six themes about factors, including emotional intelligence, which impacted decision-making. They are: (1) remembering the past, (2) communication and respect, (3) spurring economic growth and development, (4) fairness, (5) recognizing and removing emotions and bias and (6) accountability.Research limitations/implicationsBeing a single case study, this research is limited in generalization. The research was limited to the identification of current, real-world experience of elected local government representatives.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research can be used to create more effective decision-making practices for local government organizations of similar size.Originality/valueThis is the first study to review, in-depth, the decision-making and emotional intelligence factors of local government organizations in the United States of America. The conceptual background, discussion, implications to local government organizations, limitations and recommendations for future studies are discussed.

The development of municipalities property management as a financial tool

2014 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 78-93
Author(s):  
Christos Pallis ◽  
Petros Pallis
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Real Estate ◽  
Public Management ◽  
Entire Population ◽  
Property Management ◽  
Commercial Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Road Map ◽  
The Right

Purpose – The concept was that municipal real estate was an asset which consisted of a combination of measurable and hard-to-estimate returns (including social benefits) rather than a public good. Many local government organizations attempted to capitalize and assess real estate, with a view to generating revenue for local authorities. Others proceeded to use direct private sector financing for the construction of municipal infrastructure, in exchange for the right to use public land for commercial development purposes. In Greece, the institutional framework for local government organizations prevented local government from playing an essential role, because of their limited powers and financial resources. There are two key questions coming up within this context, which are the main subject of the research: What are the financing instruments used by municipalities today? What are the financing instruments that municipalities would like to use today? No research has been done so far on the above questions at such sample level as used in the research, i.e. all the municipalities in the territory of Greece. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – The paper presents the literature review of the property management and the methodology of an empirical research through structured questionnaire that was sent to the entire population of Greek municipalities. Findings – The main findings regard the financial instruments used by the Greek municipalities and funding schemes from various sources. Apart from these funding sources which Greek cities actually use, the present research has investigated the sources of funding that municipalities would like to use. Practical implications – The paper consists a detailed road map for practical public management. Originality/value – The questionnaire was sent to the entire population of Greek municipalities, characterized in this way with considerable heterogeneity. The sample equals the whole population, which has been investigated for the first time, regarding the Greek Paradigm.

Reporting on sustainability by Australian councils – a communication perspective

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 186-203 ◽  
Author(s):  
Belinda Rachael Williams
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Community Engagement ◽  
Sustainability Reporting ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Communication Process ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Sector ◽  
Reporting Process

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an understanding of the role of communication in the sustainability reporting process within Australian local councils. The study focuses on three areas; understanding and awareness levels of local councils towards sustainability, sustainability reporting methods and the importance of community engagement. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative semi-structured interview approach was adopted for this investigation. In total, 18 semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior managers across 13 local councils. Findings – Findings indicate that sustainability reporting is very much an emerging field in local government in Australia with varying levels of understanding and awareness of sustainability amongst councils. A lack of consistency in the current communication message being produced was found along with a lack of community engagement by most councils in the reporting process. Without clarity in the communication process, sustainability reporting in the local government context will continue to falter without a clear focus. Practical implications – The paper suggests the need for the local government sector to carefully consider the role of communication in an effort to provide direction on how best to discharge their sustainability accountabilities. Originality/value – Little attention has been given to the role of communication in accounting. The findings contribute to an understanding surrounding communication process issues in an effort to advance the sustainability reporting agenda within local government.

Exploring the role of faculty and staff mentors in fostering ethical leadership among undergraduate students: “We have to narrow the distance”

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Meg E. Evans ◽  
Rebecca M. Taylor ◽  
Laila McCloud ◽  
Katherine Burr
Keyword(s):  
Leadership Development ◽  
Ethical Leadership ◽  
Study Participant ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Structural Features ◽  
Qualitative Inquiry ◽  
Professional Judgment ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Faculty And Staff

PurposeThe purpose of this interdisciplinary study is to identify the aspects that faculty, student affairs educators and students indicate as salient for effective mentoring relationships that enhance ethical leadership development.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory qualitative inquiry used the Relational-Ethical-Affective-Dialogic (READ) mentoring model as a framework to examine the experiences of 13 undergraduate mentees and faculty/staff mentors in a formal mentoring program. Each study participant engaged in one semi-structured interview. Researchers coded and analyzed data using the sort and sift, think and shift process identifying power quotes to guide the thematic analysis.FindingsThe data collected in this study revealed insights into the aspects of mentor relationships that both undergraduate mentees and their mentors perceived as contributing to students' ethical leadership development. Salient elements included: (1) relational features of the mentee-mentor dynamic including trust and reciprocity; (2) structural features of the mentoring program including its focus on ethics; and (3) mentoring approaches that were attentive to power and positionality within the mentoring relationship and involved professional judgment about self-disclosure.Originality/valueThis study adds to the literature by exploring effective mentoring for ethical leadership development across disciplines. With colleges and universities serving a vital role in preparing the next generation of leaders for ethical engagement in their democratic and professional roles after graduation, it is imperative to broaden our understanding of how faculty and staff can support students' ethical leadership development.

Self-help groups in India: challenges and a roadmap for sustainability

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (7) ◽  
pp. 1013-1033
Author(s):  
Akhaya Kumar Nayak ◽  
Prabin Kumar Panigrahi ◽  
Biswanath Swain
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Group Dynamics ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Inclusive Development ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Self Help ◽  
Inhibiting Factors ◽  
Self Help Groups ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Self-help groups (SHGs) have widely been accepted by developing nations for their contribution to inclusive development. Despite its importance and the recognition of the same, SHGs and their members face several challenges. The purpose of this paper is to comprehensively investigate the inhibiting factors affecting the effectiveness of women SHGs. The paper also proposes a roadmap for all the self-help promoting institutions, such as banks, state and central government, and non-government organizations to address the challenges. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts an exploratory research design to undertake this applied research. It uses phenomenographic and interpretative approaches. Qualitative data have been collected from 24 members belonging to eight SHGs from the eastern Indian state of Odisha with the help of a semi-structured interview schedule. The result has been analyzed by using content analysis. Findings The study finds that SHG members in Odisha face several challenges in the form of financial bottlenecks, entrepreneurial obstacles, capacity-building impediments, mentor-ship challenges, socio-structural challenges and group dynamics. Research limitations/implications The study finds many unique and contextual inhibiting factors, which are valuable additions to the existing literature. At the same time, the result may not be applicable to other kinds of SHGs, such as Alcoholic Anonymous, as their nature, composition and deliverables are quite different from the SHG that the current study has taken into consideration. Practical implications The proposed roadmap would be useful to policymakers, non-government organizations and other agencies involved in the promotion and capacity building of SHGs operating in Odisha in particular and India in general. Originality/value The literature is mainly concerned with the impact evaluation of SHG programs. This study investigates the challenges faced by SHGs in a systematic way and provides a roadmap to address the same in a comprehensive way.

Resource allocation and service design in local government: a case study

2015 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-41
Author(s):  
Manzurul Alam
Keyword(s):  
Resource Allocation ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Service Design ◽  
City Council ◽  
Reform Process ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations

Purpose – Following the introduction of the New Zealand Local Government Amendment Acts (1996, 2002), some significant changes have taken place in resource allocation and service design of local government organizations. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of local government reforms on budgetary processes and service design in a New Zealand local government entity. Design/methodology/approach – The paper adopts a qualitative case study research involving semi-structured interviews with the key informants to understand the evolving role of resource allocation the study investigates the budgetary processes in a metropolitan city council. Findings – The traditional role of budget has changed to a more active and visible instrument in explaining the effectiveness and efficiency in the use and allocation of resources. Budgets have been given a central role in the management of local government finances. The reform process in New Zealand has enabled local government organizations to organize their activities by using the concepts of public and private goods. Research limitations/implications – This is a single local government entity case study. Any generalization of the conclusions from this study should undertaken with care even though there are similarities between New Zealand and other countries even though they operate under different institutional contexts in different countries. Originality/value – This paper makes important contribution by highlighting the implications of resource allocation on service design within New Zealand local government entities.

An overview of environmental policies of local government organizations in the Republic of Serbia

2014 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 263-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jozefina Beke-Trivunac ◽  
Larisa Jovanovic ◽  
Života Radosavljevic ◽  
Milan Radosavljevic
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Environmental Protection ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Pollution Abatement ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Starting Point ◽  
Local Government Level ◽  
The Republic

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to identify the structure of local government environmental expenditures by purpose, term and economic type, as well as the sources of their financing. Design/methodology/approach – Research and data analysis were carried out on the basis of relevant sources of data gathered from the publicly available decisions on annual statements of accounts for 2011, published on local governments’ internet pages. Findings – The main domains of expenditures are pollution abatement, waste and wastewater management and protection of biodiversity. The most of expenditure relates to operating expenses, while only a few percent relates to long-term investments. The most of environmental protection expenditures are financed from the local government organization's (LGO) general budget. Practical implications – In the field of environmental protection, the most significant direct responsibility lies with local governments. On the other hand, information on the structure of environmental protection income and expenditures at the local government level is very limited and highly defragmented. The study may represent a starting point for further research in this field. Originality/value – The methodology and the results reported in this research could be used for exploring environmental policy of LGOs in other European countries.

Information strategies and affective reactions: How citizens interact with government social media content

First Monday ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nic DePaula ◽  
Ersin Dincelli
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Local Government ◽  
User Interaction ◽  
The United States ◽  
Government Agencies ◽  
Media Content ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
Government Communication ◽  
Information Strategies

As social media use grows among the general population, government organizations around the world also widely adopt the platforms. While researchers on government use of social media first acknowledged the potential of these technologies for participatory democracy, transparency, and collaboration, we have come to learn that applications such as Facebook and Twitter are also sites for misinformation and highly driven by emotional content. To better understand the information strategies of governments and how citizens react on social media, we ask the following research questions: What do government organizations post on social media? How do citizens react to the content posted by government agencies? For this study, we collected Facebook posts of local government agencies and departments across the United States and categorized each post using a framework of government communication and information strategies on social media. We then analysed differences in users’ reactions in the form of likes, comments, and shares to the distinct types of content. We wanted to capture the effects of content type on user reactions to understand what drives social media responses. We found a number of statistically significant results, providing some evidence for how different types of information affect user interaction. Our results highlight how users are more engaged by the affective and symbolic nature of social media content, rather than more serious and emotionally neutral government information. We only provide generalized evidence of how users react to U.S. local government posts on Facebook. Nevertheless, we believe this study is important for scholars of government communication and government technology adoption more broadly as it provides evidence of the affective tendencies and biases within social media environments.

scholarly journals Selected NGOs and Poverty Reduction in Makurdi Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 32-47
Author(s):  
Vincent Iorja Gisaor
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Local Government Area ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Economic Activities ◽  
Government Organizations ◽  
The People ◽  
Descriptive Approach ◽  
The Impact

The research was undertaken to access the impact of Non-Government organizations (NGOs) on poverty reduction in Makurdi local government area of Benue State. Using descriptive approach to analyze the primary data obtained from the respondents through a structured questionnaires and semi-structured interview administered to the staff and officials of selected NGOs in the study area. Result shows that the respondents confirm benefits in terms of increased income, use of good transportation means, good accommodation, feeding and sleeping materials. Despite these benefits, there were challenges confronting the NGOs in the study area. One of the biggest challenges was finance to execute all their programmes as well as disburse to beneficiaries as loans and grants. The activities of NGOs were found only limited to Makurdi while the majority of the people were residing outside the state capital. Therefore, recommendations made include: awareness creation for more participation by people in entrepreneurship and financial independence since it is only through such skills that they can propel themselves out of poverty and the NGOs should seek for more sources of funding including soliciting financial support from the international community to enable it fund diversified economic activities of the vulnerable people in the country.

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