Lebanese polls may largely confirm the status quo

2018 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Public Sector Reform ◽  
Regional Stability ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Status ◽  
Electoral Law ◽  
First Time

Significance A new electoral law passed on June 16, 2017, for the first time allows expatriates to participate. It also gives independent candidates a chance to compete against the established sectarian leaders and parties. However, the overall sectarian structure of the parliament is unchanged. Impacts Significant seats for civil society alliance My Nation would increase pressure on a new government to address public-sector reform. Victories for Hariri and Hezbollah would favour regional stability, limiting the chance of Iranian-Saudi grandstanding over Lebanon. A surprise loss for Hariri would trigger an open contest over Sunni leadership in Lebanon, which would undermine Saudi interests.

Leaveism and public sector reform: will the practice continue?

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Hesketh ◽  
Cary L. Cooper ◽  
Jonathan Ivy
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Employee Engagement ◽  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Evaluation Tool ◽  
Public Sector Reform ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Sickness Absenteeism ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Organisational Effectiveness

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine and report how the construct of “Well-being” is being recognised within the public services. Using research conducted in a northern provincial police force in the UK the paper explores the issues that may contribute to sickness absence, presenteeism and leaveism; a recently described manifestation of workload overload. As sweeping public sector reform results in reduced workforce and potentially static demand, the question asked here is, “how do organisations adapt to the shifting landscape and retain employee engagement in the workplace?” Design/methodology/approach – The study used A Short Stress Evaluation Tool to assess the risk of stress in the workforce. The questionnaire employed an online self-administered survey and collected data from 155 respondents on stress perceptions, health, attitude towards the organisation, job satisfaction and commitment to the organisation. Findings – Sickness absence figures receive detailed attention when it comes to managing employees, but they may not represent a reliable picture. In this study one-third of respondents indicated that they had taken leave when they had actually been ill or injured; leaveism. The concept of leaveism does not currently appear within sickness absence reporting mechanisms, and the authors would suggest that the omission of this concept leaves a lacuna in current thinking that may have significant impact on both individual and organisational performance. Research limitations/implications – This research clearly shows that the issue of leaveism is a valid concept and has potentially far-reaching consequences. This study has only touched on the first (of three) of the leaveism behaviours and is conducted solely in a policing environment (although non-warranted employees are included in the research cohort). Further research could include attempts to quantify elements two and three of leaveism, and explore to what extent these may impact on organisations undergoing public sector reform. Practical implications – Previous studies have highlighted the negative health effects on “stayers” in public sector downsizing exercises. This in turn raises the question of just how these “survivors” cope with the new regime; with potentially more work and less pay. The authors ask what behaviour cuts of this magnitude will eventually drive when the dust settles? As a consequence could the authors see an end to the practice of leaveism? In which case the authors could make the assumption that (in its first form) it may convert to sickness absenteeism? With a third of people surveyed conceding to the practice, this has far-reaching consequences. In comparison to presenteeism, which has no overt costs, this scenario presents an entirely different fiscal proposition. Originality/value – Leaveism, a recently described and under researched phenomenon, is a hidden source of potential abstractions from the workplace, and could impact enormously on organisational effectiveness. The motivation for the practice is unclear, and could be a manifestation of loyalty, enjoyment or duty. It could also be construed as a reaction to fear of job loss, redundancy or down grade. Whatever the underlying reason this study clearly illustrates the potentially harmful consequences to (public sector) organisations.

Haftar will tighten political space in eastern Libya

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Civil Society ◽  
Social Norms ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Political Space ◽  
Foreign Investors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Security Challenges ◽  
The Status ◽  
The City

Significance She had openly accused members of eastern Libyan leader Khalifa Haftar’s family of corruption the day before. The incident is a reminder not only that security challenges remain in the city but also that those who criticise the status quo there can be targeted for abduction and assassination. Impacts The assassination challenges Haftar’s narrative that Benghazi is safe under his forces’ control. Such incidents may deter foreign investors currently being courted for reconstruction efforts. Barassi’s slaying will further shrink the space for critical civil society voices in eastern Libya. Killing women is a particular taboo in Libya and the fact that her tribe could not protect her suggests the breakdown of social norms.

Professionals, discretion and public sector reform in the UK: re‐visiting Lipsky

2006 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 629-642 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian Taylor ◽  
Josie Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Managerial Control ◽  
Public Sector Reform ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Street Level ◽  
Street Level Bureaucrats ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Rule Making ◽  
Street Level Bureaucracy

PurposeSeeks to examine how far Michael Lipsky's theory of discretion as it relates to public sector professionals as “street‐level bureaucrats” is still applicable in the light of public sector reform and in particular the introduction of increased managerial control over professionals.Design/methodology/approachThe main thesis in Lipsky's work, Street‐Level Bureaucracy, that street‐level bureaucrats devise their own rules and procedures to deal with the dilemmas of policy implementation is linked to public sector reform over the past 25 years or so. The article differentiates between three forms of discretion, rule, task and value and assesses the extent to which these different forms of discretion have been compromised by reform. Examples are drawn principally from the literature on school teachers and social workersFindingsThe findings suggest that the rule‐making (hence bureaucratic) capacity of professionals at street‐level is much less influential than before although it is questionable whether or not the greater accountability of professionals to management and clarity of the targets and objectives of organisations delivering public policy has liberated them from the dilemmas of street‐level bureaucracy.Research limitations/implicationsThe work has focussed on the UK and in particular on two professions. However, it may be applied to any country which has undergone public sector reform and in particular where “new public management” processes and procedures have been implemented. There is scope for in‐depth studies of a range of occupations, professional and otherwise in the UK and elsewhere.Practical implicationsPolicy makers and managers should consider how far the positive aspects of facilitating discretion in the workplace by reducing the need for “rule‐making” to cope with dilemmas have been outweighed by increased levels of bureaucracy and the “de‐skilling” of professionals.Originality/valueLipsky's much cited and influential work is evaluated in the light of public sector reform some 25 years since it was published. The three forms of discretion identified offer the scope for their systematic application to the workplace.

An exploratory insight into the workplace demographic challenges in the public sector

2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (6) ◽  
pp. 859-885 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nnamdi O. Madichie ◽  
Margaret Nyakang’o
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Workplace Diversity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ageing Workforce ◽  
Demographic Challenges ◽  
The Status ◽  
Demographic Challenge

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the need for a Strategic Workforce Plan (SWP) in a public sector organization (PSO) confronting an ageing workforce situation. Design/methodology/approach The study is based upon an action research protocol with a view to initiating change through SWP developed in-house at a PSO that is arguably the custodian of workplace diversity. Findings The findings reveal a general consensus on the ageing workforce challenges at the PSO requiring the need to revisit the status quo on the recruitment and retention strategies as well as succession planning and talent management practices within the organization. Research limitations/implications The study highlights the case of a PSO that has set about addressing the workplace demographic challenge by involving employees to become more reflexive in their engagement within the organization, which serves the dual purpose of “custodian” and “role model” for the country. Originality/value The challenge of an ageing workforce is not common occurrence in developing countries such as Kenya. However the manifestations of this unusual occurrence, and attempts to “nip things in the bud”, using an internally generated SWP with a view to changing the status quo is a demonstration of organizational learning and employee buy-in.

An institutional theory perspective on public sector reform and service performance reporting by New Zealand universities

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tarek Rana ◽  
Zahir Uddin Ahmed ◽  
Anil Narayan ◽  
Mingxing Zheng
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Sector ◽  
Institutional Theory ◽  
Service Performance ◽  
Policy Changes ◽  
Public Sector Reform ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reporting Practices ◽  
Performance Reporting

Purpose This paper aims to examine new public management (NPM) reform in New Zealand Universities (NZUs) and the process by which government policy changes generated service performance reporting (SPR), and how the SPR practices were institutionalised. It seeks to explain the underlying institutional forces of the reform process, how universities were subjected to accountability pressures through government-imposed managerial techniques and how universities responded to them. Design/methodology/approach The authors draw on the theoretical lens of neo-institutional theory and the concept of NPM to interpret the setting of SPR. Data comprise annual reports and other documents produced by the NZUs. Findings The findings show that the development of the SPR was driven by NPM ideals and rationales of greater transparency and accountability. The institutional pressures bestowed extra power to the government by demanding greater accounting reporting of university performance. It also shows the ensemble of institutions, organisations and management practices that were deployed to reorganise performance reporting practices. Research limitations/implications The study adds to the neo-institutional theory work that universities are experiencing extraordinary institutional pressure to become a market-type commodity in New Zealand and internationally. The findings have implications for government, universities, policymakers and public sector professionals who work in public sector reform. Originality/value Through the institutional theoretical lens, the study offers new insights into our understanding of NPM-driven regulation and institutionalisation of managerial techniques. The insights inform policy and practice surrounding design, implementation and the potential effect of future policy changes with reference to the performance of NZUs and internationally.

scholarly journals Searching for the renaissance bureaucrat

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-44
Author(s):  
Peter M. Kruyen ◽  
Shelena Keulemans ◽  
Rick T. Borst ◽  
Jan-Kees Helderman
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Public Administration ◽  
Big Five ◽  
Software Tools ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Negative Consequences ◽  
Public Sector Reform ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Over Time

Purpose Since the early 1980s, western governments are assumed to have been either moving toward post-bureaucratic models or transforming into so-called neo-Weberian bureaucracies. As different public-sector (reform) models imply different ideal typical personality traits for civil servants, the purpose of this paper is to ask the question to what extent personality requirements that governments demand from their employees have evolved over time in line with these models. Design/methodology/approach The authors analyzed the use of big-five traits in a sample of 21,003 job advertisements for local government jobs published between 1980 and 2017, applying tools for computer-assisted text analysis. Findings Using multilevel regression analyses, the authors conclude that, over time, there is a significant increase in the use of personality descriptors related to all big-five factors. Research limitations/implications The authors postulate that governments nowadays are actively looking for the “renaissance bureaucrat” in line with the neo-Weberian bureaucracy paradigm. The authors end with a discussion of both positive and negative consequences of this development. Originality/value First, the authors explicitly link personality, public administration, and public management using the Abridged Big-Five-Dimensional Circumflex model of personality. Second, by linking observed trends in civil servant personality requirements to larger theories of public-sector reform models, the authors narrow the gap between public administration theories and practice. Third, the software tools that the authors use to digitalize and analyze a large number of documents (the job ads) are new to the discipline of public administration. The research can therefore serve as a guideline for scholars who want to use software tools to study large amounts of unstructured, qualitative data.

Designing for public sector innovation in the UK: design strategies for paradigm shifts

foresight ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 332-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniela Sangiorgi
Keyword(s):  
Public Sector ◽  
Service Design ◽  
Design Practice ◽  
Design Strategies ◽  
Public Sector Reform ◽  
Sector Reform ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Public Sector Innovation ◽  
New Public ◽  
The Uk

Purpose – The aim of this work is to provide an initial picture of how some design agencies are contributing toward a paradigm shift and how they are developing in the future to better inform design policies and interdisciplinary work. There is a general agreement that the current government and public sector structure and modes of operation need radical transformation. In this scenario, a shift from New Public Management towards New Public Governance paradigm has been auspicated. Design has attracted attention as a potential approach to support this transformation, but research into Service Design, as well as discussions on its future development, for public sector innovation is limited. This paper is an exploratory study into the individual work of seven representative UK design agencies operating for and within the public sector. Design/methodology/approach – The paper reviews literature on public sector reform and innovation to inform comparative studies of contemporary design agencies working for public sector reform. Interviews with seven designers from NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, Participle, Innovation Unit, Uscreates, Collaborative Change, Futuregov and Snook are conducted to review their perceived role for public sector reform, their design approaches, exemplar projects and main challenges. Findings – Emerging design strategies for Public Sector reform are: a collaborative design approach that considers all stakeholders as equal co-creators of public value; operating at different complementary levels to aim at systemic change; designing from the inside out (innovation culture) and outside in (market change). These different strategies imply the development of possible different business models. Existing creative tensions appear between embedding and outsourcing strategies, acting as facilitators vs designers, developing both designing and service delivery roles. Research limitations/implications – This paper is based on a limited sample of design agencies, and it is not a systematic study into the impact of their design work, which should be the object of a following study. Practical implications – This paper brings Service Design practice into public sector innovation debate to inform future interdisciplinary research and innovation policies. It positions existing design innovation strategies within the wider picture of public sector reform to support a more informed design practice. Originality/value – Few studies have looked at the UK design agencies for public sector innovation and discussed their possible future developments. This paper provides an original and holistic description of design for public sector innovation with considerations on how it should be interpreted when developing supporting innovation and design policies.

Haftar’s Tripoli attack may ebb further in Libya

2019 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Local Government ◽  
Public Services ◽  
Armed Forces ◽  
Status Quo ◽  
Economic Power ◽  
Local Elections ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Status ◽  
Military Control ◽  
First Time

Significance Although Haftar has previously signalled his aspiration to defeat the armed forces in western Libya, this is the first time he has ordered a major assault on the capital. Haftar’s personal ambition to lead the country is well-known. However, he is also a vehicle for a section of Libyans who have felt excluded from centres of political and economic power since the 2011 revolution. Impacts The status quo of fragmented zones of military control is not unsustainable. Security in Tripoli will generally remain adequate for local government and public services to continue to function. Local elections planned for some municipalities this month may still go ahead.

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