Algorithmic governance in public sector: is digitization a key to effective management

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2149
Author(s):  
Aurelija Pūraitė ◽  
Vaiva Zuzevičiūtė ◽  
Daiva Bereikienė ◽  
Tetyana Skrypko ◽  
Leonid Shmorgun

While algorithmic governance in the public sector can lead to increased efficiency and cost-effectiveness, the implementation of those digital innovations can also result in multiple forms of harm: data bias can lead to reinforcement of inequality, discrimination, and criminalization of already marginalized populations; lack of accountability and transparency in decision-making can lead to injustices; societal trust and the legitimacy of public sector institutions may suffer; privacy and fundamental human rights may be threatened, ethical standards challenged. Digital transformation, leading to algorithmic governance, may be challenged in times of crisis, such as the recent pandemic outbreak, as new technologies in public sector institutions and forms of data-driven surveillance and intrusive monitoring are introduced in the name of public security and social need.  This research focuses in affirming the assumption that the effective management in the public sector, first of all, is determined by the ability of this sector to transform the perception of the services delivered; secondly, it requires strategic actions to enable the systemic and coherent digital transformation of the public sector; and lastly, the new strategies of human resources management in the public sector should be considered. The focus is concentrated on understanding how the implementation of digital tools to the public sector and public services correlate with algorithmic governance concept and what impact digitization has on the effectiveness of management in the public sector.

Author(s):  
Peter Dale ◽  
John McLaughlin

Effective human resources management is a key ingredient in building and sustaining a country’s land administration infrastructure. Whether it is building new systems or reforming existing ones, the recruitment, training, provision of support for, and evaluation of employees will ultimately be far more important than matters pertaining to technology and process. Yet traditionally, human resources management has not been given much serious attention in the land administration field. Within the broader public administration arena, however, the human resources management function is increasingly being recognized as a central organizational concern and that ‘its performance and delivery are integrated into line management; the aims shift from merely securing compliance to the more ambitious one of winning commitment. The employee resource, therefore, becomes worth investing in, and training and development thus assume a higher profile’ (Storey 1991). What distinguishes modern human resources management from the more traditional personnel functions is its focus on utilizing human resources to strategic management objectives. Effective human resources management seeks to: 1. link human resources management issues to the overall strategy of an organization; 2. build strong organizational cultures aimed at uniting employees through a shared set of goals and values (‘quality’, ‘service’, ‘innovation’, etc.) and by promoting a commonality of interests amongst employees and management; 3. recognize employees as a resource, as social capital that can be developed and can contribute to competitive advantage; 4. replace traditional top-down communication, coupled with controlled information flow, to a sharing of information and knowledge; and 5. achieve flexibility and adaptability to manage change and innovation in response to rapid changing circumstances (Burt and Spector 1985). This section examines briefly some of the principal human resources management issues, particularly as they relate to developing countries. The focus will be on concerns within the public sector (where most of the core land administration activity occurs), the broader issues of developing local capacity in both the public and private sectors, and the requirements for developing professional associations. Significant emphasis has been given in recent years to the challenges of building and sustaining institutions for capable public sector administration in the developing world.


Author(s):  
Alaa Aldin Al Athmay ◽  
Saadat Alhashmi ◽  
Rafat Abdul Rahim

Abstract This study investigates the impact of Information Technology (IT) on human resource functions of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) public sector organisations. This paper presents the results of a survey of human resources directors (HRDs) in the public sector organisations in the UAE. It is an initial attempt to provide a case study of information and services provided by IT, primarily Web-based self-service, in the human resource function. HRDs was asked about their perceptions on the effectiveness of human resources information systems (HRIS) for their organisations. The results were positive and showed that the scope of HRIS is broad, with almost 28% and 30% of employees contacting HR through email and the Web, respectively. In terms of the perception of HRDs of the impact of HRIS, operational impacts such as the automation of record-keeping, alleviation of administrative burdens, and improving HR efficiency are significant.Concerningthe relational aspect, respondents were clear about HRIS roles such as a reduction in response time and improved service quality but they doubted that HRIS enhances the organisation’s ability to attract top talent, improves awareness or relationships between HR and employees. About transformational aspects such as re-engineering HRM, broadening its scope, improving the quality of services, and retaining knowledge areessential to HRDs. The most critical success factors of HRIS was improved data accuracy and improved HRM services, and inadequate funding and budgeting were fairly rated number one barrier factor to HRIS. Keywords:E-human resources management, Human resources directors,Information technology, Public Sector, United Arab Emirates


2008 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M. Akinnusi

This paper reviews the role of human resource management (HRM) which, today, plays a strategic partnership role in management. The focus of the paper is on HRM in the public sector, where much hope rests on HRM as a means of transforming the public service and achieving much needed service delivery. However, a critical evaluation of HRM practices in the public sector reveals that these services leave much to be desired. The paper suggests the adoption of benchmarking as a process to revamp HRM in the public sector so that it is able to deliver on its promises. It describes the nature and process of benchmarking and highlights the inherent difficulties in applying benchmarking in HRM. It concludes with some suggestions for a plan of action. The process of identifying “best” practices in HRM requires the best collaborative efforts of HRM practitioners and academicians. If used creatively, benchmarking has the potential to bring about radical and positive changes in HRM in the public sector. The adoption of the benchmarking process is, in itself, a litmus test of the extent to which HRM in the public sector has grown professionally.


Author(s):  
Igor Vukonjanski

Human resources management in the public administration of the Republic of Serbia is a combined model of good practices from the European administrative area and the remaining stereotypes from pre-transition period. Introduction of the public servant system with all features of contemporary public servant related legislation was a necessity that accompanied overall reform of the public administration in Serbia. The process of introducing human resources management function in the Serbian public administration has been encumbered with application of two different legal models that define the status of public servants: public servant related legislation is applied to employees in executive branches of the central government (ministries, government departments and offices), and the status of employees in city and municipal administrations is stipulated in obsolete laws, adopted over 20 years ago. It should be noted that employees in public sector are still prone to old habits in their work, which altogether reduces successful reforms in this area. This paper provides a description of the current state of affairs and opens certain questions: whether the modern human resources (HR) management in Serbia’s public sector is understood and accepted in the right way; and whether it is possible, by means of applying specific methods, to strengthen awareness of public employees concerning their actual position and responsibility to establish a new public administration, adjusted to the citizens’ needs, requirements and expectations. Relying on a decade-long personal engagement in this field, the author analyzes the current circumstances and provides critical remarks and recommendations.


2002 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 283-295 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marilyn K. Gowing ◽  
Mary Lou Lindholm

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 84
Author(s):  
Hardson Kwandayi ◽  
Nelson Jagero ◽  
Jimmy Matata

De-motivation of the public sector employees is a key aspect in Public Administration as far as human resources management is concerned. It is argued that people are without a doubt the most valuable resource to any organization. It is upon this ground that this study sought to assess the factors that de-motivated staff in the public sector of Uganda, specifically Arua District Local Government. In this study, 15 district staff (Heads of departments and office assistants), 30 sub county staff (Community Development Officers, Sub County Chiefs, Accounts Assistants and Extension staff) were used as the research subjects. Self-administered questionnaires were used as research instruments. The priority de-motivators were lack of autonomy and variety, low salary, organizational politics, unending clients’ demands and ineffective communication. The study recommends that, the government should initiate low cost housing schemes including soft loans for the public sector employees. In addition, official residences should be built for the staff at their work stations, this specifically would apply to the Sub County staff who would need to endure residing near their work places and this scheme would most likely contribute to the conduciveness of work environment.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-18
Author(s):  
More Ickson Manda

The institutionalisation of new technologies, information systems, norms, practices and other innovations for improving governance, planning, operational efficiency and service delivery in the public sector remain a challenge. Power dynamics, and politics have also been recognised as playing a critical role in the institutionalisation of information systems for promoting digital transformation of the public sector. This study used data collected through an extensive review of literature and empirical data from a case study of South Africa’s government digital transformation journey. The study explored power dynamics and the role of politics in the institutionalisation of reforms and deinstitutionalisation of institutionalised practices that constrain transformation in institutions. Power dynamics, and politics in institutions were found to have a significant bearing on the institutionalisation of reforms that include information systems in the digital transformation of government. The study found that the digital transformation of the public is more than the implementation technology and requires the holistic view of institutions as social, economic, and political structures.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohamed Z. Elbashir ◽  
Steve G. Sutton ◽  
Vicky Arnold ◽  
Philip A. Collier

Purpose Recent research and policy reports indicate public sector organizations struggle to leverage information technology-based performance measurement systems and fail to effectively evaluate performance beyond financial metrics. This study aims to focus on organizational factors that influence the assimilation of business intelligence (BI) systems into integrated management control systems and the corollary impact on improving business process performance within public sector organizations. Design/methodology/approach The complete Australian client list was acquired from a leading BI vendor; and the authors surveyed all public sector organizations, receiving 226 individual responses representing 160 public sector organizations in Australia. Using latent construct measurement, structural equation modeling (SEM)-partial least squares is used to test the theoretical model. Findings When top management promotes knowledge creation among the organization’s operational level employees and support their activities with strong BI infrastructure, the same knowledge and infrastructure capabilities that are critical to assimilation in private sector hold in the public sector. However, public sector organizations generally have difficulty retaining staff with expertise in new technologies and attracting new innovative staff that can leverage smart systems to effect major change in performance measurement. When top management effectively manages knowledge importation from external entities to counteract deficiencies, public sector organizations effectively assimilate BI knowledge into performance measurement yielding strong process performance. Research limitations/implications When top management promotes knowledge creation among the organization’s operational level employees and support their activities with strong BI infrastructure, the same knowledge and infrastructure capabilities critical to assimilation in the private sector hold in the public sector. However, public sector organizations generally have difficulty retaining staff with expertise in new technologies and attracting new innovative staff that can leverage smart systems to effect major change in performance measurement. The research extends the theory behind organizational absorptive capacity by highlighting how knowledge importation can be used as an external source facilitating internal knowledge creation. This collaborative knowledge creation leads to affective assimilation of BI technologies and associated performance gains. Practical implications The results provide guidance to public sector organizations that struggle to measure and validate service outcomes under New Public Management regulations and mandates. Originality/value The results reveal that consistent with the philosophies behind New Public Management strategies, private sector measures for increasing organizational absorptive capacity can be applied in the public sector. However, knowledge importation appears to be a major catalyst in the public sector where the resources to retain skilled professionals with an ability to leverage contemporary technologies into service performance are often very limited. Top management team knowledge and skills are critical to effectively leveraging these internal and external knowledge creation mechanisms.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (12) ◽  
pp. 51-56
Author(s):  
Yuri O. Kolotov ◽  
◽  
Anastasia V. Sharopatova ◽  
Alyona E. Salamova ◽  
◽  
...  

One of the most important assets of a modern enterprise is human capital and its development opportunities. The need to maintain intellectual capital is due to the introduction of new technological solutions and changes in industrial relations. There is a transformation of the management environment, which focuses on intangible assets and thereby moves to competitive advantages. Within the framework of this article, the peculiarities of regulation and methods of human resources management at the enterprise in the conditions of digitalization are studied. The characteristic of the involvement of domestic enterprises in the HR development strategy is given.


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