An Efficiency Measurement of E-Government Performance for Network Readiness: Non-Parametric Frontier Approach

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) network readiness competency improves service quality and provides efficient service in implementing successful e-governments. By confirming ICT network readiness of e-governments, it must be redesigned using limited resources effectively to achieve realistic goals. When ICT investment and economic performance are featured, e-government’s network readiness competency improves potential demand, supply, and service maturity. It reflects information technology (IT) development competency on performance effectively. In this study, we propose the Data Envelope Analysis (DEA) method to present a method of improving ICT network readiness between countries. We derived the ICT network’s readiness competency level and strategic plan by comparing each country for efficient ICT operation of e-governments. If we make rankings in a non-traditional and efficient manner, it will become a successful strategy for ICT in the future. This effort provides guidance for each government and a solution for the growth delay problem, which is required for advancement in ICT investment and productivity. It also guides each government to overcome marginal products.

A Novel Approach to Improving E-Government Performance from Budget Challenges in Complex Financial Systems

Today, the risk management of budget challenges throughout the budget process is greater than ever. The process of change has been driven by new information and communication technologies, resulting in e-government. The purpose of this scientific paper is to see whether budgetary challenges have an effect on the performance of e-government in complex financial systems based on factors F1, F2, F3, F4, and F5: lack of information, lack of cooperation, lack of resources and reduction of focus, lack of budget experts and financial stability, and shortcomings and inconsistencies during the budget process. Therefore, this study aims to advance the understanding of how to manage risks from budgetary challenges by focusing on a novel approach to improve e-government performance in complex financial systems. Empirical research was based on three key issues: an approach to e-government, analyzing which variables need more attention to risk, and learning how to meet budgetary challenges to improve performance during governance. For this study, the data were conducted by Kosovo’s public institutions, more specifically at the central level (Ministry of Finance) and at the local level (38 municipalities of Kosovo). A total of 38 questionnaires were analyzed and divided into three sessions, which were analyzed through three analyses, such as factor analysis, data reliability analysis, and multiple regression analysis, using SPSS version 23.0 for Windows. The research was conducted over the years 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2020, while the analysis involved several processes, where some of the factors were removed in order to make the model acceptable. In this case, 21 variables were tested and divided into 5 factors. The results showed that special attention should be paid to these factors to reduce budgetary challenges and increase the performance of e-government in complex financial systems, such as (a) lack of resources (staff, funds, infrastructure, tools, etc.), (b) increasing the focus on risk management even after the transfer of funds from the ministry to the municipality, (c) the selection of programs based on priorities and not on the basis of wishes and policies, (d) having political stability, rule of law, and more control, and (e) having regulations and guidelines from the practices of developed countries as well as taking into account the opinions of budget experts. The implications of this paper have to do with only a considerable number of variables, which were taken in the study as well as only in the municipalities of Kosovo. In this case, for other analyses by other researchers, other variables can be analyzed in other countries by making comparisons.

Using Governance Mechanisms to Raise the Efficiency of Internal Control Performance to Confront Government Corruption in Iraq: An Empirical Study

The study aimed to reduce the phenomenon of government corruption by developing internal control systems using governance mechanisms, and the factors influencing their support to improve their professional quality, as one of the most important mechanisms of an effective internal control structure that affects the discovery and prevention of fraud and innovative practices, increasing the credibility and transparency of financial and control reports, and contributing to activation Practicing the system of governance, to reduce administrative deception and methods, to control and minimize corruption, and to raise the productive efficiency of government performance, by controlling public spending, preserving public money, and promoting economic rationalization in the use and exploitation of property General resources, and a questionnaire list was designed to achieve these goals, which was distributed to those interested in government internal control divided into three categories: financial monitors in the ministry, inspectors of the central apparatus, and government accountants. The study concluded the importance of applying governance mechanisms in raising the level of efficiency of government internal control systems, in order to reduce the manifestations of government corruption.

Modeling corruption perception effects on non-electoral participation in Morocco (2018-2019)

Theoretical literature has two competing theories about the effects of corruption on society: the first group sees corruption as something that "Greases the Wheels of" the administrative and economic systems of countries and the second group calls it something that "Sands the Wheels" of those systems. This study examines the direct and indirect effects of corruption perceptions among Moroccan citizens on the non-electoral participation using the fifth wave data of the Arab barometer, assuming the first group's ideas. The fifth wave of this data was obtained in 2019-2018 and surveyed 2400 Moroccan citizens. Testing the hypothesis through the SEM indicate that, first, corruption perception has a direct positive and significant effect on the citizens' negative evaluation of the government performance and it increases the political distrust among citizens indirectly and significantly. Secondly, the results indicate that although perceptions of corruption by citizens do not directly have a significant effect on non-electoral participation, because all the mediating variables are significant, it can be argued that perceptions of corruption can have a positive impact on the expansion of non-electoral participation among citizens indirectly and it can happen through the variables of poor government performance and political distrust.

Performance Accountability in Indonesian Local Governments: Does Monitoring Really Work?

This study aims to empirically examine whether the monitoring activities on local government implementation really matter for local government performance accountability. Based on a sample of decentralized Indonesia during 2010-2019, we test this by measuring monitoring activities of local government at district and city levels. Using panel data set of 514 local governments, our results show that the monitoring activities, conducted by external audit and the public, positively affect local government performance accountability. In contrast, legislative monitoring negatively affects performance accountability. These findings suggest that the external audit plays a fundamental role in monitoring activities at the local governments. In addition, direct public monitoring can enhance performance accountability through intensifying human development and a greater democracy. As for legislators, the composition between government coalition and opposition should also be suitable for the effectiveness of monitoring.

Research on Public Rental Housing PPP Project Launching Dilemmas with Dynamic Evolutionary Game

The public housing PPP projects have encountered a cold reception from the government, which constrained solving the urban housing problem. This paper builds a dynamic game model under incomplete contract conditions, analyzes the key factors affecting the signing of PPP contracts by dynamic evolutionary game analysis, and verifies these factors by simulation. The results show that fiscal spending smoothing, risk transfer, and government performance can promote government to adopt cooperation strategy. Expected project benefits and government performance incentives can promote private capital to adopt cooperation strategy. Changes in transaction cost have a significant impact on the decision of cooperation strategy.

Running away from the jab: factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To investigate how sociodemographic conditions, political factors, organizational confidence, and non-pharmaceutical interventions compliance affect the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Brazil. METHODS: Data collection took place between November 25th, 2020 and January 11th, 2021 using a nationwide online survey. Subsequently, the researches performed a descriptive analysis on the main variables and used logistic regression models to investigate the factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. RESULTS: Less concern over vaccine side effects could improve the willingness to be vaccinated (probability changed by 7.7 pp; p < 0.10). The current vaccine distrust espoused by the Brazilian president is associated with vaccine hesitancy, among his voter base. Lower performance perception (“Very Bad” with 10.7 pp; p < 0.01) or higher political opposition (left-oriented) regarding the current presidency is associated with the willingness to be vaccinated. Higher compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) is usually positively associated with the willingness to take the COVID-19 vaccine (+1 score to NPI compliance index is associated with higher willingness to be vaccinated by 1.4 pp, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Willingness to be vaccinated is strongly associated with political leaning, perceived federal government performance, vaccine side effects, and compliance with non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs).

The Electoral Consequences of Cellphone Coverage Expansion

We study the electoral effects of cellphone coverage expansion in Ghana between 2004 and 2008 using a difference-in-differences design and find that it benefits incumbents in both presidential and parliamentary elections, with gains in the latter concentrated among incumbents from the ruling party. This appears to be due to cellphone coverage expansion improving citizens' wealth and faith in the economy as opposed to their perceptions of government performance or political knowledge.

Do Smart Cities Technologies Contribute to Local Economic Development?

Governments around the world are exploring strategies that contribute to increased government performance and economic development that enable them to meet the service-tax expectations of their citizens. Within the framework of technology use in public management, this sudy examines the effects of smart cities technologies on the importance that chief administrative officers attach to local economic development. Drawing on the Digital Era Governance (DEG) model for theoretical context, this study uses logistic regressions derived from the 2016 International City/County Management Association survey on smart cities and the U.S. Census Bureau. The results show that the level of commitment to, the extent of engagement with, and the barriers faced in implementing smart cities technologies are associated with the importance of local economic development. Among other variables, poverty and education were also found to be significant predictors of the importance of local economic development.