Implementation and Application of Artificial Intelligence in Selected Public Services

Data-intensive technologies, such as artificial intelligence, imply huge opportunities for transforming the delivery of healthcare and social services, improving people’s quality of life and working in the health and welfare system. The aim of this paper is to present examples of the implementation of artificial intelligence techniques in healthcare and social services and to sketch the trends and challenges in the adoption of artificial intelligence techniques, with an emphasis on the public sector and selected public services. Analysis is based on a realistic assessment of current artificial intelligence technologies and their anticipated development. Besides the benefits and potential opportunities for healthcare and social services, there are also challenges for governments. Understanding the huge potential of artificial intelligence as well as its limitations will be a key step forward, but it is essential to avoid the trap of an overestimation of artificial intelligence potential.

Poduzetnički inkubatori kao oblik poduzetničke potporne institucije u Hrvatskoj

Poduzetnički inkubatori jedan su od oblika potpornih institucija razvoja poduzetništva, pri čemu je njihova osnovna svrha poticanje poduzetničkoga okružja i osiguravanje preduvjeta razvoja poduzetnika na određenome području pružanjem raznih usluga. Poduzetnički inkubatori osnivaju se radi dinamiziranja lokalnog i regionalnog ekonomskog razvoja jer su im ciljna skupina poduzeća iz područja njihove županije ili grada. Svrha je ovog rada istražiti ulogu poduzetničkih inkubatora u pružanju potpore malim i srednjim poduzećima u Hrvatskoj. U radu se žele prikazati neke od osnovnih karakteristika poduzetničkih inkubatora, njihove odrednice i prakse poslovanja te istražiti i analizira ti ponuda usluga koje inkubatori pružaju svojim stanarima. Također, u radu se nastoje ustanoviti osnovni ciljevi poslovanja, izvori financiranja te analizirati uspješnost inkubatora. Empirijski podaci prikupljeni su anketnim upitnikom na uzorku od 34 poduzetnička inkubatora, pri čemu je metoda deskriptivne statističke analize korištena radi pružanja potanka opisa trenutačnog stanja, karakteristika te poslovanja poduzetničkih inkubatora u Hrvatskoj.

The Role of Agencies in Creating Network Approach in Higher Education

An analysis of different aspects regarding the creation of networks within the Croatian higher education system is presented in the paper. The larger part of the paper refers to the analysis of public services in general and the network approach in public administration in particular. The state of the higher education system is presented through the inclusion of market and network principles and the establishment of numerous actors in this field by which effectiveness of this field of public administration is trying to be improved. The aim of the detailed examinations is to pro-vide an overview of all relevant actors whose interactions and roles resemble network-like relationships. To examine the starting hypothesis that neo-managerial approach leads to networking within the higher education system, an empirical study was conducted at the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek, Croatia among the teaching staff and students. The final chapters of the paper present and discuss research results which principally support the initial assumptions.

The Death of the European Agency for Reconstruction

Among many issues regarding the work and functioning of EU agencies, the termination of an agency is an important aspect to consider. The European Agency for Reconstruction (EAR), an EU agency that managed EU aid to the Western Balkans from 2001 to 2008, proved to be an efficient and effective agency in delivering aid. Although termination of any EU agency is a rare phenomenon, the EAR was terminated in 2008, despite its successful record. The termination of this highly successful agency stands as an example for the utility of putting termination theory into a larger framework of the existence of EU agencies, as scholarly literature has largely ignored the issue of termination in the work of the EU agencies. The EAR represented an institutional model of independence from politics and policy-making. The purpose of this paper is to assess the structure and operations of the EAR and reasons that led to its termination.

Politika štednje i izborni ciklus

Provođenje ekonomske politike često je ograničeno društvenim okolnostima, stoga se ona teško može provoditi onako kako je teorijski bila zamišljena. Istodobno, u životu političara izbori – najvažnije ograničenje – rezultiraju pokušajima podređivanja ekonomske politike cilju reizbora umjesto ostvarenja postavljenih ekonomskih ciljeva u izbornim godinama. Ovaj rad istražuje navedenu dihotomiju na primjeru provođenja politike štednje unutar izbornog ciklusa 11 novih zemalja članica Europske unije od 2004. do 2019. Rezultati dinamičke panel-analize potvrđuju oportunističko ponašanje političara na vlasti u izbornim godinama, ali samo u razdobljima kada zemlje nisu obuhvaćene procedurom prekomjernog deficita. Jednom kad im je nametnuto egzogeno ograničenje, političkoproračunski ciklus nestaje.

Evaluation of the Relationship of Democracy and Governance

Economic, social, political and technological developments have greatly influenced the field of public administration, and new paradigms have been introduced accordingly. Governance, one of these approaches, deals with controversial issues such as changing the state-citizen relationship, strengthening democracy, improving the service provision capacity of the government, and the rule of law, and are discussed at global, national and local levels. Within the scope of this study, the effect of governance on democracy is investigated. Accordingly, the theoretical claim that governance has an impact on democracy is tested with an empirical analysis using quantitative data. In order to test this claim, democracy and governance indices are analysed statistically. Based on these data, various correlation and regression analyses can be made. As a result, it has been determined that governance has a very high effect on democracy. Moreover, there is a high level of correlation and effect between the sub-dimensions of both indices.

Razvoj pravne zaštite građana putem žalbe u upravnom sporu u Hrvatsko

Cilj je rada povijesnopravnom metodom i normativnom analizom propisa koji su bili na snazi od 1874. do 1991. ispitati ulogu i značenje instituta žalbe u upravnom sporu u Hrvatskoj. Uz mogućnost izjavljivanja žalbe vezuje se i pitanje organizacije tijela koja su vodila upravne sporove. Stoga su prikazane organizacija i struktura sudstva nadležnog za vođenje upravnih sporova. Osobit se naglasak stavlja na povijesna razdoblja u razvoju upravnog spora u kojem je postojala mogućnost izjavljivanja žalbe. Normativna je analiza usmjerena na žalbeni postupak, dopuštenost odnosno ograničenja izjavljivanja žalbe te posebice na ovlasti nadležnih sudova pri odlučivanju o žalbi. Svrha je rada uputiti na izvorišne osnove pravnog normiranja žalbe u upravnom sporu te iznijeti specifičnosti i iznimke utvrđene u povijesnom razvoju, a koje mogu poslužiti kao smjernice za daljnji razvoj i povećanje učinkovitosti žalbenog odlučivanja na Visokome upravnom sudu Republike Hrvatske

Petty Offences in Poland Between Criminal Law and Administrative Law

This paper provides a commentary on the evolution and position of petty offence law in the Polish legal system. For the sake of order, it should be noted that the nature of petty offences is ambiguous and not one-dimensional. Their status and role depend on the assumptions of the legislator, who may emphasise their various aspects. A petty offence may be an element of criminal law in the broad sense, as a “small crime” or an administrative tort. More-over, the development of Polish petty offence law and the arguments supporting the choice of specific legal solutions are presented. The probable future of Polish petty offence law was also indicated, aiming at the conclusion that the most serious petty offences would become crimes, and the rest would become administrative torts.

Conflicts in the Nile Basin and the Change of Power Balance

Ethiopian–Egyptian relations have seen remarkable tension since Ethiopia began the Renaissance Dam construction in 2011, and tensions have since escalated when Ethiopia announced the filling stage. While Ethiopia defends its project due to its economic importance, Egypt fears its negative effects. The paper discusses the hydro-political differences between the Nile Basin countries, particularly Egypt and Ethiopia, regarding the issue of water sharing and the means of settling it. It also discusses the consequent diplomatic problems and changes in the balance of power in Africa with the rise of Ethiopia as a regional power. The paper has found that the worsening of the Nile Basin situation is a result of the persistence of the conflicting parties and their adherence to their positions with no willingness to make concessions. Given the lack of a comprehensive legal agreement to regulate the exploitation and sharing of Nile water, the only way to put an end to this conflict is through cooperation between all basin countries.

Application of Multi-Criteria Analysis on Theatres’ Efficiency – Czech and Polish Comparative Case Studies

Institutions (theatres) evaluated in this paper are mediators of an unrepeatable interpretive art and they need funds from public resources of different government levels to ensure their activities. The aim of the present paper is to evaluate the efficiency of theatre management of 93 evaluated public theatres in the Czech Republic and Poland through 11 indicators. The evaluated weights of chosen indicators were determined by the Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), in combination with the chosen objective method for determining the importance of indicators. From the results it is evident that big multi-genre theatres producing more genres of interpretive art (drama, opera, ballet, musical) with a bigger number of employees had the worst results in both states.