EU referendums in context: What can we learn from the Swiss case?

The rising number of referendums on EU matters, such as the Brexit and the Catalonian independence votes, highlight the increasing importance of referendums as a problem‐solving mechanism in the EU. We argue that the Swiss case provides essential insights into understanding the dynamics behind referendums, which are often lacking when referendums are called for in the EU. Referendums in EU member states on EU matters differ substantially from those in the Swiss context. Nevertheless, proponents of more direct democratic decision‐making regularly cite the Swiss example. Our systematic analysis of why referendums are called, how they unfold and their effects in the EU and Switzerland reveals that the EU polity lacks the crucial conditions that embed direct democracy within the wider political and institutional system. The comparative perspective offers fundamental insights into the preconditions required for direct democracy to function and its limitations in the EU.     

Adding rooms onto a house we love: Central banking after the global financial crisis

This article examines the extent to which central bankers have been willing and able to rethink their beliefs about monetary policy in the wake of the global financial crisis. We show that despite the upheaval, the core pre‐crisis monetary policy paradigm remains relatively intact: central bankers believe that they should primarily pursue price stability through targeting a low inflation rate in a transparent manner, and that they need operational independence in order to achieve this goal. In a bid to address post‐crisis conditions and maintain their credibility, however, central bankers have also layered new elements onto this paradigmatic core. We document both the resilience of pre‐crisis beliefs and the process of layering using computer‐assisted text analysis and qualitative analysis of 13,586 speeches given between 1997 and 2017 by central bankers from around the world.     

How empowering leadership reduces employee silence in public organizations

The intentional withholding of critical work‐related information can have serious negative consequences in public organizations. Yet, few studies have examined why public employees intentionally remain silent about problems and how to prevent such behaviour. This article provides insights into how managers may lower employee silence in government organizations. We develop a model that suggests that empowering leadership by frontline supervisors reduces public employee silence, by improving employee trust in their supervisors, granting employees control over their jobs, and strengthening identification with the organization. We test the model in two cross‐sectional studies with data collected from all employees working in two local governments in the United States. We find empirical support for the model in both studies. We discuss the implications of the research results for public management scholarship and practice.     

Parental leave policies and parents' employment and leave‐taking

We describe trends in maternal employment and leave‐taking after birth of a newborn and analyze the extent to which these behaviors are influenced by parental leave policies. Data are from the June Current Population Survey (CPS) Fertility Supplements, merged with other months of the CPS, and cover the period 1987 to 1994. This time span is one during which parental leave legislation expanded at both the state and federal level. We also provide the first comprehensive examination of employment and leave‐taking by fathers of infants. Our main finding is that leave expansions are associated with increased leave‐taking by both mothers and fathers. The magnitudes of the changes are small in absolute terms but large relative to the baseline for men and much greater for college‐educated or married mothers than for their less‐educated or single counterparts. © 2009 by the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management     

中国公民社会影响政策过程的作用机理

中国公民社会的内在要求决定其必然影响公共政策过程,而公共政策过程的价值取向和回应效能使这一影响成为可能,二者互为环境,具有内在的统一性.中国公民社会为公民提供的组织化和舆论性的参与途径,改变了公民参与不均衡的状态,并引导公民理性地、有序地表达自己的政策诉求,从而增强了政府回应的有效性.而政府回应推动了日益壮大中的中国公民社会的成长,使其成为一股引导公民从"被动参与"到"主动参与"再到"制度性参与"的正向有序的建设性力量.这种互补性政治生态和作用机理,使中国公民社会与国家之间的良性互动成为一种实现政府善治与社会和谐的双赢的理性选择.     

政府社会管理精细化初探

社会分工与服务质量精细化的今天,面时中国社会管理的任务与现实需求,政府社会管理从粗放到精细成为一种必然.与企业及政府其他领域的管理相比,政府社会管理有着独特的内涵,中国政府社会管理精细化的实现也面临着不同于企业、政府其他领域的管理,以及其他国家政府社会管理的现实阻力.战略设计系统化、执行框架标准化、评估指标数据化、责任落实明确化,以及管理技术信息化是化解中国政府社会管理精细化难题的突破口.     

论电子政务与行政效率

电子政务已经成为各级政府转变职能,创新管理方式,提高行政能力的重要途径和手段,是全方位提高行政效率的一场革命。要从实际出发,探讨加快电子政务建设提高行政效率有效的途径。     

A群猪轮状病毒胶体金免疫层析试纸条的研制

为建立一种快速、简便的猪轮状病毒检测方法,采用柠檬酸三钠还原法制备胶体金颗粒,标记纯化的抗猪轮状病毒VP6蛋白单克隆抗体,在硝酸纤维素膜上喷加纯化的抗猪轮状病毒VP6蛋白多克隆抗体和羊抗鼠IgG,制成检测猪轮状病毒抗原的胶体金免疫层析试纸条。结果表明,所制备的试纸条用于检测猪轮状病毒感染的MA104细胞培养物,在检测线处出现红色反应带,未感染病毒的细胞培养物在检测线处未出现反应条带,上述培养物在质控线处均出现红色反应条带;进一步试验表明,试纸条检出病毒培养液(TCID50是10-6.25/0.1 mL)的最低限为1∶32稀释;用不同批次的试纸条重复检测,结果无差异;该试纸条不与相关的腹泻病毒猪传染性胃肠炎病毒、流行性腹泻病毒发生反应,所制备的试纸条具有一定的敏感性和特异性,重复性良好。