Media Influence on Citizens’ Government Trust: A Cross-Sectional Data Analysis of China

This study explores how media affects citizens’ government trust in modern China. Detailed analyses of the survey data found that Chinese official media has a positive effect on government trust, and the growing social media has been becoming a major threat to it. Further validation of the multiple mediation model shows that the post-materialist values, performance evaluation, and their continuous multiple role serve as bridges between the positive effect of official media on government trust. Although the similar mediating factors also exist between the negative influence of social media on public trust in government, their mechanisms and effects are quite different. Compared with the role of cultivating and guiding values, the propaganda effect of official media on government performance play a more important role in enhancing citizens’ trust in government, while the acceleration of public value transformation is the main source of decline in government trust brought by social media.     

Techniques in Innovative Policy Making: Example of National Rural Employment Guarantee Act in India

The problem of social ills such as unemployment, poverty, and accelerating pace of rural-urban migration is not only enormous in magnitude, but also complex by nature in developing countries. This article introduces an innovative regulatory approach that addresses the complexity and scale of such problems. An analytical and decision-making model is presented. This model prescribes reflecting on two or more problems simultaneously. Such an approach is expected to create a fresh opportunity for policy makers and scholars in solving problem scenarios, bringing their vantage point to bear on pressing social matters. The model presented in this article is applied to analyze the NREGA or National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005 in India. This Act represents a novel approach to policy-making and demonstrates the positive role governments can play in labor markets. The design, implementation, and promising initial results clearly challenge existing wisdom on how to make effective policy decisions. The framework presented in the article best explains various facets of this remarkable policy and shows how governments can intervene in the labor markets and correct for imperfections. Pioneering future applications to other social and economic challenges are suggested. Also, implications for research and policy are provided.     

Explaining Organizational Variety in Evaluation Quality Assurance: Which Conditions Matter?

The growth in evaluation practice has not always gone hand in hand with an increase in the actual quality of these evaluations. This article addresses this concern, by examining the factors that explain organizational variety in the application of evaluation quality assurance measures. We present the results of an analysis of 18 Flemish (Belgian) public sector organizations. To unravel different explanatory trajectories, we combine two comparative methods that rely on Boolean analysis: the most similar different outcome/most different similar outcome technique on the one hand, and crisp set qualitative comparative analysis on the other hand.     

The Role of Culture in Knowledge Sharing in a Public-Sector Organization in Ghana: Revisiting Hofstede’s Model

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the role of culture in knowledge-sharing drawing on Hofstede’s culture framework. The case study research design was employed as the research design. Semistructured interview guide was used as the data gathering instrument. Data analysis was done using the thematic analysis technique. Under power distance, four themes were identified as being crucial in knowledge sharing in Afiya Kwabre District Assembly. These factors are decision-making involvement, power and status, delegation of responsibilities, and respect and fairness. In addition, three major themes emerged under uncertainty avoidance—broadening knowledge, job security, and group membership.     

‘It’s Not Like Never-the-Twain-Shall-Meet’: Politician–Staff Relationship Structures in Local Government

Local governments have two primary components: elected representatives and employed staff. The relationship between these two groups has significant impacts on local authority operation. Two key theoretical models used to characterise these relations, the well-established Politics/Administration Dichotomy and the recently conceived Complementarity Model, are employed here to explore relationships in New Zealand councils. Results show varying views regarding whether the separation of staff and elected representatives (councillors) is based on their respective roles or inputs. A role-based separation emphasises distinct ‘realms’, with elected representatives controlling policy making and staff controlling the implementation of policy. This approach supports a hegemonic relationship and embodies the Politics/Administration Dichotomy. On the other hand, an input-based separation emphasises the issues that each group should focus on, with councillors integrating community desires and staff contributing their technical expertise. The latter lends itself to interactive processes and is consistent with the Complementarity Model. Neither input nor role-based relationships are inherently superior; various empirical factors influence the suitability of each. This suggests that it is advantageous to have multiple theoretical models accounting for alternative local government relationship structures, but future research is needed to clarify the ‘best’ options for different contexts.     

Democratic anchorage and performance: Comparing two network approaches to land-use and transport-system development

Abstract

This paper describes two Norwegian governance networks. While both address questions about land-use and transport, the ways in which they are democratically anchored differ. Starting out from goals set for climate-friendly transport, linkages between democratic anchorage and network effectiveness are discussed. In some ways the network with the lowest stakeholder involvement, and therefore the smallest network structure, has come furthest – measures are implemented quickly and extensive resources are used to improve public transport. The other network does not have the same implementation rate or resource-use, but has shown strong efforts to mobilise and coordinate a wide set of actors. Both approaches involve important elements for reducing emissions from transport, specifically the effectiveness and toughness of one and the broader mobilisation of the other. Applying a wide set of criteria to evaluate network performance, the paper discusses the advantages and disadvantages of the two network structures.     

The internal consumer response process: Towards an integrated conceptual model

Abstract

Most existing consumer response models explain consumer response processes in a simplistic linear and sequential manner (Strong 1925; Lavidge & Steiner 1961; Rogers 1962; McGuire 1978; Ray 1973; Smith & Swinyard 1982; Vaughn 1980; Petty & Cacioppo 1983; Preston 1982; Moriarty, Mitchell and Wells 2008), ignoring variables or factors which could alter the response process order. Although various theorists criticised existing consumer response models mainly because of this (Belch & Belch 2001; Hanekom 2006; Hanekom, Barker & Angelopulo 2007; Moriarty et al. 2008; Del Barrio-Garcia & Luque-Martinez 2003; Mortimer 2002; Wu [sa]; Bendixen 1993; Wilmshurst 1985), no efforts have been made to develop a conceptual model to address these limitations. The main objective of this article is, therefore, to develop an integrated conceptual model for the internal consumer response process through a comprehensive qualitative literature review and theoretical analysis of existing advertising response models. This model integrates existing and original consumer response levels and phases, and appends specific variables to each response level that influence the manner in which consumers internally proceed through the diverse response processes. Furthermore, the proposed model will allow the execution of more specific objectives which include (a) to propose a paradigm shift from advertising consumer response models to integrated marketing communication response models; (b) to systematise existing consumer response models by arranging them into three proposed paradigms, based on their focal aim; and (c) to develop an integrated marketing communication internal consumer response model, depicting eight internal consumer response levels, consisting of diverse internal consumer response phases.     

对高利贷的法律规制

民众对财富的渴望会随着我国市场经济的发展而愈发强烈,以高利贷为代表的民间金融在和国家博弈的过程中潜滋暗长。时至今日,资源分配的不均衡、金融市场的高度管制、中央和地方政策的摇摆、法律规制的混乱共同造就了高利贷之患。整体主义的法律治理思路能够促进各部门法在该问题上的合作,以经济法和经济政策为基础解决民间借贷失控的制度根源,纾解民营企业对资本的饥渴,严惩制度外的高利贷违法犯罪活动。     

政府公共服务绩效评估中的公民参与研究

当前,我国各地政府开展的公民参与政府公共服务绩效评估活动,拓宽了公民参与政府社会管理和公共服务的路径。本文在阐释政府公共服务绩效评估中公民参与内涵的基础上,分析了我国政府公共服务绩效评估中公民参与的现状,并提出优化公民参与政府公共服务绩效评估的路径：强化和提高公民的参与意识与能力;增强公民与政府间公共服务绩效信息的对称性;加快公民参与绩效评估的制度化建设;鼓励和发展独立性和专业化的第三方评估组织;建立健全评估中政府与公民的互动机制。     

Student conduct,restorative justice,and student development: findings from the STARR project: a student accountability and restorative research project

The STudent Accountability and Restorative Research (STARR) Project is a multi-campus study of college student disciplinary practices in the USA, comparing traditional conduct hearings that use restorative justice practices alongside traditional college student misconduct hearings. A coherent set of learning goals in college student conduct administration and a robust data-set capable of measuring student learning across different types of disciplinary practice, in particular, comparing traditional ‘model code’ practice with emerging restorative justice processes are examined. Integrating several student development theories, we identify six student development goals: just community/self-authorship, active accountability, interpersonal competence, social ties to institution, procedural fairness, and closure. The STARR Project includes data from 18 college and university campuses across the USA. We analyzed 659 student conduct cases based on surveys of student offenders, conduct officers, and other participants in the conduct processes. Using multiple regression to control for a variety of influences, we determined that the type of conduct process used is the single most influential factor in student learning. In addition, restorative justice practices were routinely found to have a greater impact on student learning than model code hearings.