Previous studies have neglected to focus on the generalized affective satisfaction (diffuse support) to state level courts among Hispanics/Latinos. A western US county was selected for this case study to test a racial and ethnic theory of procedural justice in a region with a large Hispanic/Latino population. Differential experience theory was used as a theoretical foundation and posits that people determine their level of satisfaction with the courts based on their own actual experience with the courts. The main research question was whether Hispanics/Latinos have a different level of satisfaction with their access to, and fairness in, the court when compared to Whites. Data were gathered from 1406 people exiting the courthouse for any reason in 2007 and 2008. The exit survey data were used to test a logistic regression model to empirically investigate whether race or ethnicity is a significant predictor of court user satisfaction. Level of satisfaction was operationalized by assessing responses to questions regarding the accessibility to, and perceived fairness in, the court. Although race/ethnicity proved to be significantly linked to both measures of satisfaction in 2007 these associations were no longer observed in the 2008 data. Mean satisfaction ratings affirmed the findings of other researchers in the field that Hispanics/Latinos have a high level of satisfaction with their access to, and fairness in, the court. This is important because the legitimacy of the judicial branch is dependent upon the good will of the public. This study can directly contribute to social change by informing outreach programs designed to increase voluntary participation in state and local legal systems among members of Hispanic/Latino communities, and thus help to realize more equitable justice for all citizens.

The lack of preparedness by local communities in the event of a biological attack is a predicament that will result in chaos and an increase in casualties. Assessing city preparedness is essential in the event of a biological attack. The potential for an enormous number of casualties is real; it is imperative, therefore, for local communities to be prepared in the event of a biological attack. This descriptive single case study investigated whether one city in the southeastern United States is prepared for a biological attack. System theory provided the theoretical framework for this research, with the unit of analysis being the local Emergency Operations Center, which is responsible for coordination, preparation, and oversight in the event of such a disaster. Data were collected from interviews, documents, public records, and participant observation. Pattern matching and comparative analysis were utilized to analyze data that was collected in this research. This examination of the preparedness of the city for a biological attack is critical because any lack of preparedness would be devastating to the community. The findings of this study revealed that the city is prepared for a biological attack and that the recommendations and best practices identified in this study such as the utilization of virtual technology during a biological attack, the ability to perform random biological exercises, investments in laboratories, bioterrorism training for citizens, and establishing global partnerships in combating bioterrorism, promote social change, and will result in saving lives in the event of a biological attack. This research contributes to social change by promoting security improvements and identifying a model of preparedness for other cities in their own preparation for a biological attack.

Mexico is not a country at peace. Despite the government's fight to restore stability, violence has erupted since 2006 in several areas of the territory. According to Vygotsky's social constructivism and to Galtung's integral perspective of peace, some elements of peacelessness are informed by values, perceptions, and conceptions about violence and peace. These topics have not been qualitatively investigated in Mexico. The purpose of this case study was to explore the process involving the social construction of values, perceptions, and conceptions in regard to organized criminal violence and peace possibilities in Mexico. Research questions focused on the role of mass media and oral conversations in the social construction of perceptions about the government, criminal organizations, and peace. This study employed semistructured interviews of 15 residents from a neighborhood in a large Mexican city. A purposeful sample stratified by gender, age, and profession, according to the neighborhood demographics, was used. Data from the interviews were coded for patterns using preexisting theory-based categories along with new emerging categories. Findings showed that among these residents, the process of social construction of perceptions was primarily formed through individual experiences and observations, and nurtured by conversations. Social constructors, such as traditional mass media, were much less important. Residents constructed their perception that the basic causes of criminal violence are rooted in the structures of the political and economic system, which, if correctly addressed, would foster peace. This study contributes to positive social change.by informing regional policymakers about the need to design local policies directed towards mediating structural and systemic transformations that are respectful of experiences and needs of citizens.

Thesis ( Ph.D. ) -- University of Texas at Arlington, 2008.

Thesis (M. Soc. Sc.)--University of Hong Kong, 1980.

published_or_final_version / Public Administration / Master / Master of Social Sciences

No abstract available. / Thesis (MPA)-University of Durban-Westville, 1985.

The performance management and development system for senior managers in the South African Public Service, the focus of this study, was introduced in 2002 with a view to improve productivity, individual and organisational performance. In Provincial Education Departments, the Member of the Executive Council, responsible for education, is entrusted with the responsibility of promoting the mandate of the government-of-the-day, namely, quality basic public education. Responsibilities and functions are consequently delegated to senior managers of the Department and performance is managed through a performance contract that is legally binding. This contractual performance-oriented relationship between the executing authority and the accounting officer is monitored and evaluated, and is enforced with either rewards or sanctions. In the South African Public Service, the performance management and development system has been prompted by the transformative agenda set for the public service since 1995, and the public service is expected to operate within the New Public Management (NPM) paradigm with a focus on achievement of measurable results and acceptable levels of service delivery. This meant that there had to be a shift from bureaucratic rule-driven approaches in public service management to a results-oriented approach to government performance. Furthermore, the goal-directed approach was replaced with an outcomes-based approach. The pursuit of goals did not necessarily result in the improvement of performance in the organisation. With the introduction of the performance management and development system for the senior management service in the public service, an infrastructure of systems and elaborate processes were introduced, such as drawing up of performance agreements, agreeing on what has to be delivered, designing work plans and appraising performance. Managers must undergo quarterly performance reviews by their supervisors and capacity deficits are addressed through training and development to enhance skills and knowledge. Performance is appraised annually in April of each year. The performance management and development system is focuses on individual and institutional performance. The performance of several managers in the public service cannot be deemed as optimal. The matriculation results in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education have been progressively declining since 2004. The performance of learners in KwaZulu-Natal especially in nationally conducted systemic evaluation tests for grade six in 2005 relating to numeracy and literacy indicated that the average performance has been 36 and 38 percent respectively. The statistics is reflective of a sample of learners. Moreover, the performance of grade 6 learners in tests conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisational (UNESCO) in conjunction with the Southern African Consortium for Monitoring Educational Quality (SACMEQ) show that the performance of learners is less than satisfactory. On the other hand, the performance of managers is considered as fully effective. The public service overall and the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education in particular, are complex organisations and often, the causal relationship between individual and organisational performance is not easily evident. Measuring and managing performance is therefore incongruent. The disjuncture between individual performance and organisational performance is the import of this study. Studies conducted particularly by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) refer in the main to either organisational performance or performance of member countries. This research study has been prompted by several studies undertaken by departments in the public service and the Public Service Commission (PSC) whereby performance is investigated within the context of optimal productivity and service delivery improvement. The study of the performance management and development system in the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education is underpinned by goal-setting theory and the principal-agency theory. The fundamental principle of the goal-setting theory is that an agency, organisation or government department sets a series of goals and objectives, and these goals and objectives are aligned to direct the performance of the organisation. The goals of the department are cascaded from the executive authority through to all employees. The expectation is that, through a process of collaboration, co-ordination and endeavours of commitment, the goals of the Department can be achieved. The principal-agency theory purports that the responsibility and authority for the production of public goods and public services are delegated to public managers by the executive authority and accountability for results is managed by performance contracts, rewards and sanctions. The research strategies employed for this study were both qualitative and quantitative. For the qualitative strategy, data was gathered through interviews and observation and for the quantitative strategy, a purpose-designed questionnaire was used to examine and report on causal relationships. Appropriate statistical techniques were used to analyse the gathered data. Emanating from the data analysed, the study found that not all managers take cognisance of the goals that direct performance management in Education. Moreover, poor performance of the organisation is attributable to employees being neither rewarded, nor sanctioned for good or poor performance respectively. Further, there are no consequences when the organisation performs poorly. It has also been found that the performance management and development system as it is applied to senior managers in Education was conducted as a matter of compliance. Whilst managers have acknowledged that individuals’ performance impact on the overall performance of the organisation, they however, refused to take ownership and responsibility for the poor performance of the organisation. The individualistic nature of the performance management and development system contributes to shifting of responsibility and accountability within the organisation. With this in mind, certain recommendations have been made. A new theoretical model is proposed to integrate performance of the organisation and performance of individuals with a view to increasing productivity. This perspective on performance management will however, require further research. All senior managers ought to have fixed-term performance contracts not exceeding five years, renewable if acceptable levels of performance are rendered. It is also recommended that external moderators should be enlisted to perform moderation of scores obtained during the performance appraisal process to ensure that objectivity is upheld. Managing the performance of senior managers particularly in the South African Public Service, and demanding greater accountability are crucial to achieving organisational results and fulfilling the mandate of government. The performance of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education can improve with stricter adherence to the tenets of performance management, emphasis on monitoring performance, demanding higher levels of accountability for resources employed and rewarding managers for good organisational performance whilst sanctioning poor performance. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

When the African National Congress took power from the apartheid regime in 1994 it promised to transform the public service by eradicating the inequalities of the past in the provisioning of basic services. The ANC-led government aimed to be a people-centred one, and service delivery became the central focal point. For government to realise its goal of annihilating the inequalities of the past, it became imperative that services be provided in a transparent, coherent and representative manner to all citizens, particularly the previously marginalised communities. in order to promote efficiency, effectiveness, responsiveness and accountability, the government identified various alternative strategies that would enhance service delivery and bring it closer to the people. One of the strategies was to set up Multipurpose Community Centres (MPCCs), also known as Thusong Service Centres (TSCs), that were to serve as the vehicle to enhance service delivery. Although such a move was a noble one and brought hope to many impoverished South Africans, there are still challenges faced by government in the provision of basic services that culminated in recent violent service delivery protests that adversely affected the whole country. The purpose of the research was to determine if the establishment of the MPCCs as a vehicle in enhancing service delivery has made a difference in the lives of previously marginalized communities. This study, therefore, critically examines whether the already established Centres play a pivotal role in enhancing service delivery. The literature review revealed that successful public service transformation has to create a sound relationship between government and its constituencies, and that can be attained by meaningfully engaging the public in matters such as policy formulation, as such engagement will inform government on the kind of programmes to be initiated and implemented that will respond to the social and economic needs of citizens. It is crucial that government must be community owned so that citizens must not only see themselves as recipients of services but also as decision makers. The literature review further argues that government must recognise that its primary responsibility is to drive the delivery of services in an efficient, effective and economic manner. It is therefore crucial that public administrators be committed and accountable toward the community, expand customer choice of services, ensure that citizens get the best possible value for money, and that access to basic services is increased regardless of the locale. On the contrary, the empirical study revealed that the Centres are not effectively addressing the needs of communities. One of the reasons of the failure of these Centres is due to the fact that the establishment of some Centres there was lack of proper consultation with communities and other relevant stakeholders on what services need to be rendered. The study also revealed that some Centres do not have adequate physical and human resources, Centres are managed by managers that are not adequately trained in managerial skills. The study further revealed that lack of funding makes it impossible for these Centres and services rendered sustainable, and lack of communication and coordination of activities between departments utilising the Centres render integrated service delivery ineffective The research concludes by presenting recommendations that were carefully drawn from the analysis of the findings and the entire study, followed by a proposed model that provides a multifaceted approach that outlines an action plan in the delivery of services, and should serve as a guide to Government with regard to the implementation of strategies and policies for the betterment of lives of South African citizens, especially the previously marginalised. / Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville, 2010.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--McMaster University, 2002. / Advisor: Barbara Carroll. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 292-314). Also available via World Wide Web.