This thesis familiarizes the reader with the possibilities in electronical communication from the public administration to the citizens. The main part of this thesis is dedicatet to the analysis of today's status of the municipal authorities in Čáslav. The thesis is based on two goals. The first one includes the analysis of the actual status of the municipal authorities in the civic office Čáslav. The second goal then finds out about the respondent-knowledge in the area of electronical communication with the civic office. This thesis is apparently divided into two parts. The theoretical part is focusing on the three basic areas: theoretical description of the municipal authorities, eGovernment and the description of the possible means, which serve the electronical communication in the municipal authorities. The practical part describes and analyses the forms and possibilities of electronical communication from citizen to the office in Čáslav. The result of this thesis is to find out about the attitude of citizens to the possibility of electronical communication with the office and to what degree this form of communication is being used.

Thesis (M.M. (Public and Development Management))--University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, Wits School of Governance, 2016 / Over the past twenty years and even during the apartheid era, South Africa has undergone significant waves of migration and leadership challenges. Migration into South Africa has been, and still is, a result of many different factors that include economic reasons and seeking political refuge. This migration wave has also taken its toll on the country’s leadership skills and strategies as well as the Immigration Department as regards the issuance of legal documents to migrants to be able to stay legally in the country. Leadership is usually revered in Africa, but this places pressure to perform well on the country’s existing leadership in relation to the control of migration and the maintenance of peace within the borders of the country. The study aimed to identify whether the leadership is performing the way it is supposed to perform. Is the leadership performing with character and competence and are they taking responsibility for their actions when dealing with the public as this matter affects the public sector. Statistics South Africa has an estimate of number of the migrants flowing into the country and the Department of Home Affairs does not have an accurate number of the migration flow, due to the daily rapid movement at the border posts. It is known, however, that the number of migrants into the country has increased and continues to increase, and this poses a challenge for the leadership. One of the recommendations that emerged from the findings of the study is that more programmes and workshops should be undertaken to equip the civil servants in the Department of Home Affairs as they are all leaders in various ways and are also representatives of the Department. Their conduct should therefore be professional as they represent the image of South Africa. / XL2018

This thesis set out to examine the role played by monitoring and evaluation (M&E) in promoting good governance in South Africa. It examined how M&E, in promoting democratic and good governance deliverables, such as transparency, accountability and learning, influences public administration practice. The reciprocity between democracy and M&E was demonstrated by assessing how the country managed democratic transition, the influence of globalisation on country practice, and specifically how the developmental State advances good governance. The thesis reviewed the evolution of M&E at the continental and country level, and also examined how the discipline has evolved over time, and its particular application in South Africa. A comprehensive overview of the oversight infrastructure was conducted, and tested against the performance of the Department of Social Development (DSD), the case study. Through an assessment of three distinct, but interrelated M&E perspectives, termed mandatory, persuasive and civic M&E, a differentiated picture of policy and actual performance was seen. It was found that mandatory M&E was strong, and the DSD generally performed well against this benchmark. Mandatory M&E also provided the legal basis and support for other forms of M&E. However, it was not always clear that compliance on its own leads to good governance. In examining persuasive M&E, the decision-making environment within the DSD was assessed, and the role of the DSD M&E function examined in terms of, amongst others, improving learning. Civic M&E revealed that the DSD has considered and acted upon the results of the non-government sector in revising its policies. However, there was no effective civic M&E at community level, largely due to uncoordinated or weak NGOs, many of whom were now contracted to the DSD. The research suggests that whilst information has been generated through different forms of M&E, without effective follow-through by decision-makers, it generated transparency, and not necessarily accountability. Furthermore, administrative compliance cannot on its own tantamount to good governance. The thesis argues for methodological pluralism, stronger civic M&E, and confirms the assertion that M&E promotes good governance.

The purpose of this study was to cross-reference multiple data sources over time to develop a more interpretive picture of legislative involvement with the State University System (SUS) policy process in Florida than has been previously reported. / Data from an integrative literature review showed that twelve national studies done over the past forty years did not link legislators to specific policy issues. Research methods used in previous studies did not seem to develop behavioral linkages between issues, actors and policies. Most researchers agree that state legislators have some level of control over public university policy through the appropriations process. However, none of the national projects that included Florida focused on the legislators or staff who worked in the general appropriations process that developed and funded policies and programs. / A detailed classification and longitudinal analysis of selected SUS provisos showed the kind of policies that were developed and who was involved in the initiation, development and sponsorship. Triangulation of data from document analysis, interviews and observations of the author was the research method. Heclo's (1978) "issue network" was the conceptual framework. His broader view of the policy arena and proviso as a window on that arena presented a different perspective. / The data from the current study show that the apparent intrusion by Florida's legislators into SUS policy was more of a collaboration. It seems the Board of Regents and universities chose when to cooperate with the Legislature. At times legislative intrusion, in the form of provisos, was more an interruption which was simply ignored--without legislative sanctions. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2487. / Major Professor: David W. Leslie. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

The fact that user charges are a growing source of revenue for municipal governments reflects their increasing political popularity. The association between user charges and efficiency also make them an economically sound method of finance. The combination of these two factors creates the possibility for user charges to save U.S. cities billions of dollars a year. / User charges embody the idea of benefit-based finance. When user charges are set properly and are related to the costs of service, they provide incentives for efficiency. The bureaucracy theory of William Niskanen suggests that governments will be inefficient, either producing too much of a good, or producing it at too high a cost. User charges should counteract these effects by providing a link between consumption and payment (creating incentives to economize on quantity) and by reducing fiscal illusion (creating an incentive to economize on cost). / Municipal sewer service is chosen as the focus for the study because the service is relatively uniform across cities, and because many cities conform to EPA user charge guidelines. These EPA regulations are compared with the theoretically ideal user charge, and it is found that cities are using important economic cost criteria when setting user charges for sewer service. / A hypothesis to be tested is developed: increases in the extent to which cities rely on user charges to finance services should be associated with reductions in expenditures on those services. A model of municipal expenditure is developed and tested using 1990 Census data, and the results strongly support the hypothesis. Simultaneity and aggregation bias in the model are tested for and are rejected. The hypothesis is also confirmed with tests on parks and recreation and parking services. Possibilities for further development of user charge research are discussed. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-07, Section: A, page: 2658. / Major Professor: Paul Downing. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

This study described and analyzed the political decision-making process by which Florida enacted educational capital outlay reform in 1980 and 1981. A conceptual framework adapted from political systems and allocative theory was used to examine the policy-making process. Viewing public school capital outlay policy as a dependent variable, a qualitative hypothesis-generating case study approach employing participant-observer and interview methodologies, was developed. / The sixteen a posteriori hypotheses formulated, based upon actual Florida events, are summarized as follows: (1) Reform will be prompted by inter-related pressures and supports for change which indominately influence the entire policy-making process. Pressure-related hypotheses deal with inefficient, difficult to predict, and inequitably distributed revenues; better decision-making information needs; and the absence of judicial impact. Support-related hypotheses deal with internal and external studies, and key legislators and staff. (2) Cooperative bill-drafting efforts among the Legislature, Governor's office, and Department of Education staff will reduce conflict and serve to identify and clarify substantive conflict areas. Related hypotheses deal with inter- est group involvement, and legislative committee strategy. (3) Increased state taxes, reduced ad valorem taxes, inter-district fiscal equity, and increased home rule will shape the debate and contents of policy reform proposals. Related hypotheses deal with leadership disputes, the anticipated impact of political consequences on the legislative environment, and compromise proposals by neutral parties. (4) The final reform package cannot be selected until agreement is reached on the budget, taxes, and capital outlay projects lists. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 45-04, Section: A, page: 1034. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1984.

The determinants of municipal debt for U.S. cities with population of 75,000 or more are examined using three alternative conceptual frameworks: public choice, pluralism, and neo-Marxism. Empirical models derived from these frameworks are tested for four time points (1984, 1987, 1989, and 1990). In addition, change in borrowing for two time periods (1984-1989 and 1987-1989) is also examined. / The results show that municipal borrowing was largely determined by: (1) government expenditures relative to the city's economic base; (2) reliance on property taxes and on intergovernmental revenues; (3) socioeconomic characteristics, such as per capita income and the city size; (4) partisan elections; and (5) business and labor organization activities. The public choice model had the strongest explanatory power and the most consistent empirical support of the three explanations. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-09, Section: A, page: 3588. / Major Professor: Richard C. Feiock. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1993.

This study is directly concerned with the articulation of strategic choice in the public sector. Despite the considerable amount of literature dealing with strategic management, there has been little empirical study to support theoretical constructs. The parameters of the model are derived from previous research contending that there are fundamental differences between the public and private sectors. The study employs survey methods for data collection and adopts multiple regression for data analysis. Two hundred fifty surveys were mailed to five selected agencies in 50 state governments. 134 usable surveys were returned for a response rate of 53.6%. / The results of this study demonstrate that a number of the parameter variables are specifically related to particular strategies. Leadership, hierarchical control, organizational goals, and gubernatorial style were significantly related to a proactive strategy. Time orientation, legislative involvement, interest group involvement, and hierarchical control were found to be associated with political strategy. Leadership, information, budget, authority structure, and time orientation were related to a defensive strategy. Among these three different type of strategies, the proactive strategy was most strongly supported by the model, but the defensive strategy was also found to be useful in explaining strategic choice in the public sector. The results provide some valuable evidence regarding political strategy that was not specifically predicted by the model. Four of the parameters, time orientation, legislative involvement, interest group involvement, and hierarchical control were shown to have positive relations with political strategy. This research fosters a better understanding of strategic choice in the public sector. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-07, Section: A, page: 2541. / Major Professor: Bart Wechsler. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

The purpose of this study was to examine the theory and implementation of development journalism in Indonesia. The research questions were: (a) Is there any formal, national philosophy or coherent policy relative to development journalism in Indonesia? (b) If it exists, is such a policy being implemented? (c) How does Indonesian policy compare to journalists' perceptions? (d) What are the constraints on implementing development journalism in Indonesia? / Two methods were employed. First, documents were analyzed. Second, the perceptions of editors from three national newspapers--Kompas, Suara Pembaruan, and Suara Karya--were obtained through questionnaires and interviews. Fifty-six editors were interviewed; 48 completed questionnaires. / The study found: (1) A philosophy or government policy relative to development journalism in Indonesia stems from the government's desire to achieve and maintain national unity, stability, and development. To the government, the press is a development agent that should assist in making development succeed. (2) Based on this perception, the government believes the press should be: loyal to government development programs; a Pancasila press that is free but responsible; avoid issues of SARA (race, ethnicity, religion, and inter-group tension) in reporting development; and present development criticism in a constructive manner. (3) The editors shared the idea that the press should be involved in development. They agreed that there was no absolute freedom for the Indonesian press, and that they should avoid SARA and present criticism in a constructive manner. The problem, however, is the implementation of development journalism. To the editors, development journalism is not Pancasila press. To them, the government's portrayal of the press as a development agent reduces it to a government apparatus, a public relations agency. (4) Constraints on implementation of development journalism come from government limitations and the weaknesses of the press itself; the lack of skilled journalists to report development stories; and differences of perception among journalists on what development journalism means. / To conclude, development journalism was not fully implemented as it was originally intended 20 years ago. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-10, Section: A, page: 3403. / Major Professor: John K. Mayo. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1992.

Following Hilhorst (2004), this study posits that, as communities become more populous they also become more complex. As they become more complex, communities develop institutions and social structures to help coordinate social activities. Among these institutions are forms of government which ensure management of resources and public safety. As part of public safety, citizens in vulnerable areas expect their government to provide disaster shelters during hurricanes. In response to this expectation, government forms policies and creates plans for disaster/evacuation shelters. These shelters become an arena for both disaster shelter policy implementation and organizational behavior. This study examines the relationships between disaster shelter policy implementation and the organizational behavior of the government staff and nonprofit volunteers who implement disaster/evacuation shelter policy as well as the citizens who receive services and who may themselves be volunteers. This study reviews the social complexity and structure of these relationships within Hilhorst’s (2004) proposed social domains of science and disaster management, disaster governance, and local response, as demonstrated in Florida’s Division of Emergency Management Region 5 (henceforward referred to as Region 5) during the 2004 hurricane season. This hurricane season was selected because nearly every county in Florida was affected by a hurricane (Charley, Frances, Ivan, or Jeanne) within a span of 44 days. Orange County was chosen because it was directly affected by three of the four storms (Charley, Frances, and Jeanne) and served as a regional disaster shelter during the fourth (Ivan). Region 5 was chosen for comparison because it was directly affected by three of the four storms and because Orange County served as a regional disaster shelter during the fourth (Ivan). / A Dissertation submitted to the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Summer Semester 2017. / July 19, 2017. / EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL BEHAVIOR, PUBLIC POLICY, SOCIAL DOMAIN THEORY / Includes bibliographical references. / Ralph Brower, Professor Directing Dissertation; Petra Doan, University Representative; Kaifeng Yang, Committee Member; David Berlan, Committee Member.