Rapid expansions of mobile communication technologies across sub-Saharan Africa have generated considerable optimism regarding their impact on socioeconomic development outcomes. Key payment applications, such as mobile-enabled payment instruments (i.e. SMS-based mobile money and wireless pay point services) are experiencing substantial adoption in East Africa and Dar es Salaam was the first city in sub-Saharan Africa to integrate these payment instruments into the urban water sector in mid-2009. Tanzania's largest city is demonstrative of the potential of mobile communication technologies to overcome water provision challenges such as inefficient billing and collection systems and revenue under-collection. This thesis uses Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICTD) as an organising theoretical perspective to examine relationships between the use of mobile-enabled payment methods for water bill payments and customer payment behaviours, water utility performance, and access to water services. Data were collected using a survey methodology that tested hypotheses related to financial sustainability, petty corruption, satisfaction and service quality in payment practices, and neighbourhood resale in the informal water sector. Data sources include a survey administered to a stratified random sample of 1097 water utility customers; 42 semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders within the water sector and telecommunications industry; and a unique water payments database with information on approximately 1,000,000 water-related transactions made by over 106,000 customers. Qualitative and quantitative analyses provide evidence that the use of mobile-enabled payment methods can significantly improve customer payment behaviours (i.e. frequency of payment, annual revenue collection per customer), reduce opportunities for petty corruption (i.e. theft, bribery, and record-keeping), and support better access to improved water sources by unconnected households through neighbourhood resale practices. Implications for urban water provision in sub-Saharan Africa include higher collection efficiencies, more active customer bases, and wider direct and indirect reliance on utility-provided services. This thesis also contributes to ICTD scholarship by providing evidence that the use of mobile-enabled payment methods represents a disruptive transformation that enables more extensive and active citizen participation in the billing and payment processes of public service provision.

The purpose of this two years master´s thesis in Archive, Library and Information Museum science is to examine the ideas about children and childhood which have an influence on the storytime at public libraries. The material on which this thesis is based, is a methodbook which is aimed to develop the storytimes and those picture books that are recommend in the methodbook. The theoretical points of departure are discourse analysis and childhood sociology. The concepts of being and becoming are frequently used when analyzing the methodbook. Other theoretical points of departure are the combination of narratologi, semiotics and hermeneutics, which are also used when analyzing the picture books. The result indicates that the storytime, recommended in the methodbook, is based on the idea of a timeless culture of childhood - where the "modern child" including the media used today - is left out. Concepts as nostalgia and pedagogy are tightly connected. The childhood as it appears in the storytime is a locked pedagogical room.

Darbą atliko Ana Loiba, Vilniaus pedagoginio universiteto Socialinių mokslų fakulteto Sociologijos ir politologijos katedros studentė. Darbo tema „Viešosios paslaugos Sodroje: darbuotojų ir klientų santykiai (Vilniaus skyriaus atvejis)“. Darbo tikslas – išanalizuoti viešųjų paslaugų teikimą Valstybinio socialinio draudimo fondo valdybos įstaigose darbuotojų bei klientų santykio aspektu (Vilniaus skyriaus atvejis). Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Apibendrinti kultūros sąvokos ypatumus, išskiriant organizacijos kultūros vaidmenį jos veikloje; 2. Išskirti aptarnavimo kultūros valstybinėse įstaigose ir visuomenės (kliento) santykio reikšmę, pabrėžiant valstybės tarnautojo vaidmenį etikos kontekste. 3. Išsiaiškinti kaip vertinamos Valstybinio socialinio draudimo fondo valdybos įstaigose, teikiamos viešosios paslaugos. 4. Aptarti viešųjų paslaugų teikimą, Valstybinio socialinio draudimo fondo valdybos įstaigose, darbuotojo ir kliento santykio aspektu (Vilniaus miesto atvejis). Darbo objektas – Valstybinio socialinio draudimo fondo valdybos įstaigų teikiamos viešosios paslaugos, išskiriant aptarnavimo kultūros padėtį, bei joms skiriamo įvertinimo Valstybinio socialinio draudimo fondo įstaigose darbuotojų bei klientų nuomonės. Tyrimo metu paaiškėjo, kad: 1. Darbuotojų ir klientų santykiai visų respondentų vertinami teigiamai. 2. Pagrindinė priežastis apsilankyti Valstybinio socialinio draudimo fondo valdybos įstaigose yra asmeniniai reikalai. 3. Klientų aptarnavimo tvarka „Sodros“ įstaigose... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The work was made by Ana Loiba, student of Sociology and polithology cathedral of Social sciences faculty of Vilnius pedagogical university. Theme of the work is “The public services in SODRA: relations between employees and clients (the case of Vilnius department). The purpose of the work is to analyse the presentation of public services in the offices of National social insurance fund department in the aspect of workers and clients relation (the case of Vilnius department). Tasks of the work: 1. To summarize the specialties of the concept of the culture, excluding the culture organization’s role in its activity. 2. To distinguish the meaning of the role of service’s culture in the national offices and society (client), emphasizing the role of polity’s employee in the context of ethics. 3. To ascertain how are evaluated the presented public services in National social insurance fund department offices. 4. To discuss the presentation of public services in the offices of National social insurance fund department in the aspect of workers and clients relation (the case of Vilnius department). The object of investigation ins the presented public services in the offices of National social insurance fund department excluding the situation of service’ culture and the evaluation that is imposed to them in the offices of National social insurance fund department, the opinion of employees and clients. During the investigation in emerged that: 1. Relations between employees and clients... [to full text]

This study explores partnership working as a mechanism for effective public service delivery. It investigates into how Public-Social Enterprise Partnerships (P-SEPs) can utilise innovative models of user involvement and Service Innovation (SI) in the co-design and co-delivery of user-led socially-oriented services to young adults (18-24) in East England. It identifies the inability of P-SEPs to conceptually explore innovative models of user involvement and SI when engaging young-adult end users in the co-design and co-delivery of user-led solutions to `wicked` issues like `rough sleeping` as a gap in knowledge which I will explore three interrelated research questions in filling. This study draws conceptual inspiration from the network theory, the Pragmatic research paradigm and the inductive-deductive research strategy in exploring the Concurrent Mixed Method underpinned by Likert-scale questionnaires and semi-structure interviews as my data gathering instruments. The emergent conceptual framework from my data analyses posits that high users` perception of their involvement in the co-design and co-delivery of user-led public services can engineer satisfaction, transformational outcomes and high service quality. A fieldtrip provided the conceptual opportunity for me to explore three multiple-case studies in gathering qualitative data through semi-structured interviews administered to staff as these were coded, thematised and analysed using NVivo. Quantitative data from questionnaires administered to end users were analysed using Excel. Evidence gleaned from both strands was integrated and triangulated in complementing and enhancing my research findings. This study challenges misconceptions and dominant ideologies which underpin user involvement while making three interconnected contributions to knowledge. First, it extends the frontiers of knowledge in the discipline by creating new insights and articulating four innovative models of user involvement. Second, at the practical level, it contributes to the ongoing debate on conceptualising, modernising and delivering more effective userengineered public services by informing professional practice and policymaking. And third, at the theoretical level, it contributes towards the development of a theory on user involvement. It thus underlines the factual conclusion that high users` perception of their involvement in the co-design and co-delivery of user-led outcomes can engineer high user satisfaction, high service quality and transformational outcomes. It successfully re-positions the debates on user involvement on new conceptual and empirical grounds.

This research has developed a research relationship model for understanding the relationship between volunteer management practice correlates and volunteer retention using volunteer motivation and volunteer satisfaction as mediators. The model uses social exchange theory, human resource management theory, volunteer functional inventory and volunteer satisfaction index as part of the theoretical underpinning for its validation and contributed to gain knowledge on the application of management theory widely used in the for-profit organisations to the non-profit and volunteer dependent sectors. A comprehensive literature review provided the basis to identify the research gap, formulate the research questions, aim and objectives, leading to the development of the theoretical framework and the research relationship model. The theoretical framework in turn enabled the researcher to develop the research methodology to collect data and test the model. The main research gap was the lack of knowledge about the correlates of volunteer management practice as determinants of volunteer retention and influence of volunteer motivation and volunteer satisfaction as mediators. The concept of mediation was introduced in this research as a novel technique that enabled the researcher to conduct a deeper investigation into the relationship between volunteer management practice correlates and volunteer retention. However prior to the introduction of the mediator concept, the original model developed by Cuskelly et al. (2006) was tested and found to be statistically insignificant. This provided the basis for modifying the model investigated by Cuskelly et al. (2006) leading to the development of the research model for this research. The various relationships developed in the research model were hypothesized. The model was tested using the data collected through the research instrument developed for the purpose. Quantitative research method was used to collect data from a sample set of volunteers using survey questionnaire in a context-free environment. Pilot survey enabled the researcher to confirm the utility of the instrument for using in the main survey. 386 participants provided their response to the online questionnaire that was posted on a web portal. The collected data was subjected to rigourous statistical tests. Descriptive statistics, reliability tests and validity tests were conducted on the data. Exploratory Factor analysis revealed underlying factors of volunteer management practice different from those identified by other researchers namely Cuskelly et al. (2006) whose model was used as the base model in this research. Further, structural equation modelling was used to test the model and verify hypothesis. The results indicated that two volunteer management practice correlates namely volunteer training and support and volunteer performance management and recognition, were found to indirectly influence volunteer retention. Volunteer training and support influenced volunteer retention through volunteer motivation as well as volunteer satisfaction. Volunteer performance management and recognition influenced volunteer retention through volunteer satisfaction. In addition volunteer planning and recruitment was identified as a moderator of volunteer training and support and volunteer performance management and recognition as correlates. These findings contribute significantly to helping both volunteer managers and volunteers in improving the intention of volunteers to stay longer with an organisation. Thus by implementing the findings of this research; volunteer managers can enhance their volunteer management practice leading to retention of volunteers for longer periods than now. The research findings contribute to theory in terms of widening the understanding of the operationalization of social exchange and HRM theories in a combined manner in understanding the relationship between volunteer management practice and volunteer retention.

This thesis deals with public passenger transport in the Šumava and the Bavarian border. The theoretical part is devoted to analysis of regulation of public transport and public services, and issues related to transport infrastructure. The main aim of the study is to analyze the current state of public transport in the Šumava border and within the selected Micro Šumava -- West analysis to compare the results with the minimum standard of transport services in the Czech republic. Due to the frontier nature of the Bohemian Forest is part of the work devoted to the description of public transportation in neighboring Lower Bavaria. SWOT analysis is followed by member municipalities of Micro Šumava -- West, which represents the basis for assessing the importance of developing transport services in rural areas.

Le droit administratif et les discours qu’il charrie ne manquent pas d’outils intellectuels pour appréhender les modalités de gestion des activités des personnes publiques. Le concept d’externalisation s’est ainsi imposé comme une figure marquante dans la période contemporaine. La thèse propose d’expliquer cette émergence, afin d’éclairer la compréhension de l’externalisation en matière administrative. À partir de l’idée de transposition, elle examine la double trajectoire suivie par ce concept : disciplinaire – des sciences économiques et de gestion vers les sciences juridiques – et matériel – de la matière entrepreneuriale vers la matière administrative –. En ressort un concept juridique d’externalisation en matière administrative, conforme à ses caractéristiques initiales et respectueux des spécificités de son cadre d’accueil, dont l’utilisation présente de multiples intérêts analytiques dans le champ du droit administratif. / In order to grasp all aspects of management of public entities activities, new tools have been made available to administrative law. The outsourcing concept appeared recently among those tools. This thesis aims at explaining this appearance in order to better understand the outsourcing of public services. From the idea of transposition, the thesis details the dual movement followed by this concept : field movement – from economics and management to legal science – and material – from business to public services –. Thus, outsourcing as a legal concept appears in administrative law, modeled on its original shape but modified by its new legal frame. Its use demonstrates several analytical benefits in the administrative law field.

Ce travail s’emploie à comprendre la série de conflits sociaux dans les secteurs de l’automobile, du transport routier et des services publics qui se sont déroulés en Grande-Bretagne lors de l’hiver 1978-1979 et sont connus sous le nom d’« hiver du mécontentement » dans la mémoire collective. L’hypothèse défendue est que ces conflits prennent sens et trouvent leur portée à condition d’être analysés à la croisée de trois processus. Le premier est une crise du travaillisme, au sens de fortes tensions politiques au sein du parti travailliste et plus généralement du mouvement ouvrier. Le deuxième processus est une extension de la conflictualité sociale, non pas au sens où le portrait traditionnel des années 1970 comme décennie du militantisme triomphant devrait être accepté, mais dans la mesure où la période est marquée par une syndicalisation croissante et son extension à de nouveaux secteurs d’activité, par un renforcement des structures syndicales aussi bien au niveau national qu’au niveau local dans une logique générale de déconcentration des processus de décision, enfin par l’apprentissage de l’action collective par de nouveaux groupes de travailleurs. La troisième logique, enfin, est la montée de la droite thatchérienne qui puise un arsenal intellectuel renouvelé dans les travaux des think tanks néo-libéraux. Son discours est relayé par une presse gagnée par l’anti-collectivisme de la nouvelle droite. Ces éléments permettent de comprendre ces conflits qui, à l’hiver 1978-1979, opposent, au gouvernement travailliste arc-bouté sur la défense d’une politique de contrôle des revenus, des groupes de travailleurs et leurs organisations syndicales pourtant pro-travaillistes. / This thesis examines the industrial disputes which took place in the winter of 1978-1979 in a series of sectors – car-making, road haulage and the public sector – and are remembered in collective memory as the « Winter of Discontent ». It argues that these industrial disputes can only be properly understood in a threefold context: first, in the context of the crisis of Labour, that is to say the acute political and ideological tensions and divisions which emerged in the Labour Party from the beginning of the 1970s when the political and economic assumptions which had dominated the leadership of the party since after the War were undermined by the context of economic crisis; secondly, in a context of extension of industrial unrest into new areas such as the public sector, which experienced a rapid unionisation of its growing workforce in the 1970s and whose workers were on a militant learning curve throughout those years; finally, in the context of the rise of the New Right, as a number of think tanks provided rightwingers within the Conservative Party with new ideas and arguments to criticise the trade unions, the welfare State and the Keynesian, tripartite policies pursued in the post-War period, and as these neo-liberal ideas found an increasing number of advocates in the press. These various elements help us to understand the disputes of the winter of 1978-1979 as primarily a conflict about economic policy and priorities within the labour movement as low-paid public sector workers and traditionally loyal trade unions were pitted against a Labour government enforcing a reduction in real wages.

We analyse in a Footloose Capital productive public services provided by a central government aiming at reducing regional disparities. Two countervailing effects occur - one upon productivity and another upon local demand - the relative strength of which depends upon the financing scheme. Only if the "rich" region contributes sufficiently to the financing of the public services in the "poor" region, the poor region will actually gain. In studying these questions we pay particular attention to the dynamic adjustment processes and to the role of trade freeness. / Series: Department of Economics Working Paper Series

Via six published papers, this thesis assembles a body of work by Simmons on user participation and involvement in the governance and delivery of public services in the UK. Collectively, the papers examine how users are able, and what makes them willing, to interact with public services in order to maintain or improve them. Cumulatively, the published papers contribute to a more detailed and nuanced understanding of user involvement and participation, enabling deeper understanding of users’ motivations and experiences, the choices available to them and how these are constrained. The published papers are contextualised in a linking narrative. This locates the papers within wider debates about the place and role of service user involvement and participation and how this has evolved over the last fifty years (Section 3). It then considers a range of broader literatures, selected to capture key elements of the conceptual and theoretical questions to which the papers are addressed (Section 4). A summary of each publication is provided, detailing its individual contribution to the participation literature (Section 5). The papers’ cumulative contribution is then considered (Section 6). Together, the six publications contribute to deeper understandings of both user involvement (establishing nuances in user attitudes and behaviour), and the possibilities that arise within different spaces for involvement (according to such factors as who the participants are, what they connect with (service, service providers, service context), and how these connections form distinctive ‘fields' of relationships). This thesis suggests these things all matter when it comes to users finding their voice - and user knowledge being incorporated into the governance and delivery of public services. It concludes that users’ ‘projects’ of involvement and participation (and the environments for those projects) are often complex, bringing together a range of different forces that must be balanced within the public service system.