This study used an electronic questionnaire to evaluate the levels of intrinsic motivation, compared to extrinsic motivation, in front-line local government employees. This research also evaluated the relationship between intrinsic motivation and public service motivation (PSM). Further, this research assessed the effects of performance appraisal systems (PAS) on intrinsically motivated front-line local government employees. Current research suggests that public sector employees are more intrinsically motivated than extrinsically motivated. This study found that, while the employees showed higher levels of intrinsic motivation over extrinsic motivation, most of the respondents showed moderately high levels of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation. Additionally, the literature suggests that public sector employees place a high value on the missions and goals of public organizations, also known as PSM. This study found that, while both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation had an influence on PSM, intrinsic motivation had a greater affect on PSM for front-line local government employees. Current research also suggests that an employee's intrinsic motivation can be diminished by exposure to an external control mechanism such as PAS. However, there are elements of the performance appraisal process, such as employee participation, that may positively influence the employee's attitude towards the management practice. This study found that the type of PAS, whether participatory or non-participatory, caused a variation in the employee's attitudes towards the PAS for intrinsically motivated front-line local government employees.

The health effects of silica and the connection to occupational exposure has been known for years. In March of 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the Department of Labor (DOL) published a new standard meant to reduce workers’ exposure to silica. The standard update was set forth to further protect workers; OSHA estimates this revision will prevent more than 600 silica-related deaths each year. A key feature of the updated OSHA standard emphasizes the use of engineering controls and work practices in certain industries. Material handling of industrial sand is a known cause of silica overexposure in many industries. A novel sand coating technology designed as an engineering control has been tested to reduce worker exposure to airborne silica. This study looked at whether the airborne silica concentrations could be reduced by applying this technology. Area air samples were collected for baseline samples along with coated samples, which were analyzed for respirable dust. The percent reduction was calculated to determine if the coating was able to reduce the airborne silica concentration. This study found that the application of the coating was able to reduce the airborne silica concentration, but the reduction did not meet the benchmark of 80% as set forth for the study. Additional studies to refine application and dosage of the sand coating may result in meeting this benchmark in future studies. Study limitations include small sample size and the truncated sampling time period for some of the samples collected, along with meteorological and site conditions.

No description available.

L’indépendance de l’audiovisuel public des institutions politiques est une condition nécessaire à sa fonction. En France et en Allemagne, la protection de cette indépendance par les moyens du droit suit des stratégies différentes qui s’expliquent par le développement profondément différent de l’histoire du droit de l’audiovisuel dans les deux pays, ainsi que par le rôle différent de la juridiction constitutionnelle dans le domaine audiovisuel. Aussi, les différences reposent sur des divergences conceptuelles concernant les principes « d’indépendance » en droit constitutionnel et la conception de « public service » dans les deux pays. Ces différences n’apparaissent cependant pas insurmontables et ouvrent, à l’aune de la convergence des médias et de la nécessité d’adaptation au droit de l’Union, une perspective possible à la comparaison de droit comme moyen pour faire progresser ces conceptions dans l’intérêt du renforcement de l’indépendance. / The independence of public broadcasters from the political institutions is a necessary condition to their functioning. In France and Germany, the protection of independence by the law follows different strategies. These approaches can be explained by the differences in the historical development of the media law in both countries, as well as by the different importance of the constitutional courts in this branch of the law. Also, both judicial systems have a profoundly differently developed constitutional concept of “independence” and of their approaches to the concept of “public service”. However, these concepts are not entirely contradictory and can be developed by the means of comparative law methods, in order to adapt to the technological convergence and European legal standards and to reinforce the independence of public broadcasting.

The design of the decentralized co-operative governance system, conditioned and regulated by the South African constitution is of critical importance for policy design and implementation. The division of powers falls within a unitary form of government. This study, which is about the processes, mechanisms and modalities of public policies design and implementation uses the public finance and health sectors, as a case study or lens through which policy design and implementation is examined within a decentralized cooperative governance system. The study is per se not about the public health system, but rather a review and an analysis about how the decentralization and cooperative governance nature, practice and dynamic of government system, influences and condition the policy processes and practice on finance and health, separately and collectively within the public health system. In its attempt to unbundle the health function, but also reform the public health system, central and provincial governments have introduced a number of reforms. These reforms were ostensibly driven by different policies and programmes originating either from the public finance or public health sectors with significant consequences for the provinces. Moreover, these different policies also outlined structural and functional responsibilities and authority among the central and provincial government departments. The implementation of these policies was at times based on different interpretations of policy design and implementation responsibilities and authority between the central and provincial governments within co-operative governance system. The argument of this study is that despite intentions implicit to public policy, co-operative governance system is contested at a central government level within the public health system, as well as between levels of government and the public health and finance sectors. This dissertation explores the nature of the relationship between the central and provincial governments by exploring co-operative governance in the health sector on policy and financing processes and mechanisms. The central question is how does decentralized co-operative governance really work in the public health system? A case study method was used to conduct this research. Data was collected over a four and half year period using a variety of data collection methods, including semi-structured in-depth interviews; documents and reports analyses; policy content review and analyses; and revenue and expenditure reviews and analyses. The study’s findings are: a) the functional and structural decentralization of policy-making and implementation within the co-operative governance system contributes to undermining the cooperative governance relationship between the public finance and health sector and central and provincial governments; b) the central government is using its overriding powers to “impose co-ordinated solutions” to problems within the co-operative governance system, leading to situations where ‘imposed co-ordination’ is considered as ‘co-operative governance’; c) the theory provides a classical distinction between state control, supervision and interference models. This dissertation shows that, depending on the policy context and circumstances, the uniqueness of South Africa’s co-operative governance system allows the central government to mobilize any of these models to achieve its policy intentions, whether written or unwritten; and d) the classical arguments of decentralization, particularly within a devolved system of co-operative governance where greater autonomy and authority are given to subnational governments, are found wanting within the South African governance system, given both the policy-making and fiscal resource strength of the central government relative to the provinces. This dissertation leads me to conclude that the South African practice of co-operative governance in the health system is actually imposed co-ordination and that provinces are de facto administration outposts of central government policies, programmes and service delivery responsibilities. Therefore in reality there is no autonomy and independence of the provinces from the central government as envisaged in the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa. In fact, provinces only exist, in terms of their constitutional competencies as far the central government allows it to exist given its plenipotentiary powers over both micro and macro matters affecting institutions, fiscus and social policies.

Local governments traditionally produce public services by using their own employees. Some public service reform proposals have emphasized privatization and contracting out in order to improve efficiency and effectiveness of public services. Local governments have principally contracted with private companies to deliver public services, however some have looked to other governments as a service provider. Some municipalities build partnerships with other governments to produce particular services. Conversely, some local governments have decided to become service providers for other governments in producing specific services. Although police, fire protection, and EMS have most often been contracted to other governments, intergovernmental contracting gradually has been expanded to other services. Some governments prefer public entities as a service provider to private companies in delivering specific services. Existing research has paid mostly attention to the characteristics of governments that purchase particular services. Although several studies focus on contractual relationships between governments, there are few studies that examine why some local governments become providers of public services to other governments. The purpose of this study is twofold. First, it is to identify the characteristics of governments that choose to purchase from other governments. Second, it clarifies why some municipalities decide to become providers of services to other governments. This study employs mixed method analyses. Multinomial logistic regression analysis, form of a quantitative analysis, identifies some characteristics that are associated with governments' decisions to purchase particular services from other governments. Qualitative analysis in the form of in-depth interviews, were conducted with officials in seven cities to clarify why some local governments decide to provide particular services to other governments. Results show that economic, political, and organizational factors influence the decisions to contract services out to other governments. Interview results reveal that costs, production capacity, innovative ideas, new revenue sources, proximity, and economies of scale are important in understanding why some local governments choose to be service providers for other governments. / A Dissertation submitted to the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester 2018. / November 13, 2018. / Contracting Out, Government Contracting, Public-Public Partnership / Includes bibliographical references. / William E. Klay, Professor Directing Dissertation; Randall G. Holcombe, University Representative; Keon-Hyung Lee, Committee Member; David G. Berlan, Committee Member.

More than seven decades of trade experience, since the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) entered in to force, has showed that the global trade brought prosperity to the nations and reduced the poverty. As a result, the importance of smooth flow of crossborder trade is well understood by all trader countries. Hence the notion of trade facilitation stays as a hot toping of international trade negotiations. Improving the hard infrastructure of trade environment is the priority focus of developing countries whereas developed countries shifted their focal point to modernize the soft infrastructure of their trade environment. United States, who enjoys the second largest share of global trade, is one of those counties whose cross-border implementations are closely followed by the rest of the world. Trade facilitation implementations and applications of US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is used as a base for best practices in many countries. The perfect combination of facilitation and enforcement is key to establish and sustain a global competitiveness for US companies. After recognition of reasons behind the trade facilitation efforts around the globe and broad definition of the concept, this study explicates the background of trade facilitation and enforcement legislations as well as current trade facilitation implementations in U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston University. PLEASE NOTE: Both copies are included. Copy 1 is missing page 106. Copy 2 has all pages, but the some of the text and page numbers are different than copy 1. / PLEASE NOTE: Boston University Libraries did not receive an Authorization To Manage form for this thesis or dissertation. It is therefore not openly accessible, though it may be available by request. If you are the author or principal advisor of this work and would like to request open access for it, please contact us at open-help@bu.edu. Thank you. / 2031-01-01

This study examines the impact of 1998 Revision 7 to Article V of the Florida Constitution (hereafter referred to as Revision 7) in shaping governance of Florida's courts system. Revision 7 shifted the major costs of funding the courts from the county level to the state level. Under our tripartite system of government, the judicial system is dependent on the legislative branch for its funding. An adequate and stable source of funding is required to govern the courts system, and essentially to execute their constitutional and statutory mandates. Since the implementation of Revision 7 in Florida, the courts system primarily depends on the Florida Legislature to determine its level of funding. Very little has been written about state courts, and specifically, state courts administration in public administration literature, so this study has something valuable to contribute to public administration, both theoretical and substantive, through the perspective and experiences of court administrators/leaders. This study is rooted in the case study tradition employed by various disciplines and asks this central question: How has Revision 7 impacted governance in Florida's courts? This study was conducted by giving voice to court insiders who experienced the governance structure of Florida's courts pre- and/or post- Revision 7. From the data derived through the interview and journaling processes, an overall picture of the experiences of the participants and the meanings that the participants construct of their experiences was drawn. Nineteen court administrators/leaders participated in the study, and the information gathered from those participants formed the basis for the overall findings of this study. Based on the results, two main themes regarding the participants' experiences emerged from the data – politics and collaboration. Court administrators/leaders need to better understand the budget process and legislative behavior, as well as need to study, embrace, and engage in the political process; and, court administrators/leaders need to stride a better balance between political and judicial forces. Conclusions based on the data were included, implications were discussed as well as recommendations for further study. / A Dissertation submitted to the Askew School of Public Administration and Policy in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Philosophy. / Fall Semester 2015. / November 9, 2015. / BUDGET POLITICS, COURTS SYSTEM, FLORIDA COURTS, GOVERNANCE, REVISION 7 / Includes bibliographical references. / Ralph Brower, Professor Directing Dissertation; Irene Padavic, University Representative; Lance deHaven-Smith, Committee Member; William Earle Klay, Committee Member.

<p> <b>Purpose.</b> This research sought to explore the factors that influenced the policy decision to change a city council electoral system from an at-large structure to a by-district structure. The structure of the electoral system impacts representation in that it creates the rules and requirements as to how people are elected and who can vote for them. This study provided context for local government decision making. This context provides decision makers and citizens alike with insight into the degree of influence exerted in the public policy process by internal and external forces. </p><p> <b>Theoretical Framework.</b> Three lenses were used: social exchange (Blau, 2017), focusing events (Birkland, 2013; Kingdon, 2003) and Force Field Analysis (Lewin, 1951)) to describe the interaction of theory in explaining the antecedent factors, focusing events, and forces that were present during the local decision-making process. </p><p> <b>Methodology.</b> This was a descriptive, multiple case study design. It looked at multiple cities in an effort to identify the driving and restraining forces that led to changing a specific public policy. Specifically, it conducted content analysis and applied Lewin&rsquo;s force field analysis to public documents in an effort to understand the antecedent factors leading to the change in the structure of the electoral system in select California cities. </p><p> <b>Findings/Conclusions.</b> Both driving and restraining forces were evident in the policy process for change. Four categories of forces were identified: social, political, economic and legal. In the case of the change to a By-District Voting system taking place throughout California, the community itself has not necessarily identified a problem in need of a solution. Rather, a lawsuit&mdash;or threat of a lawsuit&mdash;is the impetus for change&mdash;wanted or not. Given that the focusing event for the voting system policy change examined in this research is litigation, most discussion and input takes place behind closed doors with input being from attorneys and city management staff. While this is important in order to create legislative strategy, it does omit input from the citizens who will be impacted by the decisions. Therefore, the question remains, once fully implemented, will the change in the structure of the electoral system bring &ldquo;better&rdquo; representation?</p><p>