Lietuvai atgavus Nepriklausomybę, pradėta kurti nacionalinė teisės sistema, laisva nuo politinio diktato ir orientuota į demokratinės visuomenės teisinio reguliavimo poreikius. Įstojus į Europos Sąjungą labai svarbus tampa demokratinių valstybių pripažįstamų teisinių prioritetų įgyvendinimas mūsų šalyje. Šių dienų demokratinė visuomenė ypatingą reikšmę teikia žmogaus teisių ir laisvių prioritetui, atviros pilietinės visuomenės, teisinės valstybės idėjoms. Demokratija, žmogaus, kaip individo, teisių gerbimas, geras valdymas − tai geistini XXI amžiaus modernios Lietuvos visuomenės ir valstybės gyvavimo elementai. Demokratinėje visuomenėje piliečiai ne tik turi teisę, bet ir yra skatinami patys įgyvendinti savo teises suteikiant jų įgyvendinimui subjektinių teisių ir pareigų vienovės pavidalą. Tokį pavidalą įgyjantis teisės įgyvendinimas yra abipusės pagarbos ir apsikeitimo paslaugomis tarp visuomenės narių procesas. Lietuvos Respublikos, kaip šiuolaikinės demokratinės valstybės, teisinė sistema orientuojasi į pilietinę teisės sampratą ir teisinę valstybę. Pilietinė teisės samprata – kad teisių ir pareigų vienovė yra prigimtinė, o ne nustatyta valstybės; ji kyla ne iš valstybės valios, o iš pačių piliečių abipusių pastangų užtikrinti savo teisių saugumą ir plėtrą remiantis lygiavertiškumu ir lygiaverčiais mainais. Tačiau tais atvejais, kai pačių piliečių pastangų įgyvendinti ir apginti savo teises nepakanka, jie turi teisę kreiptis pagalbos į valstybės institucijas, turinčias... [to full text] / The Seimas Ombudsmen of the Republic of Lithuania make a part of the international system of ombudsman institutions. The origin of this system, which is a constituent part of parliamentary democracy, was and is related to the need to defend human rights from unlawful or even criminal acts of officers of state government and municipal institutions when they take the form of abuse of office and bureaucracy. The Master’s thesis titled „The Place of the Seimas Ombudsmen in the Legal System of the Republic of Lithuania” aims to analyse the specific features of the activity of the Seimas Ombudsmen and its importance when ensuring the protection of citizens’ constitutional rights and improving state governance, as well as to identify the problems of efficiency of its activity and propose solutions. In my thesis I: 1. Identified the distinguishing features of the activity of the Seimas Ombudsmen of the Republic of Lithuania; 2. Investigated the specific features of relations between the Seimas Ombudsmen institution and the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania and the principles of legal regulation; 3. Disclosed the role of the Seimas Ombudsmen when improving public administration; 4. Analysed the main similarities and differences between the powers of the Seimas Ombudsmen and those of administrative courts; 5. Identified the problems of efficiency of activity of the Seimas Ombudsmen‘s Office and proposed solutions how to improve its activities. Aiming to reveal as many aspects of the... [to full text]

The purposes of this study are (1) to ascertain whether the implementation of a campus ombudsman is viewed differently by college and university presidents, vice-presidents of student affairs, and student body presidents, and (2) to determine whether the ombudsman concept itself is perceived differently by college and university presidents, vice-presidents of student affairs, student body presidents, and functioning campus ombudsmen.

The number of Ombudsman offices in U.S. federal agencies rose dramatically in the 1990s. This study investigates why, despite the efforts of policymakers to force staff reductions across the federal government, Ombudsman offices continued to be established to the point that almost every agency has an Ombudsman. This study uses neo-institutionalist theory to pinpoint indicators that explain what has triggered the proliferation of external facing Ombudsmen in the federal government. The results of this historical retrospective investigation, which uses a mixed methods approach, indicate that the offices were created to ensure procedural justice and as a response to both: stakeholder pressures (since the population became more vocal and active, demanding access to the government, transparency, and accountability) and congressional mandates (such as the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act (ADRA) of 1990 and 1996 the Alternative Dispute Resolution Acts from 1998). This is consistent with neo-institutionalist expectations that organizations change as the result of pressures from forces in the environment combined with the drive for survival. As change accelerates, isomorphism occurs as organizations and agencies adopt strategies that have worked for other similar organizations in their environment. / Ph. D. / This study investigates why, despite the efforts of policymakers to force staff reductions across the federal government, external facing Ombudsman offices continued to be established in the U.S. federal government, to the point that almost every agency has an Ombudsman. This study uses neo-institutionalist theory to pinpoint indicators that explain what has triggered the proliferation of these entities. The results of this historical retrospective investigation indicate that the offices were created to ensure procedural justice and as a response to both: stakeholder pressures (since the population became more vocal and active, demanding access to the government, transparency, and accountability) and congressional mandates (such as the Administrative Dispute Resolution Act (ADRA) of 1990 and 1996 the Alternative Dispute Resolution Acts from 1998).

Syftet med studien var att undersöka upplevelsen av work-life balance bland ombudsmän vid ett fackförbund beläget i Mellansverige. Studien utgick från en kvalitativ metod genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med 10 respondenter. Resultatet analyserades genom en induktiv tematisk analys som genererade tre huvudteman; Personliga förutsättningar, Flexibla arbetsarrangemang och arbetsbelastning samt Rollen som ombudsman. Resultatet påvisade att majoriteten av respondenterna upplevde att de hade en god work-life balance. De menade att arbetslivet och privatlivet inte påverkar varandra i stor utsträckning, men uppgav att de vid ett antal tillfällen framförallt tvingats prioritera åtaganden i arbetslivet. Samtliga respondenter påtalade att deras upplevelse av balans periodvis kan förändras beroende på arbetsbelastning och personliga förutsättningar som familjesituation och erfarenhet av yrket. De menade även att de flexibla arbetsarrangemang och den kultur som präglar ombudsmannarollen har en inverkan på deras upplevelse av balans. / The purpose of the study was to investigate the experience of work-life balance among ombudsmen within a trade union located in the midst of Sweden. The study was based on a qualitative method conducted through semi-structured interviews with 10 respondents. The results were analyzed by an inductive thematic analysis that generated three main themes; Personal circumstances, Flexible work arrangements and work load and The profession of ombudsmen. The result demonstrated that the majority of the respondents felt that they had a good experience of work-life balance. They argued that their working life and private life do not have a major impact on each other but stated that they on numerous occasions primarily had to prioritize commitments in their working life. The respondents expressed that their experience of work-life balance may periodically change due to workload and personal circumstances such as family situation and experience of the profession. They also argued that the flexible working arrangements along with the culture that characterize their profession have an impact on the experience of work-life balance.

As Ouvidorias públicas são interlocutoras entre o cidadão e a Administração, pautando-se nos princípios constitucionais da Legalidade, Impessoalidade, Moralidade, Publicidade e Eficiência, atuando como instrumento de participação na gestão democrática e como representantes legítimas dos interesses dos cidadãos. O acesso à informação é base da democracia, encontrando-se assegurado constitucionalmente (art. 5º, XIV e XXXIII) e infraconstitucionalmente (Lei nº 12.527, de 18.11.2011). A liberdade conferida aos cidadãos abarca o direito de acesso a informação, especialmente porque viabiliza a participação popular e, por via de consequencia, torna dinâmica a democracia. Uma sociedade bem informada é capaz de intervir eficazmente no destino do Estado, fazendo valer a soberania da vontade popular. A participação garante ao cidadão o acesso aos atos de gestão do governo, possibilitando à coletividade o exercício do controle social sobre os atos do Estado. O trabalho objetiva examinar a Ouvidoria da UTFPR como um instrumento de participação popular na gestão administrativa. A pesquisa realizada é exploratória e aplicada, tendo por método o estudo de caso. Na coleta de dados, utiliza-se de múltiplas fontes de evidência: documentação, registros em arquivo, questionário e artefatos físicos. Os resultados denotam que a procura pelos serviços da Ouvidoria da UTFPR é crescente, inobstante as dificuldades enfrentadas pelos ouvidores no desempenho de seu mister – pouco ou nenhum espaço físico, impossibilidade de dedicação exclusiva à atividade, dentre outras. Os questionários respondidos por ouvidores, ex-ouvidores e gestores permitem concluir que a Ouvidoria pública universitária da UTFPR é um espaço de comunicação do usuário com a Administração, um instrumento de participação popular na gestão administrativa. No entanto, sua autonomia deve ser robustecida. Como resultado, propõe-se a implementação de avaliação periódica do usuário/cliente, maior divulgação da Ouvidoria, alteração da localização da Ouvidoria no sítio eletrônico da Universidade, investimento em cursos de mediação. / The office of ombudsman intermediate communication between citizens and the Administration, based on the constitutional principles of Legality, Impersonality, and Efficiency, acting as an instrument of participation in the democratic management and as lawful representatives to the citizens´ interests. Information access is based on democracy and is enlisted as a constitutional (article 5, XIV e XXXIII of Brazil´s Federal Constitution) and infra-constitutionally (Law nº 12.527, of November 18th, 2011) right. The freedom granted to citizens comprises the participation in the right to access information, especially since it allows popular participation and consequently, makes democracy more dynamic. A well informed society is able to take effective action in the State´s destiny, enforcing the sovereignty of common will. Public participation grants citizen access to governmental management acts, enabling social control over the acts of the State. The hereby paper focus on examining UTFPR´s Ombudsman as an instrument of public participation in administrative management. The present research is exploratory and applied, using a study case as the method. In the data collection, multiple sources of evidence are used: article records, a questionnaire and physical artifacts. The results show that UTFPR´s Ombudsman service demand is rising, regardless of the challenges faced by the office of the Ombudsman while exercising the constitutionally imposed task – little or no physical room, impossibility of full time dedication to the office, among others challenges. The questionnaires answered by Ombudsman officers, former officers and managers enable the researcher to conclude that the Office of the UTFPR Ombudsman is a place of communication between the user and the Administration, an instrument of popular participation in management. However, its autonomy must be strengthened. As a result of the research, the author concludes that the implementation of periodical evaluation by the user/customer; more Ombudsman disclosure; changes in the University´s website concerning the Ombudsman; investment in courses on mediation, are advisable.