Effective Public Administration Strategies for Global "New Normal"

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Frontmatter

2. Post-Pandemic Strategies to Revitalize the Human Resources Management in the Public Sector

   Revenio C. Jalagat Jr., Perfecto G. Aquino Jr.

   Abstract

   This chapter primarily offers post-pandemic strategies to strengthen the human resource policies and regulations in the selected government organizations. It also demonstrates how to utilize these strategies reflecting their efficiency and effectiveness in varied settings. Pieces of literature were examined the current state of human resource practices implemented during COVID-19 and found out susceptible strategies and practices that addressed the COVID-related uncertainties and even beyond. Key strategies and practices identified include technologically-aided work such as the introduction of remote working, virtual workplace, and the promotion of artificial intelligence, on employee resilience and its programs, adoption of different online platforms, heightened policies on workplace health and safety, better compensation management, sustainable employer–employee relationship, and intensified training and career development amid pandemic crisis. Based on these findings, the general recommendation can be suggested that the need to revitalize the public sector through its human resource department should be a paramount consideration to address pandemic-related issues and to sustain its application in post-pandemic conditions and uncertainties.

3. The Usefulness of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in the Recruitment and Selection of Employees During Covid 19

   Revenio C. Jalagat Jr., Perfecto G. Aquino Jr.

   Abstract

   This chapter examines the usefulness of Information and Communication Technology in the recruitment and selection of employees amid the COVID-19 pandemic. It also aimed to address the research questions: (1) What is the status of recruitment and selection practices during COVID-19? (2) How is ICT utilized in the recruitment and selection process? (3) What are industry responses on online recruitment and selection? (4) What are the challenges encountered by organizations in the use of ICT during the pandemic? (5) What are the strategies and recommendations to improve the use of ICT beyond the pandemic crisis? Extant literature was investigated to shed light on how the utilization of ICT is sustainable not only during the pandemic but even beyond. Key findings of the study outline the importance of the different online platforms in recruiting and selecting the workforce. It also extends to the challenges encountered by organizations in the use of ICT during the pandemic. Finally, strategies and recommendations were formulated and these include strengthening data privacy and security; application of business intelligence, HR technology, and automation; adopting a work from homework arrangements; and information dissemination to all stakeholders policies and rules related to remote working, COVID-related policies, and communication to employees and owners; communicate the importance of sanitation and protection aided by ICT, and ICT integration in business operation upon normalization and in the post-pandemic situation.

4. Use of Spatial Information Management for Sustainable Development in a New Normal Environment: A View from the Organizational, Agro Sphere, and Healthcare Perspective

   Sayma Zia, Munaza Bibi

   Abstract

   In this chapter, the comprehensive nature of the spatial management system is presented from the perspective of sustainability in a new normal environment. This chapter begins with a brief general overview of the following aspects.

5. Case Study-Power Sector Adjusting to New Normal Global Environment

   Thomas George, Rajan Pothiyadath

   Abstract

   Electricity being the key to growth in any sector, whether it is Industry, Agriculture, Commerce, Research & Development, service sector etc., and its availability abundantly ensures the required contribution to the overall development of the country. Power being a volatile commodity, the production of electricity would be based on real time demand of power. The usage of electrical energy being continuous nature without any interruption, the service is classified as essential & 24X7. This makes the Power industry complex & different from other industries and considered to be most essential. The skewed generation of electricity demands fully redundant Transmission network so as to have fully reliable power round the clock. Hence Generation, Transmission and Distribution of Electricity cannot be under lockdown at any point of time. COVID-19 pandemic again worsened the situation as the organizations in power sector are human resource intensive and the productivity of HR is curtailed due to the various restrictions imposed during the pandemic period. Kerala State Electricity Board Ltd. (KSEBL) the sole utility engaged in the Production, Transmission and Distribution of Power in the state of Kerala. Thus, in general the entire organizations in power sector have taken a new normal strategy and able to survive the Pandemic without affecting the service to the public at large. Union Government has declared funding support to various state Government based on some performance Indices calculated on specific focus areas in various sectors. In power sector Government proposed to monitor three areas like Reduction in Revenue Gap, Direct Benefit Scheme for the subsidy extended to farmers and Implementation of smart and prepaid metering. Thus, due diligence taken by the Government and the utility management, duly resonated by all stakeholders created the success story of managing the crisis contributed by COVID-19 pandemic.

6. “Philippine Local Government Leadership Styles, Business Relations, Influences and Issues in a New Normal Environment”

   Jennifer Operio

7. Trends and Issues of Social Media Adoption by Public Administration in New Normal

   Muhammad Mohsin Zahid, Ammara Nusrat, Amna Kanwal

   Abstract

   Public administration is going through rapid transformation due to external pressure of adapting to the New Normal in a response to COVID-19 pandemic. This transformation is supported by the usage and adoption of social media tools and techniques which have in a way supported this transformation. Alternatively, the adoption of social media has brought its own challenges and problems during the process. This chapter addresses the trends and issues of the social media adoption by the public administration. Chapter covers the challenges posed by the COVID-19 to the public administration and response to this phenomenon supported by the social media. Acceptance of the social media in the new normal, generally, and specifically by the public administrators is also discussed. Identified trends include but not limited to the new information dissemination patterns, engagement techniques, public sentiment analysis, emergence of “celebrity servants”, localization of social media and emergency response integration. Whereas issues of infodemics, misinformation, disinformation and malinformation are discussed with suggestions to address these concerns.

8. Effective Public Administration Strategies During Pandemic Crisis: A Case of Role Played Military in Vaccine Administration in Sri Lanka

   Nalin Abeysekera, Upul Lekamge, An uradha Iddagoda

   Abstract

   Covid-19 can be considered an unexpected disaster for the entire world. Still, professionals are calculating the consequence and effects in terms of different dimensions. The developing countries have been badly got affected by this pandemic. As the world bank predicts the most damaging effects of this crisis will however only be visible in the longer run. Sri Lanka also had the same effect as Covid-19 and the country has to have proper administration with given recourses. In this scenario, the role played by the Sri Lankan military cannot be underestimated. Aligning with the negative impact of the economy, lack of medical facilities in an obvious public health crisis, it was the military that provided answers to many issues such as building temporary quarantine centers, repairing existing medical centers and hospitals, building beds and other immediately necessary equipment, maintaining supply chains, helping the police to maintain law and order in the country, identifying and preventing the spread of cultures. This article discusses public administration in Sri Lanka and how militarily has assisted in vaccination program by shedding light on Sri Lanka success in vaccination program with some other best practices as well.

9. Government Initiatives and Responses to COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Turkey

   Cenay Babaoğlu, Onur Kulaç

   Abstract

   COVID-19, a type of Coronavirus, has taken over the entire world and is threatening thousands of people's lives. Therefore, the World Health Organization (henceforth WHO) has announced that COVID-19 is now included in the pandemic diseases group. Governments around the world have adopted various policies to combat the pandemic. During this process, it has been observed that policy transfer between countries has improved significantly, and cooperation and solidarity have become prominent. Turkey is one of the most affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic due to its high population density and movement and being a center for tourism, foreign trade, and transfer flights. The foremost aim of the study is to scrutinize the steps put forward by the Turkish government in terms of various policy fields. This study reveals that the Turkish government, with all its bodies, makes a valuable and promising effort during the pandemic process in different policy areas.

10. Adoption of Medical Technology in Public Healthcare Sector: An Evidence from Developing Country

    Abdul Samad Dahri, Amanat Ali Jalbani, Salman Bashir Memon

    Abstract

    In Pakistan, the public health system has seen major changes over the past 50 years regarding social and economic aspects. Since the 1990s, the provincial governments had made their different health care reforms which were undertaken to increase equity, geographic coverage, and effectiveness. However, in the past, positive results were achieved, yet by using strong and long-lasting public health strategies quality service can be attained in developing countries. Accordingly, the integration of new devices for monitoring alerting, and asking patients about their physical health, is a promising option to improve the Pakistani healthcare system through upgrading patients remotely so they don't need to go to a hospital, avoid overcrowding healthcare facilities, provide real-time surveillance, rapid patient attention, lower investments, operational cost, guaranteed level of safety, and expansion of existing areas. What makes people resist healthcare wearable technology? This article investigated whether there were acceptance or adoption barriers. Results revealed that medical wearables are commonly promoted and developed in the developed world rather than developing countries. The current situation for which governments of developing countries like Pakistan lose interested in adopting due to poor technical support, high prices, and lesser distribution channels. The four key barriers to wearable technology adoption were identified as, (i) Critical data management, security, and privacy issues, (ii) Unreliable results, (iii) Technology for low-income individuals, and, (iv) lack of clear regulations. While major challenges found were access to health services, inequalities in health care, training, and distribution of human resources in health care, and financial strategies for health care systems. It can be concluded that smart wearables with smart capabilities are a key component of the solution to ensure high-quality healthcare service should be considered. Specifically in remote areas of developing countries that are not currently covered and where the majority of the population lives.

11. Public Policy, Government Legitimacy, Covid-19 and Public Response: The Case of the Nigerian Government and Populace

    Najimdeen Bakare Ayoola

    Abstract

    The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of human scientific and technological advancement. It reinforces the binarity that characterises the architecture of global system. While the pandemic grew in consequence, global response towards it was directly proportional to the threat, particularly from the West. Still, the pandemic unveiled the lacunae in public policy and administration, formulation and implementation with regards to issues of imminent public interest. Without being an exemption, the pandemic had considerable impact on Nigeria, hence the chapter examines the response of the Nigerian government to the Covid-19 pandemic crisis. It treats the response through the lens of public policy and administration and governance. It equally addresses the question of how effective was the government policy and what was the corresponding response from the people and explores whether the corresponding relations demonstrate trust between the state and people, strengthen government’s legitimacy or widen the gap of understanding and trust. Lastly, the chapter concludes that effective public policy amidst crisis such as Covid-19, requires a strong coordination of the federal and state government and the civil society.

12. The Public Financial Management in Context of New Global Environment—A Case of Pakistan

    Shabbir Ahmed

    Abstract

    The Covid-19 pandemic has created countless impacts on different economies and brought down the global output by 3% in 2020. The new environment also created an impact on the economy such as Pakistan’s economy faced a negative growth rate in the initial phase of the pandemic. Similarly, the implementation of the lockdown has slowed down the aggregate economic activities like the collection of total revenues declined by around 14% in 2020. In addition to the economic situation, the government of Pakistan faced two main challenges i.e. stabilization of the overall economy and protection of the inclusive segment of the population from the shock of the pandemic. The objective of this chapter is to highlight the impact of a pandemic on fiscal performance especially in the context of revenues and expenditures and the overall progress of the economy in the era of Covid-19. The chapter also compared pre and post-pandemic debt to GDP ratios with different economies however; the main theme of this study is to discuss the fiscal strategies of the existing government that mitigate the impact of the pandemic on the economy. The existing government came into power in 2018 and already faced economic challenges like the low tax to GDP ratio and high fiscal deficit. In addition to this, the federal government distributed 57.5% of resources to the sub-national governments while only 10% of taxes are collected by sub-national governments in the country. The federal government is already taking many initiatives to increase the tax revenues through different schemes such as Benami transaction rules, etc. This chapter of the book also highlights that after the Covid-19, the government has dramatically shifted the directions of the economic policies for instance; the federal government announced the fiscal package of Rs. 1.2 trillion to overcome the negative impact of the pandemic. Similarly, other financial institutions like the State Bank of Pakistan and the Federal Board of Revenue also announced special incentive packages for construction and business-related activities in the country. The study suggests that the government may enhance the tax base and decline the tax rate.

13. “Philippine National Urban Development and Planning For Sustainable Development Goals During the Pandemic Crisis”

    Jennifer Operio

14. Transcontinental Diffusion of Covid-19: Impact on Human Security

    Riaz Ahmad, Azeem Gul, Lloyd W. Fernald

    Abstract

    This article assesses the security threats posed by non-traditional security challenges (NTS) to human security at the global level. NTS, such as an infectious disease like the current Covid-19, climate change, and natural disasters, have long opened Pandora’s box for civilizations across the continents. The ecological process in maintaining a healthy ecosystem and biodiversity has long experienced both dependent and interdependent relationships with humans and animals. Human security was established to develop an inseparable relationship with ecology and animals. This research finds that divisions in sovereign political units across the continents have taken attention away from the threats posed by both infectious diseases and the environment. The result is a reduction of human security at the global level. Thus, this study contributes by exposing infectious diseases and ecology as global common indicators that undermine global security. In addition, the study provides intellectual insights which can be used to theorize infectious diseases and the environment for global political leaders so the latter may create active defense mechanisms in the future.

15. Effective Resilience Strategy for the Urban Poor During Coronavirus Crisis

    Abd Hair Awang, Fakhrulradzi Salamat, Novel Lyndon, Iskandar Zainuddin Rela, Fuad Husain Akbar, Fatin Umaira Muhamad Azian

    Abstract

    The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has evolved from a health crisis into a humanitarian and economic one. The most vulnerable community is the urban poor with high sensitivity in income, unemployment, and costs of living. This study examined the role of public agencies, inclusive networks, and local leaders in restoring the resilience of individuals and families in an urban poor community in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic downturn. The target respondents of this study are the heads of households (HOHs) living in low-cost apartments. The total sample size was 325 HOHs equally stratified in five blocks of low-cost apartments. The structured adapted survey questionnaires, which measure the resilience of individuals and households and the engagement of public agencies, local leaders, and inclusive networks, were validated and tested for reliability. Smart partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the effect of the engagements of public agencies, local leader efforts, and inclusive networks on the resilience of urban poor community. This study found that inclusive networks and local leaderships have remarkable effects on restoring individual and household resilience. However, empirical evidence shows that confidence on the delivery of public agencies is not strong enough in supporting the resilience of individuals and households from the urban poor community. Designing intervention and recovery strategies specially tailored to the needs of individuals and households is an effective mechanism to protect and secure the resilience of the urban poor community.

16. Budget Deficit Sustainability of Selected Developed and Developing Countries During Covid-19 Pandemic

    Findik Ozlem Alper, Ali Eren Alper, Gurcem Ozayturk

    Abstract

    The sustainability of budget deficits is one of the determining factors regarding the sustainability of economic policies. Nevertheless, the Covid-19 pandemic, which has been effective all over the world since the first days of the year 2020, caused a rise in the public expenditures of countries, whereas a decline in public revenues, and hence, budget deficits. Based on the intertemporal budget constraint approach, this study aims to investigate the sustainability of the budget deficit in the G-7 countries as well as the selected developing countries, including Brazil, Russia, South Africa, and Turkey, during the periods before and after the Covid-19 pandemic, employing the (Quintos, Journal of Business & Economic Statistics 13:409–417, 1995) methodology. In the study, where the Fourier KPSS unit root and Fourier ADL cointegration tests, which take into account both smooth and sharp structural breaks, are performed, the existence of a cointegrated relationship is examined in all countries included in the analysis, and the long-term coefficients are determined by employing the FMOLS and DOLS estimation methods. The estimation results indicate that budget deficits sustainability is in strong form merely in Germany, Japan, Russia, and Turkey throughout both periods. It is determined that the budget deficits, which were in a strong sustainable form for Italy during the pre-Covid-19 period, have transformed into a weak sustainable form throughout the pandemic period.