Abstracts
Session 1: Diplomacy and International Security
Edson Ziso
University of Adelaide
The Internationalization of Chinese Capital in Africa and South-South Cooperation through Special Economic Zones: A Political Economy Approach
Africa-China economic relations are booming. Some African countries have tied their own foreign economic policies to China in particular or Asia in general. That, however, is central to emerging questions with this relationship. The African Union already acknowledges that in trade and investment, problems of imbalance remain. The paper interrogates the internationalisation of the Chinese state in Africa, providing an insight into the political economy factors sustaining it through a critical analysis of SEZ policy making. It examines the public policy preferences of the Chinese leadership to provide an important understanding of the political economy of this relationship. By identifying the various interests and fractions of capital, the foreign economic policy making can be better understood, and essentially what internationalization of capital means to public policy making on either countries. More broadly, it leads to a better understanding of the political economy of Chinese-led ‘South-South’ co-operation.
University of Adelaide
The Internationalization of Chinese Capital in Africa and South-South Cooperation through Special Economic Zones: A Political Economy Approach
Africa-China economic relations are booming. Some African countries have tied their own foreign economic policies to China in particular or Asia in general. That, however, is central to emerging questions with this relationship. The African Union already acknowledges that in trade and investment, problems of imbalance remain. The paper interrogates the internationalisation of the Chinese state in Africa, providing an insight into the political economy factors sustaining it through a critical analysis of SEZ policy making. It examines the public policy preferences of the Chinese leadership to provide an important understanding of the political economy of this relationship. By identifying the various interests and fractions of capital, the foreign economic policy making can be better understood, and essentially what internationalization of capital means to public policy making on either countries. More broadly, it leads to a better understanding of the political economy of Chinese-led ‘South-South’ co-operation.
Lili Wu
University of Macau
Managing the Contradictions of China’s Transformative Diplomacy
In recent years China’s splendid economic growth creates accretion of comprehensive power, leading to controversies over the long-standing low-profile diplomatic approach by behaving itself more proactively and aggressively, in particular regarding contested territorial disputes. The study primarily argues that although China has expanded itself in various domains, the proactivity behaved so far presents limitations and partial effectiveness. Thus, China is not promoting a fundamental alternative strategy, but hews to the low-profile line at conceptual level, which makes China’s transformative diplomacy. In modern history, incarnated in the form of newly rising powers, states usually pursue a hard expansion by overstretching themselves in trajectories. Whereas unlike other rising powers in transformative periods, the papers aims to identify why China has been so uncommon among the great powers to embrace a conservative strategy in the process of rising.
University of Macau
Managing the Contradictions of China’s Transformative Diplomacy
In recent years China’s splendid economic growth creates accretion of comprehensive power, leading to controversies over the long-standing low-profile diplomatic approach by behaving itself more proactively and aggressively, in particular regarding contested territorial disputes. The study primarily argues that although China has expanded itself in various domains, the proactivity behaved so far presents limitations and partial effectiveness. Thus, China is not promoting a fundamental alternative strategy, but hews to the low-profile line at conceptual level, which makes China’s transformative diplomacy. In modern history, incarnated in the form of newly rising powers, states usually pursue a hard expansion by overstretching themselves in trajectories. Whereas unlike other rising powers in transformative periods, the papers aims to identify why China has been so uncommon among the great powers to embrace a conservative strategy in the process of rising.
Prakash Bhattarai
University of Otago
Why Do Third-Party Interveners Coordinate in Armed Conflicts and Peace Processes: Exploring the Conditions for Third-Party Coordination in Nepal and the Philippines
A growing field within mediation research explores issues of multiparty intervention and third-party coordination in peace processes. However, it largely lacks an in-depth explanation of factors that play a dominant role in the occurrence of third-party coordination. Drawing on cases of third-party intervention practices of the Maoist armed conflict of Nepal and the Moro conflict of the Philippines, this research identifies that the occurrence of coordination requires the readiness of both supply (third parties) and demand (conflicting parties) side. Context, Policy, and Motive are three major factors which makes third parties ready to coordinate. This research further finds that the occurrence of third-party coordination changes in different phases of conflict. Most coordination takes place during the escalation phase, and less coordination occurs in the political normalization phase. Likewise, issues of international concern such as human rights and the homogeneity of interveners are other core elements that often contribute to third-party coordination.
University of Otago
Why Do Third-Party Interveners Coordinate in Armed Conflicts and Peace Processes: Exploring the Conditions for Third-Party Coordination in Nepal and the Philippines
A growing field within mediation research explores issues of multiparty intervention and third-party coordination in peace processes. However, it largely lacks an in-depth explanation of factors that play a dominant role in the occurrence of third-party coordination. Drawing on cases of third-party intervention practices of the Maoist armed conflict of Nepal and the Moro conflict of the Philippines, this research identifies that the occurrence of coordination requires the readiness of both supply (third parties) and demand (conflicting parties) side. Context, Policy, and Motive are three major factors which makes third parties ready to coordinate. This research further finds that the occurrence of third-party coordination changes in different phases of conflict. Most coordination takes place during the escalation phase, and less coordination occurs in the political normalization phase. Likewise, issues of international concern such as human rights and the homogeneity of interveners are other core elements that often contribute to third-party coordination.
Daniel H. Katz
Nanyang Technological University
Whither Asian Defense Diplomacy? The Evolving Institutional Landscape of Military and Security Dialogue
The key aims and objectives of the paper are threefold: first, to provide an overview of the dynamic institutional landscape of Asian defense diplomacy through the examination of three institutions/meetings, namely the Asia Security Summit (more commonly known as the Shangri-La Dialogue or SLD), the ADMM-Plus, and the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue (JIDD). Second, to place each of these institutions/meetings in context and explain their contributions to regional peace and stability. Third, to provide an understanding of how these and other diplomatic processes operate in a relatively anarchic region that does not enjoy the stability offered by a solid regional security architecture. It will conclude with an assessment and forecast of defense diplomacy processes in Asia. In-depth analysis of established and nascent Asian security dialogue processes will yield a better understanding of the role of dialogue in Asia in conflict management.
Nanyang Technological University
Whither Asian Defense Diplomacy? The Evolving Institutional Landscape of Military and Security Dialogue
The key aims and objectives of the paper are threefold: first, to provide an overview of the dynamic institutional landscape of Asian defense diplomacy through the examination of three institutions/meetings, namely the Asia Security Summit (more commonly known as the Shangri-La Dialogue or SLD), the ADMM-Plus, and the Jakarta International Defense Dialogue (JIDD). Second, to place each of these institutions/meetings in context and explain their contributions to regional peace and stability. Third, to provide an understanding of how these and other diplomatic processes operate in a relatively anarchic region that does not enjoy the stability offered by a solid regional security architecture. It will conclude with an assessment and forecast of defense diplomacy processes in Asia. In-depth analysis of established and nascent Asian security dialogue processes will yield a better understanding of the role of dialogue in Asia in conflict management.
Session 2: Sustainable Development
Jens Marquardt
Freie Universität Berlin
Governance for Renewable Energy in Multi-level Systems: Lessons from Southeast Asia
Sustainable development is a complex, multi-dimensional policy goal that involves various actors within a multi-level governance system. This is especially true for the energy regime of a country: A shift towards renewable energy involves activities not only on the national, but also on subnational levels. This leads to the following research question: How can a regime shift towards renewable energy be governed within a multi-level political system like in Indonesia or the Philippines? Both countries serve as case studies due to their highly decentralized political systems, where coordination between national and subnational actors is crucial. This empirical research is especially based on interviews with relevant national and subnational stakeholders. Transition management is used as the theoretical framework. It finds that weak local capacity, a lack of awareness for national intentions on subnational levels and vice versa as well as missing consultation during policy formulation are major obstacles for renewable energy support.
Freie Universität Berlin
Governance for Renewable Energy in Multi-level Systems: Lessons from Southeast Asia
Sustainable development is a complex, multi-dimensional policy goal that involves various actors within a multi-level governance system. This is especially true for the energy regime of a country: A shift towards renewable energy involves activities not only on the national, but also on subnational levels. This leads to the following research question: How can a regime shift towards renewable energy be governed within a multi-level political system like in Indonesia or the Philippines? Both countries serve as case studies due to their highly decentralized political systems, where coordination between national and subnational actors is crucial. This empirical research is especially based on interviews with relevant national and subnational stakeholders. Transition management is used as the theoretical framework. It finds that weak local capacity, a lack of awareness for national intentions on subnational levels and vice versa as well as missing consultation during policy formulation are major obstacles for renewable energy support.
Kristin Olofsson and JC Martel
University of Colorado Denver
Understanding the Narratives and Framing of Air Pollution in Delhi, India
This research seeks to develop an understanding of the framing of the issue of air pollution in Delhi, India. Our research aims to identify people involved and how these policy actors are framing the causes, effects, and significance of air pollution. With an understanding of how policy actors, including the news media, are framing the air pollution issue, we provide insight into how individuals perceive the issue.
Two innovative approaches are used to explore the framing: (i) a deductive approach that focuses on the stories told via online documents guided by the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF); (ii) an inductive approach of news media coverage of the issue using automated text coding. The combined deductive and inductive approaches as well as insights from the site visit provide a systematic and multi-method research study for understanding air pollution in one of the largest cities in the world.
University of Colorado Denver
Understanding the Narratives and Framing of Air Pollution in Delhi, India
This research seeks to develop an understanding of the framing of the issue of air pollution in Delhi, India. Our research aims to identify people involved and how these policy actors are framing the causes, effects, and significance of air pollution. With an understanding of how policy actors, including the news media, are framing the air pollution issue, we provide insight into how individuals perceive the issue.
Two innovative approaches are used to explore the framing: (i) a deductive approach that focuses on the stories told via online documents guided by the Narrative Policy Framework (NPF); (ii) an inductive approach of news media coverage of the issue using automated text coding. The combined deductive and inductive approaches as well as insights from the site visit provide a systematic and multi-method research study for understanding air pollution in one of the largest cities in the world.
Kris Hartley
National University of Singapore
Local Policies for Global Sustainability: Addressing the Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing in Shale Gas Extraction
Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is a controversial method of fossil fuel extraction involving chemicals that are potentially harmful to the environment. The contribution of this paper is a suite of applied lessons to inform the development of policy frameworks addressing fracking and resource extraction methods. It begins with an elementary description of the technical aspects of fracking, including history and anticipated developments. It then outlines common debates about fracking, particularly public health and environmental concerns. The paper concludes with an analysis of fracking policy development, paying special attention to stakeholder engagement and interest group influence. This includes an overview of various approaches around the world, a comparative case analysis, and a synthesis of lessons with broader policy relevance to resource extraction in Asia, particularly China and India. It theoretically situates the fracking governance challenge within Sabatier’s Advocacy Coalition Framework, examining how groups have asserted their agenda within institutional and subsystem dynamics.
National University of Singapore
Local Policies for Global Sustainability: Addressing the Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing in Shale Gas Extraction
Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) is a controversial method of fossil fuel extraction involving chemicals that are potentially harmful to the environment. The contribution of this paper is a suite of applied lessons to inform the development of policy frameworks addressing fracking and resource extraction methods. It begins with an elementary description of the technical aspects of fracking, including history and anticipated developments. It then outlines common debates about fracking, particularly public health and environmental concerns. The paper concludes with an analysis of fracking policy development, paying special attention to stakeholder engagement and interest group influence. This includes an overview of various approaches around the world, a comparative case analysis, and a synthesis of lessons with broader policy relevance to resource extraction in Asia, particularly China and India. It theoretically situates the fracking governance challenge within Sabatier’s Advocacy Coalition Framework, examining how groups have asserted their agenda within institutional and subsystem dynamics.
Session 3: Women, Minorities and Other Vulnerable Groups
Michael Abrigo and Kris Francisco
University of Hawaii and NGIPS Tokyo
Cost-revealing knowledge under information uncertainty: Effect of HIV-AIDS knowledge on young adult sexual behavior in the Philippines
The effect of reproductive health education on sexual behavior is well studied in the literature. However, these studies fail to account for the simultaneity between knowledge demand and sexual behavior, which treatment randomization cannot correct for without further identifying restrictions. These restrictions are identified and discussed in this paper. A model on the optimal choice of age at sexual initiation is proposed to motivate the discussion. We argue that under a standard rational expectation model individuals may exhibit irrational risk-seeking behavior despite rational risk-averse preferences when the information available to them is sufficiently variable. Using Philippine data, we show that increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge delays sexual initiation, limits sexual activity, and increases condom-use among some sub-population of females.
University of Hawaii and NGIPS Tokyo
Cost-revealing knowledge under information uncertainty: Effect of HIV-AIDS knowledge on young adult sexual behavior in the Philippines
The effect of reproductive health education on sexual behavior is well studied in the literature. However, these studies fail to account for the simultaneity between knowledge demand and sexual behavior, which treatment randomization cannot correct for without further identifying restrictions. These restrictions are identified and discussed in this paper. A model on the optimal choice of age at sexual initiation is proposed to motivate the discussion. We argue that under a standard rational expectation model individuals may exhibit irrational risk-seeking behavior despite rational risk-averse preferences when the information available to them is sufficiently variable. Using Philippine data, we show that increasing HIV/AIDS knowledge delays sexual initiation, limits sexual activity, and increases condom-use among some sub-population of females.
Humairah Bte Zainal
Nanyang Technological University
Re-examining Singapore’s‘ Multiculturalism’: A Case Study of the Hijab (Headscarf) Issue in Singapore
This paper analyses Singapore’s notion of ‘multiculturalism’ through a case study of the recent hijab (headscarf) issue in Singapore. It argues that the issue’s complexity is attributed to the limited inclusivity of the very multiculturalism that the state epitomizes, which is premised upon conformity to neat categories of race and religion. By conducting interviews with local Malay-Muslim undergraduates, this paper interrogates the extent to which the public has been indoctrinated by the state’s multiculturalism rhetoric and examines the extent to which Singapore’s current multiculturalism notion is still relevant in its increasing cosmopolitanism. It also analyses how Singapore can envisage the future of its peoples from diverse backgrounds. Adopting Hall’s (2000) perspective of ‘multiple identities’, it shows that successful social policy and public debate need to rest on a more in-depth understanding of how lay people relate to multiculturalism in their everyday lives, rather than imposing one particular definition of multiculturalism.
Nanyang Technological University
Re-examining Singapore’s‘ Multiculturalism’: A Case Study of the Hijab (Headscarf) Issue in Singapore
This paper analyses Singapore’s notion of ‘multiculturalism’ through a case study of the recent hijab (headscarf) issue in Singapore. It argues that the issue’s complexity is attributed to the limited inclusivity of the very multiculturalism that the state epitomizes, which is premised upon conformity to neat categories of race and religion. By conducting interviews with local Malay-Muslim undergraduates, this paper interrogates the extent to which the public has been indoctrinated by the state’s multiculturalism rhetoric and examines the extent to which Singapore’s current multiculturalism notion is still relevant in its increasing cosmopolitanism. It also analyses how Singapore can envisage the future of its peoples from diverse backgrounds. Adopting Hall’s (2000) perspective of ‘multiple identities’, it shows that successful social policy and public debate need to rest on a more in-depth understanding of how lay people relate to multiculturalism in their everyday lives, rather than imposing one particular definition of multiculturalism.
Sanju Koirala
University of Otago
Anticipating Displacement: Impacts of Involuntary Displacement on Locals Likely to be Displaced from Large-Scale Hydropower Project
One of the most contested areas of public policy throughout Asia relates to how infrastructure development takes place and in what ways affected people should be compensated. Ample of literature on involuntary displacement and resettlement explains the impacts that have occurred or might occur for the local communities during and after involuntary displacement induced by development projects. However, very limited research explains the impacts that local communities experience during the project pre-implementation phase. In contrast to this previous work, my research attempts to highlight the impacts caused by long gestation period of large-scale projects. It does so through a case-study based analysis of the West Seti Hydropower Project, a proposed dam in far western Nepal.The paper argues that an adequate understanding of the pre-implementation dynamics of large-scale development projects is crucial to address various problems related to displacement and resettlement.
University of Otago
Anticipating Displacement: Impacts of Involuntary Displacement on Locals Likely to be Displaced from Large-Scale Hydropower Project
One of the most contested areas of public policy throughout Asia relates to how infrastructure development takes place and in what ways affected people should be compensated. Ample of literature on involuntary displacement and resettlement explains the impacts that have occurred or might occur for the local communities during and after involuntary displacement induced by development projects. However, very limited research explains the impacts that local communities experience during the project pre-implementation phase. In contrast to this previous work, my research attempts to highlight the impacts caused by long gestation period of large-scale projects. It does so through a case-study based analysis of the West Seti Hydropower Project, a proposed dam in far western Nepal.The paper argues that an adequate understanding of the pre-implementation dynamics of large-scale development projects is crucial to address various problems related to displacement and resettlement.
Divya Guru Rajan
Duke University
Mandated Political Representation& Crimes Against Minorities: The Case of India
Does providing political voice to minorities through institutionally mandated political representation have an effect on crimes against them? I answer this question by examining the impact of exogenous changes in political reservation for India’s minorities – Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) who have historically been subject to discrimination – on reported crimes against both minorities and non-minorities, using a methodology described below.
Using an empirical design combining a difference-in-difference and a regression discontinuity approach, I examine the impact of political representation at the state level and local level – each of which uses a different formula prescribed by a national-level legislation that is implemented based on the timing of elections in different areas – on recorded crimes against minorities after controlling for the potentially confounding effect of changes in the population of minorities. I validate my results using data on crime occurrences from non-government sources.
Duke University
Mandated Political Representation& Crimes Against Minorities: The Case of India
Does providing political voice to minorities through institutionally mandated political representation have an effect on crimes against them? I answer this question by examining the impact of exogenous changes in political reservation for India’s minorities – Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST) who have historically been subject to discrimination – on reported crimes against both minorities and non-minorities, using a methodology described below.
Using an empirical design combining a difference-in-difference and a regression discontinuity approach, I examine the impact of political representation at the state level and local level – each of which uses a different formula prescribed by a national-level legislation that is implemented based on the timing of elections in different areas – on recorded crimes against minorities after controlling for the potentially confounding effect of changes in the population of minorities. I validate my results using data on crime occurrences from non-government sources.
Session 4: Public Finance
Pakarang Chuenjit
Chulalongkorn University
Culture of taxation: The new approach for an efficient tax collection
The lower effective tax rate in Thailand can be explained by the “culture of taxation” in the Thai society. This study aimed to discover patterns of taxpayer’s culture and their relation with the effectiveness of tax collection in Thailand. Personal income tax has been selected as the study area. Two hundred taxpayers who files personal income tax from five different regions were chosen to answer the questionnaire. The results show that there was a relationship between the attitude toward taxes and behaviors of taxpayers. The more compliant attitudes toward taxes, the more compliance of taxpayers to pay their taxes correctly. This study may enlarge the understanding of tax compliance/ non-compliance, tax evasion, tax avoidance and corruption in the tax system. In addition, it could explain the relationship between tax cultures and the effective of tax collection in Thailand as well.
Chulalongkorn University
Culture of taxation: The new approach for an efficient tax collection
The lower effective tax rate in Thailand can be explained by the “culture of taxation” in the Thai society. This study aimed to discover patterns of taxpayer’s culture and their relation with the effectiveness of tax collection in Thailand. Personal income tax has been selected as the study area. Two hundred taxpayers who files personal income tax from five different regions were chosen to answer the questionnaire. The results show that there was a relationship between the attitude toward taxes and behaviors of taxpayers. The more compliant attitudes toward taxes, the more compliance of taxpayers to pay their taxes correctly. This study may enlarge the understanding of tax compliance/ non-compliance, tax evasion, tax avoidance and corruption in the tax system. In addition, it could explain the relationship between tax cultures and the effective of tax collection in Thailand as well.
Hong Bei and Zeng Jinli
National University of Singapore
Fiscal Policy versus Monetary Policy in an R&D Growth Model with Money in Production
This paper compares how different government interventions affect resource allocation, growth and welfare in an R&D growth model with variety expansion and money-in-production. We assume that the economy has perfectly competitive final good production and innovation and monopolized intermediate good production with both capital and the real money balances as its inputs. We consider one fiscal policy (capital income tax) and one monetary policy (inflation tax) along with the lump-sum tax as the instruments of the government. We first show that given exogenous government expenditure and in the presence of lump-sum tax, an increase in the capital income tax or the money growth rate will decrease the steady state growth rate. We claim the results mainly arise from the monopoly inefficiency as well as knowledge spillover. However, in the case in absence of the lump-sum tax we re-consider the problem and show that the inflation tax will be better in terms of promoting growth with low enough government expenditure; however the ranking in terms of improving welfare depends on the input intensity in the monopolized sector.
National University of Singapore
Fiscal Policy versus Monetary Policy in an R&D Growth Model with Money in Production
This paper compares how different government interventions affect resource allocation, growth and welfare in an R&D growth model with variety expansion and money-in-production. We assume that the economy has perfectly competitive final good production and innovation and monopolized intermediate good production with both capital and the real money balances as its inputs. We consider one fiscal policy (capital income tax) and one monetary policy (inflation tax) along with the lump-sum tax as the instruments of the government. We first show that given exogenous government expenditure and in the presence of lump-sum tax, an increase in the capital income tax or the money growth rate will decrease the steady state growth rate. We claim the results mainly arise from the monopoly inefficiency as well as knowledge spillover. However, in the case in absence of the lump-sum tax we re-consider the problem and show that the inflation tax will be better in terms of promoting growth with low enough government expenditure; however the ranking in terms of improving welfare depends on the input intensity in the monopolized sector.
Ismoil Khujamkulov
Carleton University
Public Financial Management Architecture in Central Asian Republics: Reform Advice and Reform Practice
International agencies like the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have recommended “best practices” in Public Financial Management (PFM) architecture over the years. Has this advice been adopted in actual reform efforts in Central Asian governments? If so, to what extent? If not, why not? This study will explore what has been advised and what is being done, with reference to country case study of Tajikistan.
Carleton University
Public Financial Management Architecture in Central Asian Republics: Reform Advice and Reform Practice
International agencies like the World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) have recommended “best practices” in Public Financial Management (PFM) architecture over the years. Has this advice been adopted in actual reform efforts in Central Asian governments? If so, to what extent? If not, why not? This study will explore what has been advised and what is being done, with reference to country case study of Tajikistan.
Sarah Bales
National University of Singapore
Impact of Hospital Provider Payment Mechanism on Household Health Service Utilization
Pressures of population aging, technological innovation and inappropriate incentives have led to cost escalation and inefficiencies in many health systems. Strong incentives for overservicing by health providers result from application of fee-for-service payments in many countries across the world. The rapid expansion of health insurance coverage in many countries exacerbates this problem by increasing demand for health services through reducing out-of-pocket costs faced by patients. As a major purchaser of medical services, governments (including managers of state subsidized health systems or social insurance agencies) throughout the world are implementing or studying provider payment reforms involving adoption of prospective payment systems (e.g. capitation or diagnostic-related group payments) as one of the measures to try to resolve this problem.
National University of Singapore
Impact of Hospital Provider Payment Mechanism on Household Health Service Utilization
Pressures of population aging, technological innovation and inappropriate incentives have led to cost escalation and inefficiencies in many health systems. Strong incentives for overservicing by health providers result from application of fee-for-service payments in many countries across the world. The rapid expansion of health insurance coverage in many countries exacerbates this problem by increasing demand for health services through reducing out-of-pocket costs faced by patients. As a major purchaser of medical services, governments (including managers of state subsidized health systems or social insurance agencies) throughout the world are implementing or studying provider payment reforms involving adoption of prospective payment systems (e.g. capitation or diagnostic-related group payments) as one of the measures to try to resolve this problem.
Session 5: Lawmaking and Policymaking
Katrin Dribbisch
University of Potsdam
Design thinking: Tackling wicked problems in Singapore‘s public service
In the face of increasingly complex and wicked public policy issues, budget cuts and changing demands of citizens, public administrations are looking for new ways of building innovation capabilities. In the last decade public administrations have adopted design thinking as a new approach to drive innovation in public services. Singapore’s public service has been among the early adopters worldwide. This paper addresses the research question, "How do public administrations implement and apply design thinking?“ exploring 1) the implementation process, 2) the organizational changes initiated by introducing design thinking, and, 3) the relationship between design thinking and organizational learning. It draws on organizational learning theory and innovation research to understand innovation adoption and implementation. It includes empirical data from an exploratory single case study of a government department in Singapore. Findings highlight the challenges of innovation capability building with regard to training, changing work practices and cultural change to sustain innovation.
University of Potsdam
Design thinking: Tackling wicked problems in Singapore‘s public service
In the face of increasingly complex and wicked public policy issues, budget cuts and changing demands of citizens, public administrations are looking for new ways of building innovation capabilities. In the last decade public administrations have adopted design thinking as a new approach to drive innovation in public services. Singapore’s public service has been among the early adopters worldwide. This paper addresses the research question, "How do public administrations implement and apply design thinking?“ exploring 1) the implementation process, 2) the organizational changes initiated by introducing design thinking, and, 3) the relationship between design thinking and organizational learning. It draws on organizational learning theory and innovation research to understand innovation adoption and implementation. It includes empirical data from an exploratory single case study of a government department in Singapore. Findings highlight the challenges of innovation capability building with regard to training, changing work practices and cultural change to sustain innovation.
Aditya Perdana
University of Hamburg
Women and the Law-Making Process in Post- Suharto Indonesia
This paper discusses the relationship between women’s CSOs and political parties in the law-making process in post-Suharto Indonesia. The aim of this study is to contribute to the existing theories about political parties and society that elaborate on the nature of party changes and the policy-making process. This study examines three women issues in the newly-democratic Indonesia: gender quotas in parliament, anti-domestic violence law, and gender equality bill. The study seeks to identify the distant relationships, fragmented institutions and strong and embedded old values that exist between women’s CSOs and parties. Therefore, it confirms a distant relationship between women’s CSOs and political parties, which is the result of both institutions limited relationship in the political sphere, their weak connections, and limited direct influence. The study highlights the importance of informal institutions has on the development of women’s CSOs and political party relationships in gender issues.
University of Hamburg
Women and the Law-Making Process in Post- Suharto Indonesia
This paper discusses the relationship between women’s CSOs and political parties in the law-making process in post-Suharto Indonesia. The aim of this study is to contribute to the existing theories about political parties and society that elaborate on the nature of party changes and the policy-making process. This study examines three women issues in the newly-democratic Indonesia: gender quotas in parliament, anti-domestic violence law, and gender equality bill. The study seeks to identify the distant relationships, fragmented institutions and strong and embedded old values that exist between women’s CSOs and parties. Therefore, it confirms a distant relationship between women’s CSOs and political parties, which is the result of both institutions limited relationship in the political sphere, their weak connections, and limited direct influence. The study highlights the importance of informal institutions has on the development of women’s CSOs and political party relationships in gender issues.
Shyam Singh
Institute of Rural Management Anand
Public Policies Fail When They do not Deliver Political Messages: Role of Political Organizations in Delivering Public Policies
In a competitive democratic system, the re-election of a political party in the government depends on the ability of public policies to deliver a political message, which the party wants to convey to the people. The message aims at legitimizing the party’s claim for power, persuading its support bases to continue their electoral favor and wooing new masses. The paper argues that the success or failure of a policy does not depend only on the ability of implementing agencies, but also on the ability of the party organization in delivering the political message. The party organization establishes an interface between the party and people and delivers the message. The paper, theoretically, takes a shift from a conservative approach of analyzing a public policy, i.e. top-down and bottom-up approaches, policy processes, administrative capacities, analysis of systems and sub-systems, etc., to the organizational strength of the party in power. The paper is based on a primary research carried out in India.
Institute of Rural Management Anand
Public Policies Fail When They do not Deliver Political Messages: Role of Political Organizations in Delivering Public Policies
In a competitive democratic system, the re-election of a political party in the government depends on the ability of public policies to deliver a political message, which the party wants to convey to the people. The message aims at legitimizing the party’s claim for power, persuading its support bases to continue their electoral favor and wooing new masses. The paper argues that the success or failure of a policy does not depend only on the ability of implementing agencies, but also on the ability of the party organization in delivering the political message. The party organization establishes an interface between the party and people and delivers the message. The paper, theoretically, takes a shift from a conservative approach of analyzing a public policy, i.e. top-down and bottom-up approaches, policy processes, administrative capacities, analysis of systems and sub-systems, etc., to the organizational strength of the party in power. The paper is based on a primary research carried out in India.
Session 6: Implementation and Service Delivery
Ek-hong Ljavakaw Sia
University of Tuebingen
Three Governance Modes in the Post-disaster Reconstruction and their Effects
This article illustrates how the different triangular relationships between the state, the four NGOs, and the disaster-affected aboriginal communities – in other words, the different governance modes – produce three different effects for the communities undergoing reconstruction. Multiple research methods were adopted in this study, including fieldwork, on-the-spot inspections of damaged areas, intensive interviews, participatory observation in meetings, and secondary sources analysis. My argument can be summarized as follows. Empowerment effects occurred in the governance mode involving the Presbyterian Church which is ideologically familiar with and organizationally overlapped with the disaster-affected communities but ideologically unfamiliar with and organizationally autonomous from the state. Destruction effects occurred in the governance mode involving Tzu Chi which is ideologically unfamiliar with and organizationally autonomous from the disaster-affected communities but ideologically familiar with and organizationally autonomous from the state. Dependence effects occurred in the governance mode involving World Vision and Red Cross which are organizational autonomous from and keep ideologically equidistant to both the state and the disaster-affected communities.
University of Tuebingen
Three Governance Modes in the Post-disaster Reconstruction and their Effects
This article illustrates how the different triangular relationships between the state, the four NGOs, and the disaster-affected aboriginal communities – in other words, the different governance modes – produce three different effects for the communities undergoing reconstruction. Multiple research methods were adopted in this study, including fieldwork, on-the-spot inspections of damaged areas, intensive interviews, participatory observation in meetings, and secondary sources analysis. My argument can be summarized as follows. Empowerment effects occurred in the governance mode involving the Presbyterian Church which is ideologically familiar with and organizationally overlapped with the disaster-affected communities but ideologically unfamiliar with and organizationally autonomous from the state. Destruction effects occurred in the governance mode involving Tzu Chi which is ideologically unfamiliar with and organizationally autonomous from the disaster-affected communities but ideologically familiar with and organizationally autonomous from the state. Dependence effects occurred in the governance mode involving World Vision and Red Cross which are organizational autonomous from and keep ideologically equidistant to both the state and the disaster-affected communities.
Vera Cai Zuo
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Local Political Economy of Affordable Housing and Urban-rural Integration Reforms in Contemporary China
How would social welfare programs develop when political purposes and economic considerations produce divergent, or even contradicting demands? My paper aims to answer this question by investigating local variation in affordable housing and urban-rural integration reforms. Using semi-structured interviews with officials, including national-level officials, county party secretaries, heads of local health and housing departments at various government levels across nine provinces, as well as systematic content analysis of policies, this research can expand our understanding of local politics and central-local interactions in social welfare development. My preliminary findings show that local leaders’ choices in affordable housing provision and urban-rural integration are driven primarily by economic rather than social considerations. Welfare expansion, in itself, is not the main goal. Rather, welfare would be actively promoted only when it is consistent with and supportive of local economic development.
University of Wisconsin-Madison
Local Political Economy of Affordable Housing and Urban-rural Integration Reforms in Contemporary China
How would social welfare programs develop when political purposes and economic considerations produce divergent, or even contradicting demands? My paper aims to answer this question by investigating local variation in affordable housing and urban-rural integration reforms. Using semi-structured interviews with officials, including national-level officials, county party secretaries, heads of local health and housing departments at various government levels across nine provinces, as well as systematic content analysis of policies, this research can expand our understanding of local politics and central-local interactions in social welfare development. My preliminary findings show that local leaders’ choices in affordable housing provision and urban-rural integration are driven primarily by economic rather than social considerations. Welfare expansion, in itself, is not the main goal. Rather, welfare would be actively promoted only when it is consistent with and supportive of local economic development.
Belinda Anne Thompson
Australia National University
Invisible Health care Providers: Non-Profit, Non-Government Hospitals and Large Clinics in Developing Countries
Not-for-profit, non-government hospitals and large clinics are the last hope for many communities in developing countries with no other means of accessing emergency healthcare. They provide free, or extremely low-cost, care relying on volunteers to assist by staffing, promoting and funding their operations. This paper highlights the ‘invisible’ healthcare providers who work with a broad range of non-state actors to provide emergency care to those least able to access healthcare. It explores the range of providers and classifies them into a broad typology based on questions of ownership and funding. The paper explores what we don’t know from the existing academic literature and why these hospitals and clinics should be studied further as an important contributor to the principle of universal healthcare for all.
Australia National University
Invisible Health care Providers: Non-Profit, Non-Government Hospitals and Large Clinics in Developing Countries
Not-for-profit, non-government hospitals and large clinics are the last hope for many communities in developing countries with no other means of accessing emergency healthcare. They provide free, or extremely low-cost, care relying on volunteers to assist by staffing, promoting and funding their operations. This paper highlights the ‘invisible’ healthcare providers who work with a broad range of non-state actors to provide emergency care to those least able to access healthcare. It explores the range of providers and classifies them into a broad typology based on questions of ownership and funding. The paper explores what we don’t know from the existing academic literature and why these hospitals and clinics should be studied further as an important contributor to the principle of universal healthcare for all.
An Yongkang
University College Dublin
Food Safety Regulation in China: Government Monopoly? A Theoretical Analysis
Food safety regulation has been a high-profile issue in the last few decades. This paper examines the food safety regulatory regime in China. A core question is: ‘who is regulating the food industry there’? The term ‘regime’ indicates that answers will be explored through stages of standard-setting, monitoring and enforcement. Regulatory theories explaining legal pluralism and regulatory networks provide bases for this analysis. Official documents and existing studies are two major sources of data. This analysis finds that the state is still playing a major role in China. However, with the changing social economic context, supranational bodies such as the WTO and the Codex Alimentarius, and non-state bodies such as the food industry are also playing some role in this process. This phenomenon implies that with future policy design, state policy makers may seek to harness the regulatory capacity possessed by others.
University College Dublin
Food Safety Regulation in China: Government Monopoly? A Theoretical Analysis
Food safety regulation has been a high-profile issue in the last few decades. This paper examines the food safety regulatory regime in China. A core question is: ‘who is regulating the food industry there’? The term ‘regime’ indicates that answers will be explored through stages of standard-setting, monitoring and enforcement. Regulatory theories explaining legal pluralism and regulatory networks provide bases for this analysis. Official documents and existing studies are two major sources of data. This analysis finds that the state is still playing a major role in China. However, with the changing social economic context, supranational bodies such as the WTO and the Codex Alimentarius, and non-state bodies such as the food industry are also playing some role in this process. This phenomenon implies that with future policy design, state policy makers may seek to harness the regulatory capacity possessed by others.
Session 7: Public Sector Innovation and Policy Learning
Tian Tang and David Popp
Syracuse University
The Learning Process and Technological Change through International Collaboration: Evidence From China's CDM Wind Projects
Our paper examines how the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – an international carbon trade mechanism that subsidies the users of climate-friendly technologies in developing countries – has led to the technological change of wind power in China from a technological learning perspective. Using pooled cross-sectional data of 486 CDM wind projects in China from 2002 to 2009, we estimate the effects of different learning channels on technological change, measured as reductions in projected costs across CDM wind projects. In addition to the learning-by-doing and learning-by-searching effects, our paper provides evidence for a learning-by-interacting effect between turbine manufacturers and project developers. Our findings shed light on how international carbon trade can facilitate technological change of wind power in developing countries. Not only does CDM provide opportunities for learning-by-doing through stimulating demand for wind power, but it also increases the chance of technology transfer through partnerships between domestic project developers and foreign turbine manufacturers.
Syracuse University
The Learning Process and Technological Change through International Collaboration: Evidence From China's CDM Wind Projects
Our paper examines how the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) – an international carbon trade mechanism that subsidies the users of climate-friendly technologies in developing countries – has led to the technological change of wind power in China from a technological learning perspective. Using pooled cross-sectional data of 486 CDM wind projects in China from 2002 to 2009, we estimate the effects of different learning channels on technological change, measured as reductions in projected costs across CDM wind projects. In addition to the learning-by-doing and learning-by-searching effects, our paper provides evidence for a learning-by-interacting effect between turbine manufacturers and project developers. Our findings shed light on how international carbon trade can facilitate technological change of wind power in developing countries. Not only does CDM provide opportunities for learning-by-doing through stimulating demand for wind power, but it also increases the chance of technology transfer through partnerships between domestic project developers and foreign turbine manufacturers.
Li Ni
Sun Yat-Sen University
Social Innovation: A New Competitive Mechanism among Local Governments
Since reform and opening up, the Chinese central government motivates local governments frantically into economic “growth” competition through political “tournaments” designing. However, “growth” competition mechanism is hard to explain why nowadays the local governments actively engage in innovation of social administration which cannot get economic interests. This article argues that "innovation in social administration" has become a new competitive mechanism among local governments. Based on the cases of S County, the article aims to answer: What's the logic of generation of “innovation” competition mechanism? And what is the difference between “innovation” and “growth” competition mechanism? It preliminary concludes that the two mechanisms are both the inevitable behavior of local governments under pressure-type administrative system, but the specific mechanism of competition is not the same. Competition of “Social innovation” has more competitive advantages at present and the relationship between state and society is changing during the process.
Sun Yat-Sen University
Social Innovation: A New Competitive Mechanism among Local Governments
Since reform and opening up, the Chinese central government motivates local governments frantically into economic “growth” competition through political “tournaments” designing. However, “growth” competition mechanism is hard to explain why nowadays the local governments actively engage in innovation of social administration which cannot get economic interests. This article argues that "innovation in social administration" has become a new competitive mechanism among local governments. Based on the cases of S County, the article aims to answer: What's the logic of generation of “innovation” competition mechanism? And what is the difference between “innovation” and “growth” competition mechanism? It preliminary concludes that the two mechanisms are both the inevitable behavior of local governments under pressure-type administrative system, but the specific mechanism of competition is not the same. Competition of “Social innovation” has more competitive advantages at present and the relationship between state and society is changing during the process.
Mehmet Akif Demircioglu
Indiana University
Why Can’t We? Providing Ability and Motivation Practices for Public Sector Employees to Innovate
This paper analyzes how potential enablers can affect innovation in public organizations. Data come from Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)’s 2012 State of the Service Employee Census. This paper tests, (a) how do enablers affect employees’ innovation, (b) which type of enablers are more effective to innovation, (c) and regarding the scope and density, which enablers produce different types of innovation? Results show that practice 1 (ability to experiment), practice 3 (existence of feedback loops), and practice 4 (existence of incentives for product or service improvement) are positively correlated to public sector employees’ innovation. On the other hand, practice 2 (punishment) and practice 5 (existence of budget constraints for end users) do not have any effect on public sector employees’ innovation. Practice 3 has the highest effect on employees’ innovation, suggesting that providing employees incentives are the most effective tool that policy makers and senior bureaucrats can do.
Indiana University
Why Can’t We? Providing Ability and Motivation Practices for Public Sector Employees to Innovate
This paper analyzes how potential enablers can affect innovation in public organizations. Data come from Australian Public Service Commission (APSC)’s 2012 State of the Service Employee Census. This paper tests, (a) how do enablers affect employees’ innovation, (b) which type of enablers are more effective to innovation, (c) and regarding the scope and density, which enablers produce different types of innovation? Results show that practice 1 (ability to experiment), practice 3 (existence of feedback loops), and practice 4 (existence of incentives for product or service improvement) are positively correlated to public sector employees’ innovation. On the other hand, practice 2 (punishment) and practice 5 (existence of budget constraints for end users) do not have any effect on public sector employees’ innovation. Practice 3 has the highest effect on employees’ innovation, suggesting that providing employees incentives are the most effective tool that policy makers and senior bureaucrats can do.
Weng Shihong
Freie Universität Berlin
The Modes of Government Response to Internet political participation for Decision-making in China
Theoretical framework: Using the analysis framework of “participation-responsiveness model”, and drawing on several cases, the behavior logic of the government in the course of decision-making response to internet political participation are analyzed. Research questions: How does the government respond to Internet political participation? And why? Methodology: an exploratory multi-case study. Findings: The study reveals the effect mechanisms of Internet political participation on decision-making at the government level: power, information and communication. This paper then analyses four modes of government response to Internet political participation for decision-making, i.e. ostrich mode, cuckoo mode, queen bee mode and mandarin duck mode. Based on the network participation theory and empirical analysis, an attempt is made to construct a simple theory on the government response to Internet political participation. Practical implications –The study will help to realize Internet political participation orderly and legally, as well as enhance the effectiveness of governance.
Freie Universität Berlin
The Modes of Government Response to Internet political participation for Decision-making in China
Theoretical framework: Using the analysis framework of “participation-responsiveness model”, and drawing on several cases, the behavior logic of the government in the course of decision-making response to internet political participation are analyzed. Research questions: How does the government respond to Internet political participation? And why? Methodology: an exploratory multi-case study. Findings: The study reveals the effect mechanisms of Internet political participation on decision-making at the government level: power, information and communication. This paper then analyses four modes of government response to Internet political participation for decision-making, i.e. ostrich mode, cuckoo mode, queen bee mode and mandarin duck mode. Based on the network participation theory and empirical analysis, an attempt is made to construct a simple theory on the government response to Internet political participation. Practical implications –The study will help to realize Internet political participation orderly and legally, as well as enhance the effectiveness of governance.