Halduskultuur

In memoriam Prof. Dr. Dr.h.c.mult. György Jenei

2024-04-15T21:13:00+03:00

Professor Dr. Dr.h.c.mult. György Jenei, the doyen of Central and Eastern European Public Administration, passed away peacefully on 4 February 2024; born in 1942, he was 82 years old. He was for many decades the leading figure of the field in our region; he personified it; he had preserved it during darker times; and he had led it again to prominence since 1989, with persistence, integrity, and style. He did so both in form and in contents – the former both at his home, Corvinus University of Budapest, and in his many leadership functions in professional and scholarly associations, including the NISPAcee Presidency during the crucial years of the Global Financial Crisis. And he truly did carry the torch of Public Administration during the times when its inefficiency was not an accident, but a core part of the local system; Professor Jenei’s early work on Max Weber was undertaken at a time when this was a politically highly incorrect thing to do.

Corruption and country size

2024-04-15T21:12:59+03:00

An elaborate body of academic debate deals with public sector corruption as a detrimental social problem. Considerable attention has been paid to the contextual factors of corruption and the role of wider societal norms and institutions in enhancing or deterring corrupt practices. However, there is only a limited amount of knowledge available on one factor – the size of countries. Are small or large countries more prone to corruption? There are a few studies that aim to clarify this issue, but the findings are contradictory. The aim of the article is to turn to a stream of social science research specifically interested in country size – small state studies – and to explore the relevance of this knowledge for understanding public sector corruption. The analysis shows that country size is a significant contextual characteristic that affects economic, political and socio-cultural factors of corruption. The article raises the need for further studies into causal mechanisms of size by including more small states into international comparative research, turning attention to qualitative comparative studies, and taking a closer look at the link between socio-cultural factors of corruption and country size.

Buddhist Governance

2024-04-15T21:13:01+03:00

This paper examines the relationship between the monastic saṅgha and the Buddhist king as the dhammarājā in the context of good governance in the contemporary world, with a specific focus on the Cambodian perspective. Through an examination of the historical and philosophical foundations of Buddhist governance, it argues for the enduring relevance and applicability of these principles in today’s diverse societies. A second line of argument explores how the saṅgha assembly, as a collective entity, contributes to the establishment of a just and harmonious society.

Keywords: Buddhist governance, Saṅgha, Dhammarājā, Dhammādhippateyya, Dhammocracy, Pāramī, Cambodia.

Participative Governance Tools in the Polish Local Government

2024-04-15T21:13:01+03:00

Participation is an important element of good governance, and has impact on both its efficiency and democratic character. This is why the local governments in Poland apply a growing number of diverse participatory tools in strategic planning, as well as problem solving. The article aims to review the most common among those tools to provide an overview of how communes encourage citizen involvement in decision-making process. Among others, the article discusses such popular tools as consultations and participatory budgeting, as well as the more innovative ones, including civic panels and city labs. It also reflects on how participatory governance tools should be assessed and which of their features are key.

Book Review: The scaffolding is on and Public Administration literature will change

2024-04-15T21:13:00+03:00

With the attempt to put behind the fallacy of considering the doctrine of separation of religion and state as an ideal for Public Administration (PA) globally, Edoardo Ongaro and Michele Tantardini (2023) have brought out an important book that makes an important contribution to the field of PA. The book not only reinforces the recognition of the significant impact that religion has on the studies and practice of PA but, more importantly, helps to establish a framework that could serve as the groundwork for future research in this field.