Revue Internationale des Sciences Administratives

ABSTRACTIndonesia has been subject to democratization and decentralization since Suharto's resignation in 1998. Whilst these two institutional reforms have attracted the attention of many scholars, no one has provided an overview explaining their mixed results. To address this gap, we conduct a systematic review of democratization and decentralization literature in Indonesia, exploring how democratization and decentralization relate and identifying moderators (constraining or supporting contextual factors) of the effects of the two institutional reforms. Our first finding is that the actual processes of democratization and decentralization may undermine each other. Our second finding is that clientelistic informal state institutions together with capture by old predatory elites in the context of legal fragmentation negatively affect outcomes of democratization and decentralization processes, whereas citizen collective action and reform‐oriented leadership positively affect them. Based on our findings, we present an advanced framework and three lessons for future studies on democratization and decentralization.

ABSTRACTThe paper examines the relationship between policy capacity and policy effectiveness in decentralized governance setups. It challenges the conventional view that policy functions should only be decentralized when requisite capacities already exist at lower levels of government. Instead, the paper proposes that capacity can follow function ‐ as non‐central authorities perform decentralized responsibilities over time, they build the capacity to successfully implement those functions through learning‐by‐doing. The central argument is illustrated through the case of universalizing kindergarten education in the Philippines. The study finds that variations in analytical, operational, and political policy capacities align with how education governance functions are distributed across levels of government in the country. The survey reveals lower capacity levels among central government kindergarten coordinators compared to their regional and division counterparts, suggesting capacity develops through performing the required functions. The paper's main contribution lies in proposing that capacity is adaptive: by assigning functions first, relevant agencies can develop requisite capacities incrementally through learning‐by‐doing as they perform those responsibilities. In other words, capacity follows and approximates the functions rather than preceding them. This novel conceptualization challenges the dominant thinking that decentralization should allocate functions based on existing capacities. It also underscores the importance of quick learning and capacity building at various government levels to fulfill decentralized responsibilities effectively.

ABSTRACTThis study examines knowledge production and dissemination dynamics within Latin American Public Administration (PA) as reflected in SCIELO‐indexed journals. By applying a systematic review under PRISMA guidelines, it identifies thematic trends and institutional challenges shaping the regional epistemic community. The findings highlight systemic gaps, including limited journal specialization and underrepresentation of regional voices within the global PA discourse. The study emphasizes theoretical and methodological contributions addressing civil service reforms, PA education, and institutional development while critiquing the pervasive influence of epistemic colonialism. By proposing strategies to integrate local and global perspectives, this work advances the decolonization of PA, fostering inclusive and contextually relevant paradigms. These insights aim to enhance Latin American contributions to global PA debates, bridging disciplinary divides and addressing regional priorities.

ABSTRACTThis article examines how foreign aid professionalized Serbia's civil society sector and analyzes how Serbian NGOs navigate upward accountability to donors and downward accountability to grassroots communities. Drawing upon 11 months of ethnographic fieldwork in Serbia, I demonstrate how the administrative bureaucracies of foreign aid constructed a sector of managerial NGOs that are relatively removed from local communities. Nonetheless, I suggest that the staff members of NGOs are mission‐driven and mission‐oriented, and I unveil the strategies they use to support social change at grassroots levels. Arguing that NGOs are neither the schools of democracy envisioned by neo‐Tocquevillian theories of civil society, nor the lucrative industries portrayed by critical theories of civil society, I suggest that NGOs are best understood as bridges between foreign donors and grassroots communities. I reflect on the implications of these arguments for donors' aid localization strategies.

ABSTRACTThis study aims to explore the extent to which grand societal challenges motivate street‐level bureaucrats to actively create public value and why. The empirical sample comprises semi‐structured interviews with 36 nurses working in four public hospitals in Egypt. Thematic analysis was subsequently applied to the transcripts from the semi‐structured interviews to highlight the main themes linked to this topic. The findings show that the respondents (nurses in this case) have accepted the idea of creating public value through working extra unpaid hours, engaging actively in night shifts, and treating incoming refugees. This is a result of the following three categories of motives: Humanitarian (religious considerations, appreciation and praise from refugees, desire to emigrate), Job‐related (greater sense of discretionary power, implementing the orientation or directions of the hospital administration, exploiting recent developments in medical instruments) and Patriotic motives (understanding that refugees are a source of foreign currency, creating a culturally diverse climate which Egypt lacks, ensuring partnership between hospitals and the private sector). This study contributes to emerging literature on grand societal challenges and the creation of public value by street‐level bureaucrats on which empirical studies are rare, particularly in the context of developing nations.

ABSTRACTAs a global concept and initiative, the Humanitarian‐Development‐Peace Nexus (HDPN) aims to improve integration across the traditionally siloed humanitarian, development, and security sectors, while foregrounding the involvement of local actors. Using original empirical data on the implementation of the HDPN in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), we show how and why the approach has not delivered substantive localization in the Congolese context. In the DRC, nexus implementation has replicated gaps and inequalities between the national and provincial levels. This manifests in two ways: a persistent functional disconnect between work at the national and the provincial levels, and a substantive disconnect in the form of an inability of national‐level actors to leverage an organic nexus already found at the provincial level. Our analysis raises important questions about the compatibility of coordination and substantive localization.

ABSTRACTComparative public administration should focus on increasingly different systems (topos). Comparisons should also look at possible futures, including utopias (chronos). The main driver should be to realize the Sustainable Development Goals.

ABSTRACTPolicy imitation likely occurs among similar jurisdictions. The extant literature primarily focuses on geographic proximity or ideological congruence, while overlooking multifaceted similarities in the diffusion of public policies. This study explores the adoption and spread of public–private partnerships (PPP) across China's cities, specifically examining the extent to which three distinctive similarity measures influence PPP policy imitation. In addition to geographic proximity and economic resemblance, equivalent positioning in China's administrative hierarchy captures a managerial aspect of similarity to understand policy imitation among resembling cities. Three corresponding spatial autoregressive panel models are used, respectively. The findings suggest that cities in China imitate their geographic, economic, and administrative peers while directing PPP investments. Relative closeness in the administrative hierarchy of cities exerts a greater influence on policy imitation than economic resemblance and spatial proximity.

ABSTRACTThe dominant narrative has traditionally framed the Global North as the source of effective political and economic development, with knowledge and expertise flowing unidirectionally to the Global South. However, the rise of the Global South has fostered institutionalized South‒South exchanges, enabling nations to move beyond aid‐recipient roles and engage in mutual learning. This article expands the discourse on policy transfer by examining Singapore's executive development programmes for Cambodian and Thai public officials (2014–2023). Unlike North‒South transfers, typically characterized by donor dominance, South‒South exchanges highlight the active participation of multiple stakeholders and the critical importance of local contexts in shaping outcomes. The findings reveal that successful South‒South policy transfer is contingent upon both structural adaptation and a fundamental shift in mindset. By emphasizing these complexities, this study provides fresh insights into the evolving dynamics of global development and the agency of the Global South.

ABSTRACTGood governance offers a transformative approach to controlling corruption; however, existing literature on the governance‐corruption nexus is limited by two significant flaws: (1) it overlooks the combined effects of governance principles on corruption levels, and (2) it relies on traditional statistical methods rooted in correlational arguments that fail to address asymmetric problems, where factors that drive success in some cases may have little or no impact in others. To overcome these shortcomings, this research applies fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to data from 32 European countries, uncovering multiple configurations that lead to successful corruption control. Drawing on institutional theory, the findings highlight three essential strategies: governments must legitimate their actions by building public consensus, securing the support of political parties and legislatures, and leveraging media to establish cognitive legitimacy. Additionally, open systems theory reveals that governments must move beyond internal governance, fostering dynamic interactions with their external environments through policy feedback and societal consultation. The study provides practical insights for policymakers, outlining specific combinations of governance principles that are necessary and complementary for effectively mitigating corruption.

ABSTRACTThis paper explores how we might integrate local traditional values into a systems approach for analyzing and maximizing localization in the context of foreign aid. The paper situates localization and its operationalization in the older and broader literature on the political economy of foreign aid. This political economy has led to a techno‐operational approach to localization, rather than a transformative one that would be more consistent with decolonizing aid. I adapt an earlier framework on the important role of identity and mutuality in maximizing the benefits of collaboration and partnerships to account for local values in giving, most notably reciprocity. A detailed example illustrates the potential for localization when the aid relationship privileges identity, and when reciprocity is facilitated within a system of institutional relationships. The analysis suggests several implications for institutional actors who want to promote localization and support transformative development. The proposed framework can be used to map aid interventions in a system of institutional relationships, changing the unit of analysis from a singular intervention to a system, which may combine different types of relationships that, together, can support localization that privileges local values, perspectives, and capacity.

ABSTRACTWebsites and social media are digital avenues that enhance information transparency and facilitate citizen engagement in public decision‐making processes. Kenya's county governments have been adopting different digital platforms in compliance with the constitutional mandate of ensuring residents are well‐informed and involved in local decision‐making. However, empirical studies assessing the efficacy of social media, especially in the African context, are lacking. This study examines the extent to which social media is promoting engaged budgeting in Kenyan counties. Trained citizens in 34 counties evaluate the effectiveness of social media platforms in (1) recruiting residents to budget deliberation forums, (2) accessing county budget proposals and decisions, (3) discussing county proposals and decisions, and (4) encouraging residents to actively participate in budget deliberations with the government. Results indicate that respondents generally see social media as effective in these roles. However, village‐level budget champions are more skeptical of these social media roles in county budgeting than area‐level facilitators.

ABSTRACTThe COVID‐19 pandemic had profound impacts that significantly rippled through economies, vulnerable communities, and nations globally. In this study, we aim to investigate what combination of network‐level factors, network and organizational social capital, and other organizational factors helped Economic Development Organizations (EDOs) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania overcome the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic in their respective jurisdictions. We surveyed 46 EDOs Executive Director‐equivalent officials and conducted a Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) to answer our empirical questions with a sample of 14 EDOs. Results show that network‐level factors such as the positioning of EDOs within their network of partner organizations, organizational social capital, and organizational diversity in the EDOs' workforce all contributed to positive economic development outcomes measured in terms of the average county GDP per capita from before and after the pandemic. The article concludes by discussing the findings, limitations of the study, and by presenting our conclusions.