The Feminist Reference Desk: Concepts, Critiques, and Conversations

In an age of modernisation and globalisation, the effective management of the public services is of great importance for the citizens. Various problems are seen with regard to the management of public services and facilities provided to the citizens. For instance, who is responsible for the particular public service delivery to people? Whether the delivery of public service are in transparent manner or not? What will be the time frame? Who will be accountable for public service delivery? Whether the delivery of public services is citizen-friendly or not? And improving the delivery of public services is the need of the hour. In context to the delivery of public services, developed states like the USA, UK, Japan, Australia and Europe have enacted public services guarantee laws. The developing countries like India, Brazil and others have been adopted the same mechanism for the management of public services. The Government of India has introduced Citizen's Charter in 1997 and the Public Services Guarantee Act in 2011. In continuation of the Act, various states’ assemblies have passed the act which guaranteed services for citizens. Among them, Jammu and Kashmir state assembly also passed Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act in 2011. The article covers various aspects of Jammu and Kashmir Public Services Guarantee Act (JKPSGA), 2011 which is divided into three sections: the first section explains the evolution of Public Service Guarantee Act 2011, the second section discusses the Right to Public Services Act and the present status of Public Service Delivery mechanism in various government departments of Jammu and Kashmir and the last section discusses problems in implementation of Public Service Guarantee Act in Jammu and Kashmir and suggestion for the better implementation.

The paper analyses the challenges of managing public library services in the context if emergencies in order to sustain public library services and thus contribute to the well-being of society. This is done by answering the following questions: What challenges can be identified in managing public library services in emergencies? Are public libraries resilient in emergency situations? What are the main enabling and limiting factors influencing the management of public library services to ensure public welfare in such situations? Understanding the enabling and limiting factors can help to ensure the resilience of public libraries to emergency situations and support public well-being in such situations. For the empirical research the mixed methods approach is applied by conducting quantitative survey of public libraries’ staff and qualitative interviews with library managers and experts in the field of emergency situations, working in public libraries in municipalities of Kaunas and Šiauliai counties (15 municipalities). The research sample consists of 620 respondents in the quantitative study and 12 informants in the qualitative study. The empirical research has revealed that while libraries face a multitude of challenges, they are among the most resilient organizations for emergencies. Key enabling factors were identified that influence the management of public library services to ensure societal well-being during emergency situations: cross-sectoral and cross-institutional collaboration, social networks, empowering leadership, long-term strategic planning, innovativeness, knowledge and competence development, financial stability, technology development, human resource management and performance management, strategic and psychological resilience, crisis resilience and comprehensive emergency preparedness, accessibility and dissemination of information. The identified main restricting factors are: lack of resilience, inappropriate leadership, lack of funding, lack of strategy, limited human resources and their digital literacy. The implementation of enabling factors and elimination of restrictions is inseparable from the effective management of public library services in emergency situations to ensure the provision of services necessary for the well-being of society.

A literature review of proposed scientific field in occupational safety, public health policy and management in public health organizations and services. Evidence of occupational safety, public health policy and management that are encountered by Greek public health organizations and services, also limited global literature. Connection and contribution of occupational health and safety with policy and management. Provided evidence of the exact risks that are perceived by occupational safety in public health services policy and management. Comprehensive relative to possible occupational safety in policy and management, with established and new evidence of only study include Greek public health organizations and services. New information’s and knowledge produced, was verified scientifically. During the COVID-19 pandemic, global financial crisis, job insecurity, decreased salaries and social instability where working conditions changed, risk factors were affected, risk increased and interpersonal working relationships had a particular impact under the period of the pandemic, especially for health professionals who were in the frontline. This study can bear a significant impact and with the help of various reviews we give the global occupational safety, public health policy and management in public health organizations and services. Study conducted on the recent period for the last decade, published papers along in Scopus, Web of Science, Direct Science, and Elsevier Journals. There are very few papers published based on the very contemporary title considered for the article; hence, this identified several articles in the scientific literature, but only few articles were classified as eligible according to the previously established criteria.

Purpose – This research aims to describe and analyze integrated Risk Management and Public Service at Public Sector Organizations Methodology/approach – The Study is a quantitative research approach that uses online-based data collection methods (e_ questionnaires) combined with interviews to get their views on integration risk management implementation and public service. The sample in this study was 94 respondents from three (3) public organizations, consisting of the Papua Provincial Government (Finance Staff & APIP), Higher Education Internal Audit (SPI), and Financial Supervisory Institution (BPKP & BPK). Findings – The results of the analysis show that there are a few key points on how risk management is important and has a close relationship with public service, like this protecting public interest, Enhancing Service Delivery, Allocating Resources Efficiently, Ensuring Compliance and Accountability, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Reputation Management, and Long-term Sustainability. The integration of risk management in public services shows a positive relationship and can contribute to service reliability, better financial management, minimizing fraud and increasing compliance with regulations, maximizing the utilization of assets owned by the government, and having a speed of response to emergency conditions or events, and being able to mitigate risks that may occur. Practical implications – Risk management in public service helps ensure efficient resource allocation, protect public interests, enhance service delivery, and maintain the integrity and reputation of public organizations. Public service agencies can better serve their communities and fulfill their mandate by proactively managing risks. Originality/value – This research combines behavioral and psychological approaches to test the occurrence of Risk Management in the Public Sector.

Addressing needs and safeguard rights, public services are a crucial part of modern states and everyday lives. This book presents an in-depth introduction to public services as a field of study and provides a holistic guide to both the discipline of public services and core elements of working in public services. Aiming to provide a comprehensive account of core public service topics, this book explores the context in which public services operate, the delivery of public services between the state, the market and civil society as well as strategy, leadership and management of public services and emerging key themes of public service delivery. The introduction provides an outline of the aims and nature of public services. The first part of this book introduces the reader to the relationship between public services and public policies, explores organisations and the mixed economy of public service provision, and outlines the legal framework that shapes public services. Focusing on the internal dimension of public services, the second part then explores strategy, management and leadership of and in public services. Contributions on current and emerging issues and themes, from sustainability and the environment to equality, and their relationship to public services form the third part of the book.

The management of public services in the 1990s raises a number of central issues which require to be resolved. On the one hand, efficiency and effectiveness require attention, as in the 1980s or indeed anytime. On the other hand, the distinctive nature of public (and governmental) services needs to be recognized or reasserted. This Keynote Address to the Keele University, Centre for Health Planning and Management MBA (Health Executive) Programme Alumni Association by Howard Davies, Director General of the Confederation of British Industry, sets out some key principles based on the 'British Debate' which are nevertheless generalizable in a number of cases to a wholly international audience.

Social inclusion-based public services emphasize access, participation, and equitable treatment for all segments of society, particularly for marginalized groups such as women, people with disabilities, the poor, the elderly, and minority communities. Governments play a strategic role in designing and implementing policies that are responsive to the needs of these vulnerable groups through fair, equal, and sustainable services. This study aims to explore ways of improving inclusive public services and to map the development of related research through a literature review and bibliometric analysis. The methodology includes a systematic literature review of scholarly articles published between 1997 and 2025, sourced from the Scopus database. The analysis is conducted using bibliometric methods with tools such as VOSviewer and Biblioshiny (RStudio) to identify research trends, key terms, author collaborations, and citation networks. The findings highlight the significant role of co-production in addressing issues related to gender, disability, and children by involving these groups in the design and management of public services. In terms of gender, co-production allows women, especially those from marginalized backgrounds, to participate in decision-making processes, ensuring policies are more responsive to their needs. For people with disabilities, it promotes the development of services that are inclusive and accessible. Children, who are often excluded from policy discussions, can also be engaged in shaping services such as education and child protection, making these more attuned to their rights and welfare. Thus, co-production fosters more inclusive, participatory, and equitable public service delivery.

PurposeRecent literature within public service logic has called for more explicit conceptualisation of customer value in public services. This study aims to fill this gap by examining how the customer value approach can be applied in the management of public health care services.Design/methodology/approachThis study is a qualitative case study of management of public health care services in Finland. The authors interviewed 17 regional health care service developers and analyzed the interview data using thematic analysis.FindingsThe study suggests five propositions for applying customer value approach from the marketing literature in public health care service management. The study enables a deeper understanding of customer value creation in this context and improvement of public health care services.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the public management research in general and public service logic research in particular by suggesting what constitutes customer value in public health care services.

The implementation of democracy in the management of public services is an important part that must be carried out by the bureaucracy. In its implementation, it must uphold democratic principles that are in line with the state constitution, namely freedom/equality, people's sovereignty, and open and responsible government. Better and more satisfying services for the community must be carried out by public service providers. The government's attitude is still inclined to only provide good services to certain people, who have the same political views and thoughts as the government. The paradigm of the management of the administration of the public service bureaucracy must be changed, which initially "regulates" the community to "serve" the community. because the public service bureaucracy is the main benchmark in assessing the performance of the central government and local governments in serving the community.
 Keywords: Bureaucratic Reform, Public Service, Democracy, Constitution.

The European Union set out several directives and standards for governments and local authorities on environmental policy issues in the planning and management of public services. Public service provisioning is subject to both traditional expectations (such as customer-friendliness and efficiency) and new environmental stewardship and sustainability expectations. This paper analyzes public service processes, particularly the university enrolment process. Our analysis used public service models (Service Blueprinting, Business Process Modeling, Process Chain Network) and a mathematical model (P-graph). Our research aims to analyze the university enrolment process and its efficiency, considering sustainability aspects and expectations and identifying the points that can be modified and improved to make it more efficient, sustainable, qualitatively positive, and economical. According to our research, school administrators are overburdened during the enrolment process, often resulting in overtime work and a high turnover ratio. Our results clearly show the high inefficiency of this administrative process, as administrators can only partially meet their expected labor targets during their regular working hours. We found that the university enrolment process can be improved and made more efficient and sustainable. Using the P-graph, we have found the process’s optimal path and resource requirements in a way that was not feasible with previous models. Heartened by these results, we propose introducing and applying the P-graph as a new model to study other public service processes. Graphical abstract

The content of the tasks of the National Anti-Corruption Plan for 2021-2024 testifies to the dissatisfaction of the federal government with the results of the measures taken to minimize corruption phenomena in the spheres of state and municipal service. The subject of the study of the article is the suppression of abuse of official position by persons with authority and rights entrusted to them for personal gain. The purpose of the work is to develop organizational and legal measures to improve the management of the public civil service system and personnel in general and anti-corruption activities in particular. The dynamics of corruption crimes over the past few years is given, indicating a significant scale of corruption in government and other structures. Attention is drawn to the shortcomings of the Russian model of public civil service and personnel management. The expediency of including the norms of ethical behavior in the activities of state (municipal) employees in the legal framework and preventing the occupation of public positions by persons with pronounced egocentric character traits and a deformed system of moral values is substantiated. The reasons for the need to change the model of declaring information about property and transactions with it are given. It is proposed to improve, by modifying the BC Certificate, the procedure for declaring information about property by applicants for public positions and civil servants. Based on the analysis of the tasks of the National Anti-Corruption Plan for 2021-2024, conclusions are drawn that they are closely interrelated and justified through the analysis of legal systems and practices of foreign countries, as well as recommendations of key international organizations.

This study aims to systematically review and synthesize the existing literature on public service communication management in Hajj administration. Given the complexity of Hajj as a large-scale religious public service involving multiple actors, high regulatory intensity, and diverse service users, communication management plays a critical role in ensuring service effectiveness and public value creation. Using a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach guided by the PRISMA framework, this study analyzes 18 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2010 and 2024 and indexed in major academic databases. The findings reveal that communication management consistently functions as an integrative and strategic capability linking governance, service coordination, and pilgrim experience. Effective communication is strongly associated with key service outcomes, including service quality, satisfaction, trust, and compliance. The review also identifies dominant research themes, commonly used conceptual models, and significant research gaps, particularly the lack of integrative frameworks and empirical testing. This study contributes to the literature by consolidating fragmented research and proposing directions for future empirical and comparative studies. Practically, the findings offer insights for policy makers and service managers to strengthen communication strategies and enhance the quality of Hajj service delivery within complex public service systems. Keywords: public service management; communication management; Hajj administration; service quality; systematic literature review

This research aims to analyze the management of public services based on information systems in the New Normal era in Karimun Regency after a year of running and its inhibiting factors. This research uses qualitative methods with data collection techniques in the form of in-depth interviews and observations. The object of the study is UPT-PPD Samsat Karimun Karimun Karimun Regency and the taxpayer community. The results showed that public service management based on E-Samsat information systems has not shown significant benefits, both for increased motor vehicle tax revenue and for ease of administration. The main factor of inhibition found is that E-Samsat is not a fully full online system, still lack socialization of E-Samsat to the community, and the habit of using formal or informal intermediary services that are still more popular with the public. As a recommendation, for the achievement of the goal of innovation of better E-Samsat information system, the Regional Revenue Agency cooperates with SAMSAT and the Relevant Police to improve E-Samsat into a fully online system, especially in the procedure of payment of motor vehicle taxes, further promote the socialization of E-Samsat to the community, and increase positive disposition among E-Samsat service officers to support success in the challenges of public service management. sis information systems in the New Normal era.

The article is devoted to the consideration of modernization of public service and human resources management in public authorities and substantiates the priority areas of improvement of human resources management in the field of public service of Ukraine. It is determined that outdated forms, methods and technologies of personnel management and rather slow transition from the clerical model of personnel management to democratic forms and methods of work with personnel remain are retained in the field of public service. It were analyzed the main forms of social and psychological support of human resources management in the field of public service. It is determined that the institutional capacity of personnel management services and their ability to ensure, in most cases, the effective implementation of strategic human resource management functions remains insufficient today. A new organizational structure of the strategic human resources management service in public authorities is proposed, which should include units on human resources management strategy (policy), selection, accounting, adaptation, development, evaluation, motivation, acmeological support, labor relations and salaries of public servants. It is highlighted that such system should be based on the general principles of human resource management in the public service, which determine the content of its elements and the choice of specific tools, instruments, forms, methods and technologies of human resource management. The particular attention was paid to the fact that the proposed approach should be implemented on an updated attitude to the role and place of socio-psychological components in human resource management in the field of public service. It is substantiated that in order to create a professional, politically neutral, honest and effective public service, along with improving the legislative support of human resources management in the public service, it is necessary to develop institutional capacity and ensure consistency in implementing of new principles of an effective state personnel policy.

En América Latina, la gestión de personas en el Estado enfrenta un problema cultural que impide obtener progresos en el área. Esta monografía propone once reglas para lograrlo. En primer lugar, aborda la necesidad de diferenciar la carrera de los políticos de la de los burócratas. Luego otorga un rol preponderante a la política en el esfuerzo reformista. Enseguida, recomienda fijar un marco de resultados esperables de los organismos de la Administración del Estado. Junto con ello, promueve la figura del directivo público, como engranaje y traductor de la política en la gestión de los servicios públicos, mientras la institucionalidad pública asume la gestión del personal del Estado.