This study examines how person–job fit influences the formation of public service motivation (PSM) among newly recruited civil servants under involuntary placement systems. Based on organizational socialization theory and the Ability–Motivation–Opportunity (AMO) framework, we propose a sequential mediation model linking person–job fit, self-efficacy, training evaluation, and public service motivation (PSM). Using survey data from 746 new civil servants in G Province, China (2020–2022), structural equation modeling and moderated mediation analyses were conducted. Results show that person–job fit significantly enhances PSM; self-efficacy and training evaluation jointly mediate this relationship, forming a sequential mechanism; and work environment and career development moderate the effect of job fit on self-efficacy, though not its direct effect on PSM. Findings highlight the importance of perceived fit and socialization context in fostering PSM in public sector entrants.

Uneven public service provision is a key constraint to political development in the global South. Resource shortages, institutional weaknesses, and external dependencies are intertwined into systemic crises that directly generate livelihood grievances and regime risks. Human health is regarded as a core element in promoting the overall progress and development of society, and SDG3 Good Health and Well-being focuses on the holistic strengthening of health systems and the prevention and management of health risks. The integrated healthcare model, as a strategy to promote continuity and coordination of healthcare services, has been widely advocated and practiced globally, however, the implementation results are often unsatisfactory at the rural level, reflecting a disconnect between policy and practice, as well as deep-rooted structural barriers, and the challenge of uneven development triggered by unequal distribution of resources is intensifying. The investigator of this paper, a provincial-level reform practitioner promoting integrated healthcare services, in observing the process of integrated healthcare service reform changes, argue that the effective vertical integration of public-sector-led healthcare resources is key to improving healthcare access for populations in impoverished areas. This research study took 3 years to conduct, and visited the Health and Health Bureau of District X, District Z, and District Y in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province several times to get a comprehensive understanding of the face-to-face advancement of the five MEDCs (Medical Communities) in District X, the four MEDCs in District Y, and the four MEDCs in District Z. Research indicates that to address the imbalance in urban-rural resource development, holistic governance, guided by an institutional integration logic across four dimensions, policy, organization, institutions, and the public, can activate the autonomy of actors at all levels. However, it is necessary to ensure consistency among the goals and interests of the implementer, which will further enhance the active participation of diverse stakeholders in the redistribution of resources. In developing Southern countries, this system has established effective practices in addressing imbalances in public resource development and fostering effective multi-stakeholder interactions across hierarchical levels. This paper aims at reshaping the academic debate on the integration of health systems in developing countries, challenge the neoliberal “market-first” reform paradigm, and argue for the effectiveness of state-led vertical integration in addressing fragmentation issues.

It is essential to incorporate a racial perspective into the study of public finance and tax policy. This research, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, shows that minority taxpayers face a disproportionately higher income tax burden. Nonwhite families pay an average of $3,304 more in federal taxes and $1,465 more in state taxes compared to white families. Specifically, African American families pay $3,536 more in federal taxes and $1,288 more in state taxes. This disproportionate tax burden can be attributed to the higher proportion of income minority taxpayers derive from salaries and wages. Although federal programs like the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit have reduced these disparities, there is still a pressing need for more targeted policies to eliminate and potentially reverse the longstanding racial disparities in the U.S. tax system.

Based on social learning theory, this study examined the curvilinear relationship between benevolent leadership and subordinates’ interpersonal citizenship behavior and the moderating role of extraversion. We used a questionnaire survey to collect data in China at two points in time, resulting in 310 usable civil servants’ responses to test our hypotheses. Results showed an inverted U-shaped relationship between benevolent leadership and civil servants’ interpersonal citizenship behavior. Moreover, extraversion moderated the curvilinear relationship, such that the inverted U-shaped relationship was significant only for civil servants with low extraversion. For civil servants with high extraversion, benevolent leadership was positively related to their interpersonal citizenship behavior. These findings broaden benevolent leadership research by verifying its potential negative effects on subordinates’ ICB, which revealed that a moderate level of benevolent leadership should be emphasized and developed in the public sector.

This research examines the post-COVID challenges faced by the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a prominent project under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The literature on this topic has identified various challenges, including militant attacks and reservations from regional and external powers, such as the US and India. Reviewing the existing literature, we find that there is a need for more theoretical rigor to fully understand the reasons behind the difficulties encountered by the CPEC project. We intend to fill this theoretical gap with the help of power transition theory from both the perspectives of global hierarchy and regional hierarchy. The study locates that as China tightens the power gap pertaining to the United States and enhances collaboration via CPEC with Pakistan, India locates itself in a safety issue. The study likewise discovers that various other obstacles to CPEC come from Pakistan’s lack of reforms and safety laps, which exacerbate these obstacles.

Despite the importance of social network analysis (SNA) in public administration, comprehensive reviews on this topic are rare. This study aims to fill this gap by focusing on the application of SNA in network research within public administration. This research analyzes 144 empirical papers from top public administration journals (January 1997–January 2022), utilizing bibliometric and content analyses. The study identifies social capital, the Advocacy Coalition Framework (ACF), the ecology of games framework, and resource dependence theory as the predominant theoretical foundations of SNA. The primary focus of these works is on collective action problems and public service delivery, with a trend towards the integration and comparison of theories. Through content analysis, we find a notable shift in SNA application from descriptive analysis to network inference, predominantly using Exponential Random Graph Models (ERGMs). It also reveals the growing significance of network visualization in SNA. The study concludes with potential future directions for SNA in public administration, highlighting its evolving role and significance.

Cryptoaltruism refers to the ways in which distributed ledger technologies, especially blockchains, are changing the nature of the nonprofit sector. This study specifically investigates how the blockchain technology has been used by Ukrainian nonprofits during the current Russia-Ukraine War. To link this to the more general literature on blockchains, we consider whether blockchains are used primarily as a general-purpose technology or as an institutional technology which redefines how nonprofits coordinate activities. Our analysis of Ukrainian nonprofits provides evidence supporting both perspectives. Widespread acceptance of cryptocurrency suggests blockchains are an efficiency-enhancing new technology. We also show that novel applications on nonfungible tokens to preserve art and culture and to raise funds, as well as uses of blockchains to address challenges with trust, lend support to the idea of blockchains as an innovative institutional technology that is transforming the nature of the nonprofit sector. This study intends to motivate further development of the emergent agenda on cryptoaltruism and its role in the nonprofit sector.

Given the overwhelming importance of energy governance in the transition toward energy sustainable economy in the U.S., empirical studies that aim at understanding the governance mechanism of sustainable energy in the states are needed. This paper will fill the lacuna by examining how state governments manage sustainable energy in the following ways. First, I will first describe and categorize the administrative structure of the energy office in the states. Second, based on 42 policy instruments that the state governments, a state sustainable energy policy index is developed to evaluate the policy commitment of the state governments in energy sustainability. Last, a typology is developed to evaluate the sustainable energy governance in the states.

Government performance evaluation has a long history. However, major differences of opinion regarding its role still exist both in Western and Chinese academia, from theoretical, and practical perspectives. In this article, we conduct an empirical measurement of the role played by government performance evaluation and construct a regression model to explore the major factors influencing public officials’ perception, relying on survey data from a district government of county level in Guangdong Province. The study reveals that the average value of 14 items measuring government performance evaluation was 3.36 points (out of a possible 5 points). The role of the government in setting annual objectives, tasks, and priorities, as well as strategic planning, and target setting, and strengthening departmental accountability, had the most significant effect on the perception of efficacy of performance evaluation, whereas departmental budget setting, resource allocation, and reduction of operating costs had the least effect. Furthermore, performance communication and feedback, as well as the validity of the performance indicator system, also significantly influence the perception of the role played by government performance evaluation. The article concludes with a discussion of the differences between government performance evaluation in the West and in China.