Journal of Public Affairs最新文献

{"title":"Metaverse: An Analysis From the Perspective of Sustainability","authors":"Leandro Neuhaus,&nbsp;Milton José Melz,&nbsp;Simone Sehnem,&nbsp;Ana Cláudia Lara Crizel,&nbsp;Dulcimar José Julkovski","doi":"10.1002/pa.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The increasing adoption of virtual environments and environmental concerns, such as energy consumption and carbon emissions, motivated the analysis of how the metaverse can contribute to sustainability. The objective of the study is to analyze the potential of the metaverse in promoting clean and sustainable technologies, analyzing how digital technologies can be effective in developing sustainable practices. The study is based on a systematic literature review, focusing on two main themes: metaverse and sustainability, which resulted in a final sample of 47 relevant articles. A significant increase in publications on the topic was observed from 2022 onwards, reflecting the growing interest and importance of the metaverse in sustainability. There is a focus of studies on social areas aimed at the consequences caused by the use of the metaverse on social behavior, as well as on the management of uncertainty regarding the adoption of technologies. The study concludes that the metaverse has significant potential to promote sustainable practices in several areas. However, there is an urgent need for public policies and additional studies to ensure the safety, ethics, and sustainability of the use of these technologies. The research suggests that future studies should focus on Hofstede's cultural dimensions to better understand the social implications of the metaverse and its integration with sustainable practices.</p>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pa.70080","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146922","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Bridging the Luxury-Affordability Gap: Exploring Masstige Marketing in Emerging Service Markets: A Case Study in Bangladesh","authors":"Emon Kalyan Chowdhury,&nbsp;Robaka Shamsher","doi":"10.1002/pa.70079","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70079","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study explores the rising phenomenon of masstige marketing in the service industry in Bangladesh. By analyzing consumer behavior, business strategies, and market dynamics, this research aims to understand the impact of offering premium-quality services at affordable prices. A survey of 353 respondents, combined with rigorous data analysis, revealed the positive effects of masstige on local businesses, consumer perceptions, and overall industry growth. However, challenges such as pricing strategies, brand positioning, and competition persist. This study contributes to the expanding body of research on masstige marketing, particularly in emerging economies, and provides valuable insights for businesses, policymakers, and scholars.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145146736","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Collaborative Digital Transformation Model—The Case of Indonesian Youth","authors":"Rio Yusri Maulana,&nbsp;Mitja Dečman","doi":"10.1002/pa.70077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70077","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study focuses on the development and evaluation of an instrument to measure the perception of collaborative digital transformation (CDT) among young citizens in West Java, Indonesia. As digital transformation (DT) drives the digital society, the government plays an important role in guiding this change and emphasizing inclusive policymaking. Youth are key to this process because of their digital adaptability. This study combines the principles of collaborative governance (CG) with digital transformation and analyzes survey data from a sample of 717 young people. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three different factors: DT priorities, DT success factors, and CG success parameters. Structural equation modeling yielded a strong and correlated three-factorial CDT model that passed several goodness-of-fit tests, including the Root Mean Square Error of Approximation test (RMSEA = 0.62) and the Comparative Fit Index (CFI = 0.963). The results emphasize the importance of inclusive digital initiatives and the important role of youth in promoting a digitally inclusive society.</p>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pa.70077","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145172020","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Toward a Learning Cycle Data-Governance Toolkit for Rule-Makers and Policy Leaders in Smart Cities","authors":"Daniela Piana","doi":"10.1002/pa.70069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This commentary article presents a learning-centric approach to smart cities [FUTURA] with a triadic quality assurance method, inclusive design and use, risk management, and rights protection. The model displays high suitability for contexts of intensive digital transformation, leading to a rise in fairness, social inclusion, and intergenerational sustainability in cities experiencing comprehensive processes of innovation that are data-driven and AI-supported. The article outlines for decision-makers involved in the city governance processes a four-step-based policy design and implementation method at the crossroads of AI, data-driven information, and institutionally embedded knowledge. The proposal takes stock of a longstanding research program delving into the functional and structural rationales of the human oversight (art.14) approach adopted in the context of AI-governance interpenetration. Beyond the empirical evidence gathered through a scientific strategy that has disentangled the mechanisms of digital transformation at the individual, organizational, and systemic levels of four policy sectors, this work heads straightforwardly to make a case in favor of the adoption of a toolkit and the associated methodology in the context of the European AI Act implementation. The empirical field considered is smart cities. This choice merges two rationales, one scientific—the level of analysis of a smart city enables researchers to have a heuristically adequate and in-depth understanding of the three micro-meso-macro interdependences—and one institutional—cities represent nowadays spectacular and highly sensitive targets of innovation, investments, and citizens/leaders' responsiveness and mutual engagement.</p>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-09-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pa.70069","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145021796","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Strengthening Government Trust by Cracking Down on Corruption","authors":"Xiaoxiao Chen,&nbsp;Kai Guo,&nbsp;Jiaqi Li,&nbsp;Boquan Huang","doi":"10.1002/pa.70072","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Clarifying the mechanism between anti-corruption measures and enhanced trust in government is of great practical significance to ensuring good social governance and public confidence. Based on mixed cross-sectional data from CGSS 2015 and CSS V (2013–2021), this paper uses empirical analysis to explore the effect of trust in government on anti-corruption performance; the influence of anti-corruption performance on government trust; and the impact of public service efficiency and the level of rule of law in social governance on the relationship between them. The effectiveness of basic public services and the level of rule of law in social governance are found to play an intermediary role between strict anti-corruption measures and government trust. This paper adopts a diachronic analysis to discuss the trend of trust in government in the anti-corruption context. It uses multi-source heterogeneous data to support, deepen, and supplement the conclusions of previous research.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144858630","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Can Financial Inclusion Reduce Household Food Insecurity? Evidence From Rural Odisha","authors":"Rajashree Patra,&nbsp;Sunil Khosla","doi":"10.1002/pa.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>While food insecurity remains a critical issue, Financial Inclusion (FI) has recently drawn the attention of development economists due to its potential in attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This facilitates livelihood diversification for households, empowers women, and consequently improves food security. Using 467 rural household survey data, this study evaluates the impact of financial inclusion on households' food insecurity in rural Odisha. The measurement of household FI is conducted using a multidimensional method, whereas propensity score matching (PSM) and endogenous switching regression (ESR) approaches are employed to evaluate the impact of FI on food insecurity. The findings disclose that 64% of the surveyed households are financially included, whereas 36% remain financially excluded. The PSM and ESR results reveal that households with the status of FI are less food insecure compared to those without FI. The study suggests that government policies should emphasize awareness of using financial services and assist the food-insecure households in achieving SDG-2.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144782492","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Governance Spillover Effects From Macro- to Microlevels: Investigating How National Governance Indicators Impact Firm's Financial Distress","authors":"Kuldeep Singh,&nbsp;Akshita Arora","doi":"10.1002/pa.70074","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70074","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We investigate the impact of national governance (NG) on firm-level financial distress (FD), by using agency theory. By analyzing the World Governance indicators’ NG components, namely, “voice and accountability, regulatory quality, political stability and absence of violence/terrorism, rule of law, government effectiveness, and control of corruption”; we find that NG fosters corporate FD. Using balanced panel data of Indian listed companies for a period of 8 years (2016 to 2023), we find that a positive relationship between most NG components and firms' Altman <i>Z</i> scores (reduced distress) is evident. However, for one component of NG, i.e., voice and accountability, the counterintuitive negative effect on Altman <i>Z</i> scores indicates increased regulatory and political volatility. We emphasize the vitality of NG for practitioners and policy-makers. The study is novel in its comprehensive and unique way of examining all the underlying factors of NG to curtail agency problems at firm-level FD. Thus, spillover effects of governance from macro to micro levels are evident.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144773437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Towards Sustainable Development: Drivers From Financial and Institutional Development","authors":"Hai Nguyen Van,&nbsp;Huy Nguyen Quoc,&nbsp;Dinh Le Quoc","doi":"10.1002/pa.70073","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70073","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The increasing challenges posed by climate change have highlighted the need for a global commitment to sustainable development (SD), as the world faces the consequences of a “brown economy.” Achieving SD requires a holistic approach that balances social, economic, and environmental dimensions. Financial development (FD) plays a crucial role in funding projects and activities related to SD. Previous research has primarily focused on economic and environmental aspects of SD, without exploring how institutional quality moderates the relationship between FD and SD. This study investigates the impact of FD on SD by considering the role of institutional quality (IQ) in 116 countries from 2004 to 2022. Using statistical techniques such as threshold and Bayesian regression, the study finds that FD has a positive effect on SD in countries with strong institutions (IQ &gt; 1.012), while it has a negative effect in countries with weak institutions (IQ &lt; 1.012). These results highlight the importance of institutional quality in optimizing the benefits of FD for SD. In countries with strong institutions, financial resources can be directed towards sustainable sectors like renewable energy, education, and healthcare, leading to comprehensive economic, social, and environmental development. In contrast, in countries with weak institutions, FD may contribute to corruption in SD-related projects or environmental pollution, hindering the achievement of SD goals.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.8,"publicationDate":"2025-07-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144751499","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Brain Drain in Sport: Socio-Cultural, Economic Drivers, and Policy Implications of Athlete Migration","authors":"Rasool Norouzi Seyed Hossini,&nbsp;Maryam Amini,&nbsp;Erfan Moradi,&nbsp;Fereshteh Mohebbi,&nbsp;Asghar Afshar Jahanshahi","doi":"10.1002/pa.70068","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70068","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The global sports landscape has witnessed a significant rise in athlete migration, shaped by complex socio-cultural and economic factors. This study employs a qualitative research design based on grounded theory, specifically utilizing situational analysis (SA), to examine the migration dynamics of Iranian athletes. SA was selected for its capacity to provide a comprehensive analytical framework that captures the historical context, social arenas, and positionalities influencing migration trajectories. Findings reveal that Iranian athletes' migration is primarily driven by: (1) socioeconomic instability, and (2) the network of social relationships, which collectively shape five distinct migration positions. By developing a grounded theoretical model, this study offers a nuanced typology of Iranian athlete migration, contributing to the broader discourse on sports mobility, transnationalism, and the intersection of structural constraints and individual agency in migration decisions. From a policy perspective, the study highlights the need for targeted interventions to address the root causes of migration, such as socioeconomic instability and the lack of opportunities within national sports systems. While investments in economic development, sports infrastructure, and talent retention strategies are generally believed to mitigate migration, initial improvements in these areas may not necessarily lead to less migration and could, in some cases, exacerbate the trend. This paper explores this theoretical contradiction and suggests that while investment in sports development is crucial, further research is needed to understand how such policies interact with different types of migration, including economic, forced, and temporary migration. Policies aimed at improving economic conditions for athletes, fostering talent retention strategies, and enhancing local sports infrastructures may still play a role in reducing some forms of migration, particularly if coupled with efforts to create stronger support networks and career development programs for athletes within the country.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144687926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Attracting Foreign Direct Investment in ASEAN: The Impact of Institutional Quality and Macroeconomic Drivers","authors":"Muhammad Azam Khan,&nbsp;Yusnidah Ibrahim,&nbsp;Nor Salwati Othman,&nbsp;Sardar Fawad Saleem","doi":"10.1002/pa.70071","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70071","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Institutional quality (IQ) stands as a cornerstone in shaping foreign direct investment (FDI), influencing both the confidence and commitment of international investors in any nation's economy. This research empirically explores the influence of IQ variables, along with other important macroeconomic factors, on inward FDI in nine countries of the <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mtext>Association of Southeast Asian Nations</mtext>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation>$$ mathrm{Association} mathrm{of} mathrm{Southeast} mathrm{Asian} mathrm{Nations} $$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math> (ASEAN) using quarterly data from 2002Q1 to 2022Q4. Appropriate estimation techniques, including Robust Least Squares, Fully Modified Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), and Dynamic OLS estimators, are implemented in the current work to estimate the parameters. The study finds that IQ variables, namely corruption, rule of law, political stability, and government effectiveness, are significant in determining FDI inflows in the ASEAN economies, in addition to macroeconomic variables such as trade openness, urbanization, market size, financial sector development, tourism development, and inflation rate. The findings reveal that political stability and the rule of law positively influence FDI inflows, and corruption and government effectiveness show significant negative effects. Most variables showed significance at the 1% level. Findings suggest that policymakers should prioritize strengthening institutional governance, reducing corruption, and improving regulatory frameworks to create a more secure and attractive investment environment. Also, the stakeholders and development agencies must support institutional reforms to enhance legal certainty and administrative efficiency to boost FDI growth.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 3","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-07-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144666265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}