{"title":"The Roles of Relational Leadership and Employee Satisfaction in the Linkage Between Social Capital and Employee Turnover: A Moderated-Mediation Analysis","authors":"James Aditchere, R. Angmortey","doi":"10.1002/pa.70015","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70015","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Contrary to the prevailing assumption that social capital inherently fosters job satisfaction within work environments, this study posits that the formation of social groups and interpersonal ties may, in fact, lead to workplace isolation for employees whose belief systems and values diverge from those of dominant social groups. This isolation creates a hostile and unaccommodating environment which dampens work spirit, heightens emotional and psychological exhaustion, and engenders high levels of turnover intentions among workers. In addressing this challenge, the study proposes relational leadership as a crucial management approach that creates a conducive environments where open communication, trust, and collaboration can flourish. The study tests these assumptions on 153 responses from employees working within public and private legal firms in sub-Saharan Africa–Ghana drawing on the tenets of the social capital theory and the theory of reasoned action. The data were analyzed using OLS regression in SPSS and found that social capital positively influences employee satisfaction. Additionally, relational leadership is found not to condition the relationship between social capital and employee satisfaction. Interestingly, employee satisfaction is found to fully mediate the social capital–employee turnover intention relationship. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study are presented in the latter section of the document, as well as avenues for future research.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143475442","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 Political Economy of China's Special Economic Zones and Adaptability of Developmental State Model of Industrialisation in Africa: Evidence From Nigeria","authors":"Kenneth Kalu, Ernest Toochi Aniche","doi":"10.1002/pa.70018","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70018","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study examines the structure and operations of China's Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Nigeria and evaluates the zones' potential as catalysts for Nigeria's industrialisation. By using mixed qualitative methods, the result from fieldwork shows that SEZs are not likely to become the springboard for Nigeria's industrialisation. The study identifies the major challenges hindering the success of the SEZs in Africa and Nigeria, particularly which include the lack of adequate infrastructure and the inability of the state to formulate and effectively implement rules that would attract investors to the zones, engender technology transfers and generate other benefits for the local economy. The article concludes that even as there are lapses on the part of the Chinese collaborators concerning the speed of construction work at the zones, the performance of the Nigerian state reflects significant weaknesses. These weaknesses mirror the often-cited dysfunctionalities in the political economy of Nigeria and other African states, where these aforementioned challenges weaken state capacities to initiate and implement development programmes. The paper suggests policy recommendations on how to make the SEZs effective instruments of industrialisation and economic growth, a fundamental aspect of which emphasises engendering a developmental state necessary for creating the conditions for growth.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143424279","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}
Peter Adoko Obicci, Joseph Mpeera Ntayi, Godfrey Mugurusi, Gerald Kagambirwe Karyeija
{"title":"Authentic Leadership and Physical Asset Management Practices in the Public Sector: The Mediating Role of Stakeholder Engagement","authors":"Peter Adoko Obicci, Joseph Mpeera Ntayi, Godfrey Mugurusi, Gerald Kagambirwe Karyeija","doi":"10.1002/pa.70013","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70013","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>An efficient public sector relies heavily on effective physical assets management processes. This study examines the significance of authentic leadership in enhancing physical asset management (PAM) Practices of the Public Sector. Here we focused on the mediating Influence of stakeholder engagement in public organizations. Data were collected from 283 employees from various local governments (LGs) in Uganda, Using simple random sampling and census procedures for participant selection. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS Version 23.0, supplemented by MedGraph (Excel Version 13), the Sobel test, and the Kenny-Baron guideline to measure the mediation effect. The study's findings highlight the Importance of authentic leadership in the context of PAM, Indicating that such leadership characteristics are favorably correlated with better management practices. Furthermore, stakeholder engagement emerged as a constructive factor, serving as a partial mediator in the Interaction between authentic leadership and PAM. These findings support the impact of authentic leadership on PAM through better stakeholder engagement. The findings show that local governments which develop and implement policies that encourage active stakeholder participation and promote authenticity in leadership practices in PAM, they promote the co-creation of value and enhance the stewardship of physical assets. This study attempts to integrate the impacts of authentic leadership on PAM within the public sector domain. It proposes a novel strategy, which place the role of stakeholder participation in this dynamic. The study lays suggestions for future research to further validate and examine these correlations, which as argued, can boost the efficacy of PAM in public sector organizations.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143423856","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":"Tall Tales or Success Stories? A Scrutiny of the Business Incubation Policy and Landscape in India","authors":"Sonali Gupta, D. L. Sunder","doi":"10.1002/pa.70014","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70014","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Business incubators (BIs) have been in existence since the 1950s, and they claim to assist early-stage entrepreneurs to convert ideas into sustainable enterprises by providing resources like space, mentoring, business services, networks, and capital. Governments across the world promote BI as a policy tool, but a deep dive into the literature shows limited empirical evidence about their effectiveness. With increasing investment of public funds into incubators, it is necessary to assess their performance and success in meeting the objective of enabling new ventures. Informational roadblocks in understanding the state of business incubation can lead to convenient assumptions that all is well with the policy and practice of business incubation. This article reviews the evolution of policy, practice, and literature on Business Incubation in India and finds a vacuum with respect to systematic studies and understanding of business incubation as a process. The paper concludes by advocating for an evidence-based approach to policy formulation and emphasizes the need for rigorous evaluation and research to ascertain the true impact of BIs on India's entrepreneurial ecosystem.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143396963","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":"Are Cities in Advanced Countries Saturated in Population Size?","authors":"Arup Mitra, Sabyasachi Tripathi","doi":"10.1002/pa.70016","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70016","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Although the focus on urbanization has shifted to developing countries, developed countries still face several challenges. In this regard, the present study proposes to investigate the capacity of cities in developed countries in terms of population size and reflects on the interaction between the city's core and hinterland areas. In addition, the impact of cities on employment, gross domestic product, and productivity, as well as the short- and long-term relationship between them, are examined. We estimate Gini coefficients and apply panel stochastic frontier and panel cointegration approaches using data from 688 cities in 39 advanced countries to test our hypothesis. The estimated results show that the number of million-plus cities growing in developed nations varies widely, and a city's hinterland and core vary in terms of population concentrations. The population in the core and hinterland areas have achieved saturation point. Therefore, the benefits of agglomeration economies have disappeared from these cities. It thus concurs with the S-shaped urbanization curve. The population concentration in the hinterland region is negatively impacted by territorial fragmentation and mean population exposure to particulate matter of 2.5 air pollution. There is a need to improve the density and management of environmental degradation through higher investment in making cities more productive and sustainable.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143396964","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":"Policy Design Spaces in Brazil's and Argentina's Digital Government","authors":"Lizandro Lui, Ciro Pitangueira de Avelino","doi":"10.1002/pa.70010","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70010","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The article aims to investigate the development of the digital transformation agenda in Latin America to understand which factors have been essential for countries to achieve effectiveness in their policy design. We conducted a qualitative study based on document analysis and interviews with public managers in Brazil and Argentina. We found that both countries have developed policies to build the digital government agenda since 2015. We identify the growing political prestige the agenda has gained within each country and the institutional support of organizations such as the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). However, technical capacity challenges must be addressed, especially in retaining qualified human resources within the state bureaucracy. The article argues that the design space framework, although sharp, fails to embrace features of the Latin American context, such as the brain drain and the inability of the state to retain highly qualified professionals.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143389135","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":"Correction to “Are Pollution Control Bonds and Public Ownership Really Blessing for Utility Firms?”","authors":"","doi":"10.1002/pa.70008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70008","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Khanchel, I., N. Lassoued, and C. Khiari. 2025. “Are Pollution Control Bonds and Public Ownership Really Blessing for Utility Firms?” <i>Journal of Public Affairs</i> 25: e70004. https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70004.</p><p>Page 7, second line</p><p>Corrected</p><p>Page 7, first paragraph</p><p>2. Mistake:</p><p>With the following variable definitions: <i>_</i>, a scalar indicating the efficiency of firm <i>j</i>; <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msub>\u0000 <mi>x</mi>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mi>i</mi>\u0000 <mn>0</mn>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 </msub>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation>$$ {x}_{i0} $$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>, the consumed amount of the <i>i</i>th input; <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msub>\u0000 <mi>x</mi>\u0000 <mi>ij</mi>\u0000 </msub>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation>$$ {x}_{ij} $$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>, the produced amount of the <i>i</i>th input; <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msub>\u0000 <mi>y</mi>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mi>r</mi>\u0000 <mn>0</mn>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 </msub>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation>$$ {y}_{r0} $$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>, the consumed amount of the <i>r</i>th output; <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msub>\u0000 <mi>y</mi>\u0000 <mi>rj</mi>\u0000 </msub>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation>$$ {y}_{rj} $$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>, the produced amount of the <i>r</i>th output; <i>_j</i>, a vector of weights; <i>m</i>, the number of inputs; <i>s</i>, the number of outputs.</p><p>Corrected</p><p>With the following variable definitions: <i>_</i>, a scalar indicating the efficiency of firm <i>j</i>; <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msub>\u0000 <mi>x</mi>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <mi>i</mi>\u0000 <mn>0</mn>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 </msub>\u0000 </mrow>\u0000 <annotation>$$ {x}_{i0} $$</annotation>\u0000 </semantics></math>, the consumed amount of the <i>i</i>th input by the DMU under evaluation; <span></span><math>\u0000 <semantics>\u0000 <mrow>\u0000 <msub>\u0000 <mi>x</mi>\u0000 <mi>ij</mi>\u0000 </msu","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pa.70008","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143362379","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}
Olawale Daniel Akinyele, Abiodun Adewale Adegboye, James Temitope Dada
{"title":"How Does Government Spending Efficiency Affect Human Development in Africa?","authors":"Olawale Daniel Akinyele, Abiodun Adewale Adegboye, James Temitope Dada","doi":"10.1002/pa.70012","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70012","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The performance of any government is evaluated by how well its citizens are doing and how the government makes use of resources available to guarantee that they are sufficient to ensure fundamental capabilities. Meanwhile, achieving a given human development that guarantees a meaningful living is a challenge of time and a threat to most countries, mainly African countries. Therefore, this study investigates the relationship between government spending efficiency and African human development. The analysis relies on Keynesianism postulations and adopts second-generation estimation techniques. Results show that higher efficient government spending increases human development. Furthermore, disaggregating the sample into resource-rich and non–resource-rich African countries reveals that the abundance of natural resources has not been managed well enough to improve human development in Africa. The explanation of endowed resources in Africa can be described as the resource curse hypothesis, which affects human development. More specifically, rationalising government resources without jeopardising spending quality is a better enabler for human development in Africa. The study concluded that government spending efficiency spurred human development in Africa.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143111460","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":"Financial Growth of Sport Industry in the Extreme Context: Evidence From Iran Under Economic Sanction and COVID-19 Pandemic","authors":"Zahra Mohity, Maryam Mokhtari Dinani, Abbas Rezaei Pandari, Asghar Afshar Jahanshahi","doi":"10.1002/pa.70011","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70011","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The objective of this research is to shift the narrative toward the impact of international sanctions against Iran and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic on the financial growth of the sports industry. Employing Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), we delve into the diverse factors influencing the financial dynamics of the sports sector in Iran. After an extensive review of the research literature, we identify pivotal elements affecting the financial prosperity of the sports industry. Using expert opinions and the content validity index (CVI), we select 20 significant factors shaping the financial landscape of the sports industry in Iran. Subsequently, we evaluate the importance and performance of these identified factors, drawing insights from the perspectives of 12 sports economics experts and sports managers. Employing Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DANP) and IPA methods, we analyze the interplay of these factors. The research outcomes underscore the pivotal role of international sanctions against Iran and the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in influencing the financial growth of the sports industry. Noteworthy factors include the stability of sports club incomes, the commercialization of the sports industry, private sector investment in sports, and the allocation of sports expenses within government expenditures. These findings illuminate the nuanced relationship between external geopolitical factors and internal financial dynamics, shaping the trajectory of the sports industry's financial growth in Iran.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-02-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143110877","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}
Ahmed Mahade, Abdallah Elmahi, Alaa Amin Abdalla, Raed A. Said, Khaled Mohammad Alomari
{"title":"Investigating the Association Between Human Resource Management Practices and Job Autonomy on Faculty Job Performance: Evidence From UAE Higher Education Sector","authors":"Ahmed Mahade, Abdallah Elmahi, Alaa Amin Abdalla, Raed A. Said, Khaled Mohammad Alomari","doi":"10.1002/pa.70009","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/pa.70009","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This research delves into the interplay between Human Resource Management Practices (HRMPs) and job autonomy concerning faculty job performance within private universities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) while considering the moderating role of faculty experience. The research explores how job autonomy and supportive HRMPs enhance job performance. The primary objective is to address the research gap concerning the functional independence of HRMPs and their impact on faculty job performance within higher education, specifically focusing on institutions in the (UAE). The significance of this research lies in the pivotal role of Human Resource Management (HRM) in higher education, as HRM has evolved from simply executing decisions to shaping strategic directions, making it a crucial factor in the success of universities through HRMPs related to finding and developing teaching staff to drive educational excellence. The HRMPs under scrutiny encompass recruitment, service ending, training, performance appraisal, promotion, and compensation as a cluster. A survey collected data from 225 faculty members, and statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS and SmartPLS software. The results reached through tests show a significant and positive impact of HRMPs and job independence on faculty performance. In addition, faculty members' experience affects the relationship between HRMPs, job independence, and faculty job performance as a moderating variable. This study has tremendous implications for tertiary institutions seeking to enhance the job performance of faculty members. It provides fresh insights into higher education and the specific context of the private tertiary sector in the UAE.</p>","PeriodicalId":47153,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Public Affairs","volume":"25 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/pa.70009","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143121343","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}