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Article
Publication date: 14 March 2023

Dane Kiambi, Phillip Arceneaux and Guy Golan

This paper offers grounded insights on organization–government relationships, or the practice of public affairs, in Kenya.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper offers grounded insights on organization–government relationships, or the practice of public affairs, in Kenya.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth interviews were conducted with senior Kenyan practitioners. Interviewees represent national corporations, multinational corporations with offices in Kenya, consulting agencies, parastatal intergovernmental organizations, national government and county governments.

Findings

Results suggest Kenyan public affairs is centered on relationship management, research and intelligence gathering, risk management and strategic communication. Second, while lobbying is a tactic, it is not synonymous with the broader scope of public affairs strategy. Third, the absence of educational training, a professional body to oversee the profession and the perception of public affairs as “bribery” are threats to the profession's growth.

Research limitations/implications

Findings should not be interpreted to represent “Africa's public affairs industry,” rather a snapshot of the profession contextualized in Kenya.

Practical implications

Kenya needs a professional body to manage the public affairs profession at a national level. It also needs an established curriculum in its higher education environment. Lastly, as one of the fastest growing markets in the world, understanding the public policy environment will benefit multinational organizations looking to expand and operate in Kenya.

Originality/value

This study contributes diverse and inclusive insights on the practice of public affairs in a leading economic and political actor in sub-Saharan Africa. It also expands organization–public relationship theory to articulate engagement with governmental stakeholders.

Details

Journal of Communication Management, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-254X

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 May 2023

Elin Helgesson

This article addresses recent calls in the literature for advancing our understanding of public affairs consultants and their role conceptions. By testing and further exploring…

Abstract

Purpose

This article addresses recent calls in the literature for advancing our understanding of public affairs consultants and their role conceptions. By testing and further exploring self-perceptions of public affairs consultants the study aims to offer new insight into how consultants define and view their occupational role.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on a nationwide survey with public affairs consultants in Sweden.

Findings

Four main role conceptions were identified (advocate, do-gooder, expert and intermediary). Further, the study tests how personal and professional characteristics correlate with different role conceptions, by viewing professional experience and consultants' selection of clients. Data also suggest that consultants' background in politics does not promote any specific role perception. Finally, the findings also show that how consultants choose clients is a divider in the industry, where some act as passive intermediaries while other take a more active role in their choice of clients.

Originality/value

The findings enhance our understanding of public affairs as a field, and specifically about the modelling of professional roles amongst consultants. The empirical results in this study show how contemporary role typologies needs to be extended to better capture the specificities of consultants' roles in public affairs. By addressing the issue of how consultants choose clients the study engages with the complex debate of whether consultants ought to act as objective or subjective agents and hence join the conversation on ethics in public affairs.

Details

Journal of Communication Management, vol. 27 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-254X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 27 October 2023

Ibrahim Alqasmi and Selim Ahmed

The study aims to investigate the nurse job enjoyment and their participation in medical affairs to enchance the quality of patient care in Saudi hospitals. In addition, this…

Abstract

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the nurse job enjoyment and their participation in medical affairs to enchance the quality of patient care in Saudi hospitals. In addition, this study also investigates the management team's role in patient care quality through the mediating effects of nurse job enjoyment and participation in medical affairs.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study used a self-administered survey questionnaire to collect data from registered nurses in Saudi hospitals. In this study, 600 survey questionnaires were distributed online (Google Forms) and received 266 valid responses (44.33% response rate). In addition, SmartPLS-4.0 was applied to validate the research constructs and test the hypotheses via partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The study's findings indicate that the job enjoyment of the nurses and participation in medical affairs have positive and significant effects on the quality of patient care. In addition, the research findings also suggest that the management team of the hospitals has a significant indirect influence on the quality of patient care through the medicating effects of nurse job enjoyment and participation in medical affairs.

Practical implications

The findings of this study also offer various practical implications. This study showed the direct impact of the management team on job enjoyment, medical affairs and patient care quality. Therefore, hospital authorities and policymakers may emphasise clear communication, collaboration, respect and trust for the effective management team in providing higher-quality patient care. The present study suggests that hospital policymakers should strive to create a positive work environment, provide adequate resources, foster team spirit, offer incentives and allow flexible scheduling to ensure higher job enjoyment and increase nurse participation in medical affairs.

Originality/value

This study adds to the growing body of knowledge by investigating the effects of the management team, job enjoyment and nurses' participation in medical affairs on patient care quality. This study also enhances the theoretical depth by exploring the mediating impact of job enjoyment in predicting the relationships between the management team and the quality of care provided to patients. The present study provides guidelines for healthcare service providers or practitioners to focus on the nurses' job enjoyment and their engagement in medical activities to continuously improve the quality of patient care in the hospitals.

Details

The TQM Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1754-2731

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 August 2023

Irina Lock and Scott Davidson

This paper develops a typology of argumentation strategies used in lobbying. Unlike in other strategic communication functions such as crisis or risk communication, such…

1451

Abstract

Purpose

This paper develops a typology of argumentation strategies used in lobbying. Unlike in other strategic communication functions such as crisis or risk communication, such typologies have not been proposed in the sub-field of public affairs.

Design/methodology/approach

The article synthesises the strategic communication, political communication and policy studies literature and employs exchange theory to explain the communicative-strategic exchange in public affairs. It showcases its explanatory potential with illustrative examples from Big Tech lobbying.

Findings

The paper describes that categories of argumentation strategies that a public affairs professional will choose are based on the contingency of the issue, policy objective and lobbying objective. The descriptive typology will require empirical testing to develop further.

Social implications

The paper describes how public affairs professionals influence public policy through their argumentation strategies, which sheds light on the usually opaque activities of lobbying.

Originality/value

The proposed typology is the first of its kind for the field of public affairs. Beyond, it contributes communication-scientific insights from a rhetorical tradition to strategic communication research and other social science fields where lobbying is studied, e.g. policy studies.

Details

Journal of Communication Management, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1363-254X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 February 2024

Daniel Dramani Kipo-Sunyehzi, Abdul-Fatawu Abubakari and John-Paul Safunu Banchani

This study aims to focus on public policy concerning the implementation of public procurement policies in Nigeria and Ghana toward achieving value for money in the procurement of…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to focus on public policy concerning the implementation of public procurement policies in Nigeria and Ghana toward achieving value for money in the procurement of goods, services and works. It specifically analyzes some major administrative challenges Nigeria and Ghana are faced with in the administration/implementation of public procurement policies toward achieving value for money. It looks at the relationship between the state (regulatory authorities) and substate (procurement entities) in the public sectors of Nigeria and Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

A comparative case study approach is adopted, where the two countries are compared in terms of achieving value for money. Data was collected from multiple sources, including in-depth interviews. The use of official documents and direct observations at the procurement regulatory authorities and entities’ premises.

Findings

This study found Nigeria often used the four Es – economy, efficiency, effectiveness and equity while Ghana mainly used the traditional five rights (right quantity, right quality, right price, right place and right time) as their criteria for ensuring value for money. The major administrative challenges found include corruption, low capacity of procurement personnel and poor knowledge of the procurement laws.

Social implications

It recommends effective collaboration between government and civil society groups in the fight against corruption in procurement-related activities, with the implication that there is a need for periodic training for public procurement officials.

Originality/value

It adds to the field of public procurement in terms of value for money in the procurement of goods, services and works in developing countries context.

Details

Journal of Public Procurement, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1535-0118

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 May 2022

Yafei Zhang, Chuqing Dong and Yuan Cheng

This study seeks to understand the communication factors associated with effective social media for nonprofit organizations (NPOs). Specifically, the study investigated how…

991

Abstract

Purpose

This study seeks to understand the communication factors associated with effective social media for nonprofit organizations (NPOs). Specifically, the study investigated how interactive and emotional communication strategies influence public engagement in different ways, and how the effects differ by service-oriented and other types of NPOs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using computer-assisted textual and emotional analyses, the authors examined the functional interactivity, contingency interactivity and emotion elements of 301,559 tweets from the 100 largest US nonprofits. Negative binomial regression was applied to test the relationships among these elements and public engagement on Twitter (i.e. likes and retweets).

Findings

Findings revealed negative effects of functional interactivity on likes, negative effects of contingency interactivity on likes and retweets but a positive effect of functional interactivity on retweets. The findings also showed negative effects of emotion valence on likes and retweets but positive effects of emotion strength on likes and retweets. There were varying effects of interactivity and emotion on public engagement for service-oriented and other types of NPOs.

Originality/value

This study advances the nonprofit social media scholarship in several ways. First, this study suggests a clear yet largely ignored distinction in the effects of functional and contingency interactivity on public engagement. Second, this study is an early attempt to examine the role and impact of emotion elements in nonprofit social media success without downplaying the role of interactivity. Third, this study is one of the earliest attempts to include interaction effects for different types of NPOs. Last, this study contributes to the organizational social media use research by demonstrating the benefits of computer-assisted approaches in processing text data on social media. From a practical perspective, this study provides strategic guidelines for NPOs to design effective communication contents and improve their public engagement on social media.

Details

Internet Research, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1066-2243

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 April 2023

Md Tarikul Islam, Mia Mahmudur Rahim and Sanjaya Chinthana Kuruppu

This paper examines the link between the failure of public accountability and stakeholder disengagement brought about by a New Public Management (NPM) style “smart solution”…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper examines the link between the failure of public accountability and stakeholder disengagement brought about by a New Public Management (NPM) style “smart solution” introduced to reduce public urination in Dhaka city. It shows how New Public Governance (NPG), Islamic and dialogic approaches can improve decision-making and solutions.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the concepts of public accountability, NPM, NPG and dialogic accountability, this study highlights how narrow conceptions of accountability and poor stakeholder engagement impacted the effectiveness of the “smart solution” based on data collected through observation and unstructured in-depth interviews.

Findings

Evidence suggests that narrow conceptions of accountability driven by monologic NPM perspectives led to poor stakeholder engagement, which impacted the effectiveness of the “smart solution”. The solution that consists of changing anti-urination signage from Bengali to Arabic script has not solved Dhaka's public urination problem. In many instances, the solution has disenchanted certain stakeholders who view it as an offence against Islam and a confusing de-privileging of the Bengali language which has significant national and cultural value in Bangladesh.

Originality/value

The findings of the study contribute to policymaking discussions on how to effectively engage with stakeholders and extend the literature on accountability within the context of conflicting public versus private demands related to a public nuisance. The study outlines important issues related to stakeholder engagement and introduces a framework that conceptualises how to increase the effectiveness of public policy decisions using NPG, Islamic and dialogic accountability approaches, especially on matters that require significant public/external stakeholder support. It also provides a conceptual integration of these various approaches, including nuanced insights into accountability challenges within “non-Western” contexts.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 37 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Interparliamentary Relations and the Future of Devolution in the UK 1998-2018
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80262-552-3

Book part
Publication date: 13 December 2023

Louis L. Dilbert

Black male student veterans enter postsecondary education with three intersecting identities that should be acknowledged through the academic and student support services provided…

Abstract

Black male student veterans enter postsecondary education with three intersecting identities that should be acknowledged through the academic and student support services provided by the institution they attend. The academic guidance provided by competent and compassionate advisors coupled with student affairs engagement contribute to the graduation of this unique population.

The purpose of this literature is twofold: (a) identify and highlight effective academic support methods that contribute to Black male veteran graduation and (b) identify and highlight effective Student Affairs engagement strategies that contribute to Black male veteran graduation. The literature will further inform higher education professionals in both Academic Affairs spaces and Student Affairs spaces of collaborative partnerships that can be formed to increase the graduation rates of Black male veterans. Black male student veterans are not a monolithic population nor are the institutions they are attending. Therefore, it is also important to examine how the literature addresses advising and engagement of Black male veterans at diverse types of postsecondary institutions.

Details

Black Males in Secondary and Postsecondary Education
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-80455-578-1

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 13 April 2023

Başak Gezmen and Merve Yazıcı

Energy, as the most valuable concept of today, works with all disciplines, gains momentum, and increases all kinds of studies on energy and consciousness on the subject. The media…

Abstract

Energy, as the most valuable concept of today, works with all disciplines, gains momentum, and increases all kinds of studies on energy and consciousness on the subject. The media provides the most rapid and effective awareness of energy, the requirements for efficient energy use, energy literacy, conscious use, and sustainability. At this stage, content related to all types of topics produced in the digital world gains importance. As communication is carried out with different target groups, public service announcements constitute an important place among the public affairs activities. Public relations can be defined as communication management. In this communication management style, strategic plans are made, and attitudes and behavior changes can be obtained through the target groups. It is aimed at delivering the content produced through mass media in public service announcements to individuals. The public is educated and made aware of the issues that are of concern to them. With these short announcements, information is provided on health, education, etc., and awareness is created for these issues. Public interests are taken as the basis for messages that do not have a commercial aspect and do not cover a very long time. In the study, the importance of public service announcements on energy efficiency is evaluated, and within the scope of the research, semiotic analysis will be made of the contents of the YouTube page of the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources. At this point, the issues and indicators emphasized in public service announcements on energy will be analyzed.

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