ABSTRACT Not all policy change is expansive, yet non‐expansive trajectories remain underexamined. This article introduces the concept of dead ends: a stage of the policy process in which initiatives cease to develop or be implemented in their existing form, structuring subsequent policy change such as rollback, redirection, or termination. To examine such trajectories, the article combines large‐scale analysis of 27,103 policy experiments announced in the People's Republic of China between 2013 and 2018 with qualitative case studies. The findings suggest that a substantial majority—up to 90%—of experiments reach dead ends. These dead ends are associated with leadership turnover, policy complexity, and misalignment with bureaucratic incentives and socio‐economic conditions. Altogether, the article provides new frameworks for understanding alternative directions of policy change. In doing so, it also sheds new light on the adaptive capacity and structural constraints of China's governance system.
This study analyzes government responsiveness to patchouli oil price fluctuations in Gayo Lues Regency and identifies factors shaping price dynamics. The issue is important because policy support emphasizes production and quality improvement, while price uncertainty affects farmers’ income sustainability. The study adopts a descriptive qualitative approach informed by Dwiyanto’s responsiveness framework. Data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation, with informants selected using purposive and accidental sampling. Data were analyzed through data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion drawing. The findings reveal that government responsiveness remains suboptimal. Government interventions have included production assistance, capacity building, mentoring, production facilities, and efforts to improve patchouli oil quality; however, these measures have not been accompanied by price protection instruments that address farmers’ concerns. Price fluctuations are primarily shaped by global market dynamics, variations in oil quality, and farmers’ dependence on collectors, which constrains their bargaining power. The study implies a need to shift policy from production-oriented support toward economic protection through stronger farmer cooperatives, transparent price information, direct market access, improved processing facilities, and reference price mechanisms. The originality of this study lies in integrating government responsiveness with commodity price protection at the local level, extending agricultural governance research toward farmer welfare and sustainability while strengthening farmers’ institutional capacity to manage market uncertainty.
This study aims to analyze policy alternatives for circular economy based waste management in Pesisir Selatan Regency, addressing low waste segregation at source as a problem. The study is important because strengthening the circular economy requires behavioral change, institutional capacity, and policy support so that waste management extends beyond collection and disposal. A qualitative descriptive approach was employed through in depth interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of policy documents and waste management documents. Data were analyzed using the Bardach framework to compare four policy alternatives across technical, economic, political, and administrative dimensions. The findings show that strengthening environmental literacy from an early age is the feasible alternative, scoring 16 out of 20 and outperforming incentive based strategies, institutional capacity building, and multi stakeholder collaboration. The priority policy involves integrating circular economy concepts into formal and nonformal education, developing school based waste banks, training environmental cadres, and supporting implementation through enforceable regional regulations. The study implies the need for district policies that mainstream environmental literacy in schools, strengthen community empowerment programs, and provide incentive mechanisms to increase public participation. The originality of this study lies in applying the Bardach framework to prioritize policy interventions according to the underlying causes of source segregation problems in Pesisir Selatan Regency, generating recommendations for a sustainable circular waste system and fostering socio ecological transformation through sustained, structured, consistent, participatory behavioral change supported by institutions.
Since the 1998 Reform Era, corruption has consistently been recognized as a common enemy in Indonesia, prompting various legal and institutional efforts to eradicate it. Despite these initiatives, corruption has become increasingly pervasive and deeply embedded within the country's governmental structures. More critically, a growing perception has emerged that corruption constitutes a privilege attached to public office and political power. This study aims to analyze the transformation of corruption from being perceived as a criminal act into a form of privilege that is normalized within Indonesia's governance system, as well as to examine the factors contributing to this phenomenon. The study employs a qualitative approach using a literature review method. Data were collected from academic books, peer-reviewed journal articles, government regulations, official reports, and publications from relevant institutions, and were analyzed through qualitative content analysis. The findings reveal a significant shift in the perception of corruption. Whereas corruption was previously regarded as a disgraceful and unlawful act, it is increasingly perceived as an inherent privilege of holding public office. This perception encourages public officials to exploit their authority and policy-making power for personal and group interests, thereby reinforcing systemic corruption. High political costs, weak transparency and accountability, ineffective oversight mechanisms, and inconsistent law enforcement further sustain this condition. The novelty of this study lies in introducing the concept of corruption as a form of institutionalized privilege, offering a governance perspective that explains how the normalization of privilege shapes corrupt practices beyond conventional legal and economic interpretations.
This study aims to analyze the establishment of the Merah Putih Village/Subdistrict Cooperative as a public policy instrument for strengthening the rural economy in Indonesia. The research addresses the question of how the policy is formulated and implemented, as well as the factors that support and hinder its implementation in achieving sustainable community empowerment. The study employs a qualitative approach using library research by examining scientific literature, government regulations, policy documents, and previous studies related to public policy and cooperatives. The analysis is guided by public policy theory and Edward III’s policy implementation framework, which emphasizes four key dimensions: communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure. The findings indicate that the establishment of the Merah Putih Cooperative represents a strategic government intervention aimed at improving institutional capacity, expanding access to financing, strengthening local economic governance, and promoting equitable rural development. However, the implementation process continues to face significant challenges, including uneven public understanding of cooperatives, limited managerial capacity of cooperative administrators, inadequate human resources, and the need for stronger coordination among government institutions and stakeholders. The study concludes that while the policy has considerable potential to enhance rural economic empowerment and support inclusive development, its long-term success depends on effective implementation, institutional strengthening, continuous capacity building, and sustained collaboration among central and local governments, financial institutions, academia, the private sector, and local communities.
This study aims to analyze social recognition that occurs in Kronjo Village, by examining the processes that occur in the village's social space. Using a qualitative ethnographic approach with a realist ethnographic type to illustrate the problems that occur, this study describes how immigrant communities in Kronjo Village adapt by surviving exploitation of the economic sector dominated by local communities, marginalization that occurs due to differences in identity, the powerlessness of immigrant communities in determining their life decisions, cultural imperialism integrated by local communities towards immigrant communities and symbolic violence normalized by village government policies. The results of the study show that immigrant communities experience social segregation due to the inequality of social relations owned by local communities through long-established kinship relationships, this is built through the labeling of identities and discrimination by local communities against immigrant communities. Through the theory of The Political Difference by Iris Marion Young (1990), researchers explore thematically through indicators in The Political Difference theory such as exploitation, marginalization, powerlessness, cultural imperialism and violence which become analytical tools in this study. In this finding, the researcher found something new regarding previous research by contributing to local governments in exploring policy gaps and fulfilling the rights of immigrant communities in building social recognition with local communities.
Child sexual violence is a complex social problem that cannot be addressed effectively by a single institution because it involves interconnected dimensions of protection, health, social welfare, law enforcement, and psychosocial recovery. This study aims to examine the implementation of child sexual violence management through cross sectoral collaboration at the “Melati” Family Welfare Consultation Institute (LK3) in Karawang Regency and to identify the factors that strengthen or constrain network governance in case management. A qualitative case study design was employed, guided by the Network Governance framework developed by Klijn and Koppenjan. Data were collected through in depth interviews, observations, and document analysis involving LK3 “Melati” and relevant cross sectoral stakeholders engaged in managing child sexual violence cases. The data were analyzed thematically to identify patterns of coordination, interaction, institutional constraints, and collaborative practices. The findings demonstrate that cross sectoral collaboration has been established through interagency coordination and relatively strong informal communication among key actors. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of case management remains constrained by the absence of an integrated information system, the lack of cross sectoral standard operating procedures, and the complexity of institutional relationships and interactions among stakeholders. These findings highlight the need to strengthen network governance through integrated information management, standardized cross sectoral procedures, and more structured coordination mechanisms. The originality of this study lies in applying a Network Governance perspective to explain the institutional dynamics of cross sectoral collaboration in child sexual violence management at the local level.
This study aims to analyze the influence of self-efficacy, organizational commitment, and work engagement on organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), with servant leadership as a moderating variable, and to review this from an Islamic perspective. This research is designed as explanatory research with a quantitative approach. The research population is employees of public service institutions in the Central Jakarta area, with a sample of 210 respondents consisting of civil servants and PPPK, which were determined using purposive sampling techniques. Data were collected using questionnaires and analiyzed using Partial Least Squares – Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The evaluation of the research model showed that self-efficacy, organizational commitment, and work engagement had a strong fit and were highly predictive of employees’ OCB. The result of the study show that self-efficacy, organizational commitment, and work engagement owned by employees of public service institutions in Central Jakarta can each improve OCB. Servant leadership has been shown to strengthen the influence of self-efficacy and work engagement on OCB. Still, it does not moderate the influence of organizational commitment on OCB.
This study aims to analyze the implementation of the School Operational Assistance (BOS) policy at SD Negeri 41 Palembang by examining the aspects of effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability in its management. BOS is a government policy intended to reduce the financial burden of education and improve the quality of basic education services. The research employs a qualitative approach through interviews, observation, and documentation. The findings indicate that the implementation of BOS has generally been carried out well and in accordance with technical guidelines. The funds are used to support school operational needs, learning activities, facilities and infrastructure, and administrative purposes. The BOS program contributes positively to the continuity of the teaching and learning process and helps reduce the financial burden on students’ parents. In terms of effectiveness, most of the program’s objectives have been achieved, although not yet optimal due to delays in fund disbursement. Efficiency in fund utilization has been guided by the School Activity and Budget Plan (RKAS), yet it is still hindered by administrative and bureaucratic procedures. Transparency and accountability have been implemented through accountability reports, public disclosure of fund usage, and the involvement of the school committee; however, parents’ participation and understanding in monitoring remain low. Stakeholder participation is present but needs to be strengthened. The main challenges include delayed fund disbursement, limited human resource capacity in financial management, and complex bureaucratic procedures. Improvement efforts include treasurer training, strengthening application-based reporting systems, enhancing communication with the Education Office, and encouraging more active stakeholder involvement. Overall, BOS implementation complies with regulations but still requires improvement to achieve greater effectiveness, efficiency, transparency, and accountability.
This study aims to explore the relevance of the leadership ethics of the Khulafaur Rasyidin (the Rightly-Guided Caliphs) in addressing the contemporary crisis of governance, marked by declining public trust, systemic corruption, and weak leader accountability. The specific problem examined is how the leadership ethical values of the caliphs can be adapted to respond to increasingly complex modern governance challenges, given that most existing literature remains descriptive-historical and has not critically examined the relationship between these classical values and the contemporary good governance framework. The expected solution is the development of an ethical-transformative leadership model that integrates the ethical dimension (justice, trustworthiness, deliberation, and spiritual accountability) with governance practice (oversight, transparency, and public participation) as a conceptual bridge between the classical Islamic tradition and the demands of modernity. This study hypothesizes that the leadership values of the Khulafaur Rasyidin have substantive relevance and can be contextually adapted to strengthen accountability, integrity, and social justice within present-day governance structures. The method used is library research with a qualitative approach, documentation techniques, and content analysis of primary and secondary sources published between 2020 and 2025. The results show that the principles of justice, trustworthiness, deliberation, and the oversight systems practiced by Abu Bakar, Umar, Utsman, and Ali particularly Umar bin Khattab’s innovation through the Muhtasib institution and the auditing of officials’ wealth are relevant for adaptation in strengthening the transparency and accountability of modern governance. The discussion affirms that the leadership of the Khulafaur Rasyidin functions as a normative-ethical framework rather than a structural alternative, one that can be contextually reinterpreted through leadership character education, bureaucratic reform, and the strengthening of participatory oversight systems to address the contemporary crisis of governance.
ABSTRACT Public service co‐production is often framed as a means of creating public value, yet its dynamics are complex when citizen‐led participation is catalyzed by strong public institutions. This mixed‐methods study examines government‐catalyzed, citizen‐centric co‐production in Shanghai, China, where the state provides institutional support, policy legitimacy, and infrastructure while citizens undertake much of the work of deliberation, coordination, and implementation. Drawing on 246 interviews and survey data from 1476 residents involved in community new infrastructure projects, we examine how citizen trust, public‐service‐oriented motivation, and perceived co‐production efficacy are associated with process and outcome value creation, and how perceived institutional settings condition these relationships. The findings show that citizen cognitive factors are positively associated with value creation, while stronger perceived institutional settings can negatively moderate these relationships. Recursive qualitative analysis suggests two mechanisms that help interpret this pattern: formal rigidity may crowd out citizen agency in the co‐production process, while informal social density may generate lock‐in effects that weaken the translation of trust into substantive outcomes. The study contributes to co‐production and institutional theory by specifying the boundary conditions under which institutional support becomes over‐institutionalization. Effective co‐production requires not less government, but strong enabling support at the initiation stage combined with greater local discretion, participatory rule revision, and flexible enforcement.
ABSTRACT Debates over the consequences of party and cabinet fragmentation for government performance remain unsettled. While some scholars argue that coalition governments foster instability and rent‐seeking, others contend that they enhance accountability and inclusion. This article argues that the effects of cabinet fragmentation depend on the rules of recruitment and promotion of the senior civil service. Using data from the Quality of Government Expert Survey covering 89 democracies, we examine how fragmentation interacts with both bureaucratic politicization and bureaucratic career systems. The results show that fragmentation amplifies the negative effects of politicized senior appointments, although we find limited evidence that fragmentation itself reduces the quality of government under high politicization. By contrast, fragmented cabinets are associated with more effective governance in the presence of career‐based structures characterized by internal recruitment of senior bureaucrats and long‐term careers. The findings highlight the importance of bureaucratic career structures for effective governance in multiparty systems.
ABSTRACT This study investigates how Iranian citizens develop bureauphobia. The process was examined from the perspectives of 59 citizens using the grounded theory method. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews, and Corbin and Strauss's constant comparison method was employed for data analysis. In the grounded process model, the core category was the cognitive dissonance, and other categories were: causal conditions—observational learning, media exaggeration, citizens' overgeneralization bias, and citizens' preexisting mental schema; intervening factors—economic conditions and the overall community atmosphere; contextual factors—the self‐defensive role of negative attitude, the value‐laden negative attitude, and adherence to negative attitude; strategies—self‐persuasion and selective avoidance; and consequences —cognitive and behavioral effects. The findings indicate that the negative image of the government is more psychological and less a result of citizens' evaluation of the actual performance of public bureaucracy. This study has theoretical and practical implications for bureaucracy theorists, policymakers, and government managers.
ABSTRACT Social services in Europe underwent significant changes in recent decades. Using our unique dataset covering the ownership networks of over 100,000 child care, disability care, and care for older adults facilities across 27 EU countries and the UK, we conduct a macro‐level network analysis to answer (1) who the main financial industry actors are in European social care markets; (2) where in these markets financialization is taking place; and (3) what position the financial industry occupies in the ownership networks of social care. The analysis reveals how a significant part of European social service facilities across differing types of European welfare states is indirectly owned by financial corporations. We demonstrate that network approaches can provide a more effective method for computing variables related to service ownership, as they capture indirect ownership links not visible in traditional datasets. The highly networked and financialized nature of social provision raises questions about systemic risks in social care sectors. Moreover, financialization could also erode the government's ability to achieve public goals in social care.
This study aims to analyze the implementation of the Education Unit Operational Assistance Program (BOSP) policy at SMA Negeri 1 Mawasangka and its impact on improving the quality of human resources (HR). The method used is qualitative with a phenomenological approach, with data collection through interviews, observations, and documentation. Informants consisted of principals, teachers, administrative staff, and school committees. The data analysis technique used was thematic analysis, which includes identification, analysis, and reporting of themes based on the data obtained. The results of the study indicate that the implementation of the BOSP policy still faces challenges, such as delays in disbursement of funds and technical difficulties. Nevertheless, BOSP funds contribute positively to improving the quality of education through the development of teacher competencies and the provision of better facilities and infrastructure. Strategic steps are needed to overcome existing obstacles, including improving HR training, better coordination with the Education Office, and strengthening the participation of all stakeholders. So it can be concluded that the BOSP policy at SMA Negeri 1 Mawasangka has the potential to improve the quality of education, but it needs optimization in its implementation to achieve better results.
Community participation plays a crucial role in ensuring that village development programs align with the real needs of society. However, in many cases, community involvement in the village development planning forum (musrenbang) remains low, resulting in programs that are less responsive to local aspirations. This study aims to analyze the level and form of community participation in the development planning process in Pekon Sukarame, Balik Bukit Subdistrict, West Lampung Regency. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through observation, in-depth interviews, and documentation involving villagers, village officials, and traditional leaders. The results reveal that community participation in development planning is still limited and tends to be formalistic. The main inhibiting factors include weak socialization and dissemination of information from the village government, low awareness and understanding of citizens, and the dominance of village officials in decision-making. Consequently, community aspirations are rarely accommodated at the planning stage and are mostly confined to the implementation phase. This condition undermines the principles of inclusiveness and good governance in village development. The study suggests the need for strengthening participatory education, expanding access to information, and providing more open dialogue forums to increase active community involvement. By enhancing these aspects, village development planning can become more inclusive, transparent, and sustainable.
Public trust is a key objective in building support and stability for the government system that implements all public policies. However, the most common problem is the gap between what is formulated and what is implemented, which is far from the expectations of the community. Such incidents occur due to misconduct by internal parties and the neglect of one of the functions of management that should be a tool for achieving organizational effectiveness, namely control. The main actor (the government) has an important role in driving the life of society but chooses to ignore all components of the internal control system regulated in PP No. 06 of 2008, which was successfully adapted from the COSO framework, thereby affecting governance. This method uses a systematic literature review with a descriptive qualitative type with the aim of collecting scientific articles from various journal databases to determine the effectiveness of SPIP and Good Governance. The results show that the implementation of internal control systems greatly affects all elements of good governance and decreases public trust because the public is not involved in all policy-making decisions. All public institutions need to take action against irregularities by enforcing internal control systems for all employees, especially risk management, and ensuring that organizational activities comply with laws and regulations. The results of this study provide insight into the correlation between the government's internal control system and good governance. This study only focuses on control management in the public sector, so further research is needed on the management functions of planning, management, implementation, and evaluation that can bring about good governance.
This study examines the role of social media in enhancing political participation in the 2024 General Election at Pekon Talang Aceh, Pesisir Barat Regency. The problem underlying this research is the low quality of community political engagement, which is often influenced by social environment and viral information rather than a critical understanding of candidate programs. Using a qualitative descriptive approach, data were collected through interviews with village officials, traditional leaders, and local citizens, supported by documentation of online activities. The results show that social media, particularly WhatsApp and Facebook, functions as the main channel for disseminating political information, mobilizing citizens to attend election-related activities, and creating interactive spaces for political discussion within families and community groups. These dynamics increase voter turnout quantitatively, but the quality of participation remains limited due to weak digital literacy. The study concludes that social media has a dual role: strengthening democratic participation at the grassroots level while also presenting challenges related to misinformation and shallow political understanding. Strengthening digital literacy and political education is therefore essential to improve the quality of democracy in rural communities.
This study aims to analyze the implementation of e-governance policies in supporting potential innovations in villages in Kertek Subdistrict, Wonosobo Regency. This study uses George C. Edward III's implementation theory, which consists of four main variables: communication, resources, bureaucratic disposition, and organizational structure. The approach used is descriptive qualitative with data collection techniques in the form of interviews, observations, and documentation. The results show that the implementation of e-governance policies in Kertek Subdistrict has been quite effective with the use of various digital applications such as SRIKANDI, SISKEUDES, SIAK, and IKD, which support efficient communication, public services, and transparent and accountable village financial management. Adequate human resources, inter-agency coordination, and community participation through digital community satisfaction surveys have also strengthened the implementation process. However, there are still several obstacles, such as limited infrastructure, limited digital devices available to the community, and the sub-district government's lack of authority to create policy innovations. Therefore, strategic intervention is needed to strengthen the capacity for village digitalization through training, human resource development, infrastructure improvement, and cross-institutional collaboration. Overall, the implementation of e-governance in Kertek Subdistrict has made a positive contribution to strengthening inclusive, adaptive, and sustainable village governance.
