Public Administration Commons^™

Citizens' Perspectives On Accountability Of Nongovernmental Organizations Providing Drinking Water In Northern Ghana, Abdul-Nashiru Mohammed

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractAccountability is an important concept in public administration and across multiple sectors. NGOs work towards achieving their social purpose and yet, they are perceived to be accountable only to their donors but not to citizens. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore perspectives of citizens in three districts: Bongo, Wa, and Sagnarigu in Northern Ghana on how NGOs demonstrate accountability in fulfilling their commitments in drinking water provision. It specifically investigated the lived experiences of citizens: local government authorities, traditional authorities, and individual citizens from the districts. Research literature emphasized upward accountability resulting in a gap observed …

An Analysis Of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Adoption For Household Cooking In Nigeria, Saheed Olanrewaju Lasisi

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The Nigerian government established a domestic liquefied petroleum gas penetration program (DLPGPP) to support Nigerian households that still use traditional fuels, which are inefficient and hazardous for users while polluting and degrading the environment. Little is known about the relationships that exist among liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) accessibility, LPG affordability, and LPG adoption to guide DLPGPP implementation. Narrowing this gap was the purpose of this study using the general framework of consumer theory. The study's research questions addressed the effects of LPG affordability and LPG accessibility on LPG adoption for cooking in Nigeria’s households. A cross-sectional, correlational survey was employed …

How Federal Mortgage Programs Affect Homeownership Outcomes Of Low-Income Households, Lawanda Alexia Brown

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Numerous laws and policies have been enacted to aid economic recovery and housing growth after the 2008 housing

crisis in the United States; however, concern remains that low-income families interested in homeownership are in poor

housing situations due to inadequate access to federal homeownership policies and program information. The purpose of

this quantitative study was to analyze the relationship between the variables of income, race, and access to federal

mortgage program policy information and dependent variable HEC on homeownership outcomes for aggregate years

2007 to 2018. Using a quasi-experimental design, the chi-square test of independence was used to test N …

Implementation Of Universal Basic Education Program In The North-Central Region Of Nigeria, Kazeem Oladimeji

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Government reports document that the North-Central region of Nigeria has experienced increased negative ineffectiveness of preschool education policy implementation. At the same time, other data suggest that key stakeholders' contribution is missing in the preschool education policy formulation and implementation processes. However, much less is known regarding specific key stakeholders’ perceptions that could help reverse this trend. Grounded in the advocacy coalition framework and appreciative inquiry, narrowing this knowledge gap was the purpose of this study. The research question focused on key stakeholders’ perceptions that could increase full participation and facilitate the establishment of more quality preschools in the region. …

Exploration Of Effective Leadership Traits To Retain Millennials In Federal Service, Tony Augustin Damian

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal government faces critical human capital management challenges because of workforce retirements. Millennial retention is key to addressing some of these challenges. However, job satisfaction surveys have indicated retention concerns for existing millennial federal employees. The federal sector is struggling to compete with the private sector in employee retention among the millennial generation. An intrinsic motivation approach was used in this study, focusing on leadership and its role in retention. Strauss and Howe’s generational theory, the trait-based approach to leadership, and three leadership styles—transformational, ethical, and authentic—comprised the conceptual framework. The purpose was to explore the preferred leadership traits …

Public Participation In Los Angeles Water Resources Management, Hyginus Onyinyechukwu Mmeje

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Public participation is essential to the efficient management of resources. However, there are significant problems with water resources management and water importation practices in Southern California due to lack of public awareness and input. Little is known regarding specific participants’ perceptions that could help in addressing the challenges of Los Angeles water resources management. Grounded in the advocacy coalition framework, this qualitative study was conducted with the purpose of narrowing this knowledge gap. The study explored the role of public participation in Los Angeles water resources management from the perspectives of key actors, resident stakeholders, nonprofit organizations, water agency administrators, …

Behavioral Public Finance And Budgeting: New Approaches To Old Questions?, Salvador Espnosa, Kenneth A. Kriz, Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf

School of Public Service Faculty Publications

(First paragraph) The growing interest in the use of behavioral insights in the study of public administration and policy is contributing to the emergence of behavioral public administration (James et al., 2017). This subfield focuses on the “analysis of public administration from the micro-level perspective of individual behavior” (Grimmelikhuijsen et al., 2017, p. 45). For some scholars, this approach offers interesting opportunities to further the study of perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of citizens, public sector staff, or public managers (Tummers, et al., 2016). The combination of behavioral theory and experimental approaches can improve the standing of the field of public …

An Exploration Of Successful Housing Outcomes After Homelessness: An Experience Captured Through The Lens Of U.S. Veterans, Janice Filer

Theses and Dissertations

Homelessness is experienced by veterans at a higher percentage than nonveterans. Veterans represent eight percent of the homeless population (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2019). Also, the mortality rate of younger homeless veterans is higher than non-homeless veterans (Schinka et al., 2018). Veterans experience the lack of affordable housing, the lack of affordable health care, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance abuse, and a lack of family or social support (National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, 2018). The purpose of this qualitative research study was to interview prior homeless veterans from Gulf War Era I (1990 - 2001) and/or Gulf …

Transgender And Gender Non-Binary Healthcare Coverage In State Medicaid Programs: Recommendations For More Equitable Approaches, Robin Kempf, Nicole M. Elias, Alonso J. Rubin-Desimone

Publications and Research

Transgender and gender non-binary (TGNB) individuals face discrimination in healthcare settings and barriers to healthcare access, resulting in health disparities. These inequities are compounded by the intersection of lower socioeconomic status and geography. To understand the differences in how states provide healthcare to TGNB individuals in poverty, we ask: What are state Medicaid programs offering TGNB residents, and how can coverage be more equitable across jurisdictions? To answer these questions, we examine medical services covered by 15 diverse Medicaid programs and compare them to the services recommended by the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH). Unsurprisingly, the analysis reveals …

Beyond Bostock: Implications For Lgbtq+ Theory And Practice., Sean Mccandless, Nicole M. Elias

Publications and Research

The recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Bostock v. Clayton County is a landmark piece of case law that offers fundamental rights to LGBT persons. This essay reflects on how this case arrived at the Supreme Court and its implications for theory and praxis. The overall conclusion is that cautious optimism is warranted.

Education Inequality In The United States: A Wicked Problem With A Wicked Solution, Lincoln Bernard

CMC Senior Theses

A problem wicked in its complexity and detriment; the United States has failed most of its students in its inability to address the unashamedly rampant inequality throughout its public education system. The inequality in American public schools appears evident and boundless, but the causes of that inequality, and especially its solutions, are not as obvious. It is easy to explain away the system’s failures as a product of the United States’ ultra-varied environment, but further investigation reveals much of the systems problems are self-caused, resulting from the United States’ uniquely local approach to supporting its schools. A misguided fear of …

‘It’S Like Baking A Cake’: An Analysis Of Conscience Voting In The New Zealand House Of Representatives Since The Introduction Of The Mixed-Member Proportional System In 1996, Harrison Hosking

CMC Senior Theses

Conscience voting in the New Zealand House of Representatives offers a unique opportunity to assess Sam Peltzman’s ‘Principal-Agent Theory’ as outlined in his 1984 paper, Constituent Interest and Congressional Voting.

This thesis begins with a brief assessment of the principal-agent model (and other literature regarding parliamentary representation) before looking at the New Zealand Parliamentary system and the phenomenon of private member’s bills and how they aid the legislative process. This is followed by an exploration of a constructed dataset of conscience votes that have occurred since the inception of the mixed-member proportional (MMP) electoral system in 1996. An analysis …

Asian American Voting During The 2020 Elections: A Rising, Divided Voting Group, Vi Nguyen

CMC Senior Theses

Asian Americans continue to be an untapped force within American politics. Despite their status as the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the United States they have had surprisingly low political participation rates.[1] But 2020 represented a watershed moment. Campaign outreach and voter participation increased, and Asian Americans assumed new prominence on the national stage. Nonetheless, the 2020 elections also demonstrate historical divides within the community and a lack of cohesion as a voting group.

This thesis investigates Asian American voter behavior during the 2020 election and links trends within this year's elections to assess Asian American panethnicity. It …

Twin Threats: The Short-Sighted Us Response To Global Climate Change And Pandemics, Bryan Williams

CMC Senior Theses

This thesis examines the failure of the United States government to mitigate global climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic by comparing poor public reactions and governmental administration between the two threats. Using developmental constructs to serve as a framework for assessing public reactions to climate change and pandemics, this thesis implements a content analysis study of American news media from 2000 to 2020; it identifies the rhetoric embedded in communications that has directed the US public’s focus of attention and shaped public opinion on these issues. The results indicate significantly less focus of attention on human health issues than economic …

Interpersonal Conflict And Work-Related Stress Among Correctional Officers, Katarzyna Sowa-Lapinskas

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Increasingly, research has been conducted on the penal system, yet few researchers have focused on correctional staff. Due to the nature of their work, correctional officers (COs) experience a high degree of stress that is inmate related, occupational, organizational, and psycho–social. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the work experiences of COs in rural correctional facilities in Alaska and to learn how correctional staff perceive and mitigate work-related stress stemming from interpersonal conflict. The theoretical framework for this study was Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional theory of stress and coping. Data were collected using semistructured interviews conducted …

Police Officer Aggression During Police-Civilian Encounters And Effect On Civilian Perception, James Aaron Plank

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Trust in the police by the public is the cornerstone of public safety. A lack of trust in the police discourages citizens from reporting criminal behavior, leading to increased crime rates. A lack of trust can be the result of inappropriate actions taken by officers in police-civilian encounters, as perceived by the citizen. Although increased professional standards and training have been implemented in police departments across the U.S., researchers have not demonstrated how aggressive police officer behavior affects the civilian perception of the officer’s actions. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between police …

Exploring Stakeholder Opinions Of A School Sentinel Security Program, John Beraud

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractSchool shootings are tragic events that receive immediate, intense, and immense media attention. In the aftermath of an attack, lawmakers and school administrators receive public pressure to provide the necessary resources to incorporate school security programs that seek to improve school safety. The School Sentinel Program (SSP) operating in one Midwest U.S. state’s school district allows school personnel or volunteers from the local community, once screened and trained, to act as armed guards on public school campuses. The SSP allows firearms on school campuses outside of the hands of school resource officers, and these policies have often been met with …

Institutional Learning Outcome Development For Academic Planning, Nichole Molinaro

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

This professional administrative study created Institutional Learning Outcomes (ILOs) for a publicly funded postsecondary institution located in the southern part of Ontario, Canada. The university was created in the early 2000s and was the first publicly funded university in Ontario to open in over 40 years. The university shares a campus location with a college and was created with a special mission to provide career-oriented university programs and to provide opportunities for college graduates to complete a university degree. The university has been on a trajectory of immense growth. The focus to this point has been building from the ground …

Firefighter Fatalities And Compliance With The National Fire Protection Association (Nfpa) 1451 Standard, Christopher Norris

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

AbstractDriving emergency vehicles continue to be significant safety hazard for firefighters. National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) standards are designed to provide a national consensus standard for operation of these vehicles based on industry best practice. Existing research has not identified relationships between firefighter compliance with NFPA 1451, Standard for a Fire and Emergency Service Vehicle Operations Training Program, and any impacts this may have on firefighter fatalities. Using the systems theory as a foundation, the purpose of this cross-sectional, quantitative study was to investigate firefighter compliance to NFPA 1451 and determine any correlations to firefighter fatalities. Survey data were collected …

Falling Angels: A Qualiative Study Exploring Nonprofit's Organizational Practice, Lorraine Coker

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

Veterans are more susceptible to homelessness as well as to physical and psychological problems than other groups because of their high exposure to combat-related trauma and geographic dislocation due to military deployment. This administrative study addressed struggles that the Falling Angels nonprofit organization faced with implementing its mission to serve all homeless veterans in a midwestern American state while preparing to expand housing services to accommodate homeless women veterans. The study was created to explore and describe how this organization employs homeless or displaced veterans. The research question was used to explore overall organizational performance of management by analyzing participants’ …