Public Administration Commons^™

The Role Of Public Administration And Hrm In Promoting Guardian-Oriented Policing In Michigan, Sara L. Cowling

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

This capstone paper examines how public administrators and human resource management (HRM) practices in Michigan local law enforcement agencies can influence the adoption of a guardian-oriented approach to policing. Using a qualitative case study method and document analysis, this study integrates peer-reviewed literature on guardian and warrior policing models with public administration and HRM frameworks. Findings indicate that due to the centralized structure of the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards (MCOLES) and standardized academy training, local agencies have limited control over recruit socialization during initial training. Thus, recruitment and hiring practices, specifically recruitment messaging, applicant self-selection, interviewing, organizational fit …

Navigating Higher Education: Waves Of Success Mentorship Initiative, Roberto M. Davila

Capstone Projects and Master's Theses

Too many undocumented students and students from mixed-status backgrounds face obstacles and don’t receive enough support while navigating higher education. Undocu-Success at CSUMB orients its services to meet the needs of undocumented students and students with mixed-status backgrounds. In collaboration with Undocu-Success Center staff, the Waves of Success mentorship initiative is a new resource to increase students' preparedness during their academic journey and increase awareness of resources accessible to CSUMB students through mentor-mentee relationships. The capstone project was to create a new program which involved conducting research, recruitment, management, and building campus partnerships. Evaluation included an interview conducted with the …

Rehumanizing Anatomized Individuals: Using Osteobiographies As A Step Towards Reparative Justice, Lillie C. Turpin

Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research

In 1985, India banned the export of human remains. This ended the major trade route for primarily US and European anatomical supply companies. Until this point, companies like Carolina Biological Supply exploited and erased vulnerable people's identities, molding them into anonymous anatomical specimens. This study investigates the life and postmortem history of twenty-five individuals, previously used as anatomical specimens, housed at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. Using an osteobiographical approach, this research reconstructs aspects of these individuals' lived experiences and examines how anatomical preparation practices reflect structural violence and apathy.

Skeletal analysis of twenty-five individuals revealed a range of biological profiles, …

Improving And Maintaining Public Trust In Law Enforcement: A Qualitative Case Study Of The Northville Township Police Department, Christopher Bachand

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Public trust is a key component of effective law enforcement. While historically cyclical, trust in American law enforcement agencies has trended downward in recent years following several high-profile use of force incidents. In response, many agencies have begun incorporating new theories and models into their policies and procedures aimed at increasing public trust. This capstone paper draws upon the relevant literature surrounding these theories and conducts a qualitative case study of the Northville Township Police Department. This agency consistently achieved above-average levels of confidence from its community members by incorporating these theories using a hybrid-synthesis policy implementation approach. This paper …

Public Safety Policy In Michigan’S Rural Upper Peninsula: Collective Efficacy, Youth Engagement, And Prevention, Christopher J. Reynolds

Master of Public Administration Capstone Papers

Rural communities in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula face unique public safety concerns due to resource limitations and geographic isolation. Small townships and cities lack sufficient funding and personnel to respond effectively to emergencies across large land areas. By building stronger families and communities, rural areas can prevent public safety concerns through preventative strategies, rather than reactive strategies that focus on incarceration. Through strengthening social networks and providing programs for youth to build leadership skills and good character, public safety will become a part of daily life in rural areas and not just a reaction to negative situations.

12-Year Report Of The Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program (Fiscal Years 2013 – 2024), Madhawa Palihapitiya, Karina Zeferino

Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration Publications

This report examines the development, performance, and impact of the Massachusetts Community Mediation Center Grant Program during its first 12 years, covering fiscal years 2013 through 2024. Established under Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 75, Section 47, the Grant Program provides operational and programmatic funding to qualified community mediation centers offering free or low-cost dispute resolution services through trained community volunteers. The Massachusetts Office of Public Collaboration at the University of Massachusetts Boston administers and evaluates the program.

Over the period examined, the Commonwealth’s annual appropriation increased from $650,000 in FY2013 to approximately $3.2 million in FY2024. This investment stabilized community …

Separating Access Legitimacy From Utilization Analytics: A Two-Layer Evaluation Model For Philanthropy And Development, Stephanie Zabriskie

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

This article introduces a two-layer evaluation model for philanthropic and development decision-making in access-based interventions. The first layer treats Access as Outcome (AAO) as a recognized outcome when essential goods, services or resources are delivered through a viable delivery pathway, without requiring post-access utilization or compliance to validate legitimacy. The second layer evaluates post-access variation through System Coherence Conditions (SCC), defined as internal alignment across governance and decision-making, distribution and logistics, social accountability and norms, and scarcity management and continuity, which explain differences in utilization, continuity, and downstream effects as signals of system coherence rather than as retroactive worthiness thresholds. …

Public Sector Employment: An Examination Of The Perceptions Of Potential Employees And The Realities Of Public Sector Hiring Agencies, Davis B. Chambliss

Honors Theses

This study investigates the growing challenge of recruiting Gen Z employees into the public sector, focusing on the disconnect between younger workers’ career preferences and their perceptions of government employment. While prior research suggests that Gen Z values purpose-driven work, stability, and community impact, public sector organizations continue to face hiring shortages and an aging workforce. The research employs a mixed-methods approach, combining a literature review with original survey data collected from two groups: college students and public servants from three states. The student survey generated 119 responses, with 72 qualifying participants, while the public servant survey yielded 30 responses. …

Perceptions And Experiences Of Federal Employees Following The Dissolution Of Deia Initiatives, Angela Silva

Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies

The federal government faces the ongoing challenge of sustaining a workforce that represents the diversity of the American public while navigating through policy changes that eliminated diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. The federal government is public serving and is one of the largest employers in the United States. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of government employees navigating the termination of all diversity and inclusion programs through the lens of the antecedents and outcomes of inclusions model, which showed that inclusive leadership, climate and practices contribute to positive employee and organizational …

Competition As A Solution To High Prices And Low Capacity In U.S. Healthcare: A Synthetic Control Analysis Of Certificate Of Need Repeal As A Lever For Hospital Market Reform, Eve Velasquez, Wyatt Greco

School of Public Policy Capstones

The U.S. healthcare system faces dual challenges: rising hospital prices and declining capacity. Between 2000 and 2024, average hospital expenses per adjusted inpatient day increased from approximately $1,000 to over $3,000, while hospital beds per capita declined from 3.11 to 2.45. This capstone evaluates three policy alternatives to address affordability and accessibility: restrictions on most-favored nation clauses in insurance-provider contracts, elimination of federal tax exemptions on employer-sponsored health insurance, and repeal of certificate of need (CON) laws. Through a comprehensive literature review and a synthetic control analysis of Indiana's 2019 nursing home CON reinstatement, we assess the empirical effects on …

Risk To Resilience: A Wildland Fire Preparedness And Mitigation Grant Proposal, Jacob Davis

ATU Scholars Symposium

Data shows that Teton County, Wyoming faces an escalating wildfire risk driven by drought, climate variability, and continued expansion of wildland-urban interface (WUI) adjacent to the Bridger-Teton National Forest and Grand Teton National Park. Although the county is predominantly federally managed land, residential communities, tourism infrastructure, and critical services remain constantly vulnerable to rapid fire spread and constrained initial attack capacity. This study investigates the research question: How can implementation of the Department of Interior (DOI), Office of Wildland Fire (OWF) Slip-On Tanker Units Grant enhance wildfire preparedness, operational response capability, and mitigation effectiveness in Teton County.

A mixed-methods design …

Goals And Budgets: An Exploratory Study Of Sequencing In Budget Simulation Engagement, Frankline Muthomi

Public Administration Faculty Publications and Presentations

Purpose:

The purpose of this study is to examine how the sequencing of budget simulations influences the alignment between priority goals and budgetary decisions. Drawing on behavioral perspectives, the study posits that two simulation sequences—goal setting to budgeting (default) and budgeting to goal setting (alternative)—shape individuals' budgetary responses, particularly the proximity between a program's total cost and the corresponding budgetary allocations. Design/methodology/approach This study employs a quasi-experimental research design using Balancing Act modules that enable participants to articulate their priority goals and corresponding resource allocations. Adult Americans (aged 18 and above) were recruited through an online crowdsourcing platform and randomly …

1st Place Research Paper: "Gaps In The Academy: Evaluating Pre-Service Criminal Justice Training For Interactions With Vulnerable Populations", Rowan Eiselman

Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize

This research investigates pre-service training for law enforcement officers (LEOs), specifically examining how current educational practices prepare them to interact with vulnerable populations, including victims, suspects, and individuals in crisis. The quality of this training is critical, as it directly shapes officer behavior, decision-making, and ethical conduct in the field (Mier, 2018). Amid heightened public scrutiny of police practices and calls for reform, the effectiveness of law enforcement education has become a central concern.

The significance of this topic is underscored by extensive research on training methodologies such as procedural justice and de-escalation, which aim to improve police-community relations and …

Assessing Stakeholders’ Perceptions Of Organizational Effectiveness Through A Multidimensional Theoretical Model: An Interpretive Phenomenological Qualitative Case Study, Andrea M. Paul

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Nonprofit organizations play a fundamental role in meeting community needs when government resources are limited or nonexistent. For decades, scholars and practitioners have recognized the importance of nonprofit-government partnerships for effective public service delivery. This study examines faith-based organizations as a specific type of hybrid nonprofit organization. As social, economic, and environmental challenges intensify, the need for community-based programs led by faith-based organizations also increases. These organizations are working to combat several of society's wicked problems, including but not limited to homelessness, food insecurity, drug addiction, youth and family services, and climate change. Nonprofit sector performance measurement is often recognized …

Herding Cats: The Behavioral Foundations Of Successful Multi-Sector Partnerships, Paul B. Olsen

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Multi-sector partnerships (MSPs) are problem-solving groups composed of government agencies, nonprofit organizations, private firms, community groups, and individuals. These partnerships have often struggled to achieve consistent success, with performance rates estimated at 30%–50%, largely because MSPs are tailored to the specific interests, resources, and implementation contexts of the constellation of stakeholders involved in each project. This situation raised important questions regarding how MSP performance can be predicted and whether the likelihood of success can be enhanced during the early planning stages of partnership formation.

Social value orientation (SVO) is a behavioral public administration theory that may help explain variation in …

Social Capital As An Intervening Explanatory Mechanism Linking Socioeconomic Status And Deliberative Decision-Making In Citizen Advisory Boards In California Municipalities, Christopher Gerry

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

Citizen advisory boards (CABs) are widely used in local government as institutional mechanisms for participatory governance and public input. While these bodies are intended to promote inclusive and deliberative decision-making, persistent socioeconomic inequalities raise concerns about whether CABs mitigate or reproduce disparities in participation and influence. This dissertation examines how socioeconomic status (SES) shapes deliberative decision-making within CABs and whether this relationship operates indirectly through board-level social capital.

Integrating perspectives from participatory governance, deliberative democracy, and social capital theory, the study conceptualizes deliberative decision-making as a collective, board-level process shaped by relational and institutional dynamics rather than individual attributes alone. …

Empowering Change: Building Environmental Sustainability Initiatives And Becoming A Sustainability Champion, Amanda C. Karls

School of Public Service Theses & Dissertations

In an era marked by escalating environmental challenges and an urgent need for sustainable development, higher education institutions (HEIs) are increasingly positioned as critical actors in advancing sustainability within the communities they serve. Regional comprehensive universities (RCUs), in particular, occupy a distinctive position as access‑oriented, community‑embedded public institutions; yet sustainability efforts at these institutions often unfold under conditions of limited resources, diffuse responsibility, and informal governance. This dissertation examines how individual actors at RCUs effectively advance environmental sustainability initiatives in the absence of centralized infrastructure or formal authority.

Guided by the overarching research question—How can individual actors at regional comprehensive …

The Roles Of The Human Resources Management Director And Their Impact On Entrepreneurial Training:An Analytical Study At The Ministry Of Labor And Social Affairs, Ali Abd Al-Salam Abd Al-Daem

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

The research problem lies in the weak level of entrepreneurial training in Iraqi ministries despite the importance of the strategic roles of human resources management. The research gap is represented by the scarcity of empirical studies that measure the relative impact of the roles of the HR manager (according to Ulrich’s model) in activating entrepreneurial training within the Iraqi public sector environment. Accordingly, this study aims to analyze the relationship between the roles of the Human Resources Management Director—as a strategic partner, administrative expert, developmental supporter, and change agent—and their impact on activating entrepreneurial training at the Ministry of Labor …

The Economic Impacts Of Climate Change And External Shocks On Tourism Demand In The Kurdistan Region Of Iraq: Econometric Modeling For The Period (2007–2023), Asst. Prof. Dr. Khadeeja Qader Same, Asst. Prof. Dr. Aswad Qadir Ahmed

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

This study aims to Analysis of the Economic Impacts of Climate Change and External Shocks on Tourism Demand in the Kurdistan Region for the Period (2007-2023), utilizing a rigorous econometric methodology that includes unit root tests, Granger causality, and the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to verify long-term equilibrium relationships through the Bounds Test. The results revealed a “developmental paradox,” where tourism demand grows annually by 18.51% despite a steady rise in temperatures, a decline in rainfall by approximately 3.15 mm per year, and an increase in dust storms. The econometric modeling proved that every unit increase in temperature inflicts …

The Impact Of Green Lean Manufacturing On Sustainability Dimensions: An Analytical Study Of Opinions A Sample Of Employees At The National Home Furniture Manufacturing Company, Rana Salim Mataab

Muthanna Journal of Administrative and Economics Sciences

This study aims to determine the extent of the association and impact of green lean manufacturing practices on the dimensions of sustainability (economic, social, and environmental) from the point of view of individuals working in national companies for the manufacture of home furniture. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire was designed according to a five-point Likert scale. In July 2024, using the cross-sectional studies approach, (213) responses that could be analyzed statistically were collected from the study sample. These data were analyzed using two software packages: (AMOSv24) and (SPSSv26). The results indicate that green lean manufacturing practices are associated with …