POLS7160 Theories of Public Administration

Name: Chan Chun Sum Brian 23466987

CRITICAL REVIEWS

ARTICLE TITLE: Evacuation behavior of households facing compound hurricane-pandemic threats

AUTHORS: Juita-Elena (Wie) Yusuf, Jennifer L. Whytlaw, Nicole Hutton, Taiwo Olanrewaju-Lasisi, Bridget

Giles, Kaleen Lawsure, Joshua Behr, Rafael Diaz & George McLeod

JOURNAL: Public Administration Review

KEYWORDS: Covid 19 pandemic, hurricane evacuation, disproportionate vulnerabilities, social equity,

evacuation behaviour

FULL REFERENCE (APA): Yusuf, J. E., Whytlaw, J. L., Hutton, N., Olanrewaju‐Lasisi, T., Giles, B.,

Lawsure, K., Behr, J., Diaz, R. & McLeod, G. (2023). Evacuation behavior of households facing compound

hurricane‐pandemic threats. Public Administration Review, 83(5), 1186-1201.

Summary

The study was to discover household evacuation behaviour under the situation of both hurricane and covid 19

threats. Research study mainly focused on high- and low-income household resources access equity which

implied emergency management. Behavioural public policy and social equity theories were used. Stratified

survey included pre-screened telephone which contained web-based survey supplement used in the research.

Findings showed 49% at risk region households and 51% staying in the region households evacuated away

during hurricane. Households respond to both covid and hurricane risk while some households with greater

covid 19 exposures would more likely evacuate. Resources limitation also regarded as barriers for household to

evacuate under emergency.

Review

This study mainly focused on emergency response towards hurricane and Covid 19. Authors used different

approaches in the article, such as behavioural public policy approach, covid 19 pandemic risk proximity,

impediments to evacuate and considerations of social equity to test different low- and high-income households'

evacuation from hurricane. Authors stated behavioural public policy approach was important to demonstrate

policy design for evacuation and implementation considerations. Both covid 19 and hurricane threatened to

policymakers on actions for hurricane evacuation. It also significant that low-income households with limited
resources had difficulties to evacuate both covid 19 and hurricane threats since those households faced

economic stress on shutdown of business, unemployment, income decline and insecure job, which there was

unequal disaster response for low- and high-income households. Therefore, this study was significant to address

marginalized households' challenges on hurricane and covid 19 evacuation, which also reflected on equity of

resources in emergency policy. This study research questions mainly focused on factors that associated to

evacuation behaviour of different households during hurricane and covid 19 threats, also the social equity

implications to emergency management policies and practices to support evacuate and sheltering.

Quantitative methods were used to support the study main arguments. Survey was developed from experts in

Virginia Department of Emergency Management and Virginia Health Equity Working Group. It was randomly

stratified and used a pre-screen telephone sample supplemented with online-based survey. The survey was

conducted in September and October 2020 at coastal Virginia region of Hampton Roads in US. Data was

analysed by descriptive analysis in SPSS, which logistic regression model was used to examine factors which

contributed to evacuation behaviour of different households. As the targeted groups of the study were low-

income households, who's lived reside of coastal region in Virginia, it was reasonable that authors used

descriptive analysis for less time-consuming to generate research results.

Under the survey research, sample of 2200 households contributed to the study by landline telephone (31.7%),

mobile telephone (54.1%) and web responses (14.1%) respectively. 69.1% of household size was 2 to 4

persons. 71.6% of households didn’t have children. 47.2% of households' income was less than $65,000. For

hurricane and covid 19 risk vulnerabilities, which was measured by covid 19 propinquity, 38.5% of households

reported low covid 19 propinquities, while 31.2% and 24.6% of households reported medium and high covid 19

propinquities respectively. For results of impediments for evacuation, 82% of households reported enough

monetary support for the evacuation outside the region. To study covid 19 related impacts towards resources

base, 31% of households responded to the difficulties on rent or mortgage payment due to the hurricane. Under

logit regression results stated in the article, Authors stated two limitations of the study as the prospective nature

to the questions which located in the stated preferences survey. As the survey conducted in the period of

hurricane season, posed questions didn’t reference to the name of hurricane if the heightened awareness of

storm risk existed. Author also noted the study mainly focused on evacuation of households lived in at-risk

region rather than within-region, in which households evacuated from high storm risk to low storm risk regions.
Throughout the geographical context, as the study conducted in the coastal region of Virginia, in which

generalization of households' evacuation behaviour from different regions in the US, such as Gulf Coast and

Puerto Rico, those hurricane frequent experienced regions were excluded in the study. The study had the policy

implications on the joint consideration of emergency management and social equity in post-pandemic period as

developing evacuation and other policy decisions across different vulnerable households was important to

ensure equity in responding disasters. The findings in the study also implicated policies, processes and practices

on the incorporation vulnerabilities and equity of planning and operating emergency management, which was

expansion and targeted population protection. Nevertheless, it also pointed out future research study towards

compound threats may start with conceptual development towards identification on different vulnerability

dimensions, definition and how overlap or interconnect towards antecedent and subsequent behaviour of

vulnerability on compound hazards.

Critical Contributions

Diaz et al. (2023) also cited this article in the research. It contributed to examine impact of Covid 19 and

hurricane towards vulnerable household evacuation behaviour throughout the case study of US Hampton

Roads. Evacuation decision making survey, which was non-experimental survey was used and data were

analysed throughout SPSS in Diaz et al. (2023) research respectively. Result discussed vulnerable households'

evacuation behaviour outcomes could be helpful for understanding different factors affect household evacuation

behaviour decision on future study.

Critics

This article was significant to discuss vulnerable household evacuation behaviour during hurricane season and

Covid 19 existence as resources limitation was important barrier for vulnerable household evacuate. It was also

provided implications towards emergency management on both hurricane and Covid 19 situation, in which

policymaker should be aware on emergency management towards Covid 19 pandemic and hurricane threats.

Relevant Research/References

Diaz, R., Acero, B., Behr, J. G., & Hutton, N. S. (2023). Impacts of Household Vulnerability on Hurricane

Logistics Evacuation Under COVID-19: The Case of US Hampton Roads. Transportation Research

Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 176, 103179.

CRITICAL REVIEWS
ARTICLE TITLE: Public health care innovation lab tackling the barriers of public sector innovation

AUTHORS: Hannu Torvinen and Kaisu Jansson

JOURNAL: Public Management Review

KEYWORDS: Public sector innovation laboratory; innovation barriers; public-private innovation; collaborative

innovation; health care innovation

FULL REFERENCE (APA): Torvinen, H., & Jansson, K. (2022). Public health care innovation lab tackling the

barriers of public sector innovation. Public Management Review, 1-23.

Summary

The study was to provide case study of Finland healthcare system for exploratory purpose towards public sector

innovation laboratory and its challenges to public healthcare. Authors stated literature review was based on

public management and healthcare barriers context. Public sector innovation barriers, resources competition

and bureaucracy were main theories that stated in the literature review. This study used qualitative research

method, which was in-depth interview to examine the phenomenon. Findings drew from the interview showed

that public healthcare services were limited based on bureaucracy and complexity.

Review

This study was significant for addressing public sector healthcare spending as there were debates on whether

spending raised consequence on market shock, liked Covid 19 pandemic crisis. Authors stated debates on

public sector specific view towards contribution and enhancement of collaborative innovation. Public sector

innovation barriers were changed across time as it was categorized on both internal and external comparison. In

addition, although technology advancement took place for public healthcare transformation, it still provided

challenges on separation of services delivery. Nevertheless, resources and competences limitation and

bureaucracy also as important barriers towards public sector innovation since resources shortages showed poor

management process, also reflected the bureaucratic barriers in public healthcare system, in which negatively

affected innovation policies in different dimension levels, such as local, national and international level, or even

related to patient safety and privacy protection. Complexity of politicians and policymakers also played critical

role in explaining political barriers in public healthcare system since politicians were elected and without

support could lead to decision making process became rigorous.

Qualitative method was used in the study for supporting their arguments. Authors conducted in-depth and semi-

structured interviews with 29 respondents, included Finland hospital district laboratory manager, company

partners and other stakeholders that contributed to local innovation ecosystem, such as university director,

ecosystem manager, technology specialist and entrepreneurs. Interviews were grouped by one to three teams of

university research, in which interviews were widely focused on transformation of public healthcare system and

reasons towards establishment of case innovation laboratory. The duration of interviews was between 35 to 153

minutes, in which they were audio-recorded and transcribed verbally for analysis. It was reasonable for authors

to conduct interview with different respondents since empirical analysis used abductive approach to illustrate

public hospital innovation barriers and negative impacts of cases towards laboratory barriers.

Qualitative findings in the study reflected the complexity of communication that from divergent perspectives

and institutional cultures in hospitals since one of respondents, medical director in the hospital district stated

each region of university hospitals had individual objectives and duties, which basic municipal healthcare

services also had decision-makers and interests. Public and private partnership in hospital perspectives reflected

insufficient personal relationships and contacts towards public healthcare. Risk aversity barrier often related to

bureaucracy as hospitals in Finland affected from environmental pressures, such as to ensure sufficient

healthcare services and patient rights protection, in which legal consequences risk was still existed.

Nevertheless, resources limitation in public hospitals negatively affected implementation of innovations as

organizational structures were significant to affect motivation of collaboration with different stakeholders.

Result determined that laboratory didn’t have regulatory and decision-making issues that related to high

independent level in hospital. The study didn’t state limitations but contributed to policy implications as the

study focused on autonomous entity towards hospital, in which different concerns of professionals' education

and interaction enhancement could apply to public organizations throughout non-establishment of innovation

units' separation. Policy was suggested that involvement and establishment of supporting networks on lab

objectives. The study findings contributed towards effectiveness of laboratory in public healthcare sectors on

frontline organizations motivation and networks involvement to formation and future collaborations. Also, it

showed the indictment of innovation labs rather than public organizations capacity improvement.

Critical Contributions
There were 14 articles that cited this study in the Google scholar, such as Barsei (2022), Boland (2022),

Burgers et al. (2022) and Yuan (2022), etc. Different scholars cited this study and continue in exploring the

public innovation lab, digital transformation in healthcare and innovation governance capacity towards local

government respectively. Therefore, Torvinen & Jansson (2022) research contributed on explaining public

healthcare services problems and bureaucracy, which provided insights for other scholars continue cite the

study for innovation lab case study.

Critics

This article was significant to address bureaucratic problem and resources limitation in public healthcare sector

in Finland since different debates on public healthcare sector were argued in the society. Many stakeholders

reflected the phenomenon deepen bureaucratic problem led to negative impact towards public healthcare

system in the study. Therefore, it provided policymaker awareness of improvement towards public healthcare

services.

Relevant Research/References

Ahad, M. P. Y., & Barsei, A. N. (2023). Collaborative Governance Sistem Pemerintahan Berbasis Elektronik:

Best Practice dari Pemerintah Daerah di Indonesia: COLLABORATIVE GOVERNANCE IN THE

IMPLEMENTATION OF ELECTRONIC-BASED GOVERNANCE SYSTEMS: BEST PRACTICES

FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN EASTERN INDONESIA. Jurnal Transformasi Administrasi,

13(01), 52-74.

Barsei, A. N. (2022). Faktor-Faktor Pendorong dan Penghambat Implementasi Inovasi Sektor Publik di Kota

Padang Panjang. Jurnal Ilmu Administrasi Negara (JUAN), 10(02), 42-58.

Boland, H. G. (2022). Op zoek naar de X factor van medewerker gedreven innovatie: een kwalitatief onderzoek

naar de bijdrage van een innovatielab op medewerker gedreven innovatie in ziekenhuizen (Bachelor's

thesis, University of Twente).

Broekema, P. M., Bulder, E. A., & Horlings, L. G. (2022). Same same, but different…? The emergence of

Public Sector Innovation Labs in theory and practice. Management & Marketing, 17(s1), 344-363.

Burgers, J. H., Arundel, A., & Casali, G. L. (2022). Effect of knowledge search depth, user co-creation and

moderating factors on the outcomes of service innovations by European public sector organizations.

Public Management Review, 1-24.

DE MELLO, A. C. L., MENEGHATTI, M. R., & DAL VESCO, D. G. A relação entre competências

individuais e as competências essenciais da organização: uma reflexão sobre os estudos do tema.

Dockx, E., & Verhoest, K. (2023). Dissecting the organization matters: Gauging the effect of unit-level and

organization-level factors on perceived innovation outcomes. Public Policy and Administration,

09520767231193605.

Kauppi, K., & Taponen, S. (2022). Collaborators, supplementers, purchasers and privatizers-profiling the

social and health care delivery forms of finnish municipalities through cluster analysis. Public

Management Review, 1-24.

Kurtmollaiev, S., Pedersen, P. E., & Lie, T. (2023). A bird in the hand: empirically grounded archetypes of

collaborative innovation in the public sector. Public Management Review, 1-33.

Perez Mengual, M., Danzinger, F., & Roth, A. (2023). Physical interaction platforms: A taxonomy of spaces for

interactive value creation. Creativity and Innovation Management. 1-12.

Santarsiero, F., Schiuma, G., Carlucci, D., & Helander, N. (2023). Digital transformation in healthcare

organisations: The role of innovation labs. Technovation, 122, 102640.

Scarmoncin, A., Portelli, C., Osorio, F., & Eckerlein, G. (2022, June). Unfolding innovation lab services in

public hospitals: a hospital FabLab case study. In 2022 IEEE 28th International Conference on

Engineering, Technology and Innovation (ICE/ITMC) & 31st International Association For

Management of Technology (IAMOT) Joint Conference (pp. 1-10). IEEE.

Van Dijck, C., & Steen, T. (2023). Collaborating for Innovation: A systematic review of the red tape effects at

play. International Journal of Public Administration, 46(14), 994-1005.

Yuan, Q. (2022). Innovation Capacity in Local Government Organizations: A Comparative Case Study of

Three Innovation Labs in the US. State University of New York at Albany.

CRITICAL REVIEWS

ARTICLE TITLE: Does Reducing Street-Level Bureaucrats’ Workload Enhance Equity in Program Access?

Evidence from Burdensome College Financial Aid Programs

AUTHORS: Elizabeth Bell, Katharine Meyer

JOURNAL: Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory

KEYWORDS: administrative burden, street-level bureaucrats' workload, intersectional approach

FULL REFERENCE (APA): Bell, E., & Meyer, K. (2023). Does Reducing Street-Level Bureaucrats’

Workload Enhance Equity in Program Access? Evidence from Burdensome College Financial Aid Programs.

Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 20(2023), 1-23.

Summary

This study was to investigate lowering school counsellor's workload affected low-income student accessibility

of two mean tested college financial aid programs throughout the dimensions of administrative burden, also

examined financial aid access due to the main barrier towards accessibility of college for low-income or even

racial youth minorities. Therefore, it raised research questions on whether reduction of school counsellor's

workload could affect accessibility for students to mean-tested financial aid, also analysed on workload impact

outcomes towards both low-income and racial youth minorities. The research based on the literature review

towards Lipsky (2010) street level bureaucracy theory. It used regression discontinuity design and event-study

analysis to test theoretical propositions, also drew from administrative data of Oklahoma State for higher

education. Result showed less than 450 students, 27% of 12th grader received Pell, in which there were 12.7%

of students below the threshold received scholarship.

Review

This study was significant in addressing the field of street-level bureaucracy as it referred Lipsky (2010) street-

level bureaucracy theory to determine street-level bureaucrats played as important role on empowerment

towards front-line policy implementation, resulted as difficult accessibility towards public services. Therefore,

it was significant to address frontline challenges on management strategies. Authors based on Lipsky (2010)

street-level bureaucracy theory, showed that street-level bureaucrats made engagement in practices that created

inequality in service access and success. There were three hypotheses tested in the article, which were increased

school counsellor number could positively affected proportion of each low-income and racial minority students

to receive burdensome mean-tested financial aid respectively, also reduction of counsellors' workload towards

low-income students would be concentrated throughout the years which followed expansions towards

administrative burden.

The study used regression discontinuity design and event-study analysis for supporting their arguments.

Authors provided several stages on the estimation processes, such as examination on school provided towards

hiring additional school counsellors in certain year and reduction form analysis gave estimation on school
enrolled more than 450 students made difference towards no explicit connection on school counsellors number.

To collect data for analysis, the researchers requested for between 2005 to 2006, also 2014 to 2015 academic

years student-level data from Oklahoma State Regent for Higher Education. Sample of the data was narrowed

down around 450 student's enrolment. In the main analysis, authors stated the research used +/-225 bandwidth

which included school enrolment on more than 225 and less than 675 students respectively. It was reasonable

for researchers' collected data throughout requesting student-level data from Oklahoma State Regent for Higher

Education due to high reliability for government or state data.

Throughout the data result, it showed examination of counsellors' demographic information difference towards

policy discontinuity, in which 99% of the respondents' educational level were master's degree, while 90% were

female. School above the state hired extra counsellors could spend less than 17% of duties and average hold

towards 0.36 school positions. Event study analysis result supported the third hypothesis in the study as it

reflected 32% of Pell receipt and 15% of promise receipt from counsellors' enrolment increase respectively,

summarized that raising counsellors' capacity could lead to the rise of accessibility towards Federal Pell Grant

and Oklahoma’s Promise for vulnerable students. Also, the findings pointed extra students received Pell in

different time could be higher when compared to different race or ethnicity students, such as white and

Hispanic, reduction form of 0.93 extra white Pell participants was higher than 0.54 extra Hispanic participants,

in which it showed the greater magnitude for Hispanic students. Findings determined post 2008 Promise was

larger increase relative, such as Hispanic student was 92.8% to 0.28 recipients below the threshold, while Black

and Native students were 181.8% and 67% to 0.22 and 0.88 recipients below the threshold respectively.

Estimation of hiring extra 0.15 to 0.19 school counsellors could be resulted as deduction of caseload towards 50

to 100 students. There were some limitations in the study, which were data that measured school level outcome

was mainly focused on counsellors' interaction in the individual level, also capture of consequential

downstream client outcome. Therefore, it made acknowledgement towards measuring unit in analysis and could

not be able to measure individual citizen-state interaction. Authors stated future study could combine data that

have full picture towards street-level bureaucrats' individual interactions and measure of downstream outcomes,

in which it could provide more detail in literature development for showing the causal mechanism that relied on

authors findings. Findings contributed to public administration research and theory as employment of

intersectional approach on measurement of program accessibility was significant, in which research focused on
marginalization and reduction of street-level bureaucrats’ workload could lead to disparity of vulnerable

groups. Also, throughout the measurement of downstream outcome, it contributed to casual impact analysis

towards policy change on marginalized group access, insighted on state preferences to street-level bureaucrats'

translation significantly. It was important for authors to test novel theoretical propositions towards potential

impacts on counsellors’ workload deduction, which based on administrative burden level. The study

contributed to evidence provision towards workload reduction for school counsellors in production of access

expansions for vulnerable groups in different time significantly.

Critical Contributions

There were no critical contributions on other scholars to cite in the field due to the new publish in 2023.

Critics

The study was significant to address street-level bureaucracy problem as case study of Oklahoma financial aid

program, it was argued towards inequality access for marginalized students to apply financial aid programs due

to the administrative burden of school counsellors. The study provided significant awareness on improvement

of public services based on the study results.

Relevant Research/References

None