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Title: A Baudrillardian examination of municipalities as public relations and marketing firms.
Creator: Zavattaro, Staci M., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: Local governments are adopting both the rhetoric and practices of market-based governance interventions. Imported into these cities are public relations and marketing tactics to sell cities to internal and external audiences alike. Public communication in these cities went from a public information focus hinging on a just-the-facts approach to a public relations and marketing focus on selling and image generation to please customers. Acute attention to image generation leads to the metaphor...
Show moreLocal governments are adopting both the rhetoric and practices of market-based governance interventions. Imported into these cities are public relations and marketing tactics to sell cities to internal and external audiences alike. Public communication in these cities went from a public information focus hinging on a just-the-facts approach to a public relations and marketing focus on selling and image generation to please customers. Acute attention to image generation leads to the metaphor of municipalities presented in this research - as public relations and marketing firms. Private sector public relations (PR) and marketing firms gain results for their clients, usually in the form of consumer consumption. A city acting as a public relations and marketing firm puts priority on the image-generation potentials of nearly all its governance functions to sell a commodity to customers. To illustrate this, a six-point model was devised of PR and marketing tactics used in cities operating as public relations and marketing firms: branding, media relations, in-house publications, use of volunteers and outside organizations as PR tools, aesthetic and affective appeal, and sustainability and going green. A city using all six is a fully realized PR and marketing firm, as it adopts, adapts and executes the tactics in meaningful ways. An over-reliance on image-generation (PR and marketing) versus substance (information) pushes public organizations through Baudrillard's four phases of the image. The image of the city becomes dissociated with reality, and the government operates in a simulation of itself. This research uses Qualitative Media Analysis (Altheide, 1996) supplemented by a discourse analysis method created for this research - Baudrillardian Discourse Analysis., Baudrillardian Discourse Analysis examines market-based, consumer-driven, postmodern language found in public organizations because of the governance changes mentioned earlier. Implications for public administration include: developing a model of organizations for other scholars to examine; introducing a discourse analysis method; and showing realizations of postmodern critiques and impacts of market models on cities.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/1927610
Subject Headings: Influence, City and town life, Social aspects, Sociology, Urban, Place marketing
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An Inquiry into Fire Service Consolidation and the Economies of Scale Debate: The Centralization Versus Decentralization Argument.
Creator: D’Angelo III, Salvatore A., Thai, Khi V., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: Addressing the current homeland security challenges requires scholars, practitioners, elected officials, and community partners working in unison to mitigate the hazards confronting first responders. Built on public choice theory, this research addressed a specific component of the emergency preparedness matrix: the most preferred fire service organizational design. The fire department organizational designs in this study included a Florida county, city, and independent special control fire...
Show moreAddressing the current homeland security challenges requires scholars, practitioners, elected officials, and community partners working in unison to mitigate the hazards confronting first responders. Built on public choice theory, this research addressed a specific component of the emergency preparedness matrix: the most preferred fire service organizational design. The fire department organizational designs in this study included a Florida county, city, and independent special control fire district (ISFCD) that serve residents on a full-time platform. The concurrent embedded methodology used attempted to unearth which organizational design achieves economies of scale based on quarterly emergency service calls: the centralized county model or the decentralized city/ISFCD models. This study was an inquiry into the centralization versus decentralization argument, with emphases on fire service scale economies and inter-local service agreements Using multiple linear regression modeling accompanied by face-to-face interviews with the respective fire chiefs, this research showed that the county and ISFCD achieve scale economies over 44 quarters, fiscal years 2004-2014. Moreover, the interviews uncovered that response times were the driving factor behind instituting voluntary inter-local service agreements between the three fire departments. Other positive benefits from the service agreements include an increase in personnel and scene safety, dispatch center protocol enhancements, multi-company/jurisdictional training, overtime savings on large-scale disaster incidents, and trust building. The implications of this research for the scholarly and practitioner community include a better understanding of the technical and allocative efficiencies within the fire service arena. Melding public choice theory with strands of inter-local service agreement literature provides policymakers and scholars with a template for uncovering the fire service production/provision narrative. Though the centralization-decentralization argument is not solved within the research scope presented, the future narrative as uncovered in the research requires a citizenry inclusion. The future public choice prescriptions regarding fire service consolidation requires not only statistical modeling, but a normative democratic ethos tone incorporating multiple stakeholders with the citizens’ concerns at the forefront.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004674, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004674
Subject Headings: Emergency management -- Decision making, Metropolitan government -- United States, Municipal services -- United States, Organizational effectiveness, Preparedness -- Government policy, Regional planning
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An inquiry into Scott's instituional theory.
Creator: Bright, Marcus, Miller, Hugh T., Florida Atlantic University, College of Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation evaluates the veracity of Richard Scott’s three pillars of institutionalization: regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive. The test of his theory is whether the processes and practices within the environments of the three pillars can account for differences between academic performance and athletic performance in Miami-Dade County, Florida public schools. Scott’s model of institutionalization works better in predicting academic success than it does athletic success in...
Show moreThis dissertation evaluates the veracity of Richard Scott’s three pillars of institutionalization: regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive. The test of his theory is whether the processes and practices within the environments of the three pillars can account for differences between academic performance and athletic performance in Miami-Dade County, Florida public schools. Scott’s model of institutionalization works better in predicting academic success than it does athletic success in the context of this study as evidenced by the majority of the findings coming from the scholastic realm. The primary methodological approach was to obtain publicly available measures of academic performance and resources for 31 high schools in Miami-Dade County, FL, and then evaluate relationships between these academic indicators and measures of 􀀃 􀀃school athletic performance. Pearson (parametric) and Spearman (non-parametric) correlation coefficients were calculated to estimate the strength of association between school characteristics and measures of academic and athletic performance. These analyses further informed the construction of stepwise multiple linear regression models that regressed the dependent variable (a measure of academic or athletic performance) with a range of possible independent variables all related to individual school characteristics. Improvement in the academic categories included in this dissertation (math, science, reading, and writing) has been the goal of a great deal of legislation that deals with education at the federal, state, and local level. The top indicator of a school’s academic performance was the number of highly qualified teachers within a school. Cultural-cognitive pillar indicators of socioeconomic status, including minority rate and percentage of students in a school who are eligible for free lunch, were negatively associated with academic performance. Thus, normative and cultural-cognitive processes can have a significant impact on whether laws and legislation have their intended effect. In the end, it is reasonable to conclude that all three pillars complement each other in interdependent ways within Scott’s institutional framework with different pillars taking prominence as time and circumstances change.
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Date Issued: 2014
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004085, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004085
Subject Headings: Organizational sociology, Sports -- Psychological aspects, Sports -- Sociological aspects
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An empirical analysis of factors influencing organizational cultural competence within emergency medical services systems.
Creator: Diggs, Schnequa, Thai, Khi V., Florida Atlantic University, College of Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation examines factors with influence on the organizational cultural competence of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) systems. The purpose of this study was to draw on theories of representative bureaucracy and transformational leadership to assess cultural competence in Emergency Medical Services systems from the perspective of EMS leadership, within careful consideration of the external environment in which EMS systems operate.
Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004439, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004439
Subject Headings: Emergency medical personnel -- Training of, Emergency medical services -- Management, Organizational effectiveness, Outcome assessment (Medical care), Transformational leadership
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: An empirical analysis of the roles assumed by public administrators: the case of public procurement specialists.
Creator: Roman, Alexandru V., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation examines administrative roles within the context of everyday public administration. Specifically, it studies the relationship between administrative roles assumed by public administrators and (1) the perceived presence of administrative discretion, (2) individual level beliefs regarding involvement in policy formulation and (3) tenure with organization. This dissertation has a three-fold purpose. First, it delineates the types of roles assumed by public procurement...
Show moreThis dissertation examines administrative roles within the context of everyday public administration. Specifically, it studies the relationship between administrative roles assumed by public administrators and (1) the perceived presence of administrative discretion, (2) individual level beliefs regarding involvement in policy formulation and (3) tenure with organization. This dissertation has a three-fold purpose. First, it delineates the types of roles assumed by public procurement specialists. Second, it tests whether administrative discretion, beliefs regarding participation in policy formulation and organizational tenure are significant in explaining the assumption of certain types of roles. Finally, the dissertation evaluates the implications for the public procurement process of the predominance of certain roles. vi The theoretical logic for this dissertation draws on the theory of representative bureaucracy and role theory. ... It is found that administrative discretion, individual expectations and organizational tenure are indeed important predictors of the assumption of administrative roles. Administrators who believe that they have access to relatively high levels of discretion and those who believe they should be involved in policy formulation are more likely to assume a representative type role. On the other hand, with increased tenure public administrators are less likely to assume a representative type role.
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Date Issued: 2013
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fcla/dt/3362569
Subject Headings: Public administration, Methodology, Transparency in government, Comparative government, Bureaucracy
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Charter School Closures in Florida, 2006-2016: A Population Ecology Perspective.
Creator: Jameson, Jorene, Nyhan, Ronald C., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: As part of the education reforms of the 1990s, charter schools were proposed as a private alternative to public education, offering parents and their children greater choices. Publicly financed but privately operated, charter schools have now grown in numbers and influence. While there are many studies of student outcomes in charter schools demonstrating mixed results, one negative outcome of charter schools has been less examined. Since inception, 23% of charter schools nationally have...
Show moreAs part of the education reforms of the 1990s, charter schools were proposed as a private alternative to public education, offering parents and their children greater choices. Publicly financed but privately operated, charter schools have now grown in numbers and influence. While there are many studies of student outcomes in charter schools demonstrating mixed results, one negative outcome of charter schools has been less examined. Since inception, 23% of charter schools nationally have closed and these closures are disruptive to parents, children, and their school districts. This paper addresses charter school closures from an organizational perspective. Applying theory from population ecology and resource dependency theory, the population of nonprofit charter schools is examined. What are the primary determinants of charter school success and failure? Florida, with the third highest number of charter schools nationally and, at the same time, the highest number of charter school closures in the United States, is a paradox. This study identifies the significant variables that are related to school survival and failure in the state of Florida over the years 2015-16 through 2015-16. Variables tested in this study, using Survival Analysis (SA), include age, management structure, size, school performance, grants, and density. All variables except density at founding were significant in explaining the unique variance in survival rates among charters. Charter schools sub-contracted by for-profit educational management organizations (EMOs) were larger, achieved higher grades, secured more grants and achieved higher survival rates than their counterpart nonprofit, independent, and charter management organization (CMO) led schools. These results contribute to our understanding of charter school survival and failure, thereby informing public policy options to strengthen the charter school population and the nation’s public education system overall.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004982, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004972
Subject Headings: Dissertations, Academic -- Florida Atlantic University, Charter schools--Florida., Population ecology., Public policy.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Collaborative governance and the implementation of the Ryan White CARE Act: a case study of HIV health services planning councils in two South Florida counties.
Creator: Agbodzakey, James K., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: The complex problems of the twenty-first century cannot be effectively addressed with twentieth century top-down bureaucratic governance alone because of limited stakeholder participation in collective decision making and/or implementation. The somewhat limited stakeholder participation in the policy process, especially, that of target populations, can impact generating viable solutions to complex problems. Collaborative governance has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional...
Show moreThe complex problems of the twenty-first century cannot be effectively addressed with twentieth century top-down bureaucratic governance alone because of limited stakeholder participation in collective decision making and/or implementation. The somewhat limited stakeholder participation in the policy process, especially, that of target populations, can impact generating viable solutions to complex problems. Collaborative governance has emerged as a promising alternative to traditional management in addressing contemporary complex problems. Collaborative governance is thus a type of governance that promotes joint participation of state and non-state stakeholders in decision making and/or implementation by using agreed upon processes of engagement to collectively address problems. Such governance is especially beneficial for addressing the challenges posed by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). This dissertation uses the collaborative governance concept to explicate the efforts of HIV Health Services Planning Councils in Broward County and Palm Beach County of South Florida with the purpose of accentuating how collaborative governance works in providing various categories of services to meet the needs of people with AIDS (PWAs), as part of the implementation of the Ryan White CARE Act. The study focuses on critical variables of collaborative governance such as facilitative leadership and institutional design, the collaborative process variables such as trust building, commitment to the process and shared understanding, and outputs such as allocation priorities of the Councils. This study employed mixed methods in collecting data from various relevant sources., The combined findings from surveys, interviews, observations and document reviews were essential to knowledge and understanding of collaborative governance of the respective Councils. The results revealed more similarities than differences between the Councils in their efforts towards addressing the HIV/AIDS problem. The Councils are similar in all variables of collaborative governance with few exceptions relative to facilitative leadership and institutional design. The differences were relative to membership, number of committees, amount allocated for various service categories and number of clients served. Furthermore, the Councils were slightly different in reaching consensus on subjects of deliberation. On the average, Palm Beach County's Council make decisions by consensus relatively easily when compared with the Broward County's Council. Nonetheless, both Councils are consensus-oriented and strive to make decision by consensus as evidenced by unanimous votes or simple majority votes on various subjects of deliberation. In addition, representation and participation of target populations in collaborative governance have contributed to the empowerment of those target populations. The study contributes to the literature by developing a conceptual model for HIV/AIDS collaborative governance for producing outputs to help meet needs of target populations. Also, the study contributes to collaborative governance theorizing by drawing a nexus between variables of collaborative governance and by complementing the existing non-linear perspective of collaborative process for collective problem solving. Collaborative governance involving state and non-state stakeholders thereby enhances efforts of public managers by harnessing resources to effectively manage and/or address complex problems for the benefit of society.
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Date Issued: 2009
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/368614
Subject Headings: HIV infections, Government policy, AIDS (Disease), Patients, Services for, Public-private sector cooperation, Public administration, Decision making
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Critical Sexual Theory and Postcolonial Studies: Assessing Disability Policies and Narratives of Women with Disabilities in Nepal.
Creator: Acharya, Tulasi, Sementelli, Arthur, Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation explored the lives of women with disabilities who have to suffer more than men with disabilities despite prevailing disability policies in Nepal that emphasize nondiscrimination against people with disabilities. The study explored the idea that there are policy gaps between disability policies and the narratives of women with disabilities. This dissertation used critical sexual theory and postcolonialism as critical frameworks and narrative analysis as a method to analyze...
Show moreThis dissertation explored the lives of women with disabilities who have to suffer more than men with disabilities despite prevailing disability policies in Nepal that emphasize nondiscrimination against people with disabilities. The study explored the idea that there are policy gaps between disability policies and the narratives of women with disabilities. This dissertation used critical sexual theory and postcolonialism as critical frameworks and narrative analysis as a method to analyze the disability policies and narratives of women with disabilities to explore policy gaps and the need for supportive gender policies. The researcher analyzed the literary works of five female Nepali authors with disabilities: Radhika Dahal, Jhamak Ghimire, Sabitri Karki, Parijaat, and Mira Sahi, in Nepal. With the support of NVivo qualitative research software, and the use of the frameworks and methodology, the researcher discovered the policy gaps and underscored the need for supportive gender policies to address the emotional and psychological needs of women with disabilities.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013179
Subject Headings: Nepal, Women with disabilities, Disabilities--Government policy, Narratives
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Cultural Competence: An Interpretive Analysis for Cultural Competence of Federal Departments’ Strategic Plans.
Creator: Sweeting, Karen D., Sapat, Alka K., Florida Atlantic University, School of Public Administration, Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters
Abstract/Description: The history of the United States is rooted in differences and actions that has culminated in the current reality of culturally incompetent behaviors with a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion prevailing in organizations and society. Through a cultural competence conceptual framework, this research highlighted an action-oriented approach for organizations seeking to engage in efforts to support and integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion. To conduct this research, I developed a...
Show moreThe history of the United States is rooted in differences and actions that has culminated in the current reality of culturally incompetent behaviors with a lack of diversity, equity, and inclusion prevailing in organizations and society. Through a cultural competence conceptual framework, this research highlighted an action-oriented approach for organizations seeking to engage in efforts to support and integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion. To conduct this research, I developed a cultural competence conceptual framework with eight types of initiatives derived from the scholarly literature on diversity, equity, inclusion, and cultural competence. The types of initiatives point to organizational efforts to engage in developmental and action-oriented strategies that: facilitate leadership engagement, sensitivity, and responsiveness to diversity, equity, and inclusion; specify strategic and operational goals; incorporate cultural awareness and sensitivity in policies, practices, programs, and procedures; integrate diversity, equity, and inclusion into human resource management to build a diverse and representative workforce; cultivate a supportive, inclusive, and equitable organizational culture/climate; reinforce and sustain a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion; employ sensitive and inclusive communications; and implement targeted training and professional development on diversity, equity, and inclusion. The cultural competence framework presented ways for organizations to actively engage in setting action-oriented goals targeting ingrained, systemic, and institutionalized disparities.
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Date Issued: 2020
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013600
Subject Headings: Cultural competence, Equity, Diversity in the workplace
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Democratic accountability for outsourced government services.
Creator: Keeler, Rebecca L., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: Public administration scholars have raised serious concerns about loss of democratic accountability when government services are outsourced to private forprofit businesses because of the very different values and missions of the two sectors. Particular concern for democratic accountability arises when administrative discretion is delegated to governments' private sector agents. Furthermore, if contractors may adversely impact individual rights or interests, or may adversely impact vulnerable...
Show morePublic administration scholars have raised serious concerns about loss of democratic accountability when government services are outsourced to private forprofit businesses because of the very different values and missions of the two sectors. Particular concern for democratic accountability arises when administrative discretion is delegated to governments' private sector agents. Furthermore, if contractors may adversely impact individual rights or interests, or may adversely impact vulnerable populations, special democratic responsibilities arise. It is these three features of outsourcing transactions that constitute the elements of the proposed framework used in this research in order to assess need for heightened attention to democratic accountability. Some scholars argue for application of constitutional and administrative law norms to some government contractors., Public service ethics and transparency requirements found in administrative law are heavily value-laden and mission-driven. If applied to certain government contractors, they can help to bridge the sectors' mission and value differences, thus enhancing democratic accountability for the services performed by governments' private sector agents. This research offers an analytical framework for identifying features of outsourcing transactions that call for enhanced democratic accountability measures such as ethics and transparency requirements, and explores the application of ethics and transparency requirements to governments' contractors. Contracts and laws governing three Florida local government service categories were subjected to close systematic textual and legal analysis: residential trash collection, building code inspection, and inmate health care., The analysis revealed circumstances calling for greater attention to democratic accountability in that the selected outsourcing transactions delegated to contractors the authority to exercise police power, make public policy, and commit expenditures of public funds. Contracts and laws haphazardly required contractors to abide by public service ethics and transparency requirements, thus beginning to adapt the mission and value system of their private sector agents to those of government.
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Date Issued: 2010
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/1927311
Subject Headings: Contracting out, Privatization, Public administration, Decision making, Public contracts, Management
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Does Public Service Ethics Education Include Gender Equity? An Exploration of Gender Inclusion in MPA Ethics Syllabi.
Creator: Evans, Michelle D, Patterson, Patricia M., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: Public administration emphasizes the importance of diversity (Rice, 2004), representation (Selden & Selden, 2002), ethics, and professionalism, to ensure fairness and equity for all citizens (American Society for Public Administration, 2013a; Cooper, 2012). Research has shown a link between the teaching of ethics and values in leadership courses, and the establishment of consensus for espoused social norms and standards of practice (Begley & Stefkovich, 2007). Through the discourse within...
Show morePublic administration emphasizes the importance of diversity (Rice, 2004), representation (Selden & Selden, 2002), ethics, and professionalism, to ensure fairness and equity for all citizens (American Society for Public Administration, 2013a; Cooper, 2012). Research has shown a link between the teaching of ethics and values in leadership courses, and the establishment of consensus for espoused social norms and standards of practice (Begley & Stefkovich, 2007). Through the discourse within classrooms, and the scholarship of public administration, we create and advance the boundaries of social consensus in areas such as diversity (Hewins-Maroney & Williams, 2007; National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, 2014a). MPA ethics courses are perfectly situated to espouse and reinforce public service diversity values and educate future public servants. This dissertation uses ethnographic content analysis (ECA) of 48 syllabi from 40 NASPAA accredited universities in the United States (U.S.) dated 2012-2014, to interpret how, or whether, Master of Public Administration (MPA) education addresses or contributes to gender inclusion. The analysis uses feminist theories to reveal if, and to what extent, gender, diversity, and social equity topics have been incorporated into master's level graduate public administration ethics courses, through an examination of ethics course syllabi. This research shows that gender is incorporated into MPA ethics syllabi directly through the gender of professors, authors of course materials, discussion topics, and gendered language. Gender is also demonstrated in the syllabi through images and sub-textual tones that express social norms for gender roles. Gender inclusion is addressed indirectly in the syllabi through course policies and pedagogical choices designed to increase opportunities for participation by students of both genders. Ethnographic content analysis across various stages of this interpretive research study led to the creation of a four-part Gender Inclusion Model. Each tier of this model is made up of inclusion markers influenced by themes in feminist pedagogical literature. The Gender Inclusion Model can be used for future research to examine whether, or how, minorities and diversity are incorporated into higher education curricula. The research compiles a list of best practices, along with a mock syllabus, guided by recommendations from feminist literature.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004496, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004496
Subject Headings: Public administration--Moral and ethical aspects., Education, Higher--Moral and ethical aspects., Civil service ethics., Political ethics--Study and teaching (Higher), Professional ethics--Study and teaching (Higher), Women in public life., Women in the civil service.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Florida University Faculty Compensation: Market Competitive or Not?.
Creator: Ford, Lori Allen, McCue, Clifford P., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: The most important asset of any organization is its people (Danish & Usman, 2010). Whatever the market segment, they are the driving force behind creating and delivering on the organization’s strategic and financial objectives. The ability to attract, retain and motivate the necessary workforce, through use of financial rewards, is a main determinant in the degree to which these objectives are met (Fong & Tosi, 2007; Gomez- Mejia & Balkin, 1992b; Newman, Gerhart, & Milkovich, 2016). While...
Show moreThe most important asset of any organization is its people (Danish & Usman, 2010). Whatever the market segment, they are the driving force behind creating and delivering on the organization’s strategic and financial objectives. The ability to attract, retain and motivate the necessary workforce, through use of financial rewards, is a main determinant in the degree to which these objectives are met (Fong & Tosi, 2007; Gomez- Mejia & Balkin, 1992b; Newman, Gerhart, & Milkovich, 2016). While there are many approaches to pay strategy, a key aspect, and the focus of this dissertation, is the market positioning of cash compensation. Specifically examined was the stated policy narrative of market positioning compared to actual pay practice. While compensation practices in the private sector have received significant research attention, much less focus has been given to pay in academia. This work seeks to address this apparent gap and extend our knowledge in this area. Utilizing faculty pay at Florida’s ten major public universities, this dissertation analyzes consistency between the narrative and practice at the levels of university, department, rank, size and region. The findings demonstrated a significant difference between pay and university but inconsistencies across all levels with the stated narrative. Additionally, the results indicate a widening gap between actual pay and the market average between the 2005- 2006 academic year to present.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004749, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004749
Subject Headings: Universities and colleges--Faculty--Salaries, etc.--Florida., Universities and colleges--Florida--Administration., State universities and colleges--Faculty--Salaries, etc.--Florida., State universities and colleges--Florida--Appropriations and expenditures., College teachers--Salaries, etc.--Florida., Wages--College employees--Florida.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Epistemology and networked governance: an actor-network approach to network governance.
Creator: O’Brien, Mariana G., Miller, Hugh T., Florida Atlantic University, College of Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation suggests that network governance theory may have reached an impasse, and in order to pursue its advance, new methods need to be used. It tests the viability of actor-network theory on providing new insights on network governance, which could contribute to the strengthening of network governance theory. The author suggests that actor-network theory may offer both an epistemology and ontology that intents to not impose current definitions and divisions of traditional social...
Show moreThis dissertation suggests that network governance theory may have reached an impasse, and in order to pursue its advance, new methods need to be used. It tests the viability of actor-network theory on providing new insights on network governance, which could contribute to the strengthening of network governance theory. The author suggests that actor-network theory may offer both an epistemology and ontology that intents to not impose current definitions and divisions of traditional social science. By doing so, actor-network theory focuses on the performance of associations rather than on the traditional categories of structures, institutions, individuals or groups -- characteristic of most network governance studies.
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Date Issued: 2015
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004456
Subject Headings: Actor network theory, Policy networks, Public administration, Social groups, Social sciences -- Network analysis, Social structure
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Determinants Of Aid Effectiveness In Agriculture: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) In Haiti.
Creator: Pierre, Jean M., Sapat, Alka K., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: For years, scholars have investigated the effectiveness of aid dollars. Some scholars measure aid effectiveness at the country level in terms of achieving good governance, promoting democratic accountability, accomplishing growth goals, or attaining macroeconomic goals. This study looks at the aid flowing through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). It posits that effective aid consists of resources and processes that promote sustainability. It attempts to uncover the meaning of...
Show moreFor years, scholars have investigated the effectiveness of aid dollars. Some scholars measure aid effectiveness at the country level in terms of achieving good governance, promoting democratic accountability, accomplishing growth goals, or attaining macroeconomic goals. This study looks at the aid flowing through nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). It posits that effective aid consists of resources and processes that promote sustainability. It attempts to uncover the meaning of sustainability for the NGOs and recipients that are involved in agriculture while surveying how the aid process works. It looks at NGOs and recipients, resource flow, and activities, and sought to understand the elements that could render aid more or less effective in achieving sustainability in agricultural sectors. This study uses a qualitative case study research strategy that focused on developing theory/hypotheses grounded in the data and the literature (Agranoff, Radin, & Perry, 1991). This approach is adopted because (a) the meaning and promotion of sustainability is a complex topic, (b) aid effectiveness is a multi-faceted puzzle, (c) NGOs represent a diverse group, (d) the collaborative process is complicated, and (e) the context (Haiti) is a challenging place. It uses a data triangulation process (Denzin, 1989, 1997) by combining different types of data and sources (personal interviews, observations, and documentation) to arrive at a convergent understanding of the elements that are more or less likely to influence the NGO aid process in the promotion of sustainability in agriculture. This study finds that most NGOs and recipients focus on one or two dimensions of sustainability (economic or environmental); the social or cultural dimensions are somewhat neglected. I also find that funding and funding horizons are two of the major issues that impede the promotion of sustainability in addition to communication and collaboration in the design of the plans, execution, and follow-up. Recipient education, paternalistic attitude, and poverty levels also play a major role in promoting sustainability.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004757
Subject Headings: Economic development--Haiti., Non-governmental organizations., Humanitarian assistance--Haiti--History., Sustainable development--Haiti--History.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Gendered images of expertise, leadership and virture: applying Stivers' theoretical framework to police practices as represented in publications from 1979 to 2009.
Creator: Larson, Robin Lynn., College of Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: In this dissertation, a theoretical framework is developed from Camilla Stivers' (2002) argument that images of expertise, leadership and virtue are used to defend public administration's legitimacy in the face of criticisms about the inefficiencies of government and the power wielded by bureaucrats. Stivers argues that these legitimizing and traditional images have historical and cultural roots in ideas associated with masculinity, and that this harms women in the public sector. The realm of...
Show moreIn this dissertation, a theoretical framework is developed from Camilla Stivers' (2002) argument that images of expertise, leadership and virtue are used to defend public administration's legitimacy in the face of criticisms about the inefficiencies of government and the power wielded by bureaucrats. Stivers argues that these legitimizing and traditional images have historical and cultural roots in ideas associated with masculinity, and that this harms women in the public sector. The realm of policing faced similar criticisms and defended its legitimacy by altering practices, the day-to-day actions of police practitioners. The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the possibility that police practitioners have defended their legitimacy on the same basis as public administrators have done by offering images of expertise, leadership and virtue, which Stivers (2002) claims are deeply gendered. Using Ethnographic Content Analysis (ECA), imagery is qualitatively examined using using Stivers' (2002) descriptions of characteristics, qualitiers, values and actions that she associates with images of expertise, leadership and virtue... Masculine images of virtue portray the police as dedicated and committed professionals who protect the citizenry through laudable programs and initiatives. Masculine images of leadership are less prevalent, but consistently portray the police as controlling and direction-setting visionaries. Alternative imagery patterns include leadership images more aligned with femininity, such as collaboration and cooperation. Throughout the thirty-one years, these patterns of images are observed, despite differences in practices associated with the three paradigms of policing.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/FAU/3355628
Subject Headings: Leadership, Municipal government, Public administration, Progressivism (United States politics), Police administration, Criminal justice, Administration of
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Administrative Discretion in Public Policy Implementation: The Case of No Child Left Behind (NCLB).
Creator: Angervil, Gilvert, Thai, Khi V., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation analyzes administrative discretion in public policy implementation in application of a new framework of integrative approach to administrative discretion developed from deficiencies of the citizen participation, representative bureaucracy, and private-interest groups democracy frameworks. The new framework holds that public agencies use discretion to integrate in decision making views of elected authorities, private-interest groups, public-interest groups, and other groups...
Show moreThis dissertation analyzes administrative discretion in public policy implementation in application of a new framework of integrative approach to administrative discretion developed from deficiencies of the citizen participation, representative bureaucracy, and private-interest groups democracy frameworks. The new framework holds that public agencies use discretion to integrate in decision making views of elected authorities, private-interest groups, public-interest groups, and other groups that seek to influence implementation. The No Child Left Behind (NCLB) policy is used as the case study, and the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is the implementation setting. The dissertation answers the following question: How integrative of group views was DOE’s discretionary decision making in the implementation of NCLB? This research applies a structured content analysis method that consists of content analysis and a content analysis schedule (see Jauch, Osborn, & Martin, 1980). Using a Likert question, the dissertation developed six integration levels of DOE’s discretionary decision making from not at all integrative to extremely integrative and found that most decisions were very integrative.
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Date Issued: 2017
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004808, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004808
Subject Headings: United States.--No Child Left Behind Act of 2001., Education and state--United States--History--21st century., Administrative procedure., Administrative discretion., Public administration--Decision making., Educational accountability--Law and legislation--United States.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: IS IT WORKING? NARRATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON PERFORMANCE-BASED FUNDING POLICIES IN PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION.
Creator: Capp, James, Sapat, Alka, Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: Public higher education increasingly relies on performance-based funding (PBF) policies to enhance accountability. These policies attempt to steer institutions towards successful outcomes via performance indicators, such as graduation rates. Nationally, PBF policies continue to grow in popularity despite limited evidence that they are effective (Hillman, Tandberg, and Gross, 2014). Motivated by the apparent conflict between the widespread adoption of PBF policies and the lack of evidence that...
Show morePublic higher education increasingly relies on performance-based funding (PBF) policies to enhance accountability. These policies attempt to steer institutions towards successful outcomes via performance indicators, such as graduation rates. Nationally, PBF policies continue to grow in popularity despite limited evidence that they are effective (Hillman, Tandberg, and Gross, 2014). Motivated by the apparent conflict between the widespread adoption of PBF policies and the lack of evidence that they actually improve outcomes in higher education, this dissertation investigates the perceived impacts of PBF policies. Florida’s public university system serves as the setting for the study due to its uniquely punitive PBF policy design and the model’s non-standardized performance indicators.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013290
Subject Headings: Higher education and state, Public universities and colleges--Florida--Administration, State universities and colleges--Florida--Finance, Performance-based funding
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: GOVERNMENT AS A STIGMA MODERATOR: THE CASE OF PALM BEACH COUNTY’S ADDICTION RECOVERY INDUSTRY.
Creator: Moura, David, Miller, Hugh, Florida Atlantic University, School of Public Administration, College for Design and Social Inquiry
Abstract/Description: This dissertation investigates how government affects stigmatization processes. This line of inquiry is important for two reasons. First, existing models of stigmatization leave government out of stigma processes, or only mention government as a sanctioning body that comes in after stigma processes are complete. Organizational theory research therefore underplays the extent to which government action can influence its citizens. Second, stigma research in public administration and government...
Show moreThis dissertation investigates how government affects stigmatization processes. This line of inquiry is important for two reasons. First, existing models of stigmatization leave government out of stigma processes, or only mention government as a sanctioning body that comes in after stigma processes are complete. Organizational theory research therefore underplays the extent to which government action can influence its citizens. Second, stigma research in public administration and government research is limited to examining how government can assist stigmatized groups, and not on how government affects stigma processes. This inadvertently gives the impression that government is not part of stigma processes. While this may be due to the bulk of stigma theory research being located in the management literature, it is nonetheless a significant omission. Thus, the purpose of this study is to examine how government can influence the proliferation of stigma to then find government’s location in the stigma process.
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Date Issued: 2019
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00013400
Subject Headings: Government, Stigma (Social psychology), Addiction, Palm Beach County (Fla)
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: Task Specialization In The Public Administration Profession: A Job Analysis Of Public Procurement Practitioners.
Creator: Steinfeld, Joshua M., McCue, Clifford P., Florida Atlantic University, College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation examines task specialization in the public administration profession through studying the job tasks that a public procurement practitioner performs, manages, and both performs and manages. The purpose of this dissertation was to establish a baseline to benchmark what these practitioners actually do on their jobs. Factor analysis was used to study a data set of 2,549 respondents that were administered a survey by the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC)...
Show moreThis dissertation examines task specialization in the public administration profession through studying the job tasks that a public procurement practitioner performs, manages, and both performs and manages. The purpose of this dissertation was to establish a baseline to benchmark what these practitioners actually do on their jobs. Factor analysis was used to study a data set of 2,549 respondents that were administered a survey by the Universal Public Procurement Certification Council (UPPCC) in 2012. The research question to be answered involved addressing what job tasks public procurement practitioners perform, manage, and both perform and manage. Hypotheses were examined that predicted task specialization existing within public procurement to the extent that practitioners in more senior job positions display more task specialization and that practitioners from larger organizations also display more task specialization. A review of literature discusses the alternative perspectives on what constitutes professionalism in the public sector. The reasons for focusing on public procurement professionalism were subsequently presented through the literature. The various views of what entails professionalism in public administration were discussed as to responsibility (Stivers, 1994), sociological issues (Simon, 1947), constitutional issues (Lowi, 1995; Rohr, 1986), technical specialization and empirical rigor (Parsons, 1939), as means of contextualizing the nature of public administrators’ roles and responsibilities in conjunction with the job tasks that are executed. Factor analysis was conducted on 75 job tasks in order to identify relationships between practitioner job tasks for the purposes of finding out what it is that public procurement practitioners actually do for their work. The job tasks found to share relationships may be grouped together for further inquiry into the nature of the relationships between job tasks and overarching competency areas of related job tasks. Additionally, factor analyses were conducted to identify relationships between job tasks in public procurement and control variables such as organization size and job position, which were predicted to impact whether or not practitioners perform, manage, both perform and manage, or do neither, for each of the job tasks surveyed.
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Date Issued: 2016
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004748, http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004748
Subject Headings: Public administration., Business logistics--Management., Applied ethics., Professional ethics.
Format: Document (PDF)

Title: The frames and ideographs of water reuse policy discourses: an application of narrative analysis and text analytics.
Creator: Stevens, Jeff M., Miller, Hugh T., College for Design and Social Inquiry, School of Public Administration
Abstract/Description: This dissertation examines environmental policymaking as more of a symboldriven ideological contest over meaning than a rationally discursive democratic process through two interpretive modes of research: historical narrative analysis and text analytic frame mapping. Both are applied to the case example of the city of San Diego’s controversial policy innovation of indirect potable reuse via reservoir augmentation, or “toilet-to-tap,” as it became known through local news media. The...
Show moreThis dissertation examines environmental policymaking as more of a symboldriven ideological contest over meaning than a rationally discursive democratic process through two interpretive modes of research: historical narrative analysis and text analytic frame mapping. Both are applied to the case example of the city of San Diego’s controversial policy innovation of indirect potable reuse via reservoir augmentation, or “toilet-to-tap,” as it became known through local news media. The dissertation develops its theoretical foundation from the literature pertaining to political communication in public policy, including the role of signs and symbols, media theory, frames and framing, and agenda setting. Electronic documents are used as data.
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Date Issued: 2012
PURL: http://purl.flvc.org/fau/fd/FA00004257
Format: Document (PDF)

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