NISPAcee

18/08/2026

📚 What exactly is the “public” in public interest?
And who gets to decide what serves it?
The seventh article from the latest issue of the NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy takes a closer look at one of the foundational — yet increasingly contested — concepts in public administration.
Public Interest and the Social Contract: A Dialectical Approach to the Epistemological Foundations of Public Administration

by Yacob Noho Nani, Abdussamad, Abdussamad, Rustam Tohopi, Achmad & Agussalim

The article argues that the meaning of public interest has become increasingly fragmented as governance and public administration evolve.
To address this challenge, the authors introduce the Philosophical-Reflective-Dialectical (P-RD) Model, bringing together social contract theory, contradictions in administrative practice and reflective learning.
What makes the argument particularly interesting is the idea that tensions such as values vs. procedures, centralization vs. participation, and efficiency vs. equity are not merely obstacles to effective administration. They can also become sources of learning and epistemological development.
The article ultimately presents public interest and legitimacy as dynamic outcomes — shaped by the interaction between normative ideals, institutional change and reflective interpretation.
A thought-provoking contribution to discussions on public administration, democratic governance and the evolving meaning of the public interest.

📖 Open Access | Vol. 19, Issue 1 | June 2026
https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/nispa-2026-0007

The public interest has traditionally been the foundation of public administration, but its interpretation remains fragmented as governance evolves....

12/08/2026

📚 Another one from the NISPAcee Journal — our sixth article in this series!
The sixth article from the latest issue of the NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy looks at how teams make sense of uncertain situations before a crisis fully unfolds.
Team Sensemaking in Crisis Incubation Period: A Case of a Superspreader Event in Estonia
by Anne-May Nagel & Hannes Nagel
The study looks at the decision to allow a large mass event in Saaremaa, Estonia, just before the COVID-19 restrictions were introduced.
One of the interesting findings is that problems in crisis decision-making do not necessarily come from dysfunctional team dynamics. Sometimes, teams simply work within a too narrow set of interpretations — focusing on available data while failing to question the assumptions behind it.
The article highlights the importance of challenging existing frames and creating space for alternative perspectives, especially in the early stages of a crisis.
A useful contribution to discussions on crisis management, public administration and team decision-making.

📖 Open Access | Vol. 19, Issue 1 | June 2026
https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/nispa-2026-0006

At the onset of COVID-19, regulating mass gatherings that were potential superspreader events was a key challenge for public administration. Before...

31/07/2026

📚 Another one from the NISPAcee Journal — our fifth article in this series!

The fifth article from the latest issue of the NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy looks at a topic that is increasingly important for effective local governance: budget transparency.
Local Budget Transparency in Belarus by
Yuri Krivorotko & Sokol

The study examines how transparent local budgets are online in Belarus and introduces an Online Local Budget Index of Transparency to assess the availability of budget-related information on local government websites.
One of the interesting findings is that the level of transparency is not strongly linked to the size of the local budget, revenue, population or geographical area.
The article also puts these findings into the wider context of Belarus, where strong centralisation remains an important factor shaping local governance and fiscal transparency.
A useful contribution to discussions on open government, accountability and local public finance.

📖 Open Access | Vol. 19, Issue 1 | June 2026
https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/nispa-2026-0005

World experience demonstrates that public participation in the budget process and transparency in the public sector are required prerequisites for...

24/07/2026

Take a look back at the memorable moments from the 34th NISPAcee Annual Conference in Sofia! 📸

The conference brought together scholars, researchers, practitioners, and public administration professionals from across the region for inspiring discussions, knowledge sharing, and new collaborations. Beyond the sessions, it was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with colleagues, build new partnerships, and strengthen our international community.
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to making the conference such a success. We look forward to seeing you again at the next NISPAcee Annual Conference!

📷 Browse the photo gallery from Sofia 2026:

https://www.nispa.org/files/conferences/2026/photos/album/May29%2C2026/index.html

21/07/2026

Can dissatisfaction with public services motivate citizens to seek new forms of participation?

A new research article published in the NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy (Volume 19, Issue 1, 2026) explores this question through the case of public transport in Almaty.
“Public Transport Satisfaction as a Catalyst for Civic Engagement: Evidence from Almaty”
Author: Kenzhekhan Kabdesov

The study examines the relationship between passengers’ satisfaction with public transport quality and their willingness to participate in collective forms of representation, including the potential establishment of a Passenger Union.
The findings suggest that dissatisfaction does not always lead to withdrawal. In the context of Almaty’s public transport, lower satisfaction was associated with a stronger willingness among passengers to engage in collective forms of representation. At the same time, the study highlights the importance of transparency, accessible information, and clearly defined governance structures in building trust and supporting meaningful participation.
By applying the Exit–Voice–Loyalty model in an urban context, the article contributes to a deeper understanding of how citizens respond to public service challenges and how institutionalized feedback mechanisms can strengthen relationships between passengers, service providers, and policymakers.

Ready to read? :) 👉https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/nispa-2026-0004

10/07/2026

✨ Save the date for NISPAcee 2027! ✨
The next NISPAcee gathering is already taking shape.
Join us for the 35th NISPAcee Annual Conference, taking place in Budapest, Hungary, on 27–29 May 2027.
This year’s theme:

“Public Administration and Democratic Transformation: Backsliding, Renewal and Resilience”

will bring together scholars, practitioners, and members of the public administration community to share ideas, explore new perspectives, and continue the conversations that connect us across Europe and beyond.

📍 Budapest, Hungary
📅 27–29 May 2027

more info: https://www.nispa.org/conference/2027/main-theme

Mark your calendar and get ready for another inspiring NISPAcee experience. We look forward to seeing you there! 🌍

02/07/2026

Our journey through the 2026 issue continues—this week, we turn to Armenia. 🇦🇲

In "Local Government Reforms in Armenia: How Relationships and Governance Shape Success," Arman Gasparyan explores how municipal amalgamation and decentralisation have influenced service delivery and local democracy.

Drawing on interviews, focus groups, and policy documents, the study finds that while some communities experienced better access to services and stronger administrative capacity, overall satisfaction with service delivery declined, particularly in larger and titular municipalities.

The findings highlight that institutional restructuring alone does not guarantee better services or stronger local democracy. Instead, the success of local government reforms is shaped by multilevel governance, political-administrative relationships, trust, resource allocation, and administrative discretion.

📖 Read the Open Access article in the NISPAcee Journal of Public Administration and Policy, Volume 19, Issue 1 (June 2026). https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/nispa-2026-0003

This paper examines the impact of Armenia’s large-scale local government reforms— particularly municipal amalgamation and decentralisation—on...

30/06/2026

Ready to check our another article from the newest journal issue? 📚✨
We’re pleased to share “Career Profiles of Agency Directors in Patronage Setting: What the Data (do not) Tell Us” by Bayerová

Who actually leads public agencies in Slovakia, and what experience do they bring to these roles? Using data on 1,322 agency directors across all regions of Slovakia (from the establishment of each agency up to 2024), the study looks at the career paths of top officials in a highly politicised Central and Eastern European context.
The findings show that prior political experience is relatively common among directors, while managerial backgrounds are often missing, and many leaders come from broadly generalist educational fields. The article helps clarify how leadership in the public sector is shaped in practice and points to the ongoing need to better understand the relationship between political and managerial careers in public administration, as well as the limits of available data.

📄 Read the article: https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/nispa-2026-0002

This article investigates the career paths of top officials in the highly politicised context of Central and Eastern Europe, with a specific focus...

24/06/2026

We’re pleased to share the article from our latest Journal Issue (Vol. XIX, Issue 1, 2026): “Innovation Policy in Kazakhstan” by Barlybayeva and Sadykova.

Despite long-term public investment in innovation policy (2001–2025), the study highlights persistent systemic challenges — particularly in coordination, implementation, and business engagement.
The findings suggest that R&D investment is the only consistently significant driver of innovation output, while other policy inputs show limited effectiveness.
Overall, the paper points to the importance of stronger institutions and governance reforms for achieving sustainable innovation progress.

📄 Read the article: https://reference-global.com/article/10.2478/nispa-2026-0001

The development of a country’s innovation potential is now regarded as an essential condition for economic modernisation and sustainable growth....

18/06/2026

We are pleased to announce that the latest issue of the Journal of NISPAcee (Vol. XIX, Issue 1, 2026) is now published and available online.

👉 Full issue: https://reference-global.com/issue/NISPA/19/1

This issue presents peer-reviewed research in the field of public administration and public policy, with a focus not only on Central and Eastern Europe, but also on a broader international context.
📚 Key topics covered in this issue include:
- Participatory budgeting and local democracy practices (for example, comparative cases from different countries)
- Digital transformation and e-government in an international context (for example, barriers and success factors in implementation)
- Artificial intelligence in NGOs and public administration (for example, AI use in decision-making processes)
- Access to digital public services (for example, inclusion of vulnerable groups)
- Tax policy and environmental taxation (for example, comparative approaches within and beyond the EU)
- Post-conflict public administration and governance reforms (for example, institutional reconstruction across different regions)

The contributions offer empirical and comparative insights into how public administration systems are evolving in response to technological, social, and institutional change.

Volume 19 (2026): Issue 1 (June 2026)