Problem-solving and Learning for Public Services and Public Management: Theory and Practice

✍ Scribed by Tony Kinder, Jari Stenvall

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 2024
• Tongue: English
• Leaves: 465
• Series: Springer Texts in Business and Economics
• Category: Library

✦ Synopsis

In this textbook readers will acquire knowledge of problem-solving and learning to enhance both efficiency and the experience of service users in rapidly changing service environments, that can create new service models. Emphasizing that, above all else, individuals are at the centre of services, the book goes deeply into the nature of public services and their logic-of-practice. By applying learning and problem-solving approaches, the reader gains practical capabilities in addition to an appreciation of the latest research literature. Following a multidisciplinary, international approach, the book suggests a new typology of problem-framing and presents many examples of how new service solutions can be created in any public service context.
The book offers a conceptual toolkit to understand and analyse dynamically changing services and the application of new technologies. Topics covered include pressing issues surrounding public services, such as e-technology, digitalisation, e-services, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurialism, sustainability, climate, inequality, developing economies, and smart cities. Chapters follow a similar structure: issue, problems, what we know, learning framework, worked example, theory and practice conclusions, as well as teacher and learner notes. Addressing advanced undergraduate and graduate students of public administration, public management, political science, sociology, computer science, and information systems, the book will also be a valuable resource for practitioners, i.e. experts and managers in public organizations, professionals in organizations working at the business and public sectors, consultants, and IT suppliers.

✦ Table of Contents

Online Links and Resources
Contents
About the Authors
Abbreviations
List of Figures
1: Introduction
1.1 Big Idea and Why This Book?
1.2 Justifying Public Services
1.3 Principles Found in This Book
1.4 Five Pictures Illustrating our Problem-Solving and Learning System Frameworks
1.4.1 Social Learning Framework
1.4.2 Services-as-a-System
1.4.3 Public Values to Value
1.4.4 Listening, Learning, and Innovating
1.4.5 Service Ecosystems and Complexity
1.5 Key Concepts for Problem-Solving
1.6 Structure
References
2: Problem-Solving and Public Services
2.1 Learning Objectives
2.2 Problem-Definition
2.2.1 Never-Ending Problem-Solving and Dialectics
2.2.2 Problem Framing and Reframing
2.2.3 Artificial Intelligence
2.2.4 Circles of Control
2.2.5 Entrepreneurs, Curiosity, Experimenting, and Radicals
2.2.6 Problem-Solving as Craft-A Learned Skill
2.3 Framework and AI Examples
2.4 Traditional Problem-Solving Approaches
2.5 Problem-Solving Situations
2.5.1 Improvisation
2.5.2 Professional Wisdom
2.5.3 Unlearning
2.5.4 Isomorphism
2.5.5 Play
2.5.6 Awkward Context and Culture
2.5.7 Power and Type of Problem Being Solved
2.6 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
2.6.1 Time and Trouble in Problem-Solving
References
3: Public Value, Values, and Public Services
3.1 Learning Objectives
3.2 Problems and Solutions Using PV in Public Services
3.3 What Do We Know Already About Public Value?
3.3.1 Introduction
3.3.2 Value in Political Economy: Epistemics
3.3.3 PV and UV in Public Management Discourse
3.3.4 Public Value from the Service user´s Viewpoint
3.3.5 Value and PV in Public Management Discourse
3.3.6 Value and Moral Reasoning in PM Discourse
3.3.7 Value in Service-Dominant Logic
3.3.8 Value in Public Service Logic (PSL)
3.3.9 Public Value
3.3.10 So What Does PV Mean for Practice?
3.4 Learning Nuggets
3.5 Useful Framework
3.5.1 Story So Far
3.5.2 Values-to-Value
3.5.3 Context and Culture and Localisation
3.6 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
3.6.1 PV and Household Production
A Philosophical Detour into the Nature of Mediation
3.6.2 Distribution Issues
3.6.3 Use Value, Public Value, and Vs2V
3.6.4 Frame and Collaborative Governances
3.6.5 People Creating Public Value
3.7 Key Theory and Practice Points
3.8 Links
References
4: E-Public Services
4.1 Learning Objectives
4.2 Issues Facing Public Services Policy
4.3 Potential Problems
4.4 What Do we Know?
4.4.1 Resourcing e-Services in the Public Sector
4.4.2 Technology Mix
4.4.3 Technological Determinism
4.4.4 Interoperability and Ambient Services
4.4.5 Big Data, Dilemmas, and Decisions
4.4.6 AI, Automation, and Social Acceptability
AI Robotics
4.4.7 A Dark Side of AI?
4.4.8 Substituting Capital for Labour
4.4.9 Public e-Services and Commercialisation
4.4.10 e-Services and e-Democracy
4.4.11 Conclusions
4.5 Learning Nuggets
4.6 Framework
4.7 Past Research Problems
4.8 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
4.9 Theory and Practice Lessons
References
5: Local Public Sector Innovation
5.1 Learning Objectives
5.2 Problems and Solution Using Innovation in Public Services
5.3 What Do We Know Already about Innovation in Public Services?
5.3.1 Perspectives on Innovation and Public
5.3.2 Central State and Public Sector Innovation
5.3.3 Structures, Entrepreneurship, and Leadership
5.3.4 Technology
5.3.5 New Public Management
5.3.6 Social Innovation and Social Enterprises
5.3.7 Service Management and Public Value
5.3.8 Learning and Innovation: The Myth of the Learning Organisation
5.4 Learning Nuggets
5.5 Useful Framework
5.6 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
5.7 Key Theory/Practice Points
5.8 Links
References
6: Organising in Self-Organising Ecosystems
6.1 Learning Objectives
6.2 Problems
6.3 What Do We Know?
6.3.1 Organising and Sensemaking
6.3.2 Complexity and Organising
6.3.3 Problem Centricity and Organising
6.3.4 Framing/Reframing Problems
6.3.5 Ecosystems and Organising in Developing Economies
6.3.6 Trust and Public Service Organising
6.3.7 Collective Consciousness and Organising
6.3.8 Relational Leadership
6.3.9 Bonds of Trust
6.3.10 Managers, Learners, and Mediators
6.3.11 Leadership as Processual
6.3.12 Leaders´ Learning
6.3.13 Leaders, Collective Consciousness, and Distributed Learning
6.3.14 Summary and Framework
6.3.15 Public Service in Society and Organising
6.4 A Development Model for Public Services
6.5 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
6.5.1 Organising at a High-Level
6.5.2 Epistemology: Philosophy in the Field
6.5.3 Logics: What Are the Logics in Dynamics
6.5.4 Why Organising?
6.5.5 Social Reproduction, Families, and Organising Public Services
6.5.6 What´s New for Organising
6.6 Links
References
7: Learners, Teachers, and Leaders
7.1 Learning Objectives
7.2 Issues Addressed in This Chapter
7.3 Economic Development and the Problems Public Services Address
7.3.1 Europe´s Development and Public Services
7.3.2 Developing Countries and Public Services
7.3.3 Globalisation and Public Services
7.4 What Do we Already Know
7.4.1 Knowledge Flows and Middle-Managers
7.4.2 Managers Learning and Acting in Structures
7.4.3 Managers as Learners and Teachers: Governance and Leadership
7.4.4 Summary
7.5 Key Learning Nuggets
7.6 Applying Framework Over Time and as Problems Change
7.7 Applying Framework to Past Research
7.7.1 Middle-East, North Africa (MENA)
7.7.2 African Public Service Creation Models
7.7.3 Corruption: Kazakhstan
7.7.4 South America: Barren Public Services
7.7.5 USA Gap
7.7.6 Asian Development State
7.8 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
7.8.1 Regulation
7.8.2 Privatisation
7.8.3 Austerity
7.8.4 Market Failure
7.9 Key Theory/Practice Points and Links
References
8: Entrepreneurial Activity
8.1 Learning Objectives
8.2 Problems Facing Public Service Entrepreneurship
8.3 What We Know About Public Sector Entrepreneurs
8.3.1 The Value-Creating Public Sector
8.3.2 Public Sector Entrepreneurs
8.3.3 Public Sector and Private Sector Entrepreneurship
8.3.4 Mobilising Resources
8.3.5 What Does Legitimacy Creation Mean in a Public Sector Context?
8.3.6 Conclusions
8.4 Key Learning Nuggets
8.5 Useful Framework
8.6 Applying Framework to Past Research
8.7 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
8.8 Key Theory/Practice Points
8.9 Links/Integration with Other Issues/Problems
References
9: Knowledge Flows and Services Improvements
9.1 Learning Objectives
9.2 Issues for Public Services
9.3 Problems
9.4 What Do We Know?
9.4.1 The Nature of Knowledge and Knowledge Flows
9.4.2 Public Sector Organisation and Their Knowledge Base
9.4.3 Conduits for Knowledge Transfer into Public Services
9.4.4 Active Listening and Filtering
9.4.5 Transferred Knowledge Distribution and Use
9.4.6 Benchmarking Private Sector Services
9.4.7 Knowledge Transfer in a Developing Economy
9.4.8 Endogenous Versus Exogenous Knowledge
9.4.9 Household Labour and Knowledge Flows
9.4.10 What Works?
9.5 Learning Nuggets
9.6 Framework
9.7 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
9.8 Lessons Practice and Theory
References
10: Governances and Sustainability Dialectics
10.1 Learning Objectives
10.2 Problems Public Services Governance Environment
10.3 What Do We Know Already?
10.3.1 Natural Environment Sustainability
10.3.2 Failing Governance Processes?
10.3.3 The De-growth Alternative
10.3.4 The Green New Deal (GND)
10.3.5 Contrasting Accountabilities
10.3.6 Governances: Dialectical Continuity in Discontinuity
10.4 Key Learning Nuggets
10.5 From Street Philosophy to Dialectics in Practice
10.5.1 Dialectics as Theory
10.5.2 Dialectics as Practiced
10.5.3 Dialectics and Social Learning
10.6 Applying Framework to Past Research
10.7 Application of the Framework to Current Important Topics
10.8 Key Theory/Practice Points
References
11: Inequality, Climate, and Dialectical Problem-Solving
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Learning Objectives
11.3 Why Dialectics?
11.4 Social Learning and Dialectics: A New Synthesis
11.4.1 Dialectics as Street-Level Philosophy
11.4.2 Social Learning and Dialectics: A New Synthesis
11.4.3 Dialectics as a Street-Level Tool
11.5 Dialectics in Practice: Simplified Model and Examples
11.6 Apply Dialectics to Inequality and Environmental Degradation?
11.6.1 Rising Inequality and Immiseration
11.6.2 Environment Degradation, Dialectics, and Learning
11.6.3 Conclusions and New Framework
References
12: Conclusions
12.1 Toolkit
12.2 Theory Contribution
12.2.1 Social Learning
12.2.2 Public Value and Public Services
12.2.3 Service Users and Their Problems
12.2.4 Dialectical Approach
12.2.5 Interpenetration
12.2.6 Leadership and Collective Consciousness
12.2.7 Post-capitalism?
12.2.8 Turning Point?
12.3 Ideas for Logic-of-Practice
12.4 Policy Recommendations
12.4.1 Nation-State and Local Government
12.4.2 Colonial/Slavery Reparations
12.4.3 A New International Order for Public Service Policies?
12.4.4 Global Value Chains (GVCs) Inequality and Environment
12.4.5 Big Tech Control
12.4.6 Population and Distribution
12.4.7 Wicked Problems in Welfare States
12.4.8 Planning Possibilities
12.5 Future Directions and Further Research
12.6 Hope and Inspiration
References
Index