Browsing by Author "G. David Garson, Committee Chair"

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    Diffusion of Innovation of Supply-Side Economic Development Policy: Explaining the Determinants of Local Government Enterprise Zone Adoption.
    (2010-03-08) Jolley, George Jason; Denis O. Gray, Committee Member; Andy Taylor, Committee Member; Ryan Bosworth, Committee Member; G. David Garson, Committee Chair
    Despite the widespread study of diffusion of policy innovation among states, little is known the factors influencing adoption or the pattern of innovation among local governments. This study utilizes logit regression and Cox regression (also known as Cox proportional hazards modeling) to examine the predictive factors of local government enterprise zone adoption in Illinois. Utilizing counties as the unit of analysis, the demographic, economic, political, and regional diffusion factors influencing adoption of enterprise zones are examined over a 23-year period from 1981 to 2003. Representation by a sponsor of the enterprise zone legislation and having an unemployment rate higher than the state average are the strongest predictors of enterprise zone adoption within a county’s borders. Counties represented by a bill sponsor are 6.67 times more likely to adopt an enterprise zone compared to a county not represented by a bill sponsor. Likewise, each unit difference in higher unemployment rate compared to the state average means a county would be two times more likely to adopt. The findings support the importance of policy entrepreneurs, especially state legislators, in driving policy innovation in their districts. However, the enterprise zones were designated in counties with a higher than average unemployment rate suggesting those counties in economic need were more likely to receive the intended benefit. Consistent with prior studies of diffusion of innovation, the data reveal a pattern with some early adopters, many middle adopters, and fewer late adopters. When plotted, the data resembles a logistic “S†curve and natural breaks in the data exist for early, middle, and late adopters. The intent of this study was to develop a predictive model explaining enterprise zone adoption in Illinois. This study has limited generalizablity beyond Illinois and limited generalizability in application to mandated or non-voluntary enterprise zone adoption. However, the study provided an opportunity to test many of prior assumptions about the drivers of policy innovation at the local government level, which are rarely examined in the academic literature
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    Dysfunctional Social Capital in Post-Communist States: Analyzing Correlates of Perceived Corruption in the Romanian Civil Service
    (2009-04-21) Toma, Roxana Malina; James E. Swiss, Committee Member; G. David Garson, Committee Chair; Michael L. Vasu, Committee Member; James H. Svara, Committee Member; Michael J. Struett, Committee Member
    This study investigates perceptions of corruption in the Romanian civil service and the factors that facilitate these perceptions. While most of the literature treats administrative corruption as a principal-agent problem between the state and government employees, this study employs social capital theory to investigate the roots of corruption within dysfunctional social capital. Moreover, most empirical research on corruption undertakes cross-country analysis to explain variance in perceived corruption ratings based on economic, political, and social indicators. However, the conditions underlying such indicators are difficult to change. This research is a survey-oriented analysis which attempts to identify specific causes and correlates of corruption in attitudes, behaviors and administrative institutions - all more possible to change than broad social conditions. This study uses a total of three data sets documenting perceptions of ethics and corruption in the civil service and covers more than 1,200 experts, elected officials and civil servants. The quantitative analysis employs logistic regression and path analysis with structural equation modeling in order to detect the primary correlates of elected officials’ and civil servants’ perceptions of corruption. Contrary to literature stereotypes about civil service pay in transition countries, this study suggests that remuneration is not a major factor in ethical behavior, but that other human resource reforms, including merit-based employment practices and worker empowerment would likely raise the quality and integrity of civil servants. Moreover, elected officials’ data suggest that decentralizing civil service management is likely to foster leadership on many of these issues. Finally, findings indicate that people’s perceptions of corruption are influenced by what is considered widespread and approved behavior in the society. Therefore, anyone wishing to diminish corruption should particularly attempt to shape civic attitudes, using education, television campaigns and other approaches to help citizens see that honesty is more widespread than they might believe. This also suggests that the government needs to aggressively publicize its anticorruption efforts, because this will lead to a greater reservoir of positive social capital.
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    The Effects of Internal Characteristics of Municipal Government Agencies and Environmental Factors of Municipalities on the Scope and the Quality of Municipal E-government Initiatives: Developing an Integrated Approach.
    (2004-12-29) Pavlichev, Alexei; G. David Garson, Committee Chair; Heather M. Cheshire, Committee Member; Michael L. Vasu, Committee Member; Deborah L. Weisel, Committee Member
    The objective of the research has been to determine which internal characteristics of municipal government agencies and which environmental factors of the municipalities across the U.S. affect the quality and the scope of adoption of municipal electronic government (e-government) initiatives. To accomplish this objective, an integrated approach was developed. The approach combined theoretical methodologies of three frameworks applied to the public sector agencies: innovation theory, information and communication technology, and e-government. It was hypothesized that theoretical premises of these frameworks complement each other in their ability to explain municipal e-government initiatives and their combination would help to address the drawbacks that characterize the present research on municipal e-government. The dependent variable in the present research is municipal e-government score. The dependent variable measures the scope and quality of municipal e-government initiatives. The research concentrates on two sets of predictor variables: internal municipal government agency characteristics and external environmental factors of municipalities. Correlation/regression analyses were performed to explore bivariate and multivariate relationships between the dependent and predictor variables and to accomplish the following goals: (1) describe the relationship between the dependent variable and the two sets of predictors (internal municipal agency characteristics and external environmental factors); (2) determine the effects of individual predictors in explaining the rate and the scope of adoption of e-government initiatives; and (3) compare the two sets of predictors in their power to explain the rate and the scope of adoption of e-government initiatives. The results of these analyses demonstrated that external environmental factors are significantly better predictors of the quality and the scope of local e-government initiatives, as measured by the e-government score, both individually and as a set.
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    Managing the human side of information technology: A public-private comparison of chief information officers.
    (2004-03-31) Schelin, Shannon Howle; Michael Vasu, Committee Member; James Swiss, Committee Member; Gary Dickson, Committee Member; G. David Garson, Committee Chair
    Information technology has permeated the public and private sectors. However, successful adoption and implementation of technology has not been easy as predicted. Successful adoption and implementation of information technology can easily be defined as projects developed on time, on budget, and to the satisfaction of the end users. Along with the myriad benefits and promises of technology, there are several challenges to its successful adoption and implementation, including poor requirements definition, lack of communication, and limited management support. This research study examines a variety of identifiable and controllable factors that can contribute to the successful adoption and implementation of information technology, called 'critical success factors' (CSFs). Critical success factors are those factors that consistently contribute to the overall success of a technology project, regardless of project scope, organizational size, or other exogenous variables. Using a review of public and private sector literature, a list of fourteen critical success factors was developed. Each of the factors was assessed by public and private sector chief information officers to determine if sectoral differences related to influence of or performance on the critical success factors exist. The findings suggest that several sectoral differences do exist. In particular, the public sector often rates their performance on the critical success factors lower than their private sector counterparts. Furthermore, the public sector has greater levels of dissonance between their ideal rating of a given critical success factor and their organizational performance on the factor. Based on the research findings, several policy implications were identified: 1. Policymakers must recognize the critical importance of top management support in both public and private sectors to technology project success, and therefore, encourage and nurture it. 2. Policymakers must recognize the need to close the gap between the public sector's performance on critical success factors and their ideal ratings of these factors by reducing the burden of external requirements and legislative mandates that hinder successful technology project implementation. 3. Specific areas, such as use of highly skilled staff and strategic technology planning, need more attention in the public sector, in order to increase the likelihood of technology project success.
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    Testing the Rocheleau Data Sharing Model on North Carolina Law Enforcement Agencies
    (2005-04-05) Vann, Irvin; G. David Garson, Committee Chair; Marsha Alibrandi, Committee Member; Deborah Lamm Weisel, Committee Member; Michael L. Vasu, Committee Member
    This research tests nine hypotheses regarding computerized data sharing between public agencies. Rocheleau (1996) developed these hypotheses from private and public sector management literature. The hypotheses are grouped into three major categories: facilitating forces, internal facilitators, and inhibiting forces. From these hypotheses 13 independent variables and two dependent variables were developed. This study developed an instrument to measure the correlation between the independent and dependent variables. The instrument was administered to police departments and sheriff offices in North Carolina from November 5th, 2003 through December 20th, 2003. The research indicated the following six independent variables had a significant correlation with computerized data sharing in the law enforcement agencies: common goals, core functions, organizational survival, top management, Internet applications, and organizational autonomy. Respondents reported sharing computerized data with organizations that shared their common goals and supported their core functions. The respondents also shared data with selected organizations to ensure their organizational survival. Initiating and sustaining computerized data sharing was strongly influenced by top management. However, the influence of top managers within the law enforcement agencies was more important than top management or political leadership outside of the agency. Additionally, having Internet connectivity was necessary but not sufficient to sustain data sharing. Computerized data sharing required a certain level of skill within an agency to sustain it. Finally, one potential impediment to computerized data sharing was agency autonomy. The concern for autonomy had two aspects. First, agencies were adamant about resisting data sharing agreement that would compromise the ability to control their data. Second, the agencies were also reluctant to share computerized data when they believed they would loose control of the interpretation of their data.
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    Understanding Sophistication in the Context of Electronic Medical Record Systems
    (2008-12-01) Shea, Christopher Michael; G. David Garson, Committee Chair
    The purpose of this study is to further understanding about the state of electronic medical record (EMR) systems in U.S. hospitals. Specifically, the study addresses the following questions: (1) How can sophistication be measured in the context of EMR systems in U.S. hospitals? (2) Is the sophistication level of EMR systems associated with specific information system leadership structures, planning practices, or strategies? A stage model of EMR sophistication was tested using Guttman scaling techniques and was found not to be a valid characterization of EMR systems. Therefore, using latent class analysis, a three-class model was identified, categorizing EMR system sophistication into basic, intermediate, and advanced systems. Logistic regression procedures were used to identify whether specific organizational variables correlate to EMR class membership. These variables measured delivery system capacity, hospital capacity, information system leadership structure, and information system planning practices and strategies. Multinomial logistic regression results suggest that the best predictors of EMR sophistication are the size of the delivery system, having a disaster recovery backup facility for information systems, and pursuing a best-of-suite vendor selection strategy.