This thesis deals on integration of ASEAN. The primary objective of this thesis is to find out the potential of ASEAN to be politically and economically integrated like EU, and the kind of difficulties it may face in a mid way. Since EU is a pioneer and benchmark for any integration and ASEAN takes EU as a reference, I choose EU as a base to compare the progress of ASEAN. As for the theoretical aspect, integration theory and its importance in global scenario is discussed. The research sought after the way ahead for ASEAN. This study is based on a comparative analysis of the development of both EU and ASEAN. The information and literature needed for the thesis will be collected from open source, which is easily accessible to all. After analyzing the historical background, present development and future prospect, I think ASEAN is turning out to be the successful regional cooperation. Even though ASEAN took reference from EU in its development, It don´t need to be like EU. Being the cooperation from different group of differently diversified nations, It can pave its own way forward and can lay good precedent for other upcoming regional co-operations. ; M-IR
This study has developed a tool for explaining why employees fail to speak up with regard to work related criticism; there is a hidden policy of silence that teaches employees to remain silent. This hidden policy is here designated as the "Curriculum Silentium" and is described in detail on the basis of empirical and theoretical data. After identifying a gap between the intentionally and experienced policy for employees freedom of speech in organizations I suggest that there are on-going unofficial, partially hidden learning processes in the organizations. The overall research question is; How does the Curriculum Silentium; the hidden policy of silence among employees, look like? I make an analytic construction of the hidden policy as if it were planned policy, using the didactic categories applicable to organizations. These didactic categories are: goals, content, teaching strategies and the motivation of employees. The empirical data was collected in three different organizations: an elementary school, a home for the elderly and a factory in the process industry, using qualitative methods such as interviews and observation. The theoretical foundation of the study is taken from existing theory within the field of work life research and educational science. The study is not a comparative study of the three organizations, but does involve a comparison of whether and how the Curriculum Silentium is expressed in three such different organizations. The challenge of examining hidden relationships in organizations was met through the development of guidelines for an analytical approach called a critical didactic relations analysis. The study concludes that a hidden policy of silence resembling that presented here exists in organizations where employees fail to voice working life related criticism.
Denne artikkelen undersøker hvorvidt respondenter i norske fylkesadministrasjoner oppfatter at sentrale beslutninger influeres av eksterne aktører – gjennom vertikale relasjoner til sentraladministrative instanser og EU/EØS-institusjoner, samt horisontale relasjoner til andre fylkesadministrasjoner – og hvordan variasjonen i slike relasjoner kan forklares. Artikkelen bygger på data fra en ny spørreundersøkelse i norske fylkesadministrasjoner (N = 893), og viser hvordan fylkesadministrasjonene under visse betingelser kan opptre med to eller flere «hatter», det vil si at beslutningene som treffes influeres av flere eksterne aktører samtidig. Hovedtyngden av respondentene oppgir nasjonale sentraladministrative instanser som den viktigste relasjonen, samtidig som en betydelig andel også oppgir at EU/EØS-institusjoner har betydning når sentrale beslutninger treffes. Mønstrene som avdekkes forklares ved fylkesadministrasjonenes organisatoriske spesialisering og administrative kapasitet. ; This article examines whether respondents in Norwegian county administrations perceive that key decisions are influenced by external actors - through vertical administrative relations to central administrative bodies and EU/EEA institutions, as well as horizontal administrative relations to other county administrations - and how the variation in such relations can be explained. The article is based on data from a new survey in Norwegian county administrations (N = 893), and shows how the county administrations under certain conditions can act with two or more "hats", ie that the decisions made are influenced by several external actors simultaneously. The majority of the respondents consider national central administrative bodies as the most important external actors, while a significant proportion also state that EU/EEA institutions are important when central decisions are made. The patterns that are revealed are explained by the county administrations' organizational specialization and administrative capacity. ; Denne artikkelen undersøker hvorvidt respondenter i norske fylkesadministrasjoner oppfatter at sentrale beslutninger influeres av eksterne aktører – gjennom vertikale relasjoner til sentraladministrative instanser og EU/EØS-institusjoner, samt horisontale relasjoner til andre fylkesadministrasjoner – og hvordan variasjonen i slike relasjoner kan forklares. Artikkelen bygger på data fra en ny spørreundersøkelse i norske fylkesadministrasjoner (N = 893), og viser hvordan fylkesadministrasjonene under visse betingelser kan opptre med to eller flere «hatter», det vil si at beslutningene som treffes influeres av flere eksterne aktører samtidig. Hovedtyngden av respondentene oppgir nasjonale sentraladministrative instanser som den viktigste relasjonen, samtidig som en betydelig andel også oppgir at EU/EØS-institusjoner har betydning når sentrale beslutninger treffes. Mønstrene som avdekkes forklares ved fylkesadministrasjonenes organisatoriske spesialisering og administrative kapasitet. ; Denne artikkelen undersøker hvorvidt respondenter i norske fylkesadministrasjoner oppfatter at sentrale beslutninger influeres av eksterne aktører – gjennom vertikale relasjoner til sentraladministrative instanser og EU/EØS-institusjoner, samt horisontale relasjoner til andre fylkesadministrasjoner – og hvordan variasjonen i slike relasjoner kan forklares. Artikkelen bygger på data fra en ny spørreundersøkelse i norske fylkesadministrasjoner (N = 893), og viser hvordan fylkesadministrasjonene under visse betingelser kan opptre med to eller flere «hatter», det vil si at beslutningene som treffes influeres av flere eksterne aktører samtidig. Hovedtyngden av respondentene oppgir nasjonale sentraladministrative instanser som den viktigste relasjonen, samtidig som en betydelig andel også oppgir at EU/EØS-institusjoner har betydning når sentrale beslutninger treffes. Mønstrene som avdekkes forklares ved fylkesadministrasjonenes organisatoriske spesialisering og administrative kapasitet.
During the pandemic model for swedish public management have been discussed. In the societal debate, demands have been made for increased centralization and for the state to take over municipal areas of responsibility. The pandemic's crisis management has revealed a lack of knowledge about municipalities among government authorities and that there are differences in conditions between municipalities for the implementation of the activities. In studies of five municipalities and one region during the period 2020–2021 the results show the local level's ability to handle pandemics, which is also confirmed by international studies. The crisis management of the region/municipalities has shown the strength of a decentralized structure, but also that important development issues must be handled locally for an effective management of future crises. The answer lie in strengthening local self-government and addressing the challenges that exist in the multi-level governance that has come to characterize the public sector. ; I samband med pandemin har den svenska förvaltningsmodellen diskuterats. Det har funnits ett ifrågasättande av kommunernas förmåga att hantera den kris som pandemin innebar. Samtidigt har pandemins krishantering avslöjat så väl brist på kunskap om kommunal verksamhet bland statliga myndigheter som att det föreligger skillnader i förutsättningar mellan kommuner för verksamhetens genomförande. I studier som genomförts av fem kommuner och en region under perioden 2020–2021 visar tvärtom resultatet på den lokala nivåns förmåga att hantera pandemin, vilket även bekräftas av internationella studier. Regionens och kommunernas krishantering har visat styrkan i en decentraliserad samhällsstruktur, men också att viktiga utvecklingsfrågor och blottlagda brister måste hanteras lokalt för en ändamålsenlig hantering av kommande kriser och för en gynnsam utveckling i vardagen. Svaret finns inte i en ökad centralisering, utan en förstärkning av det kommunala självstyret och att ta sig an de utmaningar som finns i ...
Why do we focus on the internal arrangements of the contractual process from a leadership perspective? Through empirical research where we have asked questions about the internal organizational arrangements, what kind of knowledge the organization need, and how institutional arrangements affect the contract process, we have tried to answer the main research question. We have also carried with us a question of if the organization's attachment to the public or private sector affects the arrangements. I have conducted a comparative case study where data has been generated from two public sector organizations, The National Road Administration, Helsebygg Midt-Norge, one private sector organization, Siemens, and one hybrid organization, NTE. Data was primarily generated from the governance system of the different organizations, and informant interviews. The analysis was carried out by two steps; first an empirical analysis, then a theoretical analysis, based on contractual theory, of the empirical findings. The empirical analysis shows that the organizations share the same thoughts on how to organize the contractual work; the division between the line and the project organization, the distribution of decision-making authority, and the institutionalization of a specific governance system. The organizational processes are formalized, and the governance system gives the clear recommendation on desired actions. The empirical data gives a clear understanding that the contract process is dominated by one profession — the engineers. Regarding the question on knowledge, I found the organizations to be interested foremost on problem solving competencies (engineering competencies). Other competencies, for example economic or legal competencies, where viewed as support competencies. We also found that personal skills in handling the complex and difficult processes and attitude toward ethics seemed to be of importance. On the question on how institutional elements in the organizational environment affected the contract process, we found that the overall interest of the organizations was stability and predictability. We also found that the market mechanisms cause the organizations some worry. In the end, the empirical findings did not give us any strong reasons to differentiate between public sector organizations and private sector organizations in how to deal with contractual work processes. The theoretical analysis has been carried out within classical and relational contract theory. The analysis shows that the empirical findings, to a great extend, can be explained through classical contract theory. It also gives us some ideas on what areas of the theory, especially relational contract theory that should be improved. Regarding the main research question, the conclusions indicate a need to establish a comprehensive approach to the contract process, to ensure a good balance between different partial processes. There also seem to be necessary to work on improvements on contract theory to increase the applicability of the theory, especially the relational contract theory.
